Tag: vale crucis

The Thin Veil – Samhain 2016

Posted on By Chris No Comments on The Thin Veil – Samhain 2016
The Thin Veil – Samhain 2016
Ancestors, Ancient Sites, Churches and Temples, Draco The Dragon, Quests, Staff, Wheel of the Year

It’s Samhain, or Halloween and I’m travelling to Valle Crucis Abbey in Llangollen in the heart of the night. The idea is that I will meet with Cailleach and Duignan to take advantage of the thin veil between the Middle Earth and The Underworld. If you need a “catch up” on these two “personalities” then … Read More “The Thin Veil – Samhain 2016” »

Double Cistercian

Posted on By Chris No Comments on Double Cistercian
Double Cistercian
Ancient Sites, Churches and Temples

For years I had been coming across the name “Strata Florida“. This Cistercian abbey in Cardiganshire (South Wales) had often been linked (in the kinds of books that I read) to another abbey more familiar to me – Vale Crucis in Llangollen (North Wales). Finding that I had a free day, and also finding that the … Read More “Double Cistercian” »

Summary of the Year 2015 Part 1

Posted on By Chris No Comments on Summary of the Year 2015 Part 1
Summary of the Year 2015 Part 1
Yearly Update

I was quite hesitant about producing “the usual” summary of the year. It has clearly not been a normal year. In fact, I would go as far as to say that the first half was good, but the second half took a much more dark and difficult turn. I’m not used to that. In all … Read More “Summary of the Year 2015 Part 1” »

Beltane 2015 – Three Points of Ancestral Connection

Posted on By Chris No Comments on Beltane 2015 – Three Points of Ancestral Connection
Ancestors, Churches and Temples, Saints, Wheel of the Year

This is the last of my Beltane 2015 posts. I had intended it to be the central point of the ripple effect – the smallest circle, the tiniest of posts. In fact, it is longer than I anticipated, only because it is actually the very centre of everything I’ve been working with since 2011. In this respect, it shows how sometimes our work has long cycles until they resolve themselves, but also that the smallest insignificant episode can often result in profound implications for your spiritual path. Let me explain!

The Returning Circle – Vale Crucis Abbey in Llangollen

For me Vale Crucis will always now be a local reflection of a similar Cistercian abbey in the Irish town of Boyle. Boyle, in the Irish county of Roscommon, is the centre of an area in which my ancestors used to roam (and some still do). When I visited the area a few years ago I had an amazing series of encounters culminating in an energetic battle with one particular ancestor who then became one of my spiritual protectors. I earned the right to inherit the family name that day, and all of the accumulated knowledge and wisdom that came with that inheritance.

Vale Crucis Abbey - Beltane - May 15 (2)
The leaning tower of Vale Crucis – alright, maybe it was me leaning

So, when I step into Vale Crucis it is like being in Ireland, back in my ancestral homeland, and having access to all that information and support. On this Beltane day, having visited many other sites, this was the southern culmination point. For me, I was just here to connect with my ancestors, as I had before. Yet, something much more profound was about to happen.

Read More “Beltane 2015 – Three Points of Ancestral Connection” »

The Bardic Link to Ancestors

Posted on By Gwas No Comments on The Bardic Link to Ancestors
Ancestors, Ancient Sites, Dowsing, Experiment

When the grey clouds of summer come rolling in what is a hedge druid to do with himself? Why, go out of course! Somehow Kal had decided that he wanted to go to The Druid’s Circle at Pemnaenmawr. I was unable to get free until after 7pm, so a long journey across the width of Wales was out of the question. Instead, I persuaded Kal that a quick visit to Dinas Bran would be more appropriate He conceded, but as we approached Llangollen things went a bit strange. For some reason I didn’t turn up the road to Dinas Bran. Instead, I carried on towards Vale Crucis Abbey, and that’s where we ended up. It was like something had decided for me where we would go this evening.

I had no agenda to work to – again. I would simply connect at the right place for me to be, and see what revealed itself tonight. The dowsing rods guided me initially to a power centre by one of the ruined walls of the Abbey’s main hall near the entrance. The cleansing process took a long while – much longer than usual. Perhaps this was because it had been a few weeks since I had done any work at a sacred site?

Vale Crucis Abbey - Winter Solstice 2013 (6)

I issued a new directive to the dowsing rods – “Please take me to the best place for me to work on my spiritual path!”. A general question, but usually one which resulted in something interesting happening. I was taken on a path which skirted alongside the ruined abbey’s walls until I reached an area which I recognised as being the former alter space. In that space there were the remains of pillars supporting two walls opposite each other. The pillars were “exploded”, only half of their construction remained. I was taken to a handy ‘seat’ – a flat rock sticking out enough to perch upon.

I sat on the seat looking at the pillar opposite, which was similarly opened up. Why was I here, I wondered? I let myself drift into a reverie… why was I here… why was I here… I found myself staring at a face in the stone pillar. It was a face that I felt I recognised… who was it? Give me a clue!

Read More “The Bardic Link to Ancestors” »

Winter Solstice 2013 – Saints and Druids in Llangollen

Posted on By Gwas 2 Comments on Winter Solstice 2013 – Saints and Druids in Llangollen
Ancestors, Other Entities, Wheel of the Year

Winter Solstice was spent in and around the Llangollen area. It’s not only easy for us to get to, but there are some favourite sites which we know always deliver when it comes to both scenery and ‘sorcery’. Kal has already covered our visit to St.Winifrede’s Well in Holywell, which was a shared experience. The next couple of posts will concentrate on our next two places – Vale Crucis Abbey, and then the hillfort of Dinas Bran and I will describe the visits in terms of what happened to me.

Before we arrived at Vale Crucis, though, we came through some back roads from Holywell which meant that we came over Horseshoe Pass. At that time of the morning and at this time of the year the views were stunning:

Horseshoe Pass - Winter Solstice 2013 (2)

Vale Crucis – free and open in Winter

We began our visit by taking some photographs. You have to get the fiddly stuff done first in this weather or your fingers freeze up! Having got that bit done we circled the site in opposite directions, each of us choosing our spot through a combination of dowsing and intuition.

Vale Crucis Abbey - Winter Solstice 2013 (3)

Conversation with Collen

St Collen is famous for having refused firstly the invitation of, then the hospitality of Gwyn Ap Nudd – the Faery King. After causing him to disappear through the application of holy water, little more is heard of Collen. The story, from the ‘Life of St. Collen‘ and quoted in Lady Charlotte Guest’s translation of The Mabinogion, is reproduced here. [Thanks to Ian Pegler for correcting that].

Read More “Winter Solstice 2013 – Saints and Druids in Llangollen” »

2012 – Summary of the Year by Gwas

Posted on By Gwas No Comments on 2012 – Summary of the Year by Gwas
Ancient Sites

My summary of the year could easily take up several posts, but I’m not going to do that. Instead, I’m going to highlight the many important distinct elements that have taken place this year, and then provide links to the posts that illustrate these elements. On the whole it has been an amazingly packed, dense, active year. … Read More “2012 – Summary of the Year by Gwas” »