Dolmen Grove

DOLMEN GROVE Issue 10

www.dolmengrove.co.uk https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Dolmen-Grove/110124449082503

UNITED PAGAN PATHS THE DOLMEN GROVE “Respect and care for the elders for they have aged with the wisdom of time “ Taloch The Dolmen Grove is a non-political organisation; preferring to concentrate upon the quest for spiritual enlightenment and the manifestation of peace within a power hungry world of chaos.

The Dolmen Grove was originally formed in Dorset England where it still has its main H.Q. existing as a Spiritual meeting place for people of all nationalities, and over the years has grown steadily with membership now spanning several continents.

At the centre of The Dolmen Grove is the round table. This is made up of a group of people from all walks of life, following a variety of spiritual paths. These individuals get together once a month to plan and organize events, and gatherings.

Because these people give both their time and energy voluntarily the hopes and dreams of The Dolmen Grove continue to be recognized.

The Dolmen Grove do not have a hierarchy because we do not believe people need titles or labels in order to practice a spiritual path. However we do believe in spirituality based upon love, kindness and an open heart. We are fully aware that this policy which is upheld by the Roundtable of The Grove has upset people in the past and will no doubt continue to do so.

It is NOT our intention to offend anyone and we do not condemn those who wish to use such titles, and we shall continue to welcome all spiritually minded people seeking to enjoy good friendship with good souls who share a common interest.

The Dolmen Grove Banner - A Symbol of Unity

ALL ARE SPIRITUALLY UNITED WITHIN THE DOLMEN GROVE

CONTENTS 1… Trance Work & Witchcraft… A Personal Experience. – Keith Thomas (Wyrdy) 2…Dates to remember 3…A Day in the Life of… – Louis Lisse 4…Aromatherapy – Sandra Wiseman 5…The Giants of the Isle of Albion – Cheryl Waldron 6…Little Bredy Waterfall – Sarah Penfold 7…Saor Patrol Gig Guide, Duncarron Poster and Album Review – Diane Narraway 8…Diary of the Hedgewitch – Rachael Moss 9… The Guardians of Stonehenge – Arthur Pendragon 10…Imagine Books – Advert 11…Waters of return. The Aeonic Flow of Voudon. Book Review – Diane Narraway 12…Healthy Living with the Urban Herbalist – Jacqui Apostolides 14…The Dolmen Gig Guide 15…The Verne Earth Circle – Diane Narraway 16…Spriggan Mist Gig Guide 17…The Witch’s Cauldron…Incense Making – Julie Weltch 18…A Handful of Crystals for Protection – Cheryl Waldron 19…The Dolmen Grove Beltane Spirit of Rebirth Celebrations – Diane Narraway 20…Black Wreck Project and Pirates – Defoe Smith 21…St. Andrews Church – Scott Irvine 22…Dolmen Grove Moots Photos in this issue – Scott Irvine, Rachael Moss, Chrissey Luna Le Fey Storer, Joanna Caswell, Chris

Hermon, Jennie Jones, Duncan Wilde, Rod Weyland, Mel Turner, Kenneth Mulligan, Dennis Wright.

Artwork – Sem Vine Cover image – Rosalie Bottley

Unless otherwise stated all other images are from the public domain.

Further information on the Dolmen Grove can be found at: www.Dolmengrove.co.uk http://www.facebook.com/pages/TheDolmenGrove/110124449082503

All information is accurate at the time of publication and all articles are assumed to be the work of those being credited https://www.facebook.com/DolmenGroveMagazine?ref=hl

Trance Work & Witchcraft‌ A Personal Experience. .

Mark ye well their manner, for it is quiet and assumeth not. It is in peaceful tones they speak and oft seem abstracted. Seeming to prefer the company of Beastes, they converse with them as equals. They dwell in lonely places, there better (as they say) to know the voices of the Wind and hear the secrets of Nature.

Possessing the Wysdome of the fields and forests, they do harm and heal with their harvests. They concerne themselves not with idle chatter or fashion, nor do worldly goods hold worth for them. Be not confused as to think that only Woman-kynd harboureth the gifte in this matter. Of Men there bee many that hold mickle power."

Edward Johnston, Esq. Sudbury, Suffold, England 1645 and Stone circles near where I live in Southern England. It is a very magical experience to be in a place that was held sacred by the people who walked over the same land many thousands of years before me. To be present at one of these places on a moonlit night with Owls hooting, while the universe of this dimension tangibly all around oneself is slowly closing in‌This is an experience just too difficult to put into words properly. Truly marvellous!

Places where dimensions collide.

Every time I go out to these places it is as if I am embarking on my own personal sacred pilgrimage

I have come to the conclusion through my own years of experience that the Witch is a Nature Mystic. I rarely, if ever carry out any of my workings indoors. I think it is very important to be out there experiencing nature and away from the technology of the modern age when I am making my personal connection to that which I hold sacred.

The local woods, river bank or old sacred sites become very different places indeed if you work with them in an Animistic "Pagan" way, mostly alone, with respect and honour. I personally really enjoy going to those old Barrows in the woods or high up on the downs or visiting the Henges

These places I speak of were places, where the ancients interred and honoured their dead, celebrated their spiritual beliefs places where the centuries can slip by and possible insights, wisdoms and connections can be made. I believe, that at certain locations there are portals to alternative dimensions and elemental forces that the Witch can link into and use in their spiritual Pagan practice.

It seems the ancients were aware of this and built many of the old circles, stone rows and Henges at these locations as markers.

I guess I decided to write this not with the intention of being another Pagan Guru nor to inflate my ego but to try and give an insight into the way I work, the way I think and what I believe it actually means to be a Pagan Witch in early 21st century England. In fact I champion that each and every one of you become your own Guru.

Nature is my inspiration, my Muse and my very spirituality and if this gives me the label "Pagan" so be it.

When I think about my crooked path, my journey, I quickly come to the conclusion that without my direct personal experience in my own Hedgeriding/trance work or unverified personal gnosis that the rest of my path would be missing a very important aspect for me indeed. I would be left with a plethora of odd knick-knacks, strange statues and books.

Witchcraft, for me, is not a fashion statement or a "collector’s hobby" it is a very serious business indeed and not for the faint hearted. It is all about direct personal experiences and not about taking somebody else’s word for things because it says so in a book.

I mustn't forget to mention the importance of Magic too! The twisting, weaving, sorcerous practices that make this Witchcraft path so rewarding spiritually that alongside ritual workings fit together like a good English Ale and a packet of ready salted crisps and as such must not be disregarded. Many folk try to catalogue the old magic into some modern psychological framework which fits in with their modern perspectives and in my opinion are losing out on a very special aspect of a Pagan Animistic way of being.

The spirits of the wild wood are there it is up to you whether you wish to gain the knowledge into how to contact them.

The job in hand There may come a time when you feel the need to haul yourself off to a sacred site or ‘place of power’ and face the magic and sorceries that this subject matter is about.

I find the moonlit night is preferable, but it is not necessarily a prerequisite. It is the places that everyday folk are wary of or

have for whatever reason gained spooky reputations are the sorts of locations that should get your juices flowing. They are ideal for making connections with the natural world and are great places to heighten your senses for the work ahead.

You need to be away from the hustle and bustle of the towns and cities. You cannot call yourself a Witch unless get out and experience the natural world!

If you want to know what some Pagan deity of old is all about? See if you can find them for yourself rather than take someone else’s description of them.

Personal contact is far more enlightening and far more empowering. You will know beyond any reasonable doubt when you are faced with timeless, powerful (sometimes scary) wise advisors and forces that have been sought out by mankind since the earliest of times, and it is not without risk to your perspective upon returning to this world.

One symptom I discovered was that I found it exceedingly difficult to understand the perspective of mainstream religious beliefs if I ever tried communicating with them. It can be a waste of time, and may be easier to leave them to their delusions as they are lost to the ways of a nature mystic. I have found that my very thinking is regarded as an affront to them and I offend them with my total abject disregard of all the things they hold holy.

The question is how to obtain this personal trance experience?

Let’s try to hint at how to get that Broomstick to take off then shall we.

The secret to success is mastering ‘yourself’; a technique that enables ‘YOU’ to personally enter into an altered state of consciousness where the old gods, elementals, tree spirits and all the other things one knows about from this subject are waiting to have discourse with you.

The basic, absolute truth, is, that all the ritual furniture, the magic circles, swords, candles, robes, incense, chants and all the other plethora of things that initially attract people to this subject, are for one thing and one thing only. That is to gain an altered state of consciousness where a direct communication and experience of spiritual forces can be made. It is thought that by bombarding the five senses with all the ritual accoutrements that this can be achieved. I think it just makes things overly complicated and is not actually necessary at all. If you enjoy a piece of theatre, fair enough but know it for what it really is!

In my early years I smile fondly now at all the stuff I thought I needed to attain such an experience, sure it was fun, at the time but really it was not necessary to carry around so much stuff, tramping through the woods with the contents of a Pagan temple with me in the quiet hours. Still we all learn the hard way!!

I would say all you need is a couple items, if any and possibly some incense assuming you like to work simply, as I do these days. I personally only use a Stang, something to scry with and maybe some incense. A good pair of sturdy boots is a must as is a torch for it can be exceedingly muddy or very, very dark when you’re out there with nature.

Trance work We all experience lucid dreams at some time or another, where the dream feels as real as this world; trance work enables this immersion into another realm at will and is the goal. Most of us have experienced this whilst we sleep so you must understand that the things that I talk of are just as tangible and real when you are "in there"

as it may have been when you experienced this lucidity in your dreams.

Is it the same place as where these lucid dreams are experienced? I think similar but not the same. The trance state I experience is very tricky to describe, I must say that I am always aware of my body, here, in this world, whilst at the same time experiencing all manner of things in my trance state in this so called inner realm.

There is always an anchor in the background that connects me back to the world of men.

If you can find a teacher who can show you old techniques that may enable this experience, do it. That being said, the teacher can show a hypnotic drum rhythm, chant, dance, swaying or breathing technique maybe alongside a path working, but it is down to each and every one of us to unlock this portal to the so called inner realms for ourselves. Sure, a quick fire way is an alcohol induced or drug induced trance and these have their merits and their pitfalls. The merit is that the "nagging scientist" as I term it, in your head that makes you feel stupid is shut up, but it is a high price to pay indeed. I know only too well what this is like as I have experienced this for myself and it was not great. Not to mention the hangover.

It is always far superior to enter trance and the so called inner realms without these substance turbos because there is a danger that you will not know exactly what went on or remember everything in the process if completely out of it.

You have to practice, practice, practice, in the art of trance inducement. Even for trance veterans a good contact cannot always be relied upon. This is a magical art and like all arts it is never a constant.

Some of my best experiences have been when I was not in the mood and reluctantly dragged myself off into the woods against my better judgement.

It is very annoying but nonetheless a fact when dealing in this subject although it seems that once the knack has been established usually something will be experienced however brief. Maybe a nugget of wisdom can be divulged in an instant from some unexpected aspect of sacred nature that you have chosen to consort with.

I personally experience a lightness of body alongside a plethora of light anomalies along with an undulating Serpentine type energy that makes one swoon into a vortex of undulating spiralling forces that seems to rise from the ground beneath my feet whilst at the same time the very star light seems to funnel downwards into the top of my head colliding with the Earth energy rising like twisting serpents travelling upwards through my body. This fusion of forces seems to send me on my flight to the inner realms where I usually find myself at a specific location that I have learned to try to get to. From this inner world location I am usually sought out by one of my animal totems who will then take me on my travels to a spirit/entity who wishes to impart knowledge or assist me with my weavings or sorceries.

I think I should mention something about animal totems. From experience an animal has always spontaneously presented itself to me in my inner world contact. I did not choose them. In fact when the first animal appeared to me and stood before me, I did not understand what it actually was for quite some time. When the penny dropped, so to speak, everything began to fall into place and make sense to me. Since then I have had only 3 other animals offer their alliances to me up to this point. Will there be more? I cannot say as I am not the one who initiates this process. You must understand that there are secrets in this art and my totems are one that I would not discuss in this work. Each has a different power associated with it and that is all I need say.

Sometimes the trance can be so intense that the entity will overcome the Witch and take possession of them. A very spiritual experience where the Witch blends with the spirit and a true understanding of the connection between things in this world and of all things may be made. I have found these possessions do not last for too long and it is a very powerful thing to feel. I think it is for this very reason that it is wise to either work alone or only with very close and trusted colleagues who understand the process that is happening.

A benefit of these possession experiences is that it gives the Witch an absolute respect for the natural world and all things in it. It can make any individual into a very spiritual Pagan Witch indeed, who can learn to possess an understanding of their union with the universe and a realisation of how the artificial and superficial world of mankind really is.

Something I have not touched on is that for some reason these trance states seem to be easier to experience in full emersion when you have a crisis in your life. It is as if the spirits answer the inner beacon being given off by the Witch in times of need.

Great sorceries can be worked in this way when face to face with a spiritual entity whom you can ask for help to assist either yourself or another.

One thing I would say when dealing with entities in the inner realms, is never threaten them as it is even written in some of the medieval Grimoires that this is just a big no! Always be respectful because you don't want to upset these Titans because you want them as allies not adversaries.

Also any promises made or oaths sworn must be kept.

If you cannot behave honourably in your spiritual practice, where in your life will it ever be possible? Trust can build a strong bond for the Witch with their spirits no

matter what they are. Also the Witch must be in absolute control of their will at all times.

contact with inter dimensional realities/entities that can seriously affect you.

You are the moral barometer working your magic, as you see fit and you must know what you do and why you do it and be willing to accept all the consequences once the working commences. This is why the oaths made are intransigently adhered to and are very serious indeed.

One danger I know of is the allure of this practice, where, one may find it very difficult to know when to put on the brakes, not keep going ‘in there’ all the time. The call of the Fae can be very addictive.

A yardstick to use is to see if the sorceries that you conjure whilst ‘in there’ come to fruition or not in this world. This should cut out fantasy from fiction.

Obviously when achieving this practice you are seriously rumbling around with your psychology and possibly making

That world can start to supplant this one for varying reasons and you can suffer because of it. I think this can be very unhealthy, as it is possible to withdraw from the world of men too much in preference for the inner or other world experience.

Keith E Thomas (Wyrdy)

DATES TO REMEMBER THE DOLMEN GROVE WILL BE HOSTING THEIR ESSEX MOOT 4th ANNUAL BELTANE PICNIC on 26th MAY 2013 1 -6pm at THE ROUNDHOUSE, HADLEIGH COUNTRY PARK, CHAPEL LANE, HADLEIGH, ESSEX.

THEIR PORTLAND MOOT MIDSUMMER SUNRISE CIRCLE ON THE CLIFFS AT PORTLAND ON SATURDAY 22ND JUNE 2013 AT 9AM

STONEHENGE SUMMER SOLSTICE OPEN ACCESS SUNRISE CIRCLE WILL BE AT DAWN ON 21ST JUNE 2013

A Day in the Life of…

Q) Name and Religious title/path if applicable.(i.e.Witch, Druid, Pagan etc)?

Louise or Lou for short, formerly known as Anarcho Blonde! My general practice is rooted in non-denominational Witchcraft with elements of ritual magick and Qabalah (I was originally trained by a magicians' lodge). For the past 10 years I have worked magically with a coven of brilliant women from Torquay whom I consider to be my best friends and my adopted English family. I am a Babalon devotee, which means my private (non-coven) path is almost exclusively experienced through my relationship with my tutelary Goddess. I enjoy discovering and studying a variety of magical practices; I see them all as potential useful vehicles on my tortuous path to Her.

Q) How did you become involved with The Dolmen Grove?

Years ago, we s aw the Dolmen play at the Wessex Gathering and all got sore feet from dancing to their set!

We fell in love with the music and jumped on the opportunity to attend their next gig in Devon months later.

Again I danced myself so hard I almost couldn't get out of bed the next day. I'd given myself a full body workout, pagan style! From then on, friendships developed and our coven started attending the annual Dolmen Grove camps in Dorset. Through the Grove we have made great friends who have truly enriched our lives and supported us through thick and thin. We've also been given the opportunity to bring our little circus of Torquay bands to Dorset and widen our audience. And more recently, I was given permission to do my ever public first talk on a pagan subject at Tribal Dreams 2012!

Q) What is your job title or brief description of job?

History teacher by day, punk vocalist by night, witch whatever the weather.

Q) Can you describe a typical work day?

I generally get woken up by my cats purring and using all their seductive tricks on me to get me to get up and give them breakfast! I then do a short morning devotion at my altar before wolfing down whatever remains in the fridge and setting off for work just on time.

My day at school is usually manic; I generally don't rest much until at least 7 pm… The evenings are for reading, writing to friends, doing more magic and of course practicing with Husbands N Knives. The school environment is a very professional one and high standards of commitment and behaviour are expected from staff. Teaching is a really rewarding career both on a human and intellectual level. Nothing pleases me more than knowing I've passed the History bug on to the next generation! As one would expect, there's not much space for rock n roll and anarchy in a grammar school staffroom, let alone for paganism… There is still a great deal of misconceptions and cliches regarding our beliefs amongst the general public. My spiritual practice gives me the space to silence the inner tumult of every day worries and find myself again. And then

there is the band, with whom I can really let loose, forget everything and unleash the half-crazed, twelvefingered inner Maenad I keep strictly under control during the day!

Q) How do you feel your Pagan Beliefs fit into your everyday life?

Paganism is something you live and breathe; it's not something you just do at weekends. It fills every part of your life. Your love life becomes devotional practice, your gardening turns into a study of the Earth Mysteries, cooking itself becomes filled with magical intent. You read signs in the fabric of the Universe.

Magick permeates your music. Husbands N Knives is a band powered by Witchcraft in more ways than one!

Writing music as a band often happens on an almost psychic level. Some of our songs came to us in dreams, some (especially the ones on our new album) were written as spells, though not in a noticeable way. The day before we started recording our new CD, Virosa Ebriosa, Julie and I went up Glastonbury Tor and held a little DIY punk ceremony there, singing our songs in the empty tower and sending them all over the Land, offering them to the Powers that Be. During the recording process we had an altar in the studio. And then strange things happened, which freaked our producer Rob a little bit… On one of the tracks, Lipstick Graffiti, I was reciting lines from the Book of Babalon: "And though they shall call you harlot and whore, shameless, false, evil, these words shall be blood in their mouths, and dust thereafter." Believe it or not, no matter how many times we tried, the mic would record the whole sentence perfectly except for the words "shameless, false, evil", which didn't record at all. I could see Rob getting spooked out as he couldn't find a reason behind this inexplicable microphone strike! In the end we had to record the whole quote as a different song and then paste the track on the original recording.

Q) How do you feel your life has changed since becoming a member of Dolmen Grove?

Many moons ago, when I was 12 or 13, I was holidaying in the South West when our car passed Stonehenge on the A303. I hadn't visited any megalithic sites before and was completely transfixed. It was a radiant summer day and I remember noticing a circle of people inside the stones. Upon enquiry, I was told by my British relatives that they were probably "Druids, celebrating the solstice". I remember feeling a raw, visceral longing to join them, to take part in that joyous, colourful ceremony, so unlike anything I'd seen before. Fast forward 15 years and there I was, at last, standing with my Grove friends amidst the cries of "Ah-Re-Yah" and the hypnotic beating of drums. I was entering the Holy of Holies, the most revered site of our Nation, a pagan woman on a sacred pilgrimage. That day was one of the most moving of my life.

Holding hands and singing with my best friends in the centre of the stones was a truly transcendent moment.

It felt like the culmination of a lifetime love affair with the Spirit of Albion. A communion - a Hieros Gamos. As far as I can remember, I've always wanted to live in Britain. As a child I longed for its green hills, its ancient cities, its heritage, its legends and living paganism. I even tried to teach myself English at the tender age of 4 (not very successfully I must admit…) and on that day, Albion was there, eternal, tangible, its heart pulsating under our feet, its presence vibrant and encompassing. Elated and in a semitrance state, I could almost feel the stretch of the land over vale and mountain, hear the murmur of rivers, the distant buzz of London, the crashing waves at Land's End, the faraway loneliness of the barren Hebrides…

And I remember thinking … "Goddess Almighty, isn't that what Life's all about? Thank f*** for the Dolmen Grove! "Long live our amazing pagan community!"

Aromatherapy In case you are new to Aromatherapy or have not read previous articles on this - Aromatherapy is the use of organic essences extracted from aromatic plants for healing and maintenance of vitality.

It may help with minor ailments, keep us fit whilst still enabling us to be relaxed and at ease with ourselves.

The oils work by entering the blood stream via the skin, smells (aromas) evoke memories and the brain registers the scent via the neurological and the endocrine system.

The therapeutic potential of essential oils, like other plant derived remedies, has yet to be fully realized. Although numerous medical herbs have been utilized since antiquity, many of which have become of modern drugs (such as Quinine and cocaine) In order to use an essential oil apart from Lavender and Tea Tree they MUST be blended with a carrier oil for direct use on the skin.

Most people would use Sweet almond oil or Grapeseed oil but Jojoba Carrier oil although expensive is a lovely oil and used a lot in skin care.

Jojoba Carrier Oil Jojoba is the liquid wax produced in the seed of the Jojoba plant. This shrub is native to Southern Arizona, Southern California and north western Mexico.

Jojoba is one of the most important oils in aromatherapy skin care use. Unlike many other oils, jojoba is chemically very similar to human sebum. It is often blended with other carrier oils It is the cold pressed and unrefined Jojoba oil which is richest in its natural properties, with a shelf life of approximately 2-3 years. This oil makes an excellent skincare product which moisturizes, nourishes and protects. It also has a natural SPF of 5 which further enhances its skin caring benefits. It contains Vitamin A, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B6, Vitamin E, Myristic Acid and Plant Wax (mimics skins collagen).

Lemongrass Essential Oil Lemongrass Essential Oil is extracted with the help of steam distillation of dried Lemongrass. The Lemongrass is known by scientific names Cymbopogon, Citratus or Andropogon Citratus.

Main constituents are Myrcene, Citronellal, Geranyl Acetate, Nerol, Geraniol, Neral, Limonene and Citral.

Justifying its name, the Lemongrass smells just like Lemon, although it is milder and sweeter. It is not sour to taste. This grass is used in countless beverages desserts and other forms of culinary arts as a flavoring agent, where fresh lemon is not available or cannot be used. It is very much in use in Chinese and Thai recipes.

What’s more, it comes with many medicinal properties such as it is an analgesic, anti depressant, anti microbial, anti pyretic, anti septic, astringent, bactericidal, carminative, deodorant, diuretic, febrifuge, fungicidal, galactogogue, (increases the secretion of milk) insecticidal, nervine, sedative and tonic.

This is very good oil if you are going on holiday as you can use it as an insect repellant. It kills insects and also keeps them away (but I am not sure whether it repels cockroaches!).

It Has Antimicrobial and Antibacterial properties. This seems to be effective in inhibiting bacterial infections in colon, stomach, urinary tracts, and the respiratory system and helps cure diseases resulting from bacterial or microbial infections such as typhoid, food poisoning, skin diseases and malaria Make sure you have a vapouriser with you It is an anti pyretic which has an agent that brings down very high fevers. Other uses that will help when going away include anti septic properties that make it a good for external and internal wounds and does not let the external cuts go septic.

For Pets it can assist in Zapping Flees, ticks and lice. Use 4 drops pure lemongrass essential oil 6 drops pure lavender essential oil 10ml alcohol (vodka is good) 500ml water Spray or sponge this into your pet's coat, soak their collar in it, use as a final rinse after shampooing, or spray on their bedding. The mixture helps mask animal odour, too.

Put the oils and alcohol in a glass bottle, with a dropper dispenser. Shake well, then add 20 drops to the water. Shake well and use. For cats use a weaker solution as they can be sensitive, so use a much weaker dilution, i.e. 1 drop of lemongrass and 2 of lavender for their fur, and a weaker dilution still for their bedding. Keep well away from eyes.

Few Words of Caution: It is likely to irritate skin and produce other types of irritations too. Hence it should be avoided during pregnancy.

Bergamot Essential Oil Bergamot is a citrus fruit whose rind is used for extracting the Bergamot Oil. The scientific name of Bergamot is Citrus Aurantium var. or Citrus Bergamia. It is a tropical plant but thrives well in Europe too. The chemical composition of Bergamot Oil includes Alpha Pinene, Alpha Bergaptnen, Alpha Terpineol, Limonene, Linalool, Linalyl Acetate, Nerol, Neryl Acetate, Beta Bisabolene, Geraniol, Geraniol Acetate and Myrcene.

Bergamot Oil has a very sweet smell and a number of medicinal and industrial uses due to its properties listed below. The health benefits of Bergamot Essential Oil can be attributed to its properties like deodorant, vulnerary, vermifuge, anti biotic, anti septic, anti spasmodic, sedative, analgesic, anti depressant, disinfectant, febrifuge, cicatrisant, digestive. This oil has a lot of the same properties as Lemongrass so If you cant go away on holiday or if you do and you come back and feel fed up, Then this is a good oil, as it is also a Relaxant & Sedative: The Flavonoids present in Bergamot oil are very good relaxant. They soothe nerves and reduce nervous tension, anxiety, stress etc. and hence help cure ailments associated with stress such as sleeplessness, high blood pressure and more..

This is one to take away if you don’t have Tea Tree as it is an Anti Biotic & Disinfectant: Certain components of the essential oil are anti biotic and disinfectant in nature. They inhibit growth of germs, virus and fungi. They also effectively prohibit infections, such as those of skin. Other properties are Anti Septic & Vulnerary: The same disinfectant and anti biotic properties of Bergamot Oil make it a good anti septic and vulnerary agent. It not only helps fast healing of wounds, cracks on skin and heels, ulcers, eczema, itches etc. but also protects wounds from being septic and developing tetanus.

Febrifuge: Febrifuge is a substance or an agent that reduces fever and lowers body temperature.

Bergamot is a good febrifuge due to many reasons. First, being an anti biotic, it fights infections from virus, bacteria and protozoa which cause fever, such as influenza (virus), malaria (protozoa) and typhoid (typhus bacteria), and thus helps curing fever.

Vermifuge: It kills worms. Thus it is going to be a very fragrant choice for children who have worms.

It can also be applied on the affected tooth when diluted or used as a mouthwash to kill oral germs and protect teeth from cavities.

Cicatrisant: is a property or an agent which helps the scar and other marks on the skin to disappear. It also makes the distribution of pigments and melanin even and uniform, resulting in the fading away of marks.

Few Words of Caution: Bergamot Oil must be protected from sunlight. Bergaptene, one of its components, becomes poisonous if exposed to sunlight. That is why it should be stored in dark bottles in dark places. Even exposure to sunlight should be avoided after it is applied or rubbed on skin.

Sandra Wiseman For information on aromatherapy or if you would like to attend a workshop you can contact me on 01702 523951, or 07804138585 web site therapies4you.com or Email sandra_wiseman@talk21.com.

A few words on our new album "Virosa Ebriosa"...

It's been a painful birth. In fact, we're still in labour. 17 Tracks and counting. We still have to refine the final mixes and the sleeve art is still in the process of completion, but we're almost there.

Compared to our debut offering "Raised on Synthetic Bitch Milk", our new CD "Virosa Ebriosa" is more of a concept album. The Ariadne's thread that runs through the songs is the voice of that Wild Woman who s been singing through the millennia, and whose influence, on an archetypal level, still runs through our culture. She's Lilith who, having refused to lie beneath Adam, sits alone in the Huluppu Tree, offering her 3-chord defiant punk songs to the Summer breeze , taunting the followers of a humourless God . She's been nursing a hangover ever since the illegal Bacchanaliae of Roman times, and her voice is still hoarse from screaming protest songs. She's danced with fairies under hollow hills, witnessed the confessions of Isobel Gowdie, sat in horror at the foot of gibbets and cursed as the pyres of the Burning Times were lit in the Night. But she hasn't forgotten how to be a Jester. She never misses an occasion to laugh at existence, to lampoon friends and foes, to tell a good story and celebrate small acts of resistance.

The scene is set.

On a first album you find your marks, lyrically, thematically and musically. On a second album, you can tweak all these little notches you neglected to address on the first CD and, having found your Muse, you can sit back and watch as She kicks off her high heeled shoes, takes a swig of Buckfast wine and takes you on a new journey.

Harder drums, catchier riffs, groovy baselines, a Dolmen cover and a more pagan slant to our lyrics‌ whilst always staying faithful to our DIY, Riot Grrrl roots.

I know we've been telling you this for a while now‌ But it will be worth the wait.

Husbands N Knives.

The Giants of the Isle of Albion “Tales of Gods, Heroes and marvels, the antithesis of sober history, reaching back into the beliefs of our distant forbears. The usual distinction between myth and legend is the presence of a supernatural element in the former, and an historical basis in the later” Richard Barker

The eldest of these was named Albina. She was beautiful like her sisters and when of age she was married to a high ranking King, as were her sisters, therefore becoming wealthy and noble as Queens themselves.

One of the earliest of British legends is that of the Giants of Albion, and is one of many stories that claim to be ‘how Britain got its name’.

The problem we have with ancient Celtic, Pagan and Mabinogion tales is that originally they were passed from generation to generation via bards and fragmentary lore.

The re-tellers of these legends inadvertently embellished the original tale often weaving their own versions into the legends, and as a result some bits were omitted. Over the centuries the Church turned many of our legends into totally unrecognisable tales so while we have to rely on and believe that today’s ‘ancient legends’ are true we also have to accept that the original version may have been very different to the one we are hearing.

The story I tell you now I have researched to the best of my ability from a variety of different sources.

Four thousand years ago, after the creation of the Earth, lived a powerful and noble Grecian King and his beautiful Queen.

Together they had thirty daughters, all of which were tall, well-built and beautiful.

As privileged as Albina and her sisters were, they were mostly selfish and dissatisfied. Together they counselled and declared that neither one of them should be ‘subject to the authority of anyone else’.

They were the daughters of the Great King, the King who held power over all Kings, they would not, they declared, have any master rule them, be them Kings or not. So the sisters formed a pact, a secret oath that each of them swore to, that they would all on the same arranged day, kill their husbands and become un-ruled Queens in their own right. All of the sisters agreed to this, save the youngest who truly loved her husband and refused to allow any harm to come to him. She did not voice this to her sisters however, for fear of being murdered by them herself.

The sisters returned to their various homes and lands and began plotting their own various ways of ridding themselves of their husbands. The youngest sister, overcome with grief, confessed all to her husband and begged for his mercy. The Lord took her in his arms and gave her solace, reassuring her that she had done right by confessing to her sister’s treachery.

By dawn, the youngest sister and her Lord had left in order to journey to her father, the King of Greece, so to inform him of his daughters’ treachery. The King was devastated and summoned his daughters to answer for their treason. Each of them attempted to clear their names in oath, but their father would not hear of it. Each of their respective husbands demanded the death penalty for their wives dishonour.

But the King threw them into his dungeons to await judgment.

It was declared soon after that the twenty nine daughters were guilty of treason and it was decided that because the accused Queens were of such a high nobility, to condemn them to death would dishonour their parents the King and Queen of Greece and their Lord husbands. So they were exiled from the country of their birth, and no pity was taken on them, despite their bitter tears. The daughters were sorrowfully led to a ship with no rudder, but ample provisions. They were now poorer than nuns and beggars, with no certain future ahead of them.

The long voyage was hard and menacing and the daughters suffered greatly. Their way of passage was determined by the buffeting of waves on the hull of their ship and the great winds of the sky. Tormented and starving each of the sisters wished that death would take them quickly. But because they had not been condemned to death their calls for mercy would not be answered.

Soon, a terrifying storm took hold, lasting for three whole days, throwing their ship from wave to gigantic wave until the tide drove them to a far western shore, known today as England. At the time however this land was un-named as no-one dwelt

there. The sea was now calm and the skies above were a glorious blue and the land fertile and green. Overjoyed to leave the ship and the suffering they had endured on their terrible voyage, the sisters rushed to disembark. The eldest sister however forbade them leave until she herself had taken possession of the land.

At last on dry land, they realised that they were truly exiled and would never be able to return to the land of their birth. Albina, the eldest of the sisters declared herself as ruler of the new land with neither name nor Lord. As ruler, she declared, that the new land should be named after her.

“Albina is my name, so it shall be called Albion and our name shall always be remembered here”.

They found there was no human whatsoever in the vast valleys, hills and plains of Albion. But in the forests they discovered wild beasts a plenty, rivers abundant with fish, fowl on the plains and meadows filled with flowers and birds that sung so sweetly that it bought comfort to them. The sisters ate raw herbs, acorns, plums, chestnuts, apples and pears. The need for meat was great, but without having any hounds, hawks, bows or spears they were unable to hunt, although being cunning women they soon learnt to build traps of twigs to catch fowl and traps of creepers to catch deer. They struck stones together to make fire and feasted on roast deer and fowl and drunk fresh water from nearby springs. They soon recovered their strength for they had found ways to sustain themselves. They grew tired of their adventures and the heart of nature soon overcame them……they longed for men.

The evil Incubi saw this longing and intervened.

Incubi were evil spirits with the ability to take human form, lie with a woman leaving them with child, only to disappear soon after. Albina and her sisters coupled with what they thought were human men and all became with child almost immediately. The children they gave birth to were large, almost giant size, who kept the land for them. But as Incubi always do, they soon disappeared leaving the sisters alone.

The sisters soon realised that they no longer had men to lie with, so they wickedly lay with their own sons. The children born of this wickedness were exceptionally large and hideous to look at; similar to children from devil fathers and tall, well-built mothers.

This new giant race soon grew and multiplied throughout the land of Albion, living on mountain ranges and in caves.

They lived wickedly and brutally, fighting and despising each other, slaying one another until only a few thousand remained.

This giant race although somewhat diminished in numbers continued until the invasion of Brutus, who took the land of Albion by force and changed its name to Britain. He slew the giants, bar one, their leader Gogmagog, whose life he spared.

Gogmagog told Brutus the story of his lands and the history of his ancestors.

Brutus made a record of this marvellous story and it became a great story to tell at magnificent feasts, and, this is the legend of how the name of Albion came to be.

Cheryl Waldron

Wynterkallista offers a range of natural,ethically sourced Aromatherapy health and beauty products created with care.

We also specialise in hand madePagan/Wicca products, such as Wands and Staffs, Herbs, Dilly and spell bags.

We are fully licensed by Cosmetic Safety Consultants Ltd. Also a qualified, experienced and fully professional member of the Guild of Holistic Therapists Wiccan High Priestess and Celebrant winterkallysta@yahoo.co.uk www.facebook.com/Wynterkallista

Little Bredy Waterfall

The beautiful village of Little Bredy holds a very magical place – A waterfall that captures you within its beauty.

I have my Katie to thank for sharing it with us, as a few years ago Katie was an angry, rebellious little teenager who managed to get herself a split timetable from school with a local pupil referral unit. This meant that on Tuesdays she would meet up with Sue – her counsellor who took her places to talk and the waterfall at Little Bredy became their ’special’ place. I could always tell when she had been there as a very angry little girl would become ‘chilled and relaxed’.

She always said she wanted to take me there, so last summer on one of our family days’ out Katie asked if we could go to the waterfall, so we drove there and parked on a grass verge next to a wooden shelter. We had to walk down a steep road and we could see Katie was positively bouncing with excitement.

At the bottom we took a left turn, walked past some houses which had little bridges leading from them over a stream. Already it was beginning to seem magical. Soon we reached a bridge and by the time we were halfway across it we could hear the waterfall and as we turned the corner, there was the waterfall, flowing, bubbling and welcoming you into its wonder. Katie is no longer that angry little girl and this is now one of our family’s special places. Our last visit involved a picnic, tennis racquets and a football, and built memories I will treasure.

Like Katie, both my partner Charlie, and myself wanted to share this magical place, so we took our friends Duncan and Angie, out there on one of the many occasions they are down this way, and I believe it is now a special place of theirs in beautiful Dorset.

I always look forward to our trips to Little Bredy waterfall and the memories that the day will bring. I can’t thank Katie enough for sharing this wonderful place with us and of course I will be eternally grateful to the waterfall for helping to chill my Katie to the wonderful girl that was hiding behind the angry peer pressured teenage exterior!

Sarah Jane Penfold

DUNCARRON BUILDING THE PAST Situated in the Carron valley the Duncarron Medieval Village is a volunteer project supported by the Clanranald Trust, with the intention of bringing to life a key part of Scottish history.

As well as bringing history to life it will be home to the Clanranald Trust and it is intended to host a variety of public events and private functions.

For further information http://www.clanranald.org/cln1/duncarron https://www.facebook.com/duncarron?fref=ts http://www.duncarron.com/dun1/

http://www.clanranald.org/cln1/ donations https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Clanranald-Trust-for-Scotland/55957554131?fref=ts

soar patrol May

9th – 12th Mitelattlier Phantasie Spectaculum, Rastede

18th – 20th Mitelattlier Phantasie Spectaculum, Hohenwestedt 25th & 26th Mitelattlier Phantasie Spectaculum, Wassenberg June

1st&2nd Mitelattlier Phantasie Spectaculum, Weil am Rhein 4th – 9th Lo Spirito Del Pianeta Chiuduno, Bergamo, Italy 15th &16th Duncarron

Duncarron Medieval Fortified Village, Carron Valley, Scotland FK6 5JL July

6th&7th Celtic Midsummer Festival W.Mettingstraat 18, Bad Nieuweschans, Groningen, 9693BX, Netherlands

TWO HEADED DOG

The latest album from Celtic rockers Saor Patrol is best described as ‘Tribal Rock’. It features the electric guitar, bringing warmth to the raw tribal drumming and wistful pipes.

The music on Two Headed Dog stirs something ancient and primordial within us, awakening a sense of freedom. The combination of the three drummers is not only tribal but in the main downright raunchy.

The drummers Mark Monaghan, Kev Johnston and Marcus Dickson each bring to life their passion for theCeltic heritage that calls to an often forgotten sense of clanship with every beat of the drum.

While the pipes of Charlie Allan tell their own tales of mirth and melancholy, and the addition of the electric guitar played by the highly accomplished Steve Legget mingles effortlessly with the traditional sounds of the drums and pipes.

This is an album that brings to life all that is wild and tribal that from day to day lays sleeping in the hearts of us all.

Pipes – Charlie’Chick’ Allan Drums – Kev Johnston Drums –Marcus Dickson Drums – Mark Monaghan Guitar – Steve Legget NB Accompanying this cd is an information booklet about the band, their music, about the Clanranald Trust and Duncarron Fort.

CD can be purchased http://www.saorpatrol.com/twoheadeddog.cfm Futher information about the band http://www.saorpatrol.com/aboutus.cfm https://www.facebook.com/pages/Saor-Patrol/8569991613?fref=ts Clanranald Trust http://www.clanranald.org/cln1/ https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Clanranald-Trust-for-Scotland/55957554131?fref=ts Duncarron Fort https://www.facebook.com/duncarron?fref=ts http://www.duncarron.com/dun1/

Diary of the Hedgewitch “For I have learned To look on nature, not as in the hour Of thoughtless youth; but hearing oftentimes The still, sad music of humanity, Nor harsh nor grating, though of ample power To chasten and subdue. And I have felt A presence that disturbs me with the joy Of elevated thoughts: A sense sublime Of something far more deeply interfused, Whose dwelling is the light of setting suns, And the round ocean and the living air, And the blue sky, and in the mind of man: A motion and a spirit, that impels All thinking things, all objects of all thought, And rolls through all things.�

William Wordsworth The bitter wind still thrashed through March and April, raging through the trees that, even now, still stand bare against a deathly pale sky, as winter, stubborn and relentless, yearned to fasten the virility and fecundity of spring in a stranglehold. In early April a shimmering of snow lay spewed upon the land, water was still forced into limiting solidification as ice, and the ground lay hard and frozen. Some creatures are barely out of hibernation, and most vegetation has only faintly stirred. Plants have fought their way against the cold, fuelled by boundless overflowing forces of pulsing life that determines to fulfil its motion.

The days have lengthened but most were swamped with greyness and wetness and coldness; expectations and hope of warmth and sun and days filled with teeming vitality and lushness were dashed.

But, pulsating, cycles continue. Lambs, held in expectation and promise within the warm watery womb over winter were expelled into the freezing grey, and in a frenzy of fervent exuberance, skip and hop and jump in seemingly ecstasies of joy and vigour; as new Life, new consciousness, new beginnings, twist and weave in the unrestrained and unrestricted potency of freshness that winter cannot forever retain in its cold sterile clasp; for, where-ever there is Life, the creative fire of fertility forever re-kindles.

In the garden, seeds are slow to germinate, hesitant in their coming into being amidst the persistent cold. But early brassicas and lettuces are flourishing under their greenhouse protection, and tomatoes are slowly, with trepidation, unfurling their new growth. The leaves on the apple trees are beginning to unfurl, but the woolly flower buds containing the future in the form of potential precious apples, remain tightly closed, and few pollinating insects have braved the cold and damp. An occasional lone rain drenched bumble bee lethargically and hesitantly flies heavily, sounding a low droning hum, a reminder that summer has almost arrived in a land that is dull, chilly and wet.

In a whirlwind of gardening fever, this is the time when seedlings are grown on to transplant in a favoured spot, growth is at its most vibrant as the life sustaining Sun at the centre of our universe, and at the centre of our being, blazes to its climax at the summer Solstice. But now at this time, spring vegetables; cauliflower, cabbages, and romanesco broccoli with its universes, galactic whorls of swirling spirals to mirror the pattern of surging life as it heaves; stand ready to harvest, a reminder of the sacrifice that allows new beginnings, new experience; in a whirling of perpetual metamorphosis, all life, rhythm and pulse, all form born of motion, animated by the same breath.

Tadpoles propel themselves through the murky waters, a first stage in their hatched metamorphosis; and a few scattered butterflies dance their airborne mating dance on fluttering wings during the occasional days when the Sun’s rays have stroked the land in a warm caress. The woods and fields where I live have been garmented with a dazzling carpet of yellow as wild daffodils have spilt themselves enthusiastically over the cold and damp ground, emerging from the soil below that teems with vitality even in the coldest darkest months of winter. Drifts of white snowdrops, blossoming later than usual, have accompanied the yellow daffodils with splashes of pure white; primroses adding a subtle creamy yellow; as early spring flowers have bloomed well into the middle of April to be joined with cloaks of white wood anemones and tiny dashes of purple violets. Celandines, like liquid sunlight, glaze the meadow edges and hedgerows with lavish succulent golden yellow. At the time of writing, bluebells still nestle in frigid leafy greenery, buds, though ripe, remain closed, shying from their moment of flowering. The nostrils, however, are overwhelmed with the potent, pungent scent of wild garlic, as spring renews the senses.

The world slowly uncoils ready to spring into a climax, as creative power and rebirth surges, and life, later than is usual, is revealing its rampant stirring; buds are bursting, unable to contain their fervour, leaves are beginning to unfurl ready to clothe the stark naked trees, the hedgerow hawthorn is caressed with a thin dress of soft fresh green unfurling leaves; and birds have made their nests, their woven external wombs bearing their precious clusters, and fledglings have flown. Birdsong swells as feathered voices ring out in surging vigour, and swallows have accomplished their hazardous flights, impelled by their deep instincts for long, winged, voyages to other worlds, to swoop and dart, light glinting from their vibrant blue iridescent plumage, as they ride the winds.

The Earth, exhaling in a sigh, displays its wantonness in downy leaf, thrusting shoot, and quivering stem; animated by the restless ceaseless winds, fuelled by the fiery passion of creation unquenched within the watery tides that heave in their bearing of ripeness.

Water is the carrier of life, a womb, all organisms are maintained in a fluid state during their development, some never fully solidify out of their watery environment, and some bear the resemblance to the swirling vortex, like the organism vorticella. When freely flowing, water appears in a state of chaos, but in living organisms it whirls and swirls continuously in order, symmetry and rhythm, bearing life and pulse and tides. It is this chaos and rhythm and symmetry that is used to invigorate and fertilise and enliven, not only water, but to use the water as a carrier to disperse specially made biodynamic preparations to the land/garden, to enliven the Earth.

I have spoken of the biodynamic preparation 500, cow horn manure, in a previous article. Cow manure is placed within a cow horn, buried over autumn/winter, and unearthed in the spring. The horns of a cow are

said to receive the streaming forces from the Cosmos, to be bought down and digested within the stomachs of the cow. Over the winter these forces are digested again within the Earth during it’s breathing in cycle (autumn/winter), and vitalised, brimming full of Cosmic forces.

When the horn manure is dug up in the spring it can be crumbled into hand hot water in a cylindrical container and stirred continuously.

Whilst stirring a vortex will be created, the direction of stirring is then to be altered and the vortex broken, and it is in this moment of chaos that the present forces from the Cosmos stream in with the will and tension of the stirrer. The water spins at various speeds, rapid in the centre and slow at the periphery creating layers or planes, polarities and tensions, from which something new evolves. This rhythm of vortex, chaos, vortex continues for an hour and then the water, invigorated and intensified, is sprinkled onto the garden (I make little brushes out of spindly willow twigs, tied in a bundle).

Although I usually would do this when the Moon is in an Earth constellation, around the spring Equinox, because the weather was cold and wet I waited until mid/late April this year. The ideal is that it should be applied in the late afternoon/early evening and before transplanting/planting, enlivening the soil ready for the freshly planted crops/herbs/flowers.

Other preparations include the compost preps. These are specific herbs (yarrow, German chamomile, stinging nettle, oak bark, dandelion, and valerian). Although it is far too much to go into any detail here about the biodynamic preparations, each individual plant has its special properties (yarrow accumulates and disperses sulphur; German chamomile works with calcium together with potash, stinging nettle stimulates and also radiates iron, oak bark acts as a mediator between the plants and the living Earth, dandelion radiates silicic acid mediating it between the Earth and the Cosmos; whilst valerian stimulates the processes of all the herbs as a whole) some having a special relationship with a specific animal part.

Yarrow is stuffed into a stag’s bladder after being buried in the Earth and then hung from a tree during the summer so that the forces of light and air can work on it. The animal part and the herb have opposing polarities and relationships that compliment and work with each other. German chamomile is buried over winter and stuffed into cattle intestines in the spring; stinging nettle is buried under the Earth for a year; oak bark is placed into a bovine skull and left under a gutter so that water can drip onto it over the autumn/winter. Dandelion is buried over winter and then stuffed into a bovine mesentery; and valerian blossoms are pressed to extract the juice, which is then highly diluted. These compost preparations are applied to compost heaps to radiate out their influences whilst the heap is maturing. I do this in the spring (all these preparations can be bought ready made, as much as id love to have stag’s bladder’s hanging from trees in the garden, my landlady may be of another opinion).

Hawthorn, or May tree, is a spring tree of May, strongly associated with the enchantment of and gateway/portal to the fairie realm, guarding wells and springs. It is also a symbol of the fertility and frenzied lustful vitality of Beltane, revealing in May its pure milk-white blossoms (whose musky scent is said to be the erotic perfume of female sexuality, or of rotting flesh (!), depending on whether they are of the woodland or the common hawthorn), that spill upon the hedgerows, to be followed by blood-red berries. The god of marriage, Hymen, is represented gripping his burning torch of hawthorn, and the Greeks would carry torches of hawthorn during marriage ceremonies, supposedly to appease the Roman goddess Cardea, who opposed marriage (to the Roman’s the hawthorn is a tree of chastity), whose protective magic

tool was the hawthorn, and who was also a protector of infants.

Hawthorn leaves were traditionally placed in the cradle of a newborn baby, ensuring its safety from evil intent. If a premature calf were born, farmers would hang its placenta from a hawthorn tree to help strengthen it after its birth.

A tree of the rose family and connected with both Mars and Venus, the hawthorn represents fervent fertility and procreation, but also the love that fuels this, and it is of no surprise that its flowers are used to potently strengthen the heart. Known also as the bread and butter tree, its leaves help to sustain weary travellers on their way, whilst the berries (haws) are used in jellies, jams and sauces and are high in vitamin C. The Glastonbury thorn, perhaps a story to overcome hawthorn’s more sexually unfettered association, is said to be the hawthorn struck by the staff of Joseph of Arimathea, which blossomed and grew upon Weryall hill overlooking the Tor. It produces flowers around the winter Solstice, unusual for hawthorn, and it is thought it could perhaps be a hybrid from the Mediterranean hawthorn. The original was supposedly destroyed by Cromwell’s puritan army, but cuttings from this still thrive and it is said that flowering sprigs are sent to the Queen every Christmas.

A hedgerow shrub and a shrub of parks and gardens, the hawthorn is also often seen wind-torn, stunted and battered in lonely wild places, shrouded in mists, its trunk twisted and branches flung, carelessly, by the prevailing winds. It is associated with wildness and connected with the harsh solitary wilderness within where one must travel alone on the path to deeper awakening; fecundity and love the spark that sustains this.

The crown of thorns upon the head of Christ said to be made from hawthorn.

At this time of year of potent fecundity and the realisations of what laid only as possibilities; myriads of form, of microcosms, are bearing their expressions on the Earth. Plant life germinating, growing, blossoming, seed forming, wilting, writhe the cyclic dance of our lifetimes, inspiring our imaginations; the animals excite our raw passions and desires, and the flight of birds ignite the yearning lofty flight of soaring thoughts and fledging understandings. We are able to perceive the world as billions of individual entities each corresponding to that which is within us, concentrated and contracted.

We are microcosms with our own rhythms and pulses. The saltwater of the ocean has become blood; the pounding of the heart and expansion and contraction of lungs the tidal currents; the womb has replaced the waters of the ocean, the amniotic egg has become a miniature ocean; internal skeletons have replaced the bony plates and shells of sea creatures; and inner metabolisms have evolved; the solar and lunar tides determining the ripening and depositing in reproduction has become menstrual cycles in the process of creation, and in the process of liberation from lunar rhythms. Rhythms and changes that are seen as outside ourselves are mirrored within the light of our own temporal movements of states of being, and of consciousness, within each day and night, season, decade, lifetime....

We are contracted and concentrated like the seed, or the egg, vibrating and dancing the rhythmic pulse that is Life, into infinity. As our seedlings are now germinating and growing and leaves and blossoms are opening out to the penetrating light of the Sun, we can visibly watch this dance, of metamorphosis as well as growth; the lusting towards the Light and turning towards the strengthening Sun, the unfurling and flourishing, budding and blooming, fruiting and contracting back again into the All of the seed; whilst roots penetrate into the dark depths of the Earth and amongst the rich humus of past transformations and matter. If we have ears to listen, as we dance, we can hear the still sad music of humanity, spun out over lifetimes.

Rachael Moss

May 2013 Sowing/planting Calendar Date Wed 01

Constellation of Moon Sagittarius (Fire) until 11hrs then Capricorn (Earth)

Crops to Sow/Plant Bean (French), cucumber, melon (in heat), peas, sweetcorn Beetroot, carrot, onion spring, parsnip, potato, radish,

Other Information

swede, turnip

Moonset 9.50hrs

Beetroot, carrot, onion spring, parsnip, potato, radish,

3rd quarter 11hrs

swede, turnip

Moonset 11.10hrs

Beetroot, carrot, onion spring, parsnip, potato, radish, swede, turnip Broccoli - calabrese and sprouting, cauliflower, flowers Broccoli - calabrese and sprouting, cauliflower, flowers

Moonset 12.20

Mars opposition Saturn 5hrs Sun trine Pluto 17hrs

Thurs 02

Capricorn (Earth)

Fri 03

Capricorn (Earth) until 12hrs

Sat 04

then Aquarius (Air) Aquarius (Air)

Sun 05

Pisces (Water) from 9hrs

Cabbage, celeriac, florence fennel, kohl rabi, lettuce, salad leaves, spinach

Mon 06

Pisces (Water)

Cabbage, celeriac, florence fennel, kohl rabi, lettuce, salad leaves, spinach

Moon conjunction Uranus 21hrs Moonset 15.50hrs

Tues 07

Pisces (Water)

Cabbage, celeriac, florence fennel, kohl rabi, lettuce,

Mercury trine Pluto 7hrs Moonset 17hrs

Aries (Fire) from 9hrs

salad leaves, spinach Bean (French and runner), cucumber, melon (in heat), peas, Sweetcorn Bean (French and runner), cucumber, melon (in heat), peas, sweetcorn Before 12hrs

Moonset 18.10hrs

Weds 08

Thurs 09

Aries (Fire)

Fri 10

Taurus (Earth) from 8hrs

Solar ecilpse, so no gardening today

Sat 11

Taurus (Earth)

Beetroot, carrot, onion spring, parsnip, potato, radish, swede, turnip

Sun 12

Taurus (Earth)

Beetroot, carrot, onion spring, parsnip, potato, radish, swede, turnip

Mon 13

Gemini (Air) from 8hrs

Broccoli - calabrese and sprouting, cauliflower, flowers

Moon conjunction Neptune 3hrs Moon trine Saturn 8hrs Moonset 13.30hrs Neptune opposition Saturn 12hrs Mars trine Pluto 20hrs Moonset 14.40hrs

Mercury conjunction Mars 1hr

Moon opposition Saturn 1hr Moon conjunction Mars 14hrs Moon conjunction Mercury 19hrs South (descending) node 19hrs Moonset 19.10 Dark Moon 0hr and Solar Ecilpse Moonrise 4.30 Moon conjunction Venus 1hr Sun conjunction Mercury 21hrs Moonrise 5hrs Highest Moon 13hrs Moon conjunction Jupiter 14hrs Moonrise 5.50hrs Apogee 14hrs Moonrise 6.40hrs

Tues 14

Weds 15

Gemini (Air)

Broccoli - calabrese and sprouting, cauliflower, flowers

Moon trine Saturn 0hrs Moon opposition Pluto 9hrs Moonrise 7.30hrs

Gemini (Air) until 17hrs then Cancer (Water)

Broccoli - calabrese and sprouting, cauliflower, flowers Cabbage, celeriac, florence fennel, kohl rabi, lettuce,

Moonrise 8.30hrs

salad leaves, spinach Thurs 16

Cancer (Water)

Fri 17

Cancer (Water) until 11hrs

Cabbage, celeriac, florence fennel, kohl rabi, lettuce,

Moonrise 9.30hrs

salad leaves, spinach Cabbage, celeriac, florence fennel, kohl rabi, lettuce, salad leaves, spinach

Moonrise 10.40hrs

then Leo (Fire)

Sat 18

Leo (Fire)

Sun 19

Leo (Fire)

Mon 20

Bean (French and runner), cucumber, melon (in heat), peas, Sweetcorn Bean (French and runner), cucumber, melon (in heat), peas, Sweetcorn

1st quarter 5hrs Moon opposition Neptune 20hrs Moonrise 11.50hrs

Bean (French and runner), cucumber, melon (in heat), peas, Sweetcorn

Moonrise 12.50hrs

Virgo (Earth) from 5hrs

Beetroot, carrot, onion spring, parsnip, potato, radish, swede, turnip

Moon trine Sun 17hrs Moonrise 14.10hrs

Tues 21

Virgo (Earth)

Beetroot, carrot, onion spring, parsnip, potato, radish, swede, turnip

Moon oppostion Uranus 13hrs Moon trine Venus 19hrs Moonrise 15.20hrs

Weds 22

Virgo (Earth)

Beetroot, carrot, onion spring, parsnip, potato, radish, swede, turnip

Moonrise 16.40hrs

Thurs 23

Virgo (Earth) until 12hrs

Beetroot, carrot, onion spring, parsnip, potato, radish, swede, turnip

Moon conjunction Saturn 8hrs Moonrise 18hrs

then Libra (Air)

Broccoli - calabrese and sprouting, cauliflower, flowers

Libra (Air) until 17hrs then Scorpio (Water)

Broccoli - calabrese and sprouting, cauliflower, flowers Sow/plant before 13hrs

North (ascending) node 1hr Moon opposition Mars 14hrs

Cabbage, celeriac, florence fennel, kohl rabi, lettuce, salad leaves, spinach

Moonrise 19.10hrs Mercury conjunction Venus 0hr Full Moon 4hrs

Fri 24

Sat 25

Scorpio (Water)

Sun 26

Scorpio (Water) until 19hrs

Moonrise 20.30hrs

then Sagittarius (Fire)

Mon 27

Sagittarius (Fire)

Tues 28

Sagittarius (Fire) until 19hrs then Capricorn (Earth)

Cabbage, celeriac, florence fennel, kohl rabi, lettuce,

Perigee 2hrs

salad leaves, spinach Sow/plant after 14hrs Bean (French and runner), cucumber, melon (in heat), peas, Sweetcorn

Lowest Moon 5hrs

Bean (French and runner), cucumber, melon (in heat), peas, Sweetcorn Bean (French and runner), cucumber, melon (in heat), peas, Sweetcorn Beetroot, carrot, onion spring, parsnip, potato, radish,

Moon opposition Venus 6hrs Moon opposition Mercury 8hrs Moon opposition Jupiter 10hrs Moonset 5.10hrs Mercury conjunction Jupiter 8hrs Moon conjunction Pluto 15hrs Moonset 6.20hrs Venus conjunction Jupiter 20hrs Moonset 7.30hrs

swede, turnip Weds 29

Capricorn (Earth)

Thurs 30

Capricorn (Earth) until 18hrs

Fri 31

then Aquarius (Air) Aquarius (Air)

Beetroot, carrot, onion spring, parsnip, potato, radish,

Moon trine Sun 11hrs

swede, turnip

Moonset 8.30hrs

Beetroot, carrot, onion spring, parsnip, potato, radish, swede, turnip

Moon trine Venus 17hrs Moonset 10.10

Broccoli - calabrese and sprouting, cauliflower, flowers Broccoli - calabrese and sprouting, cauliflower, flowers

Moon conjunction Neptune 10hrs Moon trine Saturn 11hrs

Moonset 11.20 The dates in bold type indicate the dates for transplanting, this is when the moon is descending.

(This would be reversed in the Soutern Hemisphere).

June Sowing/planting Calendar Date

Constellation of Moon

Crops to Sow/Plant

Other Information

Sat 01

Pisces (Water)

Florence fennel, kohi rabi, lettuce, salad leaves

Moonset 12.30hrs

Sun 02 Mon 03

Pisces (Water) Pisces (Water)

Florence fennel, kohi rabi, lettuce, salad leaves Florence fennel, kohi rabi, lettuce, salad leaves

Moonset 13.50hrs Moon conjunction Uranus 5hrs Mercury trine Neptune 19hrs Moonset 15hrs

Tues 04

Pisces (Water) until 14hrs

Florence fennel, kohi rabi, lettuce, salad leaves

Mercury trine Saturn 1hr

Weds 05

Aries (Fire)

Bean (French and runner), courgette, peas, pumpkin/squash Bean (French and runner), courgette, peas, pumpkin/squash

Thurs 06

Aries (Fire) until 14hrs

Bean (French and runner), courgette, peas, pumpkin/squash

South (descending) node 1hr

Fri 07

then Taurus (Earth) Taurus (Earth)

Beetroot, carrot, onion - spring, radish, turnip Beetroot, carrot, onion - spring, radish, turnip

Sat 08

Taurus (Earth)

Beetroot, carrot, onion - spring, radish, turnip

Moonset 18.10 Venus trine Neptune 12hrs Moon conjunction Mars 14hrs Venus trine Saturn 15hrs Mercury opposition Pluto 22hrs Moonset 19.10hrs Dark Moon 16hrs Highest Moon 20hrs

then Aries (Fire)

Moonset 16hrs Moon opposition Saturn 3hrs Moonset 17.10hrs

Moonrise 3.40hrs Moon conjunction Jupiter 8hrs Apogee 22hrs Moonrise 4.30hrs Moon trine Saturn 3hrs Moon conjunction Venus 10hrs Moon opposition Pluto 14hrs Moon conjunction Mercury 21hrs Moonrise 5.30hrs

Sun 09

Gemini (Air)

Broccoli - calabrese, flowers

Mon 10

Gemini (Air) until 23hrs

Broccoli - calabrese, flowers

Tues 11

Cancer (Water)

Florence fennel, kohi rabi, lettuce, salad leaves

Saturn trine Neptune 21hrs Venus opposition Pluto 22hrs Moonrise 6.20hrs

Weds 12

Cancer (Water)

Florence fennel, kohi rabi, lettuce, salad leaves

Moonrise 7.20hrs

Thurs 13

Cancer (Water) until 17hrs

Florence fennel, kohi rabi, lettuce, salad leaves

Moonrise 8.30hrs

then Leo (Fire)

Bean (French and runner), courgette, peas, pumpkin/squash

Fri 14

Leo (Fire)

Sat 15

Leo (Fire)

Bean (French and runner), courgette, peas, pumpkin/squash Bean (French and runner), courgette, peas, pumpkin/squash

Moonrise 9.30hrs Moon opposition Neptune 3hrs Moonrise 10.40hrs

Sun 16

Leo (Fire) until 13hrs

Bean (French and runner), courgette, peas, pumpkin/squash

1st quarter 17hrs

Mon 17

then Virgo (Earth) Virgo (Earth)

Beetroot, carrot, onion - spring, radish, turnip Beetroot, carrot, onion - spring, radish, turnip

Moonrise 11.50hrs Moon opposition Uranus 23hrs Moonrise 13hrs

Tues 18 Weds 19

Virgo (Earth)

Beetroot, carrot, onion - spring, radish, turnip

Virgo (Earth) until 22hrs

Beetroot, carrot, onion - spring, radish, turnip

Thurs 20

Libra (Air)

Broccoli - calabrese, flowers after 13hrs

Fri 21

Scorpio (Water) from 4hrs

Florence fennel, kohi rabi, lettuce, salad leaves

Sat 22

Scorpio (Water)

Florence fennel, kohi rabi, lettuce, salad leaves

Sun 23

Sagittarius (Fire) from 5hrs

no sowing/planting today, perigee at 11hrs

Mon 24

Sagittarius (Fire)

Bean (French and runner), courgette, peas, pumpkin/squash

Tues 25

Capricorn (Earth) from 5hrs

Beetroot, carrot, onion - spring, radish, turnip

Moonrise 14.10hrs Moon conjunction Saturn 15hrs Sun conjunction Jupiter 16hrs Moonrise 15.30hrs North (ascending) node 10hrs Moon trine Venus 19hrs Moonrise 16.50hrs Mercury conjunction Venus 3hrs Moonrise 18hrs Moon opposition Mars 9hrs Lowest Moon 17hrs Moonrise 19.10hrs Moon opposition Jupiter 7hrs Perigee 11hrs Full Moon 12hrs Moonrise 20hrs Moon conjunction Pluto 1hr Moon opposition Mercury 20hrs Moonset 5.10hrs Moon opposition Venus 2hrs Moonset 6.20

Weds 26

Capricorn (Earth)

Beetroot, carrot, onion - spring, radish, turnip

Thurs 27

Aquarius (Air) from 2hrs

Broccoli - calabrese, flowers

Fri 28 Sat 29

Aquarius (Air) until 21hrs Pisces (Water)

Broccoli - calabrese, flowers Florence fennel, kohi rabi, lettuce, salad leaves

Sun trine Saturn 9hrs Moon trine Saturn 9hrs Sun trine Neptune 18hrs Moonset 7.50hrs Moon conjunction Neptune 17hrs Moon trine Saturn 17hrs Moonset 9hrs

Moonset 10.20hrs Moon trine Venus 18hrs

Moonset 11.30hrs 3rd quarter 5hrs Moon conjunction Uranus 12hrs Moonset 12.50hrs The dates in bold type indicate the dates for transplanting, this is when the moon is descending.

(This would be reversed in the Soutern Hemisphere).

Sun 30

Pisces (Water)

Florence fennel, kohi rabi, lettuce, salad leaves

THE GUARDIANS OF STONEHENGE King Arthur ‘Fights’ for their return and re-interment In August of 2008 members of several Druid Orders and groups gathered at Stonehenge in preparation for a ceremony to ‘Bless the Dig’ at Aubrey hole seven, where Ancient Cremated Human Remains were to be re-exhumed for study. The Loyal Arthurian Warband were there in force as were many others including The Dolmen, The Druid Network, The Berengaria Order, The Avebury Druids, O.B.O.D along with Independent Pagans. This was in part due to King Arthur, Battle Chieftain of The Council of British Druid Orders who was given the task of ‘divvying up’ the limited places available for the ceremony, due to restraints put on by English Heritage in private negotiations with one of the Orders.

King Arthur had agreed for the Ritual to take place on the clear understanding that after ‘study’ these remains were to be re-interred. Which was the ‘Party line’ being given by English Heritage and the team of Archaeologists; Shortly before the ‘Blessing’ was to take place, he had received a ‘tip off’ that the Authorities had absolutely NO intention of ever returning the Guardians, and that they were destined to be permanently retained in a museum facility for further testing, in the vague hope that forensic science would move on at sometime in the future to make such testing possible.

Arthur took immediate steps to show the Authorities that he and his Order would not take this lightly; So he and his Priestess, and Muse, Calliope along with one other, scaled the fence and made their way into the ‘Stones’ by the light of the New Moon on the eve of the intended ‘Blessing’ Where they performed a Naked Ritual, and, Magic was laid down as Priest and Priestess vowed to ‘fight’ for their return.

The next day the ‘Battle lines’ were drawn and the Blessing replaced with Protest.

Arthur later wrote the following Paper, for the Institute of Archaeology Journal that can be found at the link below where he lays out his case for reburial. Please read it in full.

Resolving the Human Remains Crisis in British Archaeology: The Counter Argument http://pia-journal.co.uk/article/view/pia.373/434#.Tu2-3BTPU40.facebook This includes an article written for the Western Daily Press entitled ‘Who’s Guarding the Guardians?’

Where Arthur gives an insight into the setting up of The Stonehenge Picket, where The Loyal Arthurian Warband has made a very Visible Protest Presence at The Stonehenge visitors centre ever since.

The Protest continues as do the Legal challenges and a promotional video is available at the following link:http://uk.search.yahoo.com/r/_ylt=A7x9QV8x1l9RJmIAFa1LBQx.;_ylu=X3oDMTE1aXZuM2x2BHNlYw NzcgRwb3MDMgRjb2xvA2lyZAR2dGlkA1VLMDY1MF82NTA/SIG=1200apn1l/EXP=1365264049/**http%3a//www.youtube.com/watch%3fv=PIX7pMhN7OI

THE GUARDIANS VOW The Priest and Priestess have since recited at Stonehenge Solstice and Equinox Ceremonies, the Guardians Vow which is their vowed intention to continue with this campaign….

Priest King Arthur (P) Priestess Calliope (Ps) P-Who by Fire, Who by Water, Who by Earth and Who by Air? Ps-Who by Sun, Who by Moon and Standing Stone, will solemnly swear?

P-To hold this place, The Giant’s Dance?

P-I by Sword, and Holy Lance.

Ps-I by Guile and I by Wyle.

P-And both will smile upon this trial.

Ps-For we will Stand, and we will Stay, P-Until the Guardians are returned on Another Day. On 15th of May of this year King Arthur will put a case for Judicial Review before a Judge in Chamber at The Royal Courts of Justice, The Strand London. He is calling for ‘Robed’ support outside, where he will argue that throughout the Ministry of Justice and the Dept’ of Culture, Media and Sport before them have been duplicitous in Assuring us that “as the law stands they will be returned and re-interred’ and at the same time telling those who wish otherwise “don’t worry we’ll change or re-interpret the law so this never happen”

Respect the dead Responsible Department – Ministry of Justice We support King Arthurs call for a debate in parliament and a change in the Law so that Pre – Christian remains are afforded the same protection as Christian remains, and that re – burial should always be the aim and the first option when human remains are brought to light by Archaeology or Development. http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/38910

The Fight Continues…

On learning that English Heritage plan to place Human remains in exhibition cases in their new visitors centre.

It is with sadness and regret that I recently learned of English Heritages plans to put on display in ‘their’ new visitor centre at the World Heritage site of Stonehenge Ancient Skeletal and Cremated Human remains excavated from the environs of the World Heritage site.

This is not only out of step with the feelings of many of the peoples and groups that I represent who would rather the Ancient dead were reburied and left to Rest in Peace and where appropriate, samples kept for research and ‘copies’ put on display, but is surely against the driving Cultural Principles of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

English Heritage has missed an opportunity to be World Leaders in this field but instead have opted to display the Ancestral Remains in such a macabre manner. We shall not take this development lightly and will oppose any such intention by English Heritage at Stonehenge.

Rest in Peace Introduction by Diane Narraway

To Pagans everywhere our passing ceremonies are of great importance to us. They are a continuation of our journey and as our ancestors they are to be respected not just as people who walk before us but for the knowledge and skills we have learned during their time among us. During their lives they will have taught, nurtured, protected and sheltered either ourselves or those in our ancestral lines and as such most of us will agree they deserve more respect than has been afforded to the Guardians of Stonehenge.

My Father and I had a good relationship while he was alive, and we talked of most things, including death.

I would joke about his slight stature ‘5’2” wet through’ as he himself would refer to his size. I would say that upon his demise that I would have him stuffed and stand him in the corner of the hallway as a hat stand, to which he quite understandably took offence and he, referring to my originals (dirty old Levi’s) would say that he, “would not be seen dead in them” to which I would reply; “Don’t bet on it, who do you think is going to bury you?” He was not amused.

Needless to say, I didn’t have him stuffed, nor was he buried wearing my jeans. He was after, twenty seven years’ service (man and boy) buried in Aldershot Military Cemetery and after the ceremony, a corporal of the parachute regiment, wearing his (No 2’s) dress uniform, played last post over the graveside.

My Mother whose cremated remains were later interred alongside him commented at the time, on how proud she believed he would have been at his ‘Send off’ as did the rest of the family. It was generally agreed, by all present that ‘I had done him proud’, as had the British Army.

How do you think he, she or I would feel if in some time in the distant future his skeletal remains were to be found behind glass and ogled at by the general public in some future museum with a plaque reading nothing more than ‘Aldershot Rifleman’ not unlike that which reads ‘Amesbury Archer’. Or that her cremated remains were to be placed in a cardboard box catalogued and numbered and allowed to gather dust in some storage unit, sub-contracted out by some future museum facility similar to the plans for those taken from Aubrey Hole seven at Stonehenge.

I knew him, and I knew her and I surely know myself. And do you not also know the answer? The answer is as any one reading this, who still has a heart, may surmise as to what his, her or my reaction might be?

So why then, do we allow the desecration of our Ancient Ancestors Graves? No, let those we lay to RestStay to Rest. Return ‘our’ Ancestors to what should have been their final resting place.

King Arthur Pendragon /|\

Imagine Books Imagine Books is an independent book shop specialising in local interest Weymouth, Portland and Dorset; Local Authors' work; Mind Body Spirit; and Horror, Science Fiction and Fantasy.

We also sell Antiquarian books, including 1st Edition Dickens, etc.

Imagine Books also provides a selection of local art.

The shop provides a welcoming atmosphere with friendly and helpful service. We also sell books online. Follow the links from our website for our Amazon and Abe Books shops

Thursday 30th May 1 - 3 pm Best-Selling 'Standing Stone' Author Peter Knight will be at Imagine Books, signing copies of his new book

The Cerne Giant Peter Knight’s 7th book is the result of his in depth and ground breaking research into this Dorset icon. It covers the history of research, landscape setting, folklore, his identity and links with ancient gods, his age, astronomical alignments and other local sites.

Check my website for future events and updates.

Pre-order signed copies now by phoning us on 01305 767965 (card payment required) www.imaginebookshops.com https://www.facebook.com/imaginebooksweymouth

WATERS OF RETURN The Aeonic flow of Voudoo.

Louis Martinie Although this is a chapbook and as such is only a few pages, and is intended merely to offer an introduction to Aenic Voudoo, it still manages to offer a comprehensive and insightful look at the author’s Voudoo practices and beliefs.

Louis Martinie provides us with a look at how voodoo relates not only to the individual but also to the community. He talks of voodoo as something that is inherent within us, something that has always existed and will always exist but as something fluid; something that is subject to change …A living belief.

He offers a concise look at the concept of the Marissa as the first twins born of the void, the immanence of the Loa (Deities) and the importance of the ancestors from the past, the present and the future, for as he says “We are the ancestors of our children’s children”.

Although the author mentions Gematria and the Qabbalah, there were hints of others, yet none of this distracts away from Aeonic Voudoo as a practical working magical system of ritual and devotion. This is a primordial belief that speaks to something that has existed deep within us since the creation. The author also offers us a sensible approach to the all too often controversial subject of possession moving away from the theatrics of demonic possession and viewing it instead as a spiritual experience.

He concludes with an explanation of what is involved in some of the rites as well as some of the rites themselves.

Whilst I may have known a lot more about Voudoo than Hollywood, it was not a subject I had really studied, and was surprised to find many similarities between this and may other pagan paths.

I have always maintained that there is a fundamental truth that lies at the heart of all religious and spiritual belief; this is one of those books that supports this notion.

Diane Narraway http://www.lefthandpress.com/ https://www.facebook.com/louismartinie?fref=ts

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MOON GODDESS )o( MAGICAL & MYSTICAL GIFTS TAROT READINGS CRYSTALS & GEMS FANTASY ART UNITS 12-13 PANNIER MARKET LEMON QUAY TRURO,CORNWALL TR1 1LW

Healthy living with The Urban Herbalist With the spring and summer months approaching and at a time where the new fresh spring growth appears, I thought I’d invite you all into the world of wild greens.

Wild greens are all around us, herbs such as Chickweed, Dandelion and Nettle, are abundant at this time of year and best of all, they are free!

CHICKWEED Chickweed is best known for its ability to cool inflammation and speed the healing process for both internal and external flare-ups. Herbalists often recommend it for such things as itchy skin conditions as it is a refrigerant, meaning cooling to the skin, but it’s also a great cleansing and detoxifying herb.

Chickweed is loaded with nutrition, being high in: Chlorophyll Minerals - especially calcium magnesium, manganese, zinc, iron, phosphorus, and potassium Vitamins - C, A (from carotenes) and B factors such as folic acid, riboflavin, niacin, and thiamine.

Chickweed is best in the spring, although in some climates it grows well into autumn. To harvest chickweed just snip it from the whole plant a couple of inches from the soil and use immediately.

Chickweed Pesto I adore chickweed pesto and I hope that you do too! I prefer making this pesto in a food processor. If you only have a blender, simply chop up the chickweed really well before placing it in the blender.

2-4 cloves of garlic minced 1/2 cup of cold pressed olive oil 2-3 cups freshly picked young chickweed leaves 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese Dash of sea salt Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend well.

Serve with salads, crackers, pasta or whatever you like.

DANDELION

Dandelions are an incredible weed. They grow abundantly and they grow everywhere! Every part of the plant can be utilized in some way. Dandelion leaves are very nutritious and are high in: Vitamins - A and C, Minerals - Phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium.

Young, tender dandelion leaves are pleasantly bitter which stimulates digestion by promoting our digestive juices. Herbalists often describe the bitter flavour as one that tones the liver and encourages healthy function of the liver and gallbladder.

Incorporating bitter flavours into each meal to improve digestion is a simple habit that can support the general health of your body. It is a highly diuretic plant so great for fluid retention and high blood pressure.

Dandelion and Beetroot salad ½ pound fresh dandelion leaves ½ tsp sea salt 2 tbsp red wine vinegar 5 tbsp walnut or olive oil ¾ pound beetroot, ready cooked ½ cup walnut pieces ¼ tsp black pepper freshly ground 1 tbsp chives, snipped

Wash the dandelion leaves well to remove all soil. Spin them dry and put in a large serving bowl. Add the beets and walnuts. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, salt, pepper and chives. Slowly whisk in the oil until well-combined. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad, toss well and serve. Add shavings of parmesan if desired.

NETTLE Stinging nettle is one of the most nutritious wild plants. It is packed with vitamins and minerals and eating this plant regularly can reduce some of the symptoms caused by allergies, increase energy levels, and improve the quality of your hair, skin, and nails.

Herbalists use the young leaves, roots, and even the seeds in herbal preparations for allergies and joint problems.

Nettles usually grow abundantly and once you learn how to avoid the stinging hairs it’s all good eating.

Nettle leaves are harvested when they are young. I harvest the top third of the plant and to avoid the nettle sting you can use gloves and scissors when harvesting.

Use one hand to hold on to the base of the plant while you use the other hand to snap/cut the top foliage off. Do not harvest after the plant has flowered, they are just tough and not good eating!

Best Ever Nettle Soup Serves 4 Half a carrier bagful of stinging nettle tops, or fresh-looking larger leaves 50g butter 1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped 1 litre of stock 1 large potato, peeled and cut into cubes 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 tbsp crème fraîche or dairy alternative A few drops of extra-virgin olive oil A few drops of Tabasco Wearing rubber gloves, sort through the nettles, discarding anything you don't like the look of and any thick stalks. Wash the nettles and drain in a colander.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan, Add the onion and cook gently for 5–7 minutes until softened.

Add the stock, nettles, potato and carrot.

Bring to a simmer and cook gently until the potato is soft, about 15 minutes.

Remove from the heat.

Blend/ purée the soup and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with crème fraîche. As this melts, swirl in a few drops of extra-virgin olive oil and Tabasco.

So there you have it, some fantastic healthy ideas to use with natures free greens. Harvest from your garden or from the wild, but do make sure you correctly identify the plants you eat. Use a good guide or knowledgeable person to help you.

The Urban Herbalist is a qualified medical herbalist, speaker and herbal teacher and runs Urban Herbals, an online herbal apothecary in the UK .

She also runs Broad Oak Herbs, an organic biodynamic herb farm is Essex, that supplies professional herbalists, and teaches herbal workshops for the general public.

She is available for private herbal consultation at her clinic: www.urbanherbals.co.uk

Jacqui Apostolides

Rising Star Arts – New age artist Commissions Welcome Just ask for Rosalie Bottley

Telephone: 07806628319 Email: ofrif@yahoo.co.uk https://www.facebook.com/RisingStarArts?fref=ts

May

Saturday 11th - Mittelalterlich Phantasie Spectaculum, Rastede, Germany Sunday 12th Mittelalterlich Phantasie Spectaculum, Rastede, German

Thursday 16th - John Gregory 113 Radipole Lane DT4 9SS Tel:01305767233 Saturday 25th - John Gregory

113 Radipole Lane DT4 9SS Tel:01305767233

June Sunday 26th - Pitch on the Pitch - Weymouth Football Club, Radipole Lane, Weymouth, Dorset DT4 9XJ Monday 3rd - The Boot, High West Street Weymouth, Dorset DT4 8JH Tel:07809440772 Saturday 8th - Poyenberg Irish Festival, Germany Thursday 13th - John Gregory acoustic 113 Radipole Lane DT4 9SS Tel:01305767233 Saturday 15th - The Barge Inn Honey Street, Alton Barnes, Wiltshire SN9 5PS Tel:01672851705 Saturday 22nd - 3Wishes Festival Cornwall Mount Edgcumbe, Torpoint, Cornwall Sunday 23rd -The Lord Nelson, The Quay, Poole BH15 1HJ Tel:01202776226

July Monday 1st - The Boot, High West Street Weymouth, Dorset DT4 8JH Tel:07809440772

Saturday 20th

Sunday 7th - The Lord Nelson, The Quay, Poole BH15 1HJ Tel:01202776226 Saturday 13th - Mittelalterlich Phantasie Spectaculum, Buckeburg. Germany Sunday 14th - Mittelalterlich Phantasie Spectaculum, Buckeburg, Germany Saturday 27th - Golden Lion 19 St. Edmund Street DT4 8AR Weymouth http://www.thedolmen.com/ https://www.facebook.com/thedolmen?hc_location=stream

The Verne Earth Circle I weave a spell On a rain swept tor Where the sea winds howl And the wild beasts roar

The Vernal Equinox is a day of equal light and dark which marks the beginning of Spring, yet it seemed very dark and desolate as we made our way up the winding roads, with only the sound of the engine against a backdrop of howling winds and pouring rain. It was a stark contrast to the warmth of the night before when we had donned our robes and hides to take part in the Dolmen Grove cliff side circle of the conjurors lodge.

We were greeted at the top by Peter Riddick who is an Instructional Officer (Head Gardener) and who is himself Pagan. It was him that had arranged for us to come in and lead a ceremony to celebrate Ostara (The Spring Equinox) at one of Dorset’s more remote monuments‌the Verne Prison. In order to take part in this we had to be security checked prior to the event as well as producing various forms of identification on arrival. Once through the main gates we followed Peter through what seemed a Labrynth of courtyards, pathways and steps, and although it was still cold, wet, and dark there was an eerie comfortableness about the barbed wire clad walls that defies explanation.

All of which was compounded when we reached the prison gardens and the purpose of our visit.

On this dark stormy night, at the heart of this austere monument came the faint aroma of incense from a small stone circle with an altar in the centre, all of which had been built and dressed to honour the elements by the Verne’s only registered pagan, a long term prisoner named Blue. Both Teach and I have been fortunate enough to stand at the centre of several Dolmen Grove circles at many places including Stonehenge, and as overwhelming as that can be at times it was hard to feel anything but humbled by this little circle of calm positive energy that had been built by one man who just wanted the right to practice his spiritual beliefs.

Although there had been many jokes on the way about negative energy in a prison, and as any Witch worth their salt knows you can take any energy good or bad and turn it into a positive, but despite the weather, the bleak surroundings, the energy within that little circle was dynamic. We began with drumming and the ceremony of creation with each of the prisoners calling in a quarter. We invoked the God and Goddess in order to consecrate and bless the sacred space present within the circle.

Due to the extreme weather we continued the rest of the ceremony inside, where food had been laid on for us. It was at this point that we learned how Blue had read of the Dolmen Grove circles reported by local photo journalist Scott Irvine in the Portland Free News, and as a result had mentioned to Peter how he would like to connect to local Pagans which resulted in them inviting us to lead a ceremony.

Blue first went into prison in June 1995, and since then has served time in several different prisons, and has seen many changes in the systems attitude towards Paganism.

When he first went into prison Paganism was completely unrecognised, and as part of a creative writing course, he wrote a book titled ‘The Pagan in Prison’ under his Bardic name ‘Albion Man’.

Although there are still several misconceptions about Pagan beliefs, due to the tireless efforts of those who have campaigned at the forefront of Paganism it is gradually becoming more accepted, and for the last few years Anne Coleman from the Pagan Federation and O.B.O.D. has been the Pagan prison chaplain covering the Wessex area, and now in the spirit of ‘New Beginnings’ the Verne has its own stone circle. Hopefully this will remain as a dedicated sacred space where future Pagans in prison can celebrate their spirituality. It is a nice thought that other prisons in time will follow this example and eventually all Pagans will have a dedicated sacred space in which to enhance their spiritual growth.

David Edwards was the other prisoner present at the ritual who despite being Catholic had been invited to the ceremony by his friend Blue. Having watched Blue practising a sense of reverence for the natural world and living by his beliefs, David came to appreciate that there is much that Christians can learn from Pagans.

Peter Riddick is an Instructional Officer (Head Gardener) who has worked at the Verne for four years and it was him who Blue had asked about the Pagans on the Island, which he had seen in the free paper.

Peter explained that he too was Pagan and as a result he got in touch with the Dolmen Grove, and the wheels were set in motion.

The others present at the Equinox ritual were: John Gane an Industrial Manager who having approached the ritual with an open mind said he found it to be peaceful.

John Bayley who is the Buddhist Chaplain who informed me that he liked the simplicity of it and the ‘No frills’ approach. He also stated that he felt very privileged to have been involved.

Katrina Thompson the Catholic Chaplain said that she had found it fascinating as she had never been to a Pagan ceremony before and that she liked the ‘Rawness’ of it, stating also that it was very lovely to be there.

Paul Studdon a Prison Officer on the same wing as both Blue and David said that he had been a Prison Officer for 24 years believes in the freedom of beliefs and had approached the ceremony with an open mind.

He had never seen a Pagan ceremony before making it a first for him as well as a first for the prison.

For those of us who are not used to the prison system encountering a Catholic Chaplain at a Pagan ceremony is somewhat outside the norm but within the confines of the prison service the approach towards spiritual beliefs is far more tolerant, than most of us are used to.

Many of the Pagan Federation chaplains have worked in the prison service for years and have over a period of time gained experience in working with a variety of different faith communities and as a result have a “multi faith” team within the prison system, which has led to a much better understanding of many different religions, and Paganism is not only tolerated but accepted, and it would appear that the British prison service has become the role model that leads the way in inter faith relationships country wide, and beyond.

Certainly the Verne has taken a very forward thinking approach by inviting local Pagans in to perform a ceremony taking the first steps toward building a relationship between the inmates and the local community.

It is appropriate that the celebration at Ostara is indeed a new beginning!

Diane Narraway

REFLECTIONS ON THE CEREMONY Although I am not a pagan I just wanted to let you know what a privilege it was to be part of the ceremony to open the Verne Earth Circle.

I didn’t quite know what to expect but it was beyond what I hoped. It was truly spiritual and moving. The conditions seemed to echo parts of the ceremony which made it memorable: when the spirit of the wind was called I felt the wind and when the spirit of water was called, I felt the rain on my face.

I have tried meditation but it has never worked for me, but the visualisation of the dual aspects of the 4 elements really enabled me to see different images in my mind’s eye.

Being a lifer can be a lonely and isolating spirit but knowing good people like yourselves are willing to see past the worst we can be is both humbling and inspirational. It enables us to see a future and not just look back.

During the ceremony I remembered the spirit of my victim and hoped it would show her the changes I am trying to make.

Thankyou for your time and kindness.

David Edwards

Verne Earth Circle Opening (The morning after the night before) WILD, WET & WINDY The elements of west and east,

The spirit of the Goddess amongst us, For both the consecration and the feast, The mist was all around us,

The clouds hung thick & low, I give thanks & brightest blessings, To the new friends that I now know, This was our first ever meeting, I truly hope it won’t be the last, I’m looking forward to the future,

While fondly remembering the past.

Albionmam Mac Spalding

(Blue Spalding)

A Pagan in Prison This was an In-Cell activity by Blue Spalding under his bardic name Albionman written after he had served fourteen years of his prison sentence. It is very easy to be dismissive of someone serving a life sentence writing about their own spirituality but there are many pagans in this country who have experienced prejudice and in their attempts to comply and confirm have fallen prey to a variety of bad behaviours, not all of which are harmless.

That said although this is a relatively short book it manages to capture the thoughts and beliefs of a pagan seeking spiritual growth within the day to day reality of a correctional facility. Using both poetry and prose he touches briefly on the history of Paganism as well as a few of the differing beliefs of Pagans today.

Pagan beliefs are so heavily reliant on the natural world it is both interesting and heartwarming to read such a positive account of a Pagan devoid of nature cleverly bringing a positive perspective an all too often negative environment and making the most of any resources available. Overall it is well written, interesting and above all positive!!!!

Diane Narraway

http://www.sprigganmist.co.uk https://www.facebook.com/pages/Spriggan-Mist/128208557193962

Sunday 21st April - Pagan Future's Belostra 2013 The Bedford- Balham Saturday 4th May - Rochester's 1'st Enchanted Fairy Ball The Royal Function Rooms Rochester Sunday 5th May - Spirit of Rebirth-Wiltshire Friday 10th May - Magica l Faerie Festival -Findon, West Sussex Sunday 26th May - Dolmen Grove Essex Beltaine Picnic 2013 Hadleigh Roundhouse, Essex Saturday 7th June - RouteMonster Fest Arborfield Saturday 15th June - The Salisbury Lonsdale Avenue, Cosham, Hants. PO6 2PX Saturday 22nd June - The 3 Wishes Faery Fest- Torpoint, Cornwall

Saturday 29th June - Tribal Unity Summer Solstice Charity Night Basildon, Essex-http://www.tribalunity.co.uk

The Witch’s Cauldon Making Incense (a basic guide) When making incense, I personally have a little ritual that I keep to. I take a ritual bath, meditate for a short while before-hand and prepare my working space. Where you work is not important, some people work only at their altars but I find that impractical if I am making a batch so I choose instead my big kitchen table.

That way I can spread out all my herbs and tools. Before I begin I invoke the elements and call in the household guardians and ensure that I am mentally prepared for the task ahead.

Even a seemingly simple task such as preparing incense needs to have clear intent.

On my table I generally have a lit white candle and one other that corresponds to my purpose i.e. for money incense I will require a lit green candle. I then like to empower my ingredients one by one, concentrating on my intent and their purpose as I hold them before adding them to a clean pestle. Once all the herbs/resins/oils are in together I get to the real work of grinding with the mortar. I personally find that I go into a bit of a trance during this process.

As always, with the task complete, we thank the guardians and close the rite by bidding farewell to the elements.

There are thousands of incense recipes to be found both on the internet and in books such as Scott Cunningham’s book of Oils, Incense and brews but I like to make my own, below are a couple of my own recipes. I have also included some herbs and resins for you to use as reference to make your own incense.

Incense recipes Home protection incense Mandrake root – overall strong protection root Basil – blessings to the home Cumin – prevent bad luck entering the home Aloe – good luck to the home I use this one myself after I have performed a household cleansing. I walk around the rooms wafting the smoke to promote protection of my home before leaving it by the entrance to the house to burn out.

Anti-hex incense Agrimony – removal of hexes Citronella – Return a hex from whence it came Ash leaves – to protect against Of course there would be more involved in the removal of a hex than just blending incense, but this would be a good incense to burn whilst performing a spell for the removal or protection against hexes.

These are just two examples of what you might consider when putting together the ingredients of your incense but there are other things to take into consideration also such as planetary correspondences, the day of the week that you blend the incense and so on but you are best to buy a book of correspondences for that because the list goes on and on. You may also have noticed that I haven’t given measurements and that I have kept the recipes very basic. Firstly, I haven’t given measurements because in practicing the craft the old way, we would rely much on our instincts and that is the way I promote the learning and secondly I just don’t believe in making things more complicated than they need be, I take what I feel I need and put it together and let the universe do what it will.

Some herbal correspondences Agrimony - Protection, banishes negative energy, sleep (air) Allspice - Prosperity, courage, energy, strength (fire) Almond - Money, wisdom (air) Angelica - Protection, exorcism, health, meditation, divination (fire) Anise - Protection, psychic awareness, repels evil spirits (air) Basil - Mend quarrels, sympathy, happiness (fire) Benzoin resin - Prosperity, astral projection, purification (air) Betony - Protects against nightmares and despair (fire) Borage - Psychic abilities, financial gain Broom - Used to bless weddings (air) Carnation - Feminine energy, healing, strength (water) Cedar - Home purification, good fortune, luck (fire) Chamomile - Love, meditation, peace (water) Cinnamon - Energy, creativity, financial matters (fire) Clove - Banishing, love (fire) Copal resin - Purification, cleansing (fire) Damiana - Love, lust (fire) Dill - Money, luck, protection (fire) Fennel - Protection, healing (fire) Frankincense resin - Exorcism, purification, spirituality (fire) Galangal - Psychic abilities, luck, money (fire) Gardenia - Love, peace, healing (water) Ginger - Success, courage, strength (fire) Hazel - Divination, psychic abilities, dreams (air) Holly - Protection, luck (fire) Honeysuckle - Healing, love, creativity (earth) Horehound - Protection, exorcism, mental clarity (air) Hyssop - Purification, repel negativity (fire) Jasmine - Dreams, sexuality (water) Lavender - Love, sleep, dreams, meditation, protection (air) Lemongrass - Psychic abilities (air) Lilac - Protection, divination (water) Marigold - Legal matters, dreams, divination (fire) Meadowsweet - Love, peace (air) Mint - Healing, prosperity, creativity (air) Mistletoe - Protection, fertility, exorcism (fire) Mugwort - Psychic abilities, divination, protection (earth) Myrrh resin - Purification, healing, spirituality (water) Orris Root - Love (water) Patchouli - Money, lust, fertility (earth) Pine - Prosperity,fertility, healing (air) Rose - Love, healing, friendship (water) Rosemary - Cleansing, purification, exorcism (fire) Rue - Banishing, protection (fire) Sage - Purification, repels negativity, wisdom (air) Sandalwood - Spirituality, exorcism, healing (water) Thyme - Sleep, protection, courage (water) Valerian - Love, sleep, protection (water) Vanilla - Lust, love, courage (water) Vervain - Love, prosperity, sleep, healing, creativity (earth) Wormwood - Scrying, divination, exorcism (fire) Yarrow - Love, psychic abilitites, banishing (water)

Julie Weltch

A Handful of Crystals for Protection Crystals can be used, effectively to help protect yourself in a variety of situations; whether it be psychic intrusion, a long journey or just against negativity. Below are a collection of what I consider to be, the most popular and best protective crystals

Amethyst is a highly protective crystal and is capable of transmuting energy back into the Earth.

Use for protection when travelling, or against negative/dark energies/emotions and to enhance psychic energies.

Blue Lace Agate is a very good choice for protecting children. It alleviates hostility whilst promoting good-will.

Bloodstone is of great assistance to the ‘spiritual warriors’ among us. Ideal for strength and stamina and helps us to find the courage within us to tackle any obstacles in our path.

Black Tourmaline is a very strong grounding stone and highly purifying. It is an ideal crystal to use when coping with everyday difficult energies around us (the workplace) and for protecting the Aura. It will transmute energy back into the Earth.

Carnelian was used by the ancient Egyptians for its protective powers against the ‘Evil Eye’ and ‘Envious Eye’. It promotes courage and strength in times that we may be feeling weak and undermined. Use for physical and psychic protection

Tiger’s Eye can be used in environments where tensions are high and disputes are frequent. It will boost the energy of the user giving them more stamina. Also useful for travel protection, Aura protection, strength, meditation and returning malevolent spells to the sender.

Smoky Quartz is highly protective and an excellent grounding stone. It transmutes all negative energies back into the Earth.

Use for clearing electrical smog, physical and psychic protection.

Peridot was another stone used by the ancient Egyptians for warding off the ‘Evil Eye’. It brings comfort and healing to the user while protecting against bitterness, negativity, physical malice and demons.

Black Obsidian is a grounding stone and provides a protective shield to the user. It will help you to see patterns that may have gone unobserved before and understand difficult energies.

Red Jasper is an excellent grounding stone giving strength to the user, so that they may be less vulnerable to difficult energies. Use for protection during travel and to prevent and avoid potentially dangerous situations. It can also be used for protection when recuperating or convalescing after an illness.

Jet was traditionally used as a mourning stone. Although it can also be used by those who may have become a target for malicious thoughts or misguided magickal workings. It absorbs, neutralises and transmutes all negative energies back into the Earth.

Malachite is a strongly protective stone, traditionally protecting against the ‘Evil Eye’ and malevolent spirits. It is good to use for the removal of poisonous from your system. It provides a strong surrounding barrier of protection around the user and is often used by people who travel by aeroplane.

Cheryl Waldron (Wynterkallista)

This year’s Beltane was nothing short of magical. Denny Bottley the current chairlady had done us proud when at the eleventh hour she was forced to find a new location. This last minute location was the Bison Centre in Warminster, a beautiful campsite bordered by woodland and a river with bison roaming the horizon.

It was positively idyllic but what really made the weekend perfect was the gathering of the Dolmen Grove clans.

They came together to share their knowledge, their music and indulge in a bit of retail therapy with a variety of stalls as well as taking part in the many workshops and holistic therapies on offer. Above all to the many newcomers we welcomed this weekend it was the sense of being part of a family that stood out the most.

Kicking off the Friday evening events was the opening ritual with Taloch Jameson and chairlady Denny Bottley. This was followed by high energy entertainment kicked off by our favourite riot grrrl band ‘Husbands n Knives’ and well and truly ‘finished off’ by the ever colourful and highly entertaining ‘Mike Porter Collective’.

Saturday evening the whole campsite was rocked by the internationally acclaimed Dolmen including some spectacular drumming from Talochs son Connach as he joined the band on stage. Their set ended with ‘Go Laddie’ which not only incorporated the dynamic drumming attributed to the Dolmen but had the crowd up on their feet dancing and singing along.

The fire ceremony immediately followed with the drums of the Dolmen Grove leading the procession to the fire. The Beltane fire ceremony consisted of ritual and ceremonial contributions from most of the various Dolmen grove moots around the country, each of which brought something unique to the circle which climaxed with the crowning of this year’s May Queen Kirsty Brown.

The energy raised was fantastic with the traditional fire walk and celebrations lasting till the early hours of the morning.

By Sunday evening Cliff Carr sang as the sun set on what had been a fabulous weekend. Cliff was followed by Spriggan mist who with new guitarist, Martin Apsey and a new sound system brought the weekend entertainment to a stylish conclusion playing songs from their current and very ethereal album ‘Soul Retriever’ along with old favourites plus a couple from their forthcoming album ‘Ghostly Tales’, as they provided a perfect ending to a more chilled out audience as they prepared to return home the following morning.

Monday morning saw the end of the weekend with the closing ceremony held by Carl Trimmer and the Dolmen Grove chairlady Denny Bottley with a contribution from the dolmen Grove Portland Moot.

Diane Narraway

The last word on the Dolmen Grove Beltane Spirit of Rebirth Gathering 2013 goes to Mel and Kath.

To all at the Dolmen Grove‌ We would just like to say thank you to all of you for accepting us into your family at the Spirit of Rebirth Gathering....

We had such a fantastic time and made some very special friends. I am sure Kath will agree with me when I say "that it was the best gathering we have ever been to" and we've been to a few! We enjoyed it from start to finish and were very sad to have to leave, but hopefully that was not goodbye!

The fire ceremony, the opening and closing rituals were exceptional and I have never experienced energies quite like it.

Well done to each and every one of you for putting together such a fabulous weekend. We hope to join you again at many more.

Blessed Be Mel Turner & Kath Kilner

Poetry from within the Grove The Grass, The Sun and Birdsong In Spring, I would lie with you long Birdsong days In scented Sun-warmed grasses, Smooth your skin with Nature's oils and press Your soft and sleeping head Into the sheltered valley of my breast.

I would breathe deep the essence from your hair Till Love wove equal fragrant flowers there.

I would trace your lips, slow, with feather fingertips, Then open yours to kiss your rose-etched palms and Taste the mingled salt that drifts within the lines, So to perceive immortal histories and dreams Writ true in all those fine and delicate ravines.

In Spring, We step high and sigh the freshness of the air, And close our brightened eyes To swim these temporal flowing waves.

When seed has blossomed fruit delights, Each tingling vernal memory creates The gold of endless minutes with no measure, And such universal chasms wide Once thought owned of youthful pleasure, We find are all of ours, each return we are given The same eternal gift of dawning heavens;To always feel and scent, to taste and listen, Still to lie in bliss immersed Amid the Grass, the Sun and Birdsong

Sem Vine

Sacred Circle A sacred circle, softly drawn Upon the Mother’s skin.

The spirit salutation To her beauty.

The wood, the stone, The bone, the feather, Placed the circle round, To make a calling To the ancient kin.

A candle for the light Of things, Smoke to carry prayer, And then the drum Beats out its rhythmic sound.

All things are met Within this space, Of peace and loving care.

A timeless time A placeless place, That we, And spirit allies share.

Martin Pallot

Dreamstate The gates of ancient myth Stand By an old oak tree Where a velvet gothic mist Lies betwixt the land and sea And there I choose to be Wrapped in shades of darkness Where my words have more meaning When softly whispered in the silence For when the world turns upside down And nothing but chaos seems to rule I remember how I walk within The eternal chaos of the fool

Diane Narraway

Ahoy there me hearties, coming out soon is The Black Wreck Music Project's 6th studio Album, 'From the bottom of the glass to the bottom of the sea' features 11 original stories in the form of song.

As with most of our albums, this one promises to venture into new musical areas which help to evoke a real feeling of living within the stories.

From the bottom of the glass to the bottom of the sea will be released first on our band camp page where all but one of our albums are available for free download... http://www.theblackwreckmusicproject.bandcamp.com/ Search us out on facebook to get all the latest news on its release date.

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/theblackwreckpirates?fref=ts So far we've not booked many gigs, but we are open to offers so if you want a pirate band to play at your garden party or gathering or just want us to play in your front room...anything is a possibility.

Look sharp mateys The Wreck Email theblackwreckmusicproject@hotmail.co.uk

"Why are pirates called pirates... Coz they arrrrr" "What's a pirates favourite type of sock....arrrrrgyles" or "Look little timmy theres captain jack sparrow" or even "Arrrr me hearty" It is all these things and much more, that drive me to be a part of living history.

Yes pirates in general, to a youngling may seem grand and heroic and some may even look all clean and fancy like they are fresh out of a Hollywood film.

But the reality of it all is far more than swashbuckling atop of the yard arm and living like a king on your captured treasure. In fact it produces a vast mixture of feelings...horror, sadness, excitement and just about everything else imaginable...why? Because what the pirates of the golden age all had in common, in one way or another was a yearning for something more than the rough deal on the cards that they already had.

It may have been the product of mutiny or high taxes or even a simple kidnapping or just upping the ante to survive.

There are many memorable films and documentaries regarding the true champions of this trade - the likes of Black Bleard and Bartholomew Roberts and literary classics such as Stevensons Treasure Island all lend an air to how things could have been.

The songs that we sing, not just The Black Wreck Music Project, but also pirate songs from great bands such as The Dolmen with The pirates Keep, all paint a massive picture in the listeners imagination. This is what it is about, keeping the question of "what really happened back then?" alive.

It is not simply enough to have the answers and facts from historical documents and other types of ancient media. The question needs to be sparked in a younglings mind by hearing a song or seeing a pirate/reenactor either on shore leave or in battle, otherwise is is a part of our heritage and culture that will cease to be.

We are living history ‌ and we be pirates!! Defoe Smith

St. Andrews Church England was coming to terms with the recent arrival of the Phoenicians 4000 years ago. The new settlers brought with them a highly developed knowledge of astronomy, astrology, sacred geometry and bronze tools. They weaved their clothes and sail cloth with linen processed from plants like the common Flax. They worshipped the God Bel and the Goddess Barati in ceremonies, and understood the energy lines that existed beneath their feet and built stone circles to enhance that energy during ceremonies and rituals. The Phoenicians, from the Greek word red-purple which came from the colour they extracted from molluscs to dye material revered by their ancestors, believing that their souls lived on after death in a continuous journey in a different dimension. They buried their dead in long barrows and used their bones in their ceremonies to honour them and the land they lived in. At this time Stonehenge was already a well-established site.

1000 years later the Cimmerians arrived into Briganti but were more aggressive and warlike than their predecessors. These were the Celtic race from Germany bringing with them iron tools and weapons. They buried their chieftains singularly with grave goods in round barrows. Their lives were controlled by their priests; the Druids, men of the oak trees who taught in the darkness of caves, forests and groves. They had total power over the population. The Celts were powerful enough to loot Rome.

Further afield, Athens was experiencing her Golden Age with democratic rights and the writings of Plato and Aristotle were being discussed. On Portland the Celts built a protective Hillfort on Verne Hill and a small fortification overlooking Church Ope Cove a natural landing place amongst the cliffs that surrounded the island.

In the gully between the fort and the beach a shrine was built in honour of the Mother Goddess Brigit.

The Celts lived according to the turning of the seasons and acknowledged the totality of their surroundings. They embraced both the natural world and their own man made environment.

Druids believed that the source of all life was water and that it existed in purity before the world was created. Water was life giving and where it flowed at wells and springs it was seen as a place of magic and sacred. The shrine above Church Ope was an ideal position with a spring and the sea nearby; the spring was a sign of divine approval and the sea a source of food. A spring was credited with healing powers and used for ceremonial cleansing and divinatory purposes.

From the shrine the Druids could witness the sun rising out of the sea, a magical sight at the solstices and equinoxes.

Despite their warlike nature the Druids offered hospitality and care to anyone who came to them. A refuge was established at Portland Bill for the increasing number of patients; mostly mentally ill children dropped off by their parents to be looked after and hopefully healed by the Druid carers. Portland became known as the Island of the Dead as more and more patients arrived over the years, offloaded by families from the mainland unable to cope with their ill charge.

Everything changed in 43AD when Rome invaded Britain routing the Celts and destroying the Druids. A new world order was in town. A successful Roman society had established itself on Portland by 60AD. Soon after a wattle temple was built in the place of the shrine that honoured the morning star and the Goddess of Love, Venus and a well was constructed over the spring.

After the Visigoth King Alaric sacked Rome, the Romans left Britain after 400 years of rule to protect their heartland. It left Britain at the mercy of invaders waiting for the opportunity to get a share of the green and pleasant land on offer. By 500AD the Saxons had settled along the south coast with monks rebuilding the wattle temple on Portland with stone and a settlement for the monks was constructed to the west of the temple.

The monks lived an austere existence of poverty and prayer and toiled among the natives that still held a loyalty with their Celtic ancestors and their gods and goddesses. Small villages emerged on Portland’s sheltered east coast and the good fishing seas maintained a decent lifestyle. This was the time of King Arthur and the Bard Taliesin.

Portland became a Royal Manor under King Ine, ruling the Saxons, Angles and Jutes that had divided the country between them. They introduced field systems and began to quarry stone. Farmers and quarrymen arrived on Portland. Two watermills were built to mill the yield that was grown on the top of the island.

In 595 Pope Gregory sent Augustine to convert the pagan kings destroying many prehistoric sites in the process by building churches on the sites and subduing the pagan faith by controlling the natural force within the land. The Goddess Venus was replaced by the Christos.

Life didn’t change much for 200 years until Vikings started to raid the numerous churches around Britain’s coast. Their earliest recorded raid was at Portland. In 744 they landed at Church Ope Cove to be met by a Kings representative demanding a landing tax. The Vikings rubbed their beards and put the local man to the sword before raiding the small church above the cove.

King Alfred came to the throne uniting the tribes of Wessex repelling the Viking forces. He fortified and strengthened the fort above Church Ope and had the small church rebuilt. Soon England was divided up into shires, populations grew and a decent standard of living prevailed on the Royal Manor. In 978 King Aethelred II ruled the kingdom from Portland burying his stillborn twin daughters in the graveyard of the old church.

In 1042 Portland was bestowed to the Benedict Monks by Edward the Confessor, the son of Aethelred II. The Benedictines were free thinkers, more akin to Druid thought than to Christian. Nine years later the church is ransacked by the Earl of Godwin and the castle destroyed. In 1066 William conquered Harold at Hastings to take over the throne. The Normans ruled England. William gave out estates and lands to his friends keeping Portland for himself. William’s son Rufus completely rebuilt and fortified the castle before his mysterious death while hunting in the New Forest. Rufus was a cruel and immoral man so it was no surprise when he was killed by a stray arrow. He exhorted from his subjects all the taxes and dues he could.

A Cistercian Order of monks, the Knights Templar was formed in 1118 after the first crusades. Also known as the Templar Grand Knights of St. Andrew and the Guardian Princes of the Royal Secret they were given international sovereignty and granted the rights to consecrate land and collect taxes. Ten years later 24 monks from the Cistercian order took control of the sacred ground below the castle and rebuilt the church from the Saxon foundations only for it to be destroyed by French pirates nine years later.

The Cistercian Monks were sworn to poverty, chastity and obedience to God, were self sufficient, grew their own food, reared their own animals, baked bread and brewed beer. They made their own clothes and looked after the sick, studied medicine and wrote history. The monks were the holders of secret knowledge. They excelled in sacred geometry and were great builders and architects.

The church was demolished and rebuilt with the main entrance at the west end and a south aisle of four bays added. They slightly widened the north wall of the nave. In 1132 the Priory of St. Swithun of Winchester was granted the Manor of Portland by Henry I, elder brother of Rufus. The church was consecrated by the Bishop of Winchester, Henry of Blois the nephew to Hugh de Payens a founder of the Knights templar only for it to be destroyed by Robert the Earl of Gloucester and the castle captured for the Empress Matilda, the granddaughter of King William, in an attempt to dethrone King Stephen. Maltilda had arrived in England to claim the throne that was promised to her by the barons on William’s death bed.

Stephen was a weak Norman King unable to control the barons that built castles where they liked and went around raiding and robbing, torturing and killing. Rebuilding the church the aisle was vaulted and the eastern chapel was paved with Purbeck marble. The Norman columns were replaced by compound piers each of which had four detached Purbeck marble shafts. The first rector of the church was John Golde, the Bishop of Winton in 1302.

The nave of the church was extended westwards by seven metres, the south porch was added replacing the old west doorway. The old north door was blocked off and replaced by a window. In 1307 the Templar’s were eliminated with some managing to escape to Scotland including a certain William de Irwin who became the armour bearer to Robert the Bruce. The Black Death arrived in the country in 1348 with Portland taking its share of casualties including a majority of the monks.

Portland, like the rest of the country recovered and for two generations peace and optimism spread over the country.

One hundred years later the French visit our shores and destroys the small church once again. In 1475 the church was reconstructed and dedicated to St. Andrew with the southern end lengthened and a bell tower added. St. Andrew was a follower of St. John the Baptist before meeting Jesus while fishing in the Sea of Galilee with his brother Peter.

After Jesus ‘disappeared’ Andrew preached in Greece before being crucified on a saltire, an X shaped cross that became his symbol. In the 4th Century a St. Rule bought some of his bones to England where an angel appeared telling him to continue to Scotland and build a church to house the relics at what is now St. Andrew’s.

150 years later Henry VIII had Portland and Sandsfoot castles built after upsetting the Catholic Church by divorcing his wife. All churches were relieved of their wealth to be used by Henry to bolster his war machine.

Around a third of all land in England belonged to the church at the time. The western church had become spiritually bankrupt with the officials bloated and corrupt only concerned with their own wealth and power rather than the well-being of the people. This corruption ushered in the Reformation which saw the colourful paraphernalia of the medieval church and its abuses swept away in favour of direct communication with god through prayer and faith.

Religious icons gave way to the Word, churches became plainer and less decorated and closer to nature and closer to god.

In 1588 Portlanders watched the Spanish Armada arrive off the coast to do battle with the Henry’s newly established Royal Navy. About this time the watermills were replaced by windmills. Twelve years later the London architect Indigo Jones arrived on Portland to use the stone for new building projects in the capital city. He used the stone from the cliffs on the east side of the island, dropping the cliff to the shore below, shaping the blocks before shipping them out.

Earth movements damaged St. Andrews and caused a large section of the graveyard to crash onto the beach below. A retaining wall, known as the Church Yard Banks had to be built to shore up the land.

The Civil War arrived in 1642 that pitched the Royalists against the fascist Parliamentarians of Oliver Cromwell. Of course the Royal Manor stood by its King, Charles I. The cavaliers arrived ransacking the church a year later and destroyed the Rectory behind Wakeham in the process. It was not long before the Cavaliers took back control of the island and held on to it until the end of the war being one of the last areas to surrender to the government in 1645. In 1660 the monarchy was restored with Charles II on the throne.

In 1665 the Great Plague arrived in England through Weymouth followed by the fire of London a year later.

Extensive quarrying by Christopher Wren in his quest for Portland Stone to rebuild London had a hand in the first Southwell Landslip in 1675 causing major damage to St. Andrews and another rebuild was needed.

The east end of the aisle was removed and a new south nave wall partly blocked and partly replaced the two eastern bays of the arcade. This wall was supported by a massive buttress an unusual feature at the time. The

chancel was also partly rebuilt at the same time. With the increase of quarrymen arriving on the island new villages cropped up and land was bought up by wealthy Londoners to get rich through exporting the stone across the country and Europe.

As England on the whole prospered and the industrial revolution took hold quarrying increased along the east coast of Portland causing another major landslip in 1735 causing great damage to St. Andrews, twisting the foundations and making the building unsafe. John Wesley the Methodist preacher visited and gave a sermon at the church in 1746, seven years before it was abandoned with the congregation moving to St. George’s at the top of Reforne. Thirty six trustees were chosen to pull down the old church and make use of or sell the materials to raise funds for the new church.

Burials in and around the church continued until 1764.

Scott Irvine

Irvine Photography covers all types of photography but specialises in photojournalism. I photograph pagan rituals and ceremonies and am the official photographer for the Cotswold Order of Druids when they perform at Stonehenge.

I am a member of Dolmen Grove and live on the beautiful island of Portland.

I have my own mobile lighting studio so able to come to you for a portrait in your own home.Events £25 per hour +expenses Portraits 1 x 10”x8” photograph + disc 3 x 10”x8” photograph + disc

£24 £52

Special Pagan rates 20% off Contact scottirvine25@yahoo.com www.irvineimages.co.uk

The Mike Porter Collective now Available on C.D.

Enough said

Dolmen Grove moots All Dolmen Grove Moots hold regular meetings, where people can find out more about the Dolmen Grove ethos and membership. Information on ‘members only’ events can be obtained at all Dolmen Grove Moots.

SOUTHEND ESSEX DOLMEN GROVE MOOT https://www.facebook.com/groups/184088764947243/?fref=ts

Every month we have a regular drumming session plus healing drumming... and now folk are bringing didgereedoo's singing bowls and such... Plus Regular talks and workshops The Cricketers Inn Every 2nd monday of the month, 228, London Road, Westcliff-on-sea, Essex SS0 7JG 8pm onwards.

Hosted by Denny and Steve Bottley Sunday 26th May Southend Moot will be hosting their 4th Annual Beltane Picnic at the Roundhouse. A fun packed day for the whole family, including stalls, children's Maypole, story teller, drumming circle, plus loads more entertainment for the day. please bring food to share in the Roundhouse or bring your own picnic.

Fun starts at: 1pm - 6pm The Roundhouse, Hadleigh Country Park, Chapel Lane, Hadleigh, Essex.

Starting with the Beltane opening ritual: In addition we have 'Cole & Sons' Tradtional Ice-Creams a refreshments stall & lots more!!!!

Entry £2 per person (children under 14 free) Proceeds to go to the 'Dolmen Grove Land Fund' FFI: Contact Denny Bottley Chairwoman of the Dolmen Grove avalonian_star@yahoo.co.uk

BERKSHIRE (BRACKNELL) MOOT https://www.facebook.com/groups/150234135114242/?fref=ts

We offer bi-monthly talks/workshops on a variety of different topics, and in between we host a social moot where all are welcome to simply join likeminded people on various pagan paths.

Every 3 third Wednesday of the month The boot public house, Park road, bracknell, berkshire, rg12 2lu 7.30pm onwards Hosted by baz and max cilia

PORTSMOUTH DOLMEN GROVE MOOT https://www.facebook.com/groups/295557253799288/?fref=ts

Regular talks and workshops Every second wednesday of the month The salisbury hotel, Lonsdale Road, Cosham PortsmouthHampshire PO6 2PX 7:30pm onwards Hosted by Julie Weltch May 8th There will be a talk by Steve ‘Stormwatch’ Jeal, Archdruid of Genesis order of druids with on the Ogham and the Celtic tree calendar.

June 12th Merlin of England will be giving a talk on the science of the Druid

PORTLAND DOLMEN GROVE MOOT https://www.facebook.com/groups/148075512033935/?fref=ts

This moot is hosted by the dolmen grove Portland witches and there are regular talks as well as regular discussions on witchcraft and earth magick Every fourth wednesday of the month The george inn 133 reforne, portland, dorset, dt5 2ap 7.30pm onwards hosted by Teach and Beth Wednesday 29th May there is an Herb Walk with Herbalist Andrew Cowling.

Everyone will meet at The George Inn Reforne, Portland at 7pm. Portland has over 200 healing plants and this is an ideal opportunity to come and find out about the healing powers of some of them and how to use them as medicines.

Duration about 1.5 hours and it involves walking over rough ground.

Children are welcome but must be accompanied by an adult. There will be a talk indoors if wet.

THE DOLMEN GROVE IVY MOON MOOT https://www.facebook.com/groups/460165050682366/?fref=ts

This is the groves newest moot that offers talks, workshops and so much more from those at the heart of Cornish witchcraft.

Every first wednesday of the month Polgooth inn Ricketts Lane, Polgooth, st.austell, pl26 7da hosted by karen cooper and lucy miles May 1st there is a Pagan paths outing to Helman Tor with an informative talk about the site.

June 5th Alan Jones - Psychic entertainer & Rational mysticism talk/workshop.

WEYMOUTH DOLMEN GROVE MOOT

https://www.facebook.com/groups/435089566582005/?fref=ts

This is the groves oldest and most established moot and largely a social event where every month there is the opportunity to talk to those who have spent many years at the forefront of the pagan world. There is also the chance to learn more about the ceremonies and rituals of the dolmen grove, and the various paths found within paganism.

Every second wednesday of the month The marquis of granby 113 radipole lane Dt4 9ss hosted by taloch jameson and/or diane narraway Moots are also advertised regularly on the dolmen grove facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Dolmen-Grove/110124449082503

Rev.Julie Weltch

HIEROPHANT PRIESTESS IN THE TEMPLE OF ISIS I am offering year and a day training as part of the Lyceum of The Circle of spirit, Earth and Elements by correspondence in any area/country or in person should you live in the Portsmouth area.

I am also offering celebrant services such as hand fastings, baby namings, death rites, coming of age rites etc also offer reiki healing, house cleansings and blessings and I do not charge for any of my services, all I ask is travelling expenses if you are out of my area.

Blessings, Julie

www.cosee.co.uk

Further information on the Dolmen Grove Magazine, including back issues, up and coming features, and article submissions can be found on facebook.. http://www.facebook.com/DolmenGroveMagazine?fref=ts Editor Diane Narraway Further information about regarding membership, courses, up and coming events and ceremonies (including membership enquiries) is available through The Dolmen Grove – website www.dolmengrove.co.uk Email: dolmengrove@dolmengrove.co.uk Or through Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Dolmen-Grove/110124449082503 Further information about music from The Dolmen including c.d. purchase is available at www.thedolmen.com Email UK thedolmen@thedolmen.com Email USA thedolmenusa@thedolmen.com Or through Facebookhttp://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Dolmen/250111806234