henbane – The Hedge Druid

Arthurs Table and the Landscape Zodiac

February 1, 2015January 23, 2015 Chris No Comments

Hedge Druidry

I originally named this post “The Second Arthur Site 2015” because it forms a part of what I now realise will be a series of posts that aim to describe a journey throughout the year. This journey will encompass many ancient sites related to King Arthur, and the signature of the site will be that I will be aligned to The Great Bear constellation and the powers of The North (both literally and symbolically).

It was with this Arthurian signature on the year in mind that I chose to go and visit two sites in West Wales that were related to Arthur, if not in name then in association at least. On the off-chance I called Kal to see if he was up and available for an outing, Seems I disturbed some necessary sleep, yet still he wanted to come along. Off we go again!

Ystum Cegid Isaf

Our first site was a superb example of a table-like dolmen structure that the Welsh regions do best. The name, if you put it into Google translate, comes back as “Lower hemlock gesture“. Hilarious, even though it may be too literal a translation, such as these tools often provide. Last year it was henbane, and now this year starts with hemlock! Coincidence, or Providence?

Cerrig Arthur dolmen - Jan 15 (15) — Another welsh dolmen related to Arthur

A small road takes you to a lay-by near to a recycling centre just outside of the village of Garndolbenmaen on the A487 road between Caernarvon and Porthmadog towns. If you park close to the footbridge then you get the chance to cross the Afon Dwyfor river either by the new or old bridges. We opted for the old one, and it was fun on a windy day.

Don't look down - it's a fast flowing river! — Don’t look down – it’s a fast flowing river!

Summary of the Year 2014 – Chris

January 25, 2015January 23, 2015 Chris No Comments

Yearly Update

Taking a leaf from Kal’s book I will summarise my year in terms of the quests that I have been involved with. The year had many more facets than this, but I think the quests are the important factors, as they form a developmental framework for my druidry work. They show the progress of my spiritual quest. Ultimately, for me, that’s what this blog is about.

I will put the quests into a chronological order, but also show how they relate to the tarot reading that I did at the start of the year. I quickly lost sight of this as I began to work, but now I have re-visited it to see just how the reading relates to the activities of the year.

TAROT FOR THE YEAR

My tarot reading for the year was done using the Tree Angel Oracle deck. This seems appropriate, as the sacred trees of the druids match the lunar cycles. The cards were drawn to show either a sign or a challenge – something that would guide me onwards, or that I would have to overcome in order to progress.

Here are the cards listed against their positions in the Celtic Wheel of the Year:-

IMBOLC – Ivy (sign)
SPRING EQUINOX – Rowan (sign)
BELTANE – Blackthorn (sign)
SUMMER SOLSTICE – Almond (sign) + Elder (challenge)
LAMMAS – Hawthorn (sign)
AUTUMN EQUINOX – Elm (sign) + Lime (sign)
SAMHAIN – Juniper (challenge)
WINTER SOLSTICE – Birch (sign)

What follows is the detail of the year’s work. See whether it coincides with any of your own work this year – if it does, let us know!

Imbolc 2014 – From Imbolc to Beltane

February 28, 2014February 5, 2014 Gwas No Comments

Hedge Druidry, Quests, Trees, Wheel of the Year

I needed to ensure that I had read as much as I could about Henbane. Countless encounters with spirits, guides and psychics had reaffirmed this, no mater how bewildered I was that I needed to research the properties of a well-known poison! For what purpose, I didn’t know. Nevertheless, I diligently sought out and read all the books I had on the subject. Or so I thought.

Henbane and I

I have been redecorating my study. It has taken my several weeks to get everything out – my extensive library and music collection particularly – and then to decorate, re-furnish, and replenish the study. Now it is finally in a fitting state. Now that I have new bookshelf space I was surprised to come across a book in a completely different part of the house which I felt should have been in my collection in the study. It was a book of healing herbs! I looked up Henbane. No, I had not read this entry, despite having read every other possible entry in other books. I read the information on the morning of Imbolc. The first line of the “uses” section made me jump: “Used in the treatment of asthma“.

I have been struggling with asthma for almost thirty years. I have almost overcome it through a combination of steroid inhalers, vigorous aerobic exercise, and recently with the help of a friend who is working for Forever Living. He has put me on a treatment program which has added a little boost to my own efforts. Nevertheless, I have always been seeking the one final natural cure. Here was a possibility. I was being guided to it. Henbane.

I realised what I needed to do – this year I needed to gather Henbane, then prepare an essence of the plant. I would create my own homeopathic remedy for my asthma! I was excited. This was uncharted territory, and if there’s one thing I knew about Henbane, it was that it was deadly poisonous! Extreme caution must ne taken. But wow – the possibility!

This is to come in the second half of this year. For now, let’s leave this subject and go back to my other topic – what will I be doing from Imbolc until Beltane?

Cornwall Winter 7 – Tintagel and the Lively Mix

January 24, 2014January 23, 2014 Gwas 2 Comments

Ancient Sites, Arthurian, Spirit of Place

After visiting Perran Round near Newquay I made my way further along the northern coast of Cornwall. I was running from the rain clouds which were closing in behind me. However, I was beaten, and when I arrived at Tintagel the rain had set in for the day. One of the reasons I had chosen Tintagel – apart from its stunning views – was that I knew I could shelter in the caves below the castle, providing that the sea would let me. I togged up and traipsed down the hill – not another visitor in view.

The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Druid

Tintagel is a lonely place to visit on a cold winter’s afternoon in the rain. As a Hedge Druid working alone is a frequent occurrence, and sometimes I am asked whether I really like it like that. Honestly? Well, yes actually. I am truly free in such situations, and work to my own timescales. Very rarely do I feel atone with all those elements and spirits swirling around me all the time and in every place I visit. I do appreciate being out with Kal or occasionally Psychic Mike, but really my heart is in league with land, sea and sky – these are the three faces of my mistress.

It’s in such circumstances, when the weather begins to impose itself, tugging at your clothing and ruffling your hair that one appreciates the impressive isolation that the cut-off headland exudes. How impassable and impregnable it seems when the sea is crashing around its base, spraying it in spume!

Tintagel shore in Winter (4) — The craggy face of Tintagel

I made my way down to the shoreline. The sea was only just beyond the line of the caves, and so I knew that I had limited time before the caves would become cut off by the tide. I spent a good fifteen minutes, however, savouring the atmosphere of the wind, the waves and the light drizzle on my face. It felt quite dangerous to wait this long, as though I was dicing with Nature. Not exactly taunting Her, but allowing ourselves to come into a dangerous liaison. As the waves swelled and unfurled just out of reach of the cave mouth I turned my attention to making a meaningful contact.

Samhain 2013 – Arthurs Stone, Henbane and the Builders Path

November 18, 2013 Gwas No Comments

Ancient Sites, Hedge Druidry, Quests, Wheel of the Year

My previous visit in 2011 to Arthur’s Stone had been in full sunshine. Today, Samhain, was very different with a blanket of grey cloud shedding rain all around us in sporadic bursts. I felt sure that we were in for a damp visit, but on arrival the clouds stopped dispensing rain and left only a wet sheen over everything, clouds still deepening in the background.

Kal set about trying to make the sun appear. By now I knew better than to vocalize any doubts about his abilities, but I have to say that I was really doubtful that he could penetrate the dense grey could cover that was all around us, and had been for most of the drive into Herefordshire. If anything, it was getting thicker and darker with every passing minute. Nevertheless, he stated his intention and I left him to his impossible task.

Kal makes the sun appear in the middle of a rain storm

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