We couldn’t help ourselves. We were having a stretch of great weather in England and it was only the middle of April. We had to go out. I was running out of time to begin my latest quest – The Muse of Taliesin. Therefore, a couple of quick texts, a designated date and time, and the “game was afoot” as they say. I waited for Kal and watched a hawk circling the house. A good omen.
We were heading into the depths of North Wales on the first part of my quest. I had a list of sacred sites associated with Taliesin the bard. Tonight we would visit the first of them. I drove with Kal in keen conversation mode to Rowen village near Conwy. I sort of remembered the way to my intended destination – the dolmen of Maen Y Bardd. I know it was up on the hillside at the back of Penmaenmawr, but I also know that I didn’t want to take the narrow steep road up. We drove through Rowen village and ended up on the narrowest, steepest road in North Wales. A road we said we’d never do again after last time. Something was making me work hard for this sacred site visit! I hoped it wouldn’t become a theme on this quest.
We parked and walked down the water-ridden track to a standing stone with male energy emissions. The flat blade of the stone marked the path to the dolmen. One could almost follow its shadow. It looked like a giant had thrust a blade up through the earth.
The wind picked and so did my excitement. Soon, back on the track, I was able to point out Arthur’s Spear in the field opposite the little dolmen. An old tale tells of a giant throwing the stone to account for its positioning. My experience with such stones told me that it was probably pointing at a particular star, but this was not an evening to be hanging around trying to determine such things. The wind grew more bitter as the sun lengthened the shadows, but the atmosphere was still vibrant and expectant. On to the dolmen!
Only a few more steps along the track and we could clearly see Maen-Y-Bardd dolmen on the curve of the hill as the village of Rowen appeared below us. We both hurried for the relative potential warmth of the lee side of the stones as the last of the sunlight shifted upwards and off us. April is still a cold month out of the sunlight. The warmth of the inside of the dolmen was inviting – like a return to the womb, or staying in bed on a cold morning.
Taliesin Returns to the Womb
Using the dowsing rods to check for an appropriate entry point and pathway, I entered the dolmen through one of the entry points and sat in a power centre. I recognised this power centre. It was exactly the same one as I had sat in last time (first time) I had been to this dolmen. So be it.
I connected and introduced myself, but as my new druid name. I felt that even this powerful introduction was “not sufficient”. I was surprised, and a bit unsure of what to do to remedy that, but I calmed myself and decided to try to relax. Once I felt comfortable in that space, sat correctly, able to meditate, loosen up and de-focus, then I felt for the energies of Taliesin.
I remembered Michael Dames‘ book “Taliesin’s Travels“. The author reveals the alternate name for the dolmen is “Kennel of the Greyhound Bitch”. The “bitch” is the goddess Ceridwen – mother of Taliesin, and guardian of The Cauldron Of Inspiration. He relates this name to the tale of the “giant stick” of the nearby standing stone, which was thrown by a giant causing his dog to hide inside the dolmen structure in fear when it landed. Dames states:
“Welsh folklore repeatedly speaks of three outcomes for occasional barrow-dwellers: Either they die, go mad, or become poets. Reflecting on these outcomes while within the ‘kennel’, Taliesin guessed that the best poetry might be generated inside the goddess-muse. Within the tomb he could become part of the original tomb-deity, in body, spirit and capacity for inspired speech…
He longed for the courage to trust her and to deeply inhale. But on considering the madness or death that could ensure, his nerve failed and he held his breath. So the opportunity was lost.” (source: Taliesin’s Travels, Michael Dames. p141)
I wanted to repeat that process, but this time to choose to face the fear. I breathed deeply and deepened the meditative state I was in. No fear. I felt the energies shift around me. I found something energetic connected to Taliesin, I’m sure, because soon I was reciting a new set of poetic introductions, akin to the bards of old. I can’t remember all the exact lines, but they were like this:-
“I breathe with the air and fly with the birds.
I am the one who stands on stars.
I hold the Earth in my hands.
I bathe at the bottom of oceans.
I chase fire like a quarry.
I am the honour of progress.”
This was new! I hadn’t spoken poetry like that, and certainly not out loud, for years. Many years. Since I was studying the subject at university some twenty years ago at least. What was happening? Awen. Inspiration energy.
I felt the movement of energy come through me as I breathed in, and took in the subtle energy of the Awen into my lower energy centre. I did the same with the upper centre, then again into my heart centre. Finally, I locked the Awen into me, and then I was done. The first part of the quest was over, and Kal was finished with his meditations outside the dolmen too.
I emerged feeling stunned and elated at the same time.
