spiral – The Hedge Druid

Misty May at Down Tor – Beltane 2016 P2

May 18, 2016May 15, 2016 Chris No Comments

Dawn broke on Burrator Reservoir. Very few people noticed this fact, for three reasons: it’s a ridiculous hour of the day to be awake; there were only a handful of visitors to the area; there was such a dense mist that you couldn’t see the reservoir unless you were actually in it. No-one was in … Read More “Misty May at Down Tor – Beltane 2016 P2” »

Another spiral comes around

September 17, 2015September 4, 2015 kal No Comments

Belief Systems, Books, Signs and Synchronicity

As you walk this crazy path… “Divine Guidance leads a man to perplexity” You begin to notice the spirals in your life. I have begun to note them here for three reasons. It adds to the flavour of the tales here It is a reminder to myself – I can’t recall everything (in fact I … Read More “Another spiral comes around” »

Whirling with the Dervishes p2

July 4, 2015June 18, 2015 kal 1 Comment

Meditation, Ritual

In part one of this post I wrote how I had spent the evening and early hours in the company of some amazing Sufi’s. We sang, we chanted, we cleansed our hearts and purified our souls (whatever that means). Five hours of practicing some amazing Zikr had left me tired and yet refreshed. But the … Read More “Whirling with the Dervishes p2” »

The Blackthorn Portal – Summer 14 P5

July 30, 2014January 8, 2015 Gwas No Comments

Ancient Sites, Hedge Druidry, Spirit of Place, Tarot, Visions, Wheel of the Year

Kenmare – County Kerry, Ireland – 21st June 2014

We roll into town with clear instructions – the stone circle is just on the edge of the town, down Market Street. That’s true but for some reason we decide that the street designated as “market” must be the one with all the shops on it. Well, that was foolish! A long walk out and back means that we start the day off grumbling about how to put a sign up to name your streets in small Irish towns. We haven’t wasted much time, and soon we find the pristine, manicured stone circle at the end of a well-kept hedge-lined path. It feels like we’re walking on to a bowling green!

Bowlers on the Green

The circle is composed of beautiful stones – not too tall, but equally spaced, regularly sited, and overall the circle is impressive. The stone monument is enclosed on all sides by shrubbery, and on one side by tall trees. Other singular trees make themselves known too – a blackthorn and a hawthorn stand in solitary silence on the left-hand side, as though waiting to be noticed by the interested observer. I notice them. I’m interested.

Kenmare stone circle - June 14 (6) (Medium) — Kenmare stone circle bowling green

There are a few others who have ventured out to the circle this special Summer Solstice morning – a young lady sitting at the far side, and an older lady who is wandering around watching what everyone else is up to. Tourist? Interested party? We find out later that she’s interested in all things “heritage” and is from the United States. Well, the odds were in favour of that, really!

Having dowsed to see if there is anything to do here – luckily getting a positive response – I ask to be taken to the starting point. I am taken on a huge inwardly-winding deosil spiral that takes me from weaving betweent eh outer stones to a point on top of the plat stone in the centre. I guess I have to sit here? I sit facing the solstice sun and just allow me aura to be cleansed of the modern world’s detritus. As this is Ireland and we’re in a small town it only takes a few seconds to be cleared and ready for the next stage of the adventure.

Cornwall Winter 3 – Sancreed Beacon and Well

January 16, 2014January 19, 2014 Gwas No Comments

Ancient Sites, Dowsing, Energy work, Healing

Day two in Cornwall. The winter weather had relented and the grey rain clouds had receded back to clear skies. My target for today were a series of sites around the Land’s End area – sites which Kal and I had passed by on our mission to get to the “good stuff” in summer. There were a cluster of sites around the village of Sancreed, and then my midday destination was lunch on Carn Brea hill.

I arrived in Sancreed, parked in the village, then set off walking towards the church in the hope of tracking down the well nearby. As I got close to the church I saw a visitor sign for Sancreed Beacon. Well, why not? It was still mid-morning, and the air was still, the views would be lovely. I set off up the hill road.

1. Sancreed Beacon

I passed a van full of baying hounds parked in the lay-by, then walked to the top of the beacon hill where I was greeted by the sight of four wild horses grazing on the available greenery. As the sound of the disturbed dogs faded I began to appreciate the looming views. I had predicted correctly – the view was incredible from the beacon hill, as you might expect.

View from Sancreed Beacon - Winter Solstice 2013 (2) — View from Sancreed Beacon to St Michael’s Mount, Cornwall

The four horses did not seem very apocalyptic, nor were they very interested in me dowsing my way via an energetic path to the “best place for me to be”. They munched on, intent upon their delegated task to keep the hilltop naturally trim.

Sancreed Beacon, Cornwall - Winter Solstice 2013 — Wild ponies on Sancreed Beacon

The dowsing rods shifted right as I reached close to the peak and I followed. I was taken to a small rectangular-shaped area which was just to one side. I dowsed to try to find out why I was here – was there something I could do for the site, or something it could do for me (Kal’s great opening question). It was a healing requirement – there was work for me to do. Well, that’s a good start to the day!

Summer Solstice 2013 p10 Glastonbury – Closing the spiral at the Chalice Wells

August 25, 2013August 25, 2013 kal No Comments

Pilgrimage, Trees

With learning that we didn’t have to go 50 miles out of our to get ‘the crystal’ we decided to head for Glastonbury to visit the fabulous Chalice Wells. The night had been unkind to Gwas (see his post) and the mood was a good deal sombre that normal. In the car I noted that … Read More “Summer Solstice 2013 p10 Glastonbury – Closing the spiral at the Chalice Wells” »

Solstice 2013 – Tintagel and Merlin’s Cave

July 30, 2013July 30, 2013 Gwas No Comments

Ancient Sites, Arthurian, Dowsing, Glyphs and Wards, Wheel of the Year

This is my penultimate Summer Solstice post. I have one more – a real counterpoint to this story – which will teach me another strong lesson, but we’ll come to that in time. For now, we have arrived at Tintagel – home of all things Arthurian, especially the gift shops – and we have just scoured the town for some incense. We found some at Tintagel’s only new age shop, where the owners were very helpful and a delight to talk to. In a good mood we set off for Tintagel Castle where I hoped my tide times were correct and I would be able to enter Merlin’s Cave for the first time.

I only had one thing on my mind and that was to visit the cave that a lady named Zoe had talked about. Kal had met her at Glastonbury Abbey and had introduced me to her. She simply said to me that I should pass on my thanks to Merlin when I met him. There was a distinguishable twinkle in her eye as she said it, though, which stuck in my mind. That seemed so long ago now but the memory was still strong, and I had taken the directive as a personal quest. I would indeed deliver her thanks now I was here.

Tintagel's steep cliffs — Tintagel’s steep cliffs

Maybe I can’t read or something but when we got to the shoreline and looked out to the base of Tintagel Castle the tide was in. I would have to wait until it turned before I could reach the caves. Kal showed me a secret ledge upon which we dozed and watched the waves, lulled by the rhythm. I picked up two stones – a flat one and a small quartz-veined pebble which I pulled out from a patch of grass. How I had known it was there I can’t say!

To sit on that wild perch listening to the lap of the waves, and to watch bird life wheeling around in a constant careering carousel like some kind of baby’s mobile spinning us to sleep….

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