bel – The Hedge Druid

Samhain 2015 P1 – Bel and the Bee

November 23, 2015November 16, 2015 Chris No Comments

Ancient Sites, Dolmens and Chambers, Saints, Spirit Guides

Samhain 2015 was spent at Belas Knap near to Winchcombe in Gloucestershire. The long barrow had been appearing all week beforehand in background pictures on my computer and I took this as a sign that it was the right place. This would be the second festival date without Kal, but this time I had a fellow traveler – and I will hopefully tell you more about that in the near future as it becomes a regular thing.

In the morning I had been listening to the radio and the program had been talking about this time of year being a time to remember “saints known and unknown“. That might be something that I could bear in mind?

The journey was misty almost all the way down to Gloucestershire. A cold dull day loomed, but then as we rose up towards the ridge where the long barrow was located the way cleared and a strong warm sun was waiting for us.

Samhain 2015 - Belas Knap (1) — The shaded path to the ridge housing Belas Knap long barrow

The sun’s appearance began burning back the morning mists until, from a vantage point on top of the ridge, a cinematic view emerged. The barrow was perched in a ridge which seemed to rise out of the surrounding mists like the romantic pictures of The Isle of Avalon.

I had decorated my staff that morning for some reason, and the jangling sound of the attached necklaces accompanied our walk to the barrow through the old woodland tunnel.

Samhain 2015 - Belas Knap (5) — Mists over Winchcombe with antler staff

As we walked bees kept buzzing in the air around me, catching my attention on a regular basis, as though saying “We’re still here!”. They were so insistently loud, and it seemed almost as though they were following me. We made a “bee line” for the barrow.

Lammas 2015 P4 The Energy of the Stone Row

October 5, 2015October 8, 2015 Chris No Comments

Ancient Sites, Circles and Stones, Energy, Faery, Telluric, Wheel of the Year

We were moving further back down the glen we had traversed when we arrived this Lammas August morning. Somehow, we had managed to drive right past a huge pair of stone rows, and we laughed at how Nature places these things in our attention just when we’re ready for them. Clearly, this was the right order in which to do things. Not the “nearest first” approach, which would be our “logical” sequence.

From Duncraigaig Cairn we followed the footpath through a channel of wild flowers and ferns until we emerged into an open field. Before us were two obvious stone rows: Ballymeanoch Stone Rows.

What was the best way to approach this abundance of megaliths? We had a stone circle and two stone rows to choose from! I opted for following the dowsing rods to help me decide, and they took me on a circuitous route around to the far side of two standing stones which I took to be an “entrance portal”. I needed to stop at the energetic barrier that I could feel between the stones, and which was acting as a form of gateway.

In the portal I got into a connected state. I felt the presence of faery, and it came to mind to acknowledge Bel and Titania – the king and queen of faery. I felt that this was the opposite side of their “opening” time of Beltane. This was the “closing time“. I wasn’t sure what that phrase meant at this point – it was something to do with acknowledging their movement towards being quiet for the Winter months – a sort of “end of the summer” feeling. Energy waning. A thanking them for the fruits of the summer. All those things were packed into this feeling, which made it so complex that I couldn’t’ express it clearly in words if I were given a whole book’s length to do so.

As we passed each other Kal mentioned that he sensed the presence of Faery here. A coincidence.

Ballymeanoch stone row and circle - Lammas 2015 (6) — Ballymeanoch Portal stones

6 Beltane 2014 – Bel and Titania at Kerzerho

May 28, 2014May 18, 2014 Gwas 7 Comments

Ancient Sites, Faery, Hedge Druidry, Magick, Wheel of the Year

Kal walked into the wooded grove at Kerzerho first. He seemed to stand in awe, and went silent. As soon as I entered the space I understood why. I looked at him and he looked at me: “Faery glen!” he said. I agreed. The space was magickal, and bustling with subtle energy life of a kind which we rarely encounter. The space was beautiful – lit perfectly by the sun, dappled, with beautiful trees, mossy seats on the ground, and stones which seemed to be alive.

Kal did some dowsing, some meditation, and then left me to it. He knew I wanted to work here. All I could do was sit down and marvel at the space, but before I became “entranced” at this entrance into another world I regained my senses. I put up protection, lit several sticks of incense and placed them around the area. Then I sat back down and asked for my spirit guide to accompany on whatever journey I might be in for.

I set about trying to contact the spirits of the glade. I came across two – the word “Beltane” split into two names: “Bel ” and “Titania“. Although etymologically the name “Bel ” means “Lord”, in the context in which I found myself it was clearly assigned to the self-proclaimed “Lordly” spirit of the faeries which inhabited this grove. I was being addressed by the Faery King and Queen.

In William Bloom‘s hierarchy of spirits the Faery race are found between the Gnomes and the Fauns. They are a stage further developed than the elemental forces, and as a faery responsible for the form of plants. The next stage, Faun, is responsible for trees. The King and Queen of Faery are therefore the spirits responsible for the development of all plants, according to Bloom.

In this context I was immensely respectful for this opportunity, and yet a delightful playfulness accompanied the whole encounter. I decided to honour them with a joyful impromptu ditty, and so I began to recite a limerick.

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