As a prelude to what is to come, I think this is the most important post I have ever written. If you have any interest in megalithic sites, then I think you will enjoy this, and I am hoping it will generate a lot of discussion.
One fine evening Kal and I had an outing to Mitchell’s Fold stone circle. We had been talking about it for a few weeks, but the fine weather finally goaded us into going. Neither of us had an agenda, which seems to be the theme of the year so far, but as Kal said, we had nothing to do because we’d done it all at Brittany!
On my approach to the site I feel that I should begin at the King Stone outlier. The site looks nude with all of the bracken removed and just starting to grow back. I feel rather exposed – just me and the stone with no vegetation to hide behind. As I try to get into the right state of mind I am plagued by the noise of trials bikes and a helicopter buzzing around. Luckily they soon get bored and disappear.
For the first time my dowsing rods lead me to one of Kal’s usual power centres in order for me to ask about my current quest – to discover how sacred sites are created. Kal objects, but gallantly allows me to stay there, as I got there first. I begin meditating and am encouraged to invite Ash – my spirit guide – to join me, as he has a strong interest in this topic.
I connect with the Spirit of Place (Genius Loci), and ask if I can discover more about the quest. I am encouraged to explain what I know so far, which throws me a little bit – I am not prepared for this! P pause, think, then talk about my vision of a giant removing a pillar of stone from an existing site; then he moves twelve steps; then… “Stop! Go back!“. I hear a conversation in my mind. It’s not “move twelve steps”, it’s “follow twelve steps“. It’s a journey through a process, not a distance to travel.
Momentarily the shock throws me out of the trance state. Dammit! I must learn to control my emotions better! When my mind has calmed down I decide to go back into trance to see if the Spirit of Place can help me understand more about this revelation. The dialogue continues….
- Can you tell me the 12 steps to creating a site? NO.
- Do I already know some of them? YES, three.
I consider the process. Here are the steps I know about:-
- A key stone is removed to destroy the old construction
- A distance is travelled to move to a new site (now I know it’s not twelve ‘steps’)
- A new site is chosen based on some criteria which I don’t know yet.
Correct. I take a punt and suggest a fourth step is
4. The stone is replaced at the new site to begin construction? YES.
Oh! So, you’ve just confirmed that I now know four steps. CORRECT. So…. I can make a guess as to the steps, and you’ll confirm or deny them? YES. Well, then – let the guessing game begin!
Half an hour later the guessing game is complete and I have all the steps. I’ve gone through hundreds of permutations, thrown in a mixture of educated guesses and wild theories along the way, and emerged with a rough outline of the twelve steps necessary to creating a sacred site.
The Key Stone Cop
The process all revolves around what is termed The Key Stone. The Key Stone is a stone which acts like a keystone in an arch – without it the whole construction makes no sense. I have yet to determine the full characteristic of a Key Stone, so bear with me on this one, but let’s just say for now that it has been imbued with energy or has energetic properties that are rare. The Key Stone is so important that if a new site is created it must be done using a Key Stone, even if that means taking one from another old unused site.
The twelve steps to creating a sacred site are:-
- Dismantle the old site by removing the Key Stone.
- Move a certain distance away (so that the old site doesn’t influence the new site)
- Find a new location with the appropriate aspect and energies (‘beauty’ is important)
- Obtain, craft and energize a stone to act as Key Stone (or re-work an old one)
- Site the stone to point at, or track, the zenith of a particular star
- Link the Key Stone to the star through an energy ritual
- Invite a Spirit of Place to be guardian of the site, and dedicate the stone to that spirit. The Key Stone is now ready, but the site is still inactive as a whole.
- Prepare the site with other supporting stones (depending on the type of site you are making) in order to create an abode for the spirit of place when it arrives.
- Wait for the spirit to arrive.
- Celebrate the arrival of the spirit in order to link the site and spirit together. This now “activates” the site for use.
- Create a ritual based on the arrival date in order to continue the celebration and renew the link of spirit and site regularly (each star zenith?)
- Dedicate a person to the furtherance and continuation of that ritual celebration
And that is all that is required to create a sacred site!
I was astounded at the complexity of this process, and the particular attention to the requirement for a Spirit of Place to be an integral art of a site. This fits in with many of the readings that we have done of sacred places, but I never properly understood the necessity of this spiritual link, or the true extent of this inter-dependence between Otherworldly entity and the Megalith Builders. The nature of the Key Stone is now my next focus. What is some standing stones were once meant to be circles or dolmens, but the Spirit of Place took longer then the builders could wait, or didn’t arrive at all? Interesting idea, eh?
I think this concept also answers questions about why some sacred sites can appear relatively intact, but are energetically dead. If the Key Stone is not present, or the Spirit of Place is absent, then I suspect the site will lost its energy. I need to test this at every site I know, but it might explain why most modern stone circles are energetically inactive.
There is much more work to be done to check, refine and further define these steps. So many questions arise in my mind as I ponder them, and I’m sure you are the same too. I have to say, though, that this is one of those pivotal moments in my work as a Hedge Druid. To find the purpose of sacred sites was my starting point, and knowing how to create one is a major branch of that investigation.
A seemingly innocuous visit to a sacred place has revealed to me some of the most important information that I think I will ever know. I feel humbled to have been the vehicle through which this information can be disseminated, and I will take it upon myself to verify it and then make this knowledge more widely known than it currently is.
As I read your post about the twelve steps….I heard Crystal Grid and the steps it takes to create one and how once it is set up you connect the stones together to activate it.
Gwas, a fascinating post particularly in relation to some experiences I am having in the ritual landscape around The Hurlers in Cornwall (which I may try to find a way to share with you out of interest in the journey but also to get your perspective on what I am discovering!) One thought strikes a chord for me. You make a point about intact sites being energetically inactive because the spirit of place has gone or the keystone removed. The opposite scenario is also worth being investigated…sites which are in a poor state of repair but which are still very active because the key elements which focus energy and maintain the attention of the spirit of place are still there. So what are the key elements?! This seems to have a lot of synchronicity with my experiences at Craddock Moor circle..all the stones are recumbent but the energy is very strong.
Thanks and bright blessings for sharing your experiences!
Rich
It makes sense that the intention to create has to be inter-relational with all those involved, stars and stones, humans and others. These are long term, out of time creations. So the renewal rite seems appropriate.
Perhaps why Christian religious sites – celtic sites particularly, seem to retain their ‘thinness’ – the connections all still exist – ancestral memories almost.
And much like walking a path across a moor – each journey and return deepens the path and makes it ‘not moor but journey’. So who knows. young stone circles may always have a low energy charge to start off with.Someone I know buys sacred objects by the armful only for them to fade and end up in the back of a drawer (or rescued by me). Recharging space is something you know about.
Is it that modern circles miss the intention/relation? A thought occurred to me that you could take a modern circle and rebuild, rededicate, it spiritually with all proper permissions and intentions. But then you would have to take care of it.
Hi Rustus,
I’m keen to get working on the Key Stone problem, but I’ve learned that everything comes when you’re ready to learn, so I’ll be patient.
So, there are similarities? I’m curious as to what they might be, and more importantly, what are the differences?
Gwas.
First off, I’m only speaking from what I’ve found or stumbled across. There does seem to be similarities to a central “thing” that becomes the central foci. This has been, from what I’ve found, a stone, a tree or even, in one site, a plant. There is also, most definitely, a Spirit of the Place that is tied to the site. Supporting structures are also around but these are also other trees or, typically stones. The sites also seem to have their seasonal “high” points which might be the same as the “arrival” date you mentioned above.
The one difference is keying into a star. However, until this post, I’ve never thought to ask so it’s quite possible there is something there! The biggest difference makes me hope I’ve not misspoke because the areas I’ve explored are not “historic” or even physically still “there.” As I said, similar but inherently different?
Thank you so much for taking the time to not only do this but to take the time and energy to share it. It’s been VERY helpful because in reading it I’ve found several similarities to places I have found over here “across the pond.” Different but similar is perhaps the best way to put it! Fantastic and fascinating work! I look forward to hearing more about your Key Stone work.