Diving Rods at Glastonbury Abbey. Thanks to Richard Mudhar for the photo
On the very last day of February 2020, I travelled 7 hours across the UK from Ipswich in the east to Glastonbury in the West Country. First I journeyed by train to London, then took an underground train to Hammersmith and from there picked up a Berry’s Coach to Taunton.
What an incredible 5-star service I had, comfy leather seats with plenty of room and friendly staff who served hot drinks and snacks at ridiculously cheap prices. It was like stepping back in time. On that journey, I met Colonel Bob Richardson-Aitken, a 79-year-old ex-military gentleman who’d lived most of his life in the far east, including Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand. He was an experienced helicopter pilot but recently he’d been invited by a friend to Stonehenge where he’d been given a pair of divining rods which had worked surprisingly well. He told me that as an engineer he was embarrassed to admit that he had no idea why or how divination worked. It felt like my Glastonbury journey had begun on that coach ride.
After 2 hours chatting to the Colonel, I watched him get off the bus in the middle of the pitch-black countryside, somewhere near Codford, Wiltshire. I felt concerned for him until he explained that he was just a short walk from his local pub where he was going to meet friends for dinner. What an interesting character!
An hour later at 10.00 pm I was dropped off in the middle of Glastonbury’s High Street. It was raining, my friend wasn’t there. I felt slightly concerned as at that moment I realised I didn’t have my friend's address or phone number!. I walked across the road to shelter from the rain and started chatting to one of the bouncers outside the pub. This local lad told me to be careful in Glastonbury, “ Is it a dangerous place?” I asked. He replied, “ You've heard of League of Gentlemen! Just saying!"
Before I could enquire further, my friend Joanne arrived, whisking me away to her warm home where a blue Unity candle had been lit in my honour.
The Glastonbury Unity candle is used for ceremonies of all kinds and it even stands on the table of the monthly Town Council meetings. And so my Glastonbury experience continued to unfold.
During my 4 day stay there were so many highlights including lighting a candle for Steve at the Chalice Well. ( I can hardly believe he died 3 years ago ). Joanne gave me a tealight to bring back to Ipswich. She’d lit this candle from The Flame of Brigid, a continuously burning candle at the St Brigid’s Hermitage in Kildare. She told me to take my candle home and with it all my Glastonbury memories.
Glastonbury High Street
The day we walked up the Tor was my fondest memory, Joanne took me on one of her new Spiritual Walking Tours. Before we began we took our shoes off and placed our feet on the earth, intensely cold. We practised a breathing exercise given to her by a forest monk to help us connect with nature. My feet were tingling when I put my socks back on, alive with sensation. With glowing feet, we set off for the Tor but first, we stood next to an ancient oak tree and then lay on the ground, gazing at the blue sky. It was very liberating to just lay down on grass surrounded by nettles without a blanket and not worry about the damp ground beneath.
We visualised roots from our bodies reaching down into the earth, grounding us, connecting us. And then Joanne who is a Priestess of the Goddess on the Isle of Avalon asked me to turn over, lie face down on the grass to whisper a question I wanted answering. The answer came when I heard the sound of a plane overhead, ( surprisingly Joanne did not hear that plane) and when I saw a single magpie in the field, I felt I had my answer. The detail is not important but the experience was profound to me.
My reading with the Wisdom of Avalon Oracle Cards
We continued with our walk to the Tor, spending time at the Orchard of Avalon, reclining on aged apple trees soaking up the ancient Avalon tales before ascending the Tor via the Ceremonial Path. So many people have walked that path, with an elevation of 518 feet, it’s hard work. We walked with purpose placing each foot carefully as we climbed. The last few steps to the top were incredible, the wind gusted, strong enough to blow you over, certainly powerful enough to clear negative energies. We proceeded to walk around the Tower. In olden times there was a church on top of the Tor, some say it was destroyed by an earthquake, now all that remains is the roofless St Michael's Tower. From the Tor you can see for miles around, the Quantock Hills, the Mendips, the Somerset plains, 360 degrees of rolling countryside. It was breathtaking and my connection with the natural world was revived.
I’m back in Ipswich now but fully immersed in an Audible version of the Mists Of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley. Her descriptions of Avalon rising above the mists is pure magic and guides you to a world of myth, romance and valour. I feel so connected to this place as I listen to this epic 20-hour narration of the Tales of Avalon. I would highly recommend this book.
There are 2 springs in Glastonbury, the White Spring and the Red Spring or Chalice Well. We drank from both springs. The white spring water is full of calcium, the red spring contains iron and over the years has stained the Chalice Well a deep red colour. I found the red water tasted very metallic and was hard to drink but with the recommended 3:1 mix it was pleasant.
The White Spring is housed in an old Victorian Pump station, deep underground, dark, damp, water underfoot and lit only by candlelight. There’s a large round pool and a smaller deeper pool. As you walk down the stairs your eyes have to adjust to the darkness, signs at the entrance say no photography, the site is a holy place and people strip naked to bathe in the ice-cold waters.
While I was there, I was mesmerised by an Adonis figure, tall, slim with long hair tied up in a topknot and very naked. I watched in a trance as he dried himself in the flickering golden candlelight. Joanne wondered what had captured my interest!
We walked to the large pool, stepped onto the ledge and gazed into the water which resonates sound. Together we chanted 3 OMs. Somebody in one of the small chambers joined in with the deepest reverberating powerful chant I’ve ever heard. At first, I thought someone had turned on a CD player but there was no evidence of that. I saw a few people sitting quietly in the Brigid Temple area.
Could it have been one of them?
I will never know but the sound I heard that day will stay with me forever.
Glastonbury is a magical place. I’ve travelled extensively over the last few years and visited some incredible places but I would say if you ever get the chance, go to Glastonbury. It’s an enchanting place and for many of us, on our doorstep.
#MyPrelovedLife 10/3/20