Glastonbury was a pilgrimage for me--A site where I could interact with ancient Goddess wisdom and receive healing.
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| Red Spring at Chalice Well |
Our group had already spent an hour at dawn at Stonehenge, a few miles away, and arrived at
Chalice Well in time for a garden stroll and short drum journey before lunch.
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| Lion at Red Spring |
Lush and green, the grounds invite the body to sink into the enjoyment of the natural springs and beauty of the yew trees, manicured gardens, and view of Glastonbury Tor, the ancient earthen monument to the Goddess.
At the Lion or Red Spring, one encounters the feminine energy. Water emerges with reddish tint (due to the iron content), symbolic of women's creative power and menstrual blood. Outside the garden gates and around to the right, there runs a second spring, the White Spring, which represents masculine energy.
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| Wading in the Spring |
At the fabulous on site gift shop you may purchase small souvenir bottles for collecting the healing water, so don't forget to stop there first, before you go exploring. You also have the opportunity to bathe your feet in the water further downstream from the spring source in a small walkway designed just for that purpose.
The well cover, famous for its
Vessica Pisces design of two intersecting circles, has long been indicative of feminine energy as a symbol of the yoni. A symbol of the divine feminine on hallowed grounds. Legends and stories, as well as historical accounts, mark this area between the natural springs and the Tor, as the site of Avalon, the storied home of priestesses of the Goddess.
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| Chalice Well Cover |
A small grassy area above the Lion Spring was the perfect spot for a picnic lunch and a short drum circle (thanks to modern technology, we'd stored a drumming track on an iPhone that we could play back for our small group, and not disturb the quiet surroundings for other visitors). Ley lines run through this area as well, and draw the energetically sensitive in magnetically, to the heart of Mother Earth. A dragonfly alighted and stayed for our journey work, to me, symbolic of the close presence of the fairy realm as well.
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| Glastonbury Tor |
Up the same path was a bench where you can sit and view the Tor in the distance. The adventurous continue on down the main road to the path that winds spiraling up to St. Michael's Tower at the top of the Tor. The Tor is legendary home of Gwyn ap Nudd, King of the Fairies. My photos do not capture the magic of the place, but not to worry, just visit the
"Tortraits" page for some beautiful sunrise and sunset portraits. For the hikers who reach the top on a clear day, there are panoramic views of the Somerset countryside that are breath-taking. Before Christianity became the conquering religion, every spring dancers would use their feet and sticks to awaken the earth mother by stomping and pounding on the ground, winding their way up the Tor, until it was outlawed as a pagan ritual.
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| Vessica Piscis Fountain |
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| Offerings at Yew Tree |
When you go, give yourself time to rest in the gardens near the springs, or to sit and contemplate the Tor, or meditate in silence. It can be a remarkable healing experience to pause and allow the land to speak to you and the water to wash away your troubles. Don't rush this one. It's a beautiful and natural experience to soak up and let sink in all the way to your weary bones.
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