Magick – Page 2 – The Hedge Druid

Crosses for the Bride

February 2, 2016February 2, 2016 Chris No Comments

Belief Systems, Power Objects, Ritual, Saints, Trees

In preparation for Imbolc I wanted to construct something similar to what I had seen at other sacred sites related to the goddess Brigid – a wooden cross. I decided to make two crosses – one for me and one for my friend Julia, who would be accompanying me for my Imbolc outing. My concept was … Read More “Crosses for the Bride” »

Reconfigurations and Repurcussions

October 25, 2015October 25, 2015 Chris No Comments

Castles and Forts, Crystals, Energy cleansing, Hills and Mounds, Ritual, Shades and Death Energies

It was the first energetic thing that I could bring myself to do after Kal’s death. I knew what needed to be done, but I needed a week away to even begin to get enough space between the event and what I needed to find the strength to do. Energetically, shamanically, we had discussed the concept of clearing death energy many times. This was not the circumstance in which I ever intended to use such practices.

Yet the fact remained. Kal’s energy needed to be released from the spot where he had died. Only I knew that. Only I knew how to do that. Only I cared that it was done. He would only have wanted me to be the one to do it. So I had to stiffen up the sinews and go back there. Back to the slopes of Dinas Bran in Llangollen.

On the way it looked so familiar. I remembered all of our conversation that day – his hopes for the future; his travel plans; how other people seemed not to share our levels of commitment to this kind of spiritual work; our shared admiration for Carlos Castaneda’s accounts; and how I was dressed in white and he was in black. Some things were profound, others insignificant. At the time we may not have known which were which.

A Hard Rain

As I began the climb memories came flooding back as though a sluice gate had been opened. As I walked I re-traced the path as exactly as I could, in a meditative state of mind all the way. I walked past the fateful spot and felt my heart ache. That feeling again. A feeling like someone was gripping my heart in some kind of Dim Mak move from a martial arts film.

Heartache through combat — Van Damme makes his mark

I reached the top and the strain on my heart got stronger with each step. I was re-living Kal’s experience, I felt. To the point where I thought I might suffer the same effects! As I reached the top the rain began, and I knew this was the beginning of the cleansing process.

Lammas 2015 P3 Dunchraigaig Cairn and the Ash Tree

October 1, 2015October 8, 2015 Chris No Comments

Ancient Sites, Dolmens and Chambers, Energy healing, Energy work, Ents and Dryads, Protection, Trees, Wheel of the Year, World Tree

The wonderful thing about the Kilmartin Glen area is the density of megalithic sites, and the way the local authority has presented and preserved these important places. Dunchraigaig Cairn [link] is a prime example of this. We flew past it on the way in, but now we were heading back along the road we came in on so that we could access the site. Sometimes we “choose” the order of events, sometimes the order is imposed upon on by “chance”.

We parked in the small purpose-built car park and negotiated the surprisingly busy A816 road close to the Dunchraigaig Bed and Breakfast building. Once across we seemed to be in a serene space, surrounded by tall old trees of differing varieties which ringed the main attraction – a low-lying mound of rocks which capped two near-hidden cubby-hole entrances to the cairn .

Approaching Old Trees

The obviously striking spruce trees didn’t draw as much attention as the solitary old ash tree. The ash tree drew my attention and made me go towards it, where I placed all my things and sat down ready to rest. No rest for this druid! The moment I sat down I felt that the tree was trying to communicate. So be it!

I decided I needed a “proper approach” to the tree, and so I dowsed for a way in. The way was provided, and as I approached the rods stopped me. I looked down to discover tow mostly-buried stones forming a portal entrance way. I recognised the feature, connected to the presence of the tree, and then waited to see if my introduction would be accepted. It was, and now I could sit down and got into a meditative state at the base of this fine ash tree.

Lammas 2015 P1 Kilmartin Glen

September 23, 2015September 28, 2015 Chris No Comments

Ancient Sites, Circles and Stones, Glyphs and Wards, Lakes and Rivers, Wheel of the Year

In this blog post I will begin describing our visit to the Scotland for Lammas. I outline a general procedure for approaching megalithic sites, and then go on to discuss my specific findings.

Lammas started with a thorough cleansing. It seems that I feel impelled to have a good long shower before I go out on a sacred day. Maybe this harks back to ancient traditions, but I don’t think it’s something that I consciously started to do, just that I noticed my behaviour over time.

Our destination today was the last place on our “We should really go there” list – Kilmartin Glen in Scotland. By the accounts of other megalith hunters it was a “field day” opportunity to see several sites in close proximity. Finally, we were getting to go, although it was a long drive to get there. It was raining most of the way. As we got past Glasgow the heavens really opened up and began to make us think we were in for a very wet weekend. As usual, Kal was optimistic and assured me that everything would be fine by the time we arrived. Ten miles from the glen I was less certain. Then, literally as we approached the glen the rain stopped. By the time we had parked a few minutes later, the sun was out! All around was a dark swathe of purple rainclouds. Astonishing! Kal beamed his usual broad smile and sported his “I told you so” eyebrow and wide eye combination.

How to approach a megalithic site

Within a minute of surveying our first site we knew that we were going to be fully occupied this weekend. The information boards at the Kilmartin Glen car park were packed with images of standing stones and circles. We drooled. “Nether Largie” – sounded exotic and enticing.

Over the narrow road we walked onto a bridge over a small free-flowing river, stopping to acknowledge the subtle energy barrier which acted like a bouncer – changing the way the spirit of place would interact with the entrants depending on how they approached the site. We knew to wait, ask respectfully for entrance, and then determine the response. We rarely were pushed away. So it was this time – we got the “pull” to say “Come on in!”. As I passed over the river I left my “worldly energies” behind, asking the river to take them with it on its journey. I was now entering a different “world”.

Stage One is cleansing. Done. Stage Two is energising with a new energy. For that I needed my dowsing rods to show me the correct lace to stand. When face with a megalithic site the temptation is to rush to touch it, or move closer to look at it. We knew to use our dowsing rods to find a preparation place.

The preparation place was just to one side – about six feet away from a pair of standing stones which looked like a gateway or doorway. This, I surmised, would be my entrance to the complex of sites and my start point for subtle energy work at these sites. Every door leads to an adventure!

Nether Largie standing stones - Lammas 2015 (4) — Kilmartin Glen portal stones – see how they line up with the hill?

A Magician an Artifact and a Shade p4 Solstice 2015

July 25, 2015July 27, 2015 kal No Comments

Crystals, Dark Magic, Energy work, Hills and Mounds, How To, Shades and Death Energies, Visions

Repeat Experience Please If it worked once, why not again? The last time I was at Knowth I had been taught how to use a pentagram of quartz crystals to open my third eye (exponentially). That had led to an amazing vision at Dowth and ultimate a journey to visit the Oracle of Delphi in … Read More “A Magician an Artifact and a Shade p4 Solstice 2015” »

Bull and Barbell Glyphs for the Merlin Staff

July 20, 2015July 7, 2015 Chris No Comments

Glyphs and Wards, Hills and Mounds, Merlin

I was on the hunt for the second pair of glyphs – symbols and shapes that were discoverable by dowsing at sacred sites, and which I needed in order to satisfy my requirement for creating The Merlin Staff soon. I had an idea that I needed to carve these four symbols into the staff as part of its creation. Carving would be the starting point for our journey, as I was soon to discover. We were going to Dinas Emrys now.

We had taken the “alternative” route to get to Beddgelert. The faster route was probably to go via the A5 and come past Snowdon, but today we had gone via Blaenua Ffestiniog on the A470. Scenic, but slow. However, as this year is all about learning patience, I acquiesced to the situation. So it was mid-afternoon by the time we arrived. No problem, we knew a quick way up Dinas Emrys, and so we set off – late but confident.

Until we met the landowner as we wandered through his caravan park. He queried our presence, and then re-directed our “hapless wandering” back down to the road with directions to visit the nearby National Trust site of Craflwyn in order to find the correct path. We drove the half mile back and parked up. There was a visitor centre with an exhibition all about Dinas Emrys, so we took the opportunity to see what it had to say.

Inside were information boards, videos and beautiful carvings depicting characters from the stories.

When we had had our fill, we re-emerged, examining a map that was neither detailed nor to scale, nor indicative of the contours of the land. So we picked a likely path that ended up at Dinas Emrys and set off, grateful for the shade in the sweltering heat.

We climbed. At first through the shaded beautiful woodland, then soon the path got steeper and broke out into the glare of the sun. Now we were getting hot. How much further until we could see Dinas Emrys, we wondered? The we saw it – but it was still miles away! And the path wasn’t going anywhere near it soon!

We had a decision – abandon now, or press on? We looked around for signs. I sat on the wooden “throne” overlooking the intended hill below, wondering what to do. A gentle wind cooled my fevered brow. We would press on.

Sun and Moon Glyphs for the Merlin Staff

July 15, 2015June 30, 2015 Chris No Comments

Ancient Sites, Circles and Stones, Glyphs and Wards, Merlin, Modern Druidry, Quests, World Tree

The Moel-Ty-Uchaf stone circle high above the village of Llandrillo in North Wales is one of the toughest tests of determination and stamina. It takes around 40 minutes of relentless climbing up a very steep gradient to reach it. Yet, when a circle calls – we heed it! In this story I found that patience is rewarded, and that glyphs can unlock energetic forces at a site.

The agenda for this sunny Saturday outing was simple – two sites – Llandrillo and Dinas Emrys. Surely we’d be home for mid-afternoon? Ha! The Universe had other plans. In our way we had a panoply of tardiness-generating obstacles:-

roadworks on every major highway between us and the sites
weekend wanderers doing 30mph on major trunk roads
caravans and farm traffic using the main roads

It was an object lesson in giving in to the inevitable slowness. A journey that I had previously clocked at 25 minutes on my motorcycle took us 1 hour 45 minutes today. So far this year we are both learning that Patience is the watchword.

However, there was the promise of obtaining some vital information: I needed to find out the four glyphs that were the Essence of The Merlin Staff. They needed to be discovered before the Summer Solstice, and then I would have to get them carved onto the staff at some point this year.

The way up was hard. It always is. Yet we were in good spirits. We only needed to stop a couple of times to re-gain our breath and then we were approaching the circle in good spirits. Unusually, we both recovered from the climb almost instantly. It was a remarkable, so we remarked upon it. Now for the work to begin!

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