Glastonbury Dismembered – The Wild Hunt

Samhain Blessings. Today there will be a fantastic Wild Hunt procession in Glastonbury town.

This story is about the Wild Hunt witnessed by Ambrose Gilpin in October 1539, a snippet from my novel about Richard Whiting the Last Abbot of Glastonbury. An historic fairy tale of sorts.

I have just finished writing the last chapter and I am looking for 10 volunteer readers who will give me honest critique. Please let me know if you would like to read it in advance.

Ambrose last rode this way on All Saint’s Eve when he was caused by the beauty of that afternoon to ride further than he intended. Before he knew it, he had reached Cleabarrow.

The sky had been clear all of that day, but as he climbed the crag to look out over the valley the orange of the setting sun was suddenly chased out by a sudden storm cloud. A severe chill came upon him and he stood there shivering as the wind whipped up in the trees. The sky unsettled to a deep thunderous rumble.

He fancied that he saw moss covered maidens emerging from the trees! Devilish imps and all manner of nature spirits rising up from the land. He tried to shake those visions from his head, but could not, neither could he run, nor frozen in terror could he hide. He covered his eyes. Still he could not shut it out, for he heard a howl so full of dread!

The primal roar rumbled his chest and shook him to the core of his being, then the clatter of horse hooves. The blast of a horn sounded that would raise the dead to walking. And so it did!

He should not have looked, but he dropped his hands from his face and opened his eyes, fearful that a mighty army was coming. There came a great black boar tearing through the trees heading right for him. He rolled over a tree root to avoid the huge beast. It rattled right past, not hesitating in its charge.

Blackened clouds rolled out to the horizon and an even greater terror followed. A wild and gruesome cavalcade!

Fierce white hounds led the hunt. Hounds with pointed ears of bloody red that had surely come from hell, followed by numerous ghost like warriors on black horses. Huge and terrible. They came tearing through the clouds, the thunder of their hooves rumbling, though they rode some distance above the ground.

It distressed Ambrose to remember that day because he heard the baying of those hounds, he still heard it, the noise had frequently woken him in the night!

He shivered to recollect these things now. One month on and his body still remembered the terror he felt then.

Dominating the scene was the most glorious golden light. He would have thought it heavenly were it not for the menacing scene surrounding it. There in the light arose a terrible giant riding on the largest stallion that he had ever seen. The horse had the sickly hue of a corpse. The giant’s face was encrusted with white chalky paint, the cracks in the paint showing black beneath. His bloodshot eyes fixed on Ambrose as the magnificent horse reared up.

The giant held aloft a burning torch that lit the bottom of the clouds bright red as if a great fire burned through the forest. By the light of the flame Ambrose could see black ravens, owls and other air spirits flying in and out of the smoke, that by their appearance defied nature .

The riders clawed out with brutish hands to tear these otherworldly spirits from the land and sky. They dragged the moss covered maidens into the throng, whipped up the imps from the trees and struck at the air sylphs. Still, with all the chaos and savagery, the party remained in pursuit of the wild boar!

Ambrose knew the old superstition that death would come to those who witnessed the Wild Hunt and he had heard the baying of those hounds. He watched to see the harbinger of his death rear up. Then, out of the heaving mass of horror, another rider struck out. He held a spear above his head that glowed in the firelight as if the tip were aflame. He thrust it forward, it flew through the air and hit its mark. The mighty sable boar flailed against the pain of the shot, turned to charge and then, with an almighty crash, slumped to the earth.

Re-member Richard Whiting

I have been studying ritual and esoteric magic systems for over 20 years, and since becoming a Bard of Avebury in 1998 have been openly leading and taking part in public ceremony in Glastonbury and at festivals across the UK. I am a trained VortexHealer interested in Earth energy systems and leylines. My work within the Merlin lineage has led me to work with sacred space and geomantic stress. My love of community brought me to Glastonbury.
In September 2007 in London I attended an Intensive Earthshift Class as part of my VortexHealing training. Some of the work we did had the intention to clear the earth of negative energies that could be used as a source of power for black magic. This dense ‘black magic’ energy had accumulated on the planet through the intentional use of magical ritual, torturous death, and events involving pain and deep trauma. These sources of power are held in pockets of energy in the land that can be drawn from to support potent magical practice with ill intent.

My consciousness was drawn directly beneath the Tor. As if there was, at least at one time in history, such dense energy moving through the location that it had stuck and it was still there. I breathed rapidly, along with the rest of the class, and followed the instructions we were given. I felt an intense rush of energy; it felt like pulling out a plug and leaving room for fresh clear flow.

Much good work has been done within our community to lessen the impact of these killings, and it has had a potent affect on many levels; physically, spiritually, magically and energetically. Each of us is a part of the bigger picture and the healing that has occurred at this location of great global importance is crucial in the rebuilding of common unity.

My interest in local history and a little bit of synchronicity soon led me to the Glastonbury Documents. I found that there was in fact a ritual murder right on the top of Glastonbury Tor! Now I have written a document to detail my findings. You can look forward to hearing more about it soon.

On the 13th November 2012, at the Scorpio dark moon we met at The White Spring ‘For the Love of It’ to gather together and celebrate common unity. It was a joyous night, a true tribal gathering that warmed our hearts. At midnight, we stood in circle together to re-member Whiting and his companions and to acknowledge and empower the persistence of love and common unity that cannot be broken. Our community is coming together, I see it all around me, different groups working together, civic support opening up into areas of the community that they have never before. The rift is healing in Glaston and I give thanks for all those who have been called to play their part.

The White Spring – Beltane Climax – For the Love of It

At Lunar Beltane each year, Scorpio full moon, we have a gathering at the White Spring, from dusk to dawn, For the Love of It!

This year a friend of ours was hand-fasted on top of Glastonbury Tor in the afternoon, so sadly I would miss the reception and celebration afterwards at Paddington Farm, but I was delighted to be able to offer a blessing at The White Spring before taking the bridal party up the Tor for the hand-fasting ceremony.

At around 1pm, the couple came and took some time in the peaceful courtyard whilst their family and friends arrived. When we went inside for the blessing the handmaidens had to lift the bride’s dress so it didn’t sit in the water. I welcomed everyone and offered an elemental blessing, using the water, incense, candle flame and stone.

Phoenix is a long time friend and rainbow brother, so it was very special for me to offer this blessing to their union. We stood at a portal to the otherworld and invited the blessings of the spirits of Avalon.

Then we all joined hands and lifted our hearts in celebration and support of this union. After much cheering, we went outside and prepared for the ascent up the Tor. Taurus would be leading the men around to the egg-stone and up a steep incline to the top, whilst the bridal party would use the path from the bottom of Wellhouse Lane. Taurus blew his horn and the men set off. The rest of us waited about 15 minutes before leaving to give them time to go around. We climbed, pausing to catch our breath and look at the path below. It was sweet to look back and see the trail of people following the bride up the hill.

We arrived to a huge circle of people. A beautiful handfasting ceremony followed, Lyn (the ceremonialist) was fabulous, and the characters who spoke for each direction were perfect for the energy that they were expressing. We all turned outwards to express the love of these two people, and the love in our hearts out to the world. It was all so beautiful; a powerful tribal feeling, but I couldn’t linger too long; I had to get on.

We had already worked out the format for the evening ceremony, but we had soup to cook, ingredients to get together and equipment to load into the van. Max had got everything together when I arrived back from the Tor, so I had a chance to sit and have a cup of tea.

We arrived with plenty of time for Max and I to unload the wood, set up the tables, get the soup hot and prepare the chai. When we got there we found a large group of people from Slovakia – they had previously asked to book the place and I had told them that it wasn’t possible because of this celebration, so they decided to come along and support. And that they did! Before we knew it there were about twenty people offering to help unload the wood, light the candles and do anything else we asked of them to, it was great! We set up in record time. Many hands …

This meant that there was plenty of time for them to hold a short ceremony inside before we began. Each of them had brought a large peace candle with them and they all lit them and stood in the central chamber. All of their faces were aglow and the building was really bright. After I had slightly freaked out in my head about the candle wax dripping everywhere (and resolved it), I saw how beautiful it was. I could not understand what they were saying and singing, but I could feel the energy. They sang until we were ready to start the ceremony.

We lit the fire outside, talked of Brigid and the nurturing flame, and invited everyone to join us inside. Max and I climbed behind the central pool. This is a perfect place to do public ceremony from; the pool has a lateral wave that helps the acoustics in the building and projects your voice. It also lends inspiration and power to the words. We opened the circle, with Max inviting the blessings and honouring the four directions whilst I dramatically represented each of them with the incense, candle flame, water and a large rock. I then called to the spirits of above, below and within. We asked that each guard, guide and protect all who visit here, living or otherwise.

We invited everyone to lend their energy to the creation of a powerful orb of light, feeling the energy by clapping our hands until they tingle, then intensifying that energy to make it bigger so that we may co-create a wonderful sphere to keep us all safe and held throughout the whole night. Then we said a prayer to the water.

We shared food and drank spiced apple juice. A few people came and asked whether we would be heating up the water tonight, we had done this three years previous and (I think) because it is 2012, people assumed we would do the same. Perhaps we will do it again before the year is out but not tonight. Several people bathed in the cold waters and so many people expressed to me how the building felt more alive, more joyful.

A few women from the singing group were there, so we sang some chants and lots of people joined in with us. An elder bard of Glastonbury arrived and treated us to some wonderful seasonal songs by the fire, Jack in the Green, Hal an tow, Cuckoo… excellent songs that are now becoming familiar to me. The (holders of the roles of) May Queen and Summer King at the town celebrations arrived, invisible and unnoticed. The Queen bathed in the central pool, looking just like a pre-Raphaelite painting. Then the drumming …

Oh the drumming, it has been a bit of an issue in the past; medicine drums are pretty okay, but it really is quite loud in the building when djembes are played, and usually 10 minutes or so is enough. A previous keeper of the Spring who had a love of drumming had arrived with a djembe and asked if he could drum for a bit. When he began in the Brigid bower, I felt inspired to just dance, and I mean really dance! I surrendered to the beat and encouraged some of the Slovakian women to join me – and it went on! The bower was filled with dancing women, then the drums would die down and the women would leave to make room for another group of women to dance inside the bower. It was quite incredible, and I let it go on a little longer than I would usually (it was Beltane after all, and the energy was really rising). It was such a powerful moment and the building seemed to love it. On the opposite side of the building, men were gathered, all getting ready to bathe in the pool; they all jumped in together making a huge splash! How fantastic!

Just as it was feeling like there had been enough drumming energy, Daygan turned up; what joy! I love it when he plays his mandolin at The White Spring; it is so very magical, stirring up the fae energy; tripping and dancing on light-hearted notes of bliss – I immediately get transported to another realm entirely. I danced at each of the shrines, and let myself go. There often comes a moment at the all night gatherings at the Spring when the spirit of faery shines through so strongly that it is easy to see the fae nature of all the visitors. The light-footed faery dancers, the elven warrior, the gnome like character by the fire, sometimes I look and can see the slight hint of wings or little horns and occasionally I wonder if they have come through the front door, or a portal to the otherworld in the depths of the building. Daygan’s music often evokes that very moment.

Later in the evening, three djembes turned up from a drumming session in the Rifleman’s pub. They began to play after Daygan had finished. I told them that they could play for 10 minutes. I explained that it rattles the building if we have too much drumming. They played, gently at first, and then it got louder and louder. Everyone was loving it, the wellhouse was full of people dancing. But after a while it felt like it needed to stop, so checked in with the shrines to get a feel for how the building was being affected. It had soon became too much – the beats echoed back from the walls and the water until there was no distinguishing of each beat and it was nothing but noise. I approached the drummer with the biggest drum and as I did, saw that he had already understood; he had felt the rattle. The acoustics of the place are great, drumming to raise energy is good for 10 or 15 minutes, but beyond that, it often shakes it up too much.

The drumming stopped and the drummers stayed for some chai. The group from Slovakia had left to climb the Tor and we chatted and sang by the fire. People from the wedding party began to drift by on their way home, and we got to hear stories of the gathering up at the farm. At the moment of full moon we paused for silence, and in the morning we listened to the dawn chorus. The sky was getting lighter.

Then Pok the bard arrived. He chanted inside the building whilst we broke down the coals of the fire. We carried the fire pit, still gently glowing, into the King of the world of Faery shrine and gathered around it in the semi darkness to give our thanks to the energies that had supported us all night. We closed the circle and after Pok had spent a few moments by the coals he came outside and treated us to his wonderfully crafted words. An epic battle involving nubiru and a great earth worm; magic meeting sci-fi to create a sublime rendition of powerful proportions, delivered with unique style and a twinkle in the eye.

Then a man who I shall now remember as King Richard totally blew me away. A kind-hearted man who has been around for a couple of weeks, who by his own admission drinks a bit too much and rambles on a bit, he has slightly scruffy dress and no fixed abode. He stepped up and, like a true Shakespearian actor, quoted a speech from Richard III. Quality!

Everything had been perfect all night long, the scene had changed and shifted throughout the night, from climactic to gentle and back again – it was another amazing Beltane night. Our next ‘For the Love of It’ all night celebration takes place at Samhain, the other side of the wheel awaits us; but first we have a glorious summer to come.

Bright Blessings

Lisa

The White Spring, Glastonbury Beltane Energy Rises

On the morning of the 1st May we dropped off our costumes at the Assembly Rooms and went to the White Spring early to make sure it was ready to receive hundreds of visitors. I opened the doors, went round to the back doors and found it flooded!

The persistent rain had filled the chalk aquifer and it was spilling out like an overfilled sponge, the flow into the well house had increased dramatically. The water was pouring over all the walls of the pools, and it had backed up at the back door to mid calf height. The rate of the flow changes the feeling and sound of the place dramatically, especially when the water runs this fast and wild. I love it! It creates a raw excitement, makes my heart beat stronger and faster … sometimes it expresses the energy of a natural waterfall in a rugged windswept mountain pass.

A third of the building was flooded, with all the expected visitors, we had to pull up the drain covers, get the rods out and start pumping. It was not long before the blockage was cleared, yet it would take some time for the water to drain away fully, so we had no choice but to trust that it would be clear when the Beltane/Mayday procession arrived at 1.30pm. There was no guarantee that it would clear of course, there is always a chance of it blocking again whilst the gallons of water held back finally flow through. However, we were short of time, so had to leave it to get ready for the celebrations. I realised I would just have to ‘wing it’ if it was still flooded later.

Rushing to the rooms, we got ready as fast as we could. By 11pm we managed to get to the Market Cross, hopefully managing to appear graceful and un-hurried. Deep breaths!

Hundreds of people gathered at the Market Cross. More than last year? I couldn’t tell; the market was on the same day, meaning we had much less space to work with. Nevertheless, we managed really well with the space we had. I had cut some red and white ribbons to give to people so they could tie them around their arms and feel a part of it all – I had about 250, and I only managed to give them out to less than half of the crowd.

Before I knew what was happening, there was in a dragon dance. There are two dragons which were made at Beltane 3 years ago. A red one and a white one. In the story that was played out that year, the dragons were battling, so they had to be strong enough to take it. They chased each other around the small arena to much merryment and laughter.

The Winter King arrived, as consort, he accompanied the Queen. To warm her heart there would be entertainment and fun. So a local singing group came forward to sing a selection of beautiful chants that everyone could join in with. It was a joy to be with the community and visitors all singing together. Another group was asked to sing Jerusalem … And did those feet in Ancient times ? … everyone joined in, with particular aplomb when it came to the lyrics, ‘I will not cease from Mental Fight, Nor shall my Sword sleep in my hand: Till we have built Jerusalem, In England’s green & pleasant Land.’ I can’t possibly convey here how moving and powerful it feels to sing that song right here in Glastonbury along with hundreds of people.

A fabulous performance by the Town Crier, the Arch-druid of Glastonbury, the graceful May Queen, the Summer King, and the Winter King … and lots of ooohs and ahhhs from the crowd, followed. It had been a grey and chilly morning, with a chance of rain. At the very moment when the Summer King stepped forward, the sun broke through the clouds!

The king led a flower dance, which was chaotic and fun, then it was time to walk to the waters. Chalice Well would be opening the Monks gate on Wellhouse Lane, a representative from the gardens would be bringing a blessing from the red waters, and I would be bringing a blessing from the white waters. I knew that Chalice Well would hear the procession coming so they would be ready in time.

The doors were still locked at the Spring when we arrived; all of the keepers wanted to be part of the procession, so we had planned for this. Max created a diversion (by jumping up on the wall and using his powerful voice to let everyone know what was happening) whilst I opened the doors and slipped inside with the May King and Queen, and the Winter King. Then there were a few moments for them to rest whilst I jumped around the walls lighting all the candles, probably faster than I had ever done it before. There was just enough time for me to offer a private blessing before the doors were opened.

It wasn’t exactly flooded any more, but the water was still a little deep in places and it was very wet. Still we managed to find a dry place for the King and Queen to stand whilst everyone poured in to the building.

How wonderful it is to see The White Spring, Chalice Well Gardens and Wellhouse Lane filled with people enjoying the waters and celebrating together. The story of the Summer King and Winter King was told, locally expressed through the living mythology of this land. Then the call went out – The King is dead! Long live the King! The cue to call everyone back for the blessing of the maypole. There were such cheers!

Alison and I offered our individual blessings from the red and white springs, then the waters were mixed and Merlin talked about the symbology of the mixing of these waters and how this is potent and relevant to us today. The May Queen stepped forward to give her tender blessing upon the pole, before the Summer King called on the Green Men to lift it up and lead us out onto the land.

Max and I held back to clear the wellhouse before joining this last part of the procession. It would be open again later, but for now we needed to get up to the coombe, so we cleared the building and encouraged those inside to go and join the celebrations. When we arrived at the circle, the directions were called and it was opened by the Arch Druid. Wonderful celebrations followed, we witnessed the marriage of the King and Queen, the maypole was lifted, and everyone joined in the dance.

I felt the warmth of our community, and the joy of the visitors and I loved every minute of it. Singing, dancing, playing all over the field. It is remarkable that this happens here – we are so blessed to have such a vibrant and talented community, and such a rich landscape to play in.

Later, when we returned to The White Spring, it was full of people bathing, singing and enjoying the water. Ria, another keeper had been taking care of the place whilst we were at the coombe, and it was so busy. We stayed open for a few more hours; people just kept on coming to bathe in the healing pools!

Now we were at the end of the town celebration, we could shift our focus to The White Spring celebration at Lunar Beltane. For the Love of It! From dusk to dawn, we would hold the place open and see what people would bring. The only thing we ask of visitors is that they leave the modern world behind for a night, no cameras, mobile phones or money … just an invitation to share and celebrate their inspiration, their love of the land, and of the season. Beltane was quickly coming to a climax, and with the full moon rising, I could feel the pulsing energy of the season as we prepared for the following Saturday.

You can read about that in the next blog – Beltane Climax

Bright blessings

Lisa

White Spring Diary – Merlin – Part 2

So on Monday evening we waited at The White Spring. We lit up the place with candles as usual, swept the shrines out and then sang for a while. Anthony arrived with a new teacher, her husband, and Daisy Foss, another Vortex Student.

As he stepped over the threshold I noticed, of all things, his shoes! They were black converse boots, the same shoes that Dr Who wears in the current TV show. I had an odd sci-fi moment. The blue of the doors, the Tardis quality of the White Spring; it seeming much bigger on the inside, the ‘Dr Who’ shoes disappearing into the building … and for a moment, my mind was transported into a fantastic story of time travelling Wizards. I chuckled to myself and followed him inside, stepping into another world entirely.

Those of you who know the White Spring will appreciate the ‘other worldlyness’ about it. It takes you right out of the mundane world and expresses such a magic and beauty that, once you surrender to it, you cannot help but feel moved by the experience.

We told them a brief history of the building and about the water, the shrines and the philosophy of the temple space. After wandering around getting a feel for it, Anthony told us of the interesting energies that he could sense. There was a short pause at each shrine before he told us what we were going to do. I was pleased when he said that, rather than changing anything here, we would be enhancing the natural magic already present at the site. Merlin had a gift for the White Spring and the teachers, with our help, would create the energetic structures needed for them to manifest.

A divine door would be opened in the space, to deepen the expression of the natural magic of Gaia and an earthworks funnel would also be created in the centre of the space that would link into the nexus point of ley-lines beneath the Tor and flow out from there, preventing any further stagnation.

I didn’t fully understand these energetic structures or know how to create them, as I have not done the training to Earthworks level yet. However, I do understand (something of) this place, and the energy of VortexHealing, so I knew that nothing would happen here unless it was perfect for this place right now. Besides, my heart was singing a resounding Yes! through the whole experience. Max and I don’t yet have the tools needed to create these kinds of energetic structures so we were to be focussing on integrating them whilst the two teachers and other two students created them.

We stood together in the central chamber. First, the divine door was created; the teachers focused and our breathing became much faster. I felt the energy build all around us and then there was an intense sensation in the centre and around my heart space, it felt like an awesome amount of energy. As the ‘door’ opened it was like the whole building was breathing, the stone, not so solid, seemed to be sighing.  The whole building was alive, it was in the very structure of the place. Daisy confirmed this when she asked Anthony where the door was located, and he said ‘it’s everywhere’.

When we moved on to the funnel structure there  was also an interesting sensation. Whilst integrating, I felt a need  to pull back out of it for a second to ground because the energy was so intense … difficult to put into words. A very powerful (almost orgasmic) feeling deep in the heart space expanded and kind of moved up to my head.

It was so intense that I had a huge wave of emotion (associated with my mind suddenly saying something like ‘Wow, this is amazing’). I thought I might pass out, I could feel my eyes rolling backwards and had to really pull my focus back and surrender so that I could keep going.

Then Anthony told us that Merlin wanted to open a divine door in the funnel. More powerful breath work was needed. We needed to do a mantra to connect deeper to the Merlin. Like a burst of energy from the centre, like lightning, but without so much impact – the door opened. Anthony told us that this divine door was quite unusual, and even more so, that this funnel was connected to a galactic ley-line.

Anthony visited the Brigid Shrine just before he left. He seemed to particularly like the energy there. He told us that it was truly magical. I had no doubt, the hazel bower; built as a prayer, the flame; kept warm and tended for 7 years, the love and dedication, the songs that are sung, the consecration of the space – it all goes towards the divine presence that may be felt here.

It was delightful just after they all left – our resident robin hopped into the building through the front door, right inside the building. He took a look around and then flew out again. Natural magic.

Max and I locked the doors for a time and stayed in the semi-darkness after putting out the candles. I felt like a child with a new toy; it felt so wonderful in there! We stood in the centre, where the funnel is, and looked at the back wall – we could see very clearly an image that I took to be Merlin – it looked 3d like it had depth and character, a giant head (like in the Wizard of Oz) – Yes really! I have a vivid imagination and often ‘see’ things in the White Spring, but never have I seen such a powerful image of Merlin so clearly. Max could see it too. One eye open and one eye closed. Funny … I know it was the light in the wet places on the wall, and the lime seeping through the walls that the image was made up of, yet my mind hadn’t done that with it before. I have seen dragons, monks, ladies dancing, and even a boat, this was the first time I saw such a tangible image of Merlin in the shifting shapes.

The next day I arrived at the Spring and the keepers for that day looked at me and said – ‘What have you done to the place!’ They told me that the energy was tangible, they had felt it the moment they opened the doors. They said it felt kind of feminine, like a secret rose garden or something …. I guessed that would be the divine door to Gaia that they were sensing. One of them commented that it feels like a new temple.

The water flow is increased now due to the rain and there is a powerful raw energy about it. Anthony told me that the energy would build and it will come more into form. When I asked what we can do as keepers to help or maintain the energetic structures he told us, simply be aware of them, love nature and continue with what you are doing.

I have so much gratitude for Anthony, the VortexHealing group, and for Merlin bringing the gifts for the White Spring, they are so appropriate and perfect right here, right now. Merlin knows what he’s doing for sure!

Many of our visitors at Mayday and Beltane commented that the place feels joyful and alive. Why not come along and see if you can notice any shifts in the energy at the White Spring? I’d love to hear what impressions you might get.

 

Brightest Blessings

Lisa
 

White Spring Diary – Merlin – Part 1

The excitement began to build as soon as I had word that a VortexHealing teacher of ours would be in town for two weeks. I  invited him to the White Spring and he said he would like to come so we arranged a day for his visit. He told me that he would see if ‘Merlin’ … (as arising within VortexHealing) has a gift for the sacred space. I was also very interested in his impression of the place.  I trust the magical integrity of my teachers and could feel that this visit would be of such benefit to the White Spring.

To explain, here are some words from the VortexHealing website.

‘VortexHealing® is a Divine healing art and path for awakening. It is designed to transform the roots of emotional consciousness,
heal the physical body, and awaken freedom within the human heart.
This is the Merlin lineage.’

‘It [The Merlin lineage] is the historical line of teachers and students that have learned VortexHealing from the Divine Expression that calls itself Merlin. (The Merlin that is associated with King Arthur was not this Divine Expression but one of the human teachers of the Merlin lineage.) All Divine Expressions bring into manifestation a unique quality of the Divine. Merlin brings in the quality of magical transformation. Merlin’s healing art, VortexHealing, transforms emotional conditioning, transforms physicality and transforms ego-identity. The movement of that transformation is through the Divine magic of Merlin’s energy and consciousness. The nature of that movement is the magical awakening of conditioned consciousness to its true nature and expression.’

Read more at www.vortexhealing.org

The first time my work with the White Spring and VortexHealing came together was in September 2007 in London, when Max and I attended an Intensive Earthshift Class. Around 140 Vortex Students and 3 teachers had gathered in a hotel next to Hyde Park where we did some very intense energy work. We did a variety of things and for much of the time we had the help of the Angelic realm.

Some of the work we did together had the intention to clear the earth of negative energies that could be used as a source of power for black magic. This dense ‘black magic’ energy had accumulated on the planet through the intentional use of magical ritual, torturous death, and events involving pain and deep trauma. I got the sense that this energy had been created in history (maybe even in some places in the world it was still being created) and that the sources of power were kind of ‘held’ in pockets of energy in the land that could be drawn from to support magical practice with ill intent.

When I surrendered to the process, my consciousness was drawn directly to the White Spring, and more specifically beneath the Tor. If I could put it into words, I would say it was something like unblocking a huge plug hole. Like when the hair blocks up the flow in a bath so that what needs to shift through cannot drain away naturally. As if there was, at least in one time through history, such dense energy moving through the location of the Tor that it had stuck and it was still there. I breathed, along with the rest of the class, and followed the instructions we were given. When it unblocked I felt this huge rush of energy, it was like pulling out the hair so the dirty water could now flow away leaving room for fresh clear flow. The negative energy was now able to drain away from the physical locations.

Now, of course this is just my perception, and my feeble attempt to put the indescribable into words. I recognise the work that has been done by many others and has helped to put this right, on many levels; physically, spiritually, magically and energetically.

After this intense weekend we returned to the White Spring to see if there was anything different. As soon as I walked in I saw that someone had left a figure of an angel as an offering. Much of what we had done in London had involved the Angelic realm, so I was delighted to be greeted by a beautiful Angelic image. The whole place felt much clearer and fresh, confirming what I had felt at a distance; it even seemed lighter in there. I mean the physical light as well as the uplifting feeling. This all happened before the renovation of the White Spring, so it was a very different place to what you see now. There were hidden areas, low ceilings, dark corners, little lights (that often didn’t work because it was so wet). It was beautiful, yet it was very old and in a state of entropy. The renovation began the following year (September 2008) and continued at a pace until we built the pools that are seen there now.(Pools completed 1st May 2009)

In the years that followed, through my interest in local history and quite a bit of synchronicity, I found that there was in fact a ritual murder right on the top of Glastonbury Tor! In 1539, Richard Whiting, the Last Abbot of Glastonbury and two of his companions were hung drawn and quartered, I believe, with the very intent of creating such a ‘pocket of negative energy’ beneath the Tor that could be (and indeed has been) used for the purposes of black magic.

The story and mystery of the Last Abbot of Glastonbury is easily found online. Max and I first found out about it when we got an invitation to attend a remembrance service in the Abbey for Richard Whiting and his companions. Although it was a Catholic service and neither of us are Catholic, we both felt compelled to go, and so we did … but that’s another story.

For now, all we need to know is that there is no longer any expression of negative energy that can be used for black magic at or around the site of Glastonbury Tor. I have now been reliably informed by Anthony (after his visit) that this is the case.

So that’s where it started. Ever since arriving here in Glastonbury, and feeling so ‘at home’ at the Spring, this feeling of being supported and guided by the Divine magic of Merlin at the White Spring has been a constant. So I am sure you can understand why I was so excited to have a teacher of the Merlin Lineage be physically present in the building, and to think of what Merlin might do with that.

Read Merlin – part 2 to find out what happened

The White Spring Diary – Beltane Preparations

So with the season of Beltane fully upon us, the seasonal altar changes. Although we are very caught up with the Community Beltane Celebrations our focus is very much on the White Spring. Often at this time of year, the energy rises, and occasionally so does the noise. We have to be very careful that it doesn’t get out of hand, and occasionally remind some of our more raucous visitors to be thoughtful of other people’s needs. It has been relatively peaceful over the past week, but before that we had one or two people who were trying to be disruptive – this was dealt with quite quickly and with little fuss. It is not wise to take our eye off of the White Spring at this time of year.

Besides, we have our own For the Love of It Celebration to organise at the Beltane full moon. Altars need to be set and cleaned, and the powerful spring water flows kept in check so that we don’t flood with the increased flow. Whenever I reset the seasonal altar, it gets a complete wash down with White Spring water. All the offerings are taken down and the stones are cleared of wax and scrubbed clean.

For this Beltane altar I placed red and white fabric at the back, behind everything, then a huge copper disk in front to symbolise the return of the summer and to give a beautiful reflection. I like simple shrines and altars and I also like to avoid too much clutter, so I do try to keep it very simple. I created a simple maypole using a stick from my altar at home and attaching red and white ribbons to it. I planted it in the earth that I had put into a small glass vase. This I placed in the centre of the altar. We were gifted some wonderful clay faces, one masculine and one feminine, these were also placed on the altar, with the ribbons connecting to them both, and to the candle that lit up the whole scene. Our Beltane picture was placed to the side of the altar, leaving the dramatic contrast of the red and white colours around and in front of the copper.Now for some fresh flowers, and a stone to ground the whole scene and it was set.

I used more red and white fabric to cover the inside of the doors and create a kind of opening at the entrance. This is also to cover up the damage on the doors (they are the same doors that were there in the 1980’s and although they have lasted well, they have definately had their day. We are currently awaiting new doors, paid for by donations and gifts, which are being hand made by a local carpenter who undertands the energy of The White Spring and what is required from such a set of doors. Sometimes we have to wait for quality craftsmanship.

I had gone to the Spring in the late morning, arriving early for a booking, to give me enough time to redress the altar before the group arrived. I had just completed the task and lit some incense when they turned up. The leader of the group was so appreciative, it was very special for him and this group to have some private time there. I could see why, they loved the place.

It was a grey day that threatened to rain, so they all arrived wearing raincoats and walking boots. I sat at the front step, ready to answer any questions or let people out if they wanted to leave. It was my favourite place to sit when we have a group, you can take in the whole scene and see the diverse ways that people engage with the place, and with the water. There were all ages in the group, a balance of men and women. They visited all the shrines, stopping longer at some than others. It wasn’t long before they decided to get undressed and bathe in the pools. Many of the group bathed naked in the healing pool, and then in the central pool. It is a beautiful gift to be able to hold such a place for people to visit and I am often humbled to see what an impact it has.

One of the visitors came to talk to me. She told me that she was a shaman and asked me if I felt a connection to a dragon power animal. I aid yes; I could understand why she may have tuned in to this, I often commune with what I perceive to be a dragon spirit at the White Spring, I feel a kinship with this particular force there and was not at all surprised to hear that she had noticed this connection. This lady, from New York, stayed after the rest of the group had left and spent a lot of time at each of the shrines. She asked if I would sing with her and share some of the songs that we sing at the White Spring. We sang together … Born of water, cleansing, powerful; healing, changing, I am … then Spirit of the water place, I hear your song. It was delightful to sing together and she wrote down some of the words before taking them to share with the whole group at their fire ceremony the next day.

That evening I had to attend a meeting about the town celebrations. For the past 3 years we have been involved in organising the Beltane celebrations in town. I say organising, but what I really mean is, holding a space where an organic group of volunteers can come together and make something happen. Each year it is different, due to the changing nature of the group and their backgrounds. It’s an interesting excercise to surrender what your personal vision may be to include those of the collective. It is amazing how it all comes together, as people feel empowered to take on roles and organise parts of the day. Somehow the magic happens and we have a stunning spectacle each year for the hundreds of visitors who come to town for Beltane.

It was my job to bring a schedule for the part of the procession that stops at the White Spring and Chalice Well for a blessing of the waters. We knew there would be hundreds of visitors and it is quite a task to get them all through the building and onward to the ceremony out on the land. We discussed the best way of doing this and prepared a loose plan. Chalice Well would be opening the monks gate, so that people may go into the gardens freely and a representative would come out with a blessing from the red waters.We would have a chance to rest and refresh by the waters.

Everyone seemed happy with the ideas, so after a long day I went home and warmed up from the chill I had in my legs from being in the Spring for too long earlier in the day. I love that feeling, but it needs to be sorted, a fire (or a duvet) and a hot drink usually does the trick.

In amongst the preparations, I had word that a VortexHealing teacher of ours would be in town teaching basic and advanced VortexHealing. I had been in contact with him and invited him to the White Spring to see what he thought about the place. He said he would come and we had arranged a day for his visit. He told me that he would also see if ‘Merlin’ … (as arising within VortexHealing) has a gift for this sacred space. I could hardly wait for his visit, but I had too. It was my son’s 12th birthday and I had things planned with him. It would have to wait until after the weekend. And it will have to wait for the next post for you to read about the exciting developments.

Bright Blessings

Lisa

Phallic Frolicking – Beltane Glastonbury

Phallic Frolicking Awakens Fertility

– Just a bit of fun –

Summer is a coming, and the winter’s gone away. Oh!

The landscape is set to explode with colour and exuberance. The earth is full of fecundity and life.

Standing proud and prominent on village greens across the land, huge erections will await the spiral dance of life. Some people may even dare to touch the potent Maypoles!

Breathless maidens anticipate the arrival of magical dew! Rushing out on Mayday morn, beautiful young maidens will wash their bodies and faces with the potent dawn elixir. This is said to perpetuate their eternal beauty. Remaining forever young.

Men who join them will find that washing their hands in the potent liquid will make their fingers more nimble. The ladies may find comfort in the fact that the men’s knot tying skills will improve.

Fire warnings have been issued this season; Do not allow anyone to take fire from your home on Beltane eve, or on Mayday because it may give them power over you and your family. Is this mere suspicion?

Many people find it is wise to keep your hearth at home. Indeed, fairies and nature spirits will be especially active at this time.

Fires of passion will roar!

It’s anticipated that wild fires will kindle love between frisky couples. Jumping the fire together with the hope that the fires of Bel will keep their love aflame. Be aware who you jump with.

Last year as the tide turned to Beltane, one local resident commented ‘In all my years, I have not come across naked orgies taking place in our woodlands!’ So now we ask ourselves …. Are naked orgies immanent? or will frisky residents be disappointed?

People do indeed go out into the woodlands to enjoy the warm nights and experience the rhythms of nature. It was recently discovered that ‘Going A-Maying’ means staying out all night to gather flowering hawthorn and make love in the woods! This wild union is said to be a ‘greenwood marriage’ celebrated among couples.

It is this time of year that the Earth Goddess, the May Queen is re-united with her consort, the Green Man. If you are lucky, you may just spy them cavorting in the undergrowth. The Goddess makes herself ready. Her dark moist earth awaiting the planting of the fertile seed of the King of Summer. Even seemingly innocent Morris Dancers will take to the streets to honour the season and brandish their poles in the spirit of awakening passion.

The rising sun will have a special potency; as green shoots emerge, the leaves unfurl, and the blossom shouts its praise! The beauty of a summer’s day will call us all to the green places. Let’s embrace that passion and revel in the light and life of Summer!

      Bright Beltane Blessings!

The White Spring – Lost Knights and Naked Ladies

The last time I wrote about the White Spring, I spoke of The Wounded Masculine and Seeking Balance, and the paradox that this presents. One thing that helps me a great deal when faced with expressions of ‘wounded masculine’ is to think them as ‘Lost Knights,’ The warrior archetype has been twisted all over the world. Many men and women with a strong warrior archetype are celebrated as fighters, turned into soldiers and sent overseas. The warrior at home often seems to have little place and so can become confused or lost. This idea of lost knights evokes my compassion and stops me from getting too fearful when faced with aggression.

Another keeper, after reading last week, commented that they had dealt with a tricky situation at the White Spring. In summary, a ‘wounded’ guy who often visits was very angry and complained that he couldn’t enjoy the Sanctuary in the way that he wanted because there were people bathing and being noisy. He was upset at the blatant nudity and said he could not meditate at the shrines because of it.

After patiently listening to why he was upset, the keepers explained about the bathing and apologised that the energy of The White Spring was not good for him that day – this had the effect of calming him down and he apologised for his anger. I am so happy to know that the keepers on that day showed such compassion and understanding. It is not always easy when faced with someone who is ranting. The wisdom of those keepers resonated beautifully with what I wrote about in the last blog – and to sum it up, in her words …

‘How do we get the balance right ALL the time? …the truth is we don’t! We go with the flow just like the Whitesprings itself does!! Sometimes there are blockages, fast flowing energies, peacefully flowing energies etc. that describe the waters and the people who visit there.’

This is spot on.

We don’t get it right all the time. One person comes to meditate, another comes to bathe (and may even squeal! It is rather cold after all); one comes to sing gently, another to drum; one wants peace, another wants a celebration; one wants to have a beer in the garden, another wishes to see only the sacred beauty and instead feels fearful of a man with a can; one wants to bathe naked, another doesn’t want to see nakedness.

It is a temple of life, and as such it changes and flows as a living and evolving thing. Expectations will not always be met, visitors may need to surrender their needs when they arrive, or wait until they can book a private session.

All of us have different expectations and needs. So how do we balance that whilst being all-inclusive and free? Well, as discussed already, we can’t … so maybe I should ask, how do we find harmony within that?

Let’s talk about the issue of nude bathing. This is a tricky issue, and one that need care in how we handle it.

Recently I was sent a message from lady who had enjoyed her visit to the White Spring, but had sat down to meditate and then, looked up to see a naked man. She was suddenly shocked and felt she had to leave. She was writing to me to tell me her concerns, and in particular that she was worried that we may get in trouble because we were allowing nudity in a public place, where children may be present. She did not know that ritual bathing has been taking place here for about 20 years (maybe even longer), nor did she think we had thought it through properly.

I understood some of her worries, even though they were expressed with a lot of fear around nakedness. I needed to be careful about my response and I checked that the law hadn’t changed around nudity.

If someone is naked in public they can be arrested and charged with an offence – however, if there was no intent to cause distress then it is very unlikely that a charge would come about. In any case, the White Spring is not a public place, so the same rules do not apply. Obviously if someone came with the intent of causing distress, naked or otherwise we would deal with it.

I do agree that a notice needs to be put up to inform people that nude bathing may take place, so that people are forewarned when they arrive. Whilst we wish to let sensitive people know, we don’t want to advertise nakedness, so it will have to be carefully worded.

I understand that families come to the Spring, and that children often come in with their parents. Occasionally I tell them that people are bathing when they are – and these families don’t seem to mind. Usually if children are there, they giggle and disappear to another place in the building. Their parents have a chance to talk to them about their feelings about nakedness and bodies. I actually think it is a good thing and it shows us that the human body is not something to be afraid or ashamed of.

Often the keepers find themselves as protectors of a sort – protecting the privacy of those who wish to bathe, and the sensitivity of those who wish to meditate. This can be challenging – I have even had to ask a couple to stop taking photographs of people bathing! Despite the no photography policy, taking photos of people ritually bathing is really not on.

I have seen one person on the site who was very upset about the nude bathing and left quite quickly, I talked to them just before they left because they looked quite freaked out. I told them that people often bathe, and if they wanted to enjoy the space without that possibility they were welcome to make a private booking at no charge.

I love the fact that people feel safe to bathe in the waters at the White Spring, many people come and have ritual baths and are very respectful of the place. I dont’ want to limit this and I am reluctant to set up rules around nakedness. However a few folk who bathe like to behave as if there is no one else in the building. One or two visitors in the past have been quite extrovert. Dancing around the pools, even doing yoga whilst naked. I know they believe they are acting in a sacred manner and we have been quite tolerant. Still, I have to acknowledge that some people find this quite uncomfortable.

So, I decided that the next time someone was overly extrovert in their nakedness, I would let them know that they can book the building if they want to behave as if no one else in there. Otherwise, I would encourage them to be more respectful and thoughtful of other visitors.

Then came the test.

On Spring Equinox, we had a wonderful and energetic celebration which ended in us all standing around the central pool. Everyone put their hands in the water whilst we said a prayer for the waters of the world, and then we splashed the waters toward each other, cheering and whooping. Such joy and exuberance led to several women taking off their clothes and jumping in the water. It was quite beautiful and innocent, yet very extrovert nakedness.

To see these women feeling so free and liberated was very empowering, both for them and for others who saw them. They danced in the candlelight, their voices echoing through the chambers. They felt so free in their nudity they even decided to run outside the building and up the road to have a pee. (Thanks to the girls for not peeing in the water!)

There was not the slightest hint of sexual behaviour or wishing to cause distress – if anything, it was the opposite. It  created a huge amount of joy, everyone was smiling. Beautiful naked ladies, fun and laughter, a celebration that was just perfect for the moment.

So did I ask them to stop. No of course not.

We have to take each moment as it comes. I learnt that imposed rules are not always appropriate – had I followed through with my thinking I would not have allowed room for spontaneous moments of joy like this. Moments that seem just perfect.

The White Spring is such a unique place and we are blessed to be here, learning and growing as we discover more about ourselves. So we extend our welcome to all who wish to be in a temple of life where people feel free to express their true nature, where naked ladies (and men) can bathe, (thoughtfully, joyfully, repectfully) and where lost knights (male or female) may be found and remembered.

This is such a tricky issue, and i would love to hear from you about your thoughts on nakednes in this context. Please get in touch if you have any further thought or insights.

Next time I will be writing about another controversy – No Photos!

Brightest Blessings

The White Spring – Deep Cleansing in a Hall of Mirrors

Each week the White Spring is sanctified. Incense is burned and powerful prayer is spoken; that this place be for the good of all who pass through. Sometimes I sing a song that helps to clear the atmosphere, it is always a profound feeling when I take part in this ceremony.

Every 6 weeks the pools are emptied and cleaned, the pipes are flushed through and the floor of the whole building gets washed. When both tasks are done together, it is a very powerful process.

It is wonderful to let people come in and see what we do when we cleanse the place, so we left the doors open. We let people know that the building would soon flood, advising them of the best place to stand. Just before we pulled the plug we had a surprise visit from a keeper who moved away a few years ago; before the pools were built. She sang a beautiful and energetic song whilst we went about cleaning the pools.

When the plug is taken out a torrent of water rushes from the healing pools, flooding first the Brigid bower, then the central chamber in front of the central pool, and then right round to the shrine of The King of the World of Faery. We follow with brooms, pushing the water into all of the corners and sweeping out any loose leaves or twigs. Once we have swept everywhere, Max climbs into the empty pools to clear out any silt. He often finds coins and crystals, as well as some more unusual offerings. These are usually gathered and placed either on the seasonal altar, or outside in the garden, with all respect to the offering or prayer of which it might have formed part.

I took some of these crystals outside and a young boy, of about 10yrs, was reminding his mother of the last time they had visited and he had found a crystal in the garden. I asked if he likes crystals and he told me that he has lots of crystals that he uses for different things. So I told him where the crystals I was holding had come from and that if he wanted one he could choose one. He was elated. He took a piece of quartz crystal, washed it under the water and put it in his own water bottle to charge the water. It was lovely to see him look after the crystal so well and see his delight.

I went back inside the building and lit some frankincense to clear and sanctify. This is a spiritual blessing that takes on a form of its own in accordance to what the building seems to require. I sang to each of the directions and at each shrine, asking that they lend their energy to the intent that this place be for the good of all who pass through here. That these spirits guard, guide and protect, and that this place be sanctified so it may reflect true sanctuary and fulfill its sacred purpose.

I went to the back chamber that is not easily accessed beyond the pool. This is a place where no candles are lit, we keep it dark and separate. Like the holiest of holies in a sanctuary. The depth of the place can often be felt here and it is good for deep inner ritual. I opened up my voice and sang. This opening the voice and allowing the spirit to sing through is an amazing thing to do. It calls to mind the Scandinavian shaman women who would sing enchantments to the land and spirit of place as part of their magical practice. It is a practice that seems to take me to a place ‘other than’. A feeling impossible to put into words, but which has the practical impact of not really being fully aware of the people around me.

The song started gently and sweetly. Facing the back wall, I surrendered to it. Other voices joined in, people singing and intoning with me, it felt perfect, as if their voices were floating in and lending their power to the song. Then the sounds became loud and discordant – something was going on and I sensed a huge shift of some kind. It felt like hard work, almost using the voice to pull something through.The other singers in the building matched the pitch and intensity of the sound. Then it settled again to a soft and gentle tone.

I was heady with incense and from the singing when I climbed up and walked through the central pool, now empty of water. Max had finished clearing the healing pools and had put the plug back in so the pools would now refill with lovely fresh water.

On the next afternoon, our friend, a previous keeper of the Wellhouse, came early to bathe. She was so moved by the experience. Although she had not seen the pools, she had dreamed of bathing here and it evoked strong emotions for her, and an acknowledgement of how much she had grown in the last few years. It was a profound healing moment. I was, yet again, touched by the impact that this place has on people.

Often visitors arrive as if they are carrying a burden, and leave with a sparkle. It is inspirational and uplifting, it is dark and foreboding. It is powerful and intense, it is gentle and peaceful. It is a Temple of Life, and as such, it changes in aspect frequently. Most people pass through and see just one or two aspects, but when you are here often, you see the shifts in energy, the tides of change through the seasons and you feel the reflective nature of the place.

Very occasionally, people see something in the place that they don’t like – perhaps the singing is not to their liking, or they are offended by the No Photography rules, or a spliff is passed in the garden; maybe a challenging visitor is causing seeming disharmony, or is drunk and harrasing people. I feel saddened when this happens, and more-so if they allow that to put them off visiting again, because I know if they did, they would most likely find a very different vibration.

Myself and Max have inadvertently upset a few folk who have misunderstood our intentions in this place, or have a different idea on how it should be operated. This is difficult to manage sometimes – yet I know I have integrity, so I just keep doing what I feel to be right, following my heart, being guided by the Spirit of place. I remind myself, I work for the White Spring, not any one person.

The keepers all play their own part, giving their time and energy to the place. All part of the ‘Spirit of The White Spring’, we maintain the temple and make it available to others; For the Love of It … whatever ‘It’ may be. We all put our love into it – and over the years more and more of that is reflected back in the nature of the place. The dedication that the team put in to looking after this place can be felt and seen and that has created a transformation. Not just in the physical look of the building, but also reflected in it’s very essence.

I hope you are enjoying these candid tales from the temple. I am really getting a lot from the process of writing it all down, so thank you for reading. Next time, I will be exploring the concepts of ‘the wounded masculine’ and ‘seeking balance.’