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Postcard Number 5 3 August: Arbor Low Henge We have spent the night in a bed and breakfast out in the country. This is a wonderful luxury and the morning begins with a full breakfast: fresh fruit, yoghurt, cereals, oatcakes, bacon, Derbyshire sausages, fried egg, home made apple pickle, toast and homemade marmalade topped off with strong coffee – a four course meal in effect. The French woman who runs the bed and breakfast knows of the site we want to visit today – Arbor Low Henge. We park the car near a farmhouse and pay the nominal fee to access the place. It is on farmland which once was moor. We walk up a track, over a style, along a path by the walled field and then over a second style. In front of us we see the bank around the henge. There are sheep grazing in this field and I can imagine no gentler energy to have around this place. In the close-cropped grass grow the odd spear thistle and we have to watch our footing so as not to step in the sheep’s doings.
There are two women already here. They have the feeling about them that they are not only here as tourists but have a sense that the place is very special, is sacred. My husband goes over to them and talks with them. They are asking questions about the place – why and what questions. Later we all talk together and one woman in particular is very interested in the deeper aspect of this henge. She has an interest in shamanic things and we talk about approaching places like this with respect and permission. Arbor Henge is a very large circle – about 250 feet diameter to the bank. Approaching it I see energy streaming into it from above. I meet the guardian of the site and observing protocol I enter the circle. Looking over the hills the fields are all rectangular. A bitter wind is blowing. We have stepped into another world. This is a “star site” I am told. When I close my eyes I see the old people who used the site coming here in crowds at night. This place is “where the secrets of the universe can be found.” I could have stayed for hours. I am reassured, “You can always come here in your dreams.” I leave reluctantly and feeling very blessed to have been allowed to be here. The rest of the day is a change of pace – we drove through Bakewell for the second time to buy another of their wonderful Bakewell Tarts, walked a little in the Derbyshire countryside spotting a water vole, then visited the Tramway museum. By evening we were near Cheltenham catching up with old friends of my husband’s. My husband’s friends are ringers. After dinner I was taken to the ringing practice at Tewkesbury Abbey. This church has the highest Norman tower in the country. We ascended a spiral staircase, then traversed a walkway over the transept ceiling and climbed a further 50 or so steps up a narrow spiral staircase to a narrow passage that had to be negotiated sideways, then 4 more stone steps to find ourselves in a large ringing chamber just under the 12 bells. The first bells were hung there in 1632. I cannot describe how wonderful it was to be there as the ringers practiced using the 12 bells hung just above the chamber. Ringing is all about timing and teamwork and is best learnt as a teenager. The energy created by the bells is wonderful air energy and one could feel the cleansing and clearing of the air as changes are rung. After a tour of the bells in the bell chamber above, I left on a real high. 4 August: Glastonbury and the Chalice Well Others have written wonderful accounts of their visits there. I will try not to repeat too much. We travelled there on the A4. On approaching the town, in the centre of the road, lay a dead badger, presumably struck by a vehicle. Not far down the road there was a second one by the hedgerow and finally a third. Just before Glastonbury three crows crossed our path. Eventually we found a park in the busy town, and walked up the hill to the Chalice Gardens. I chatted to the man at the gate and paid admission. I also told him I had a pebble that I wished to leave there and asked if it was allowed to do that and where may be an appropriate place to do it. His face beamed and he said, “Anywhere, thank you,” and greeted me with folded hands, wishing us blessings. I had not wanted to leave Niru’s pebble if the custodians of the garden would not give permission for us to do that. The Well has a wonderful swirling energy. I sat in it for some time and was given a personal message. I was told where to leave the Niru pebble and could feel her smile with joy at it being placed I this sacred spot. Nearby grows a Punga like the ones we have in NZ. After filling my bottles with water, I descended to the healing pool. Here again grow 3 more Punga. It feels that a bit of NZ is there. I shed my shoes and gingerly descend into the chilly water, feeling the slippery bottom. At one time 10,000 people a day came to this pool for healing – that was in the early 1750’s. Here I say prayers for healing – for myself, my family and my patients. Coming out of the water there is an overwhelming sense of peace and joy. I cannot help smiling from ear to ear. I want to laugh from sheer joy. We ate a peaceful lunch in the garden, visited the gift shop and went on our way. On the way back to the friends in Cheltenham we bounced, swayed and rocked along a road built on peat bog to the Summerset Levels and the Sweet Track which had been built in 3832 BC – a wooden track over the peat bog from the Island of Meare to the Polden Hills.
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Here one may take the Chalice Well water in the Chalice Well garden
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Arbor Low henge |
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Raewyn Freedman Shamanic facilitator |
