Journal for the Companions of the Chalice Well Issue No. 12, Winter/Spring 2005

In Celebration of the SacredHow can each one of us, as an individual, bring the sacred into our life, and open the heart to a sense of oneness and joy? Many Companions of the Well, being on a spiritual journey, know what it is like to live in two worlds, to move between the spiritual and material, yet trying to em-brace both. Of necessity, much of life is filled with the humdrum, the routine, the habits of the mind, but from time to time, a greater ‘sense of self ’ prevails and we be-come aware in some way of true beauty, or love, or a timeless state beyond the mind. Perhaps we carry this sublime state with us for hours or days or weeks, then the door seems to slowly creak shut again, leaving us in our old but familiar world of limitations, anxiety and fears.

How can we keep the spark alive in our daily lives? Perhaps one way is to cel-ebrate more, to come together with like

minded souls to acknowledge with joy the great spirit that moves in all life. Here at Chalice Well we love to celebrate when-ever we can! We choose not the way of religion, for much exists already for those who feel that religion is their path. We do not need a church or temple for our celebration: here the earth and the sky are our temple and the truth is within us. By coming together at solstices, equinoxes, the cross-quarter days and the full moons, we celebrate spirit through the natural cy-cles of life, rather than man-made creeds.

At our celebrations we have no hymn or prayer books, no pujas or sadhanas, no pagan or ancient texts passed down to us. Although we do need some form and structure in our celebrations, the most important thing at these events is sponta-neity! We love to walk together in this an-cient place in the silence of awareness, we

love to sing together, to chant, to read our poems, make offerings, honour the Well, light fires, gaze in wonder at the rising moon or setting sun, invoke the ances-tors, dress up, play, eat together, enjoy a wonderful story or drama. In our celebra-tions here, we welcome all who wish to enter into joy and give thanks for life.

There are few places in this country where such celebrations happen. All of us who are entrusted with the care of this special place invite you and your friends to come and celebrate with us. There is no expectation of how you have to be; you may wish to be quiet and introspective, or to be wild and joyful and dance and sing! Just be yourself and let the deep magic of this place touch you. Chalice Well is a place to be and all we ask is be who you truly are. Come celebrate with us, and in our joy we can touch the whole world…

Winter Solstice celebrations at the Well © Ann Cook

2

Dear CompanionWe hope you like the

look of The Chalice, issue 12. Since it was launched five years ago the format has been kept much the same, so we felt it was time for a ‘mini make-over’ to freshen up the format and bring more colour and life into its appearance. In this issue we have focused on water and the feminine. Back in the days when the Trust’s

founder Wellesley Tudor Pole was here, the Well had a strong association with the Christ energy and the Arthurian archetypes. Over recent years the empha-sis on the masculine aspect of divinity has shifted, and now many of our visitors embrace the feminine

qualities that are so abundantly obvious here. At the Well we are happy to honour both the feminine and masculine aspects of the divine and to see the beau-ty that comes when the male and the female are in perfect harmony and balance with each other.

We hope you enjoy the articles on St Bride, Bride’s Mound, the ‘Living Waters and the Divine Feminine,’ the Winter Solstice Labyrinth, ‘Water Birth,’ the ‘Origin of the Water under the Tor’ and the ‘Well-Rounded Garden.’ In our next issue we hope to introduce a Companions’ letters page so please write to us, (or email) and let us know your thoughts, views or experiences that relate to any of the articles or to Chalice Well and all that goes on here. May we end by thanking you, as a Compan-ion, for your continued support and wish you a new year full of insight, intuition and incredible adven-tures!

Yours in service of the WellMichael and Lynne Orchard

One piece of information I had failed to mention in the autumn 2004 issue was the fact that my erstwhile colleague, Gil-lan Cook, had left, and had been replaced by Mike Stolze, as landscaper/handyman. Mike had previously been a volunteer gar-dener for a couple of years, as well as being latterly employed as part-time handyman, and I look forward to a long and fruitful partnership in the years ahead.

As far as increasing the non-hu-man staff, I would like to announce that we have recently adopted six orphaned hedgehogs from the Secret World animal sanctuary, near Highbridge. These should provide great surprise and joy to visitors and residents who stumble upon them. All being well (badgers notwithstand-ing) they should find many juicy slugs to munch, and insect pests to crunch to keep them happy for years to come. The nestboxes I put up last year were fairly successful, with three of them attracting residents. These have been cleaned out and re-positioned, and I’m certain that even more of the boxes will be in favour next year, now that the local bird popula-tion have become used to them. Yet an-other addition to the rich tapestry of life that Chalice Well has to offer has been the arrival of a quite unique flock of sheep to graze our surrounding land. The ani-mals in question are not for market, but

are actually kept as pets by their owner. They are a mixed bag of breeds, and in-clude many bedecked with elaborate and shapely horns. Do look out for them on your next visit!

As all good gardeners know, compost is at the heart of any organic garden. Here at the Well we can never make enough for all our needs, so last autumn an ap-peal for a heavy duty garden shredder and chipper went out to our Active Supporter Companions. The response was fantastic and in just a week we raised over £1,500 to purchase a wonderful machine which is capable of turning every scrap of or-ganic matter, however coarse or woody, into composting material. We can now chip all our tree prunings for path cover-ing or mulch, and shred all our shrub and woody perennial waste into fine biode-gradable material. A big thank you to all who contributed so generously.

And so another year turns… the Gar-den is resting at the time of writing, but with increasing signs of emergence as winter flowers colour the odd corner here and there; the catkins on the hazels pre-pare to swell; the tips of the daphnes start to redden, ready for their sweet-smell-ing starring role come February; and the spears of the crocus are thrusting through the brown earth with the promise of a rainbow display to come.

The autumn of 2004 was exceptionally dry; in fact the period from early Novem-ber to the middle of December hardly saw any rain, barring the odd drizzle, and had me praying for precipitation, although not before we had planted a mammoth nine thousand bulbs all over the Garden! These consist of tulips, anemones, cycla-men, narcissus, fritillaries, plus one of my personal favourites, erythroniums, oth-erwise known as the dog’s tooth violets. I often liken planting bulbs to lighting fireworks, except with a very long fuse! Do visit the gardens this spring and see the magnificent displays these new bulbs will create.

–Ark Redwood, Chalice Well plantsman

© Ann Cook

© Ann Cook

Spring heralds a burst of vibrant colour within the gardens

Michael and Lynne as the Holly King and Ivy Queen at Winter Solstice

3

Companions Day 2005This year Companions Day is on Saturday June 11th when the Gardens will be closed to the general public until 5.00pm. At the time of going to press the events and speakers for the day have yet to be finalised, but details will be published in The Garden Gate email newsletter in mid March and the next issue of The Chalice in mid May. One of the beautiful things about Companions Day is that we have the freedom of the Gardens to meet others who have the same affinity with this sacred place. It is a time when many people share deep and interesting conversations with each other about themselves and their lives. An-other of the great features of this day is the amazing pot luck picnic, when eve-ryone who comes brings a delicious picnic dish to share. It always reminds me of the tale of the loaves and the fishes because there is always such an amazing abundance. So make a note in your diary now to attend this wonderful day that is put on by the Trust especially for Companions.

Buddhism For All RetreatIn late March the Trust is hosting two retreats with a Tibetan Lama, Khenpo Rim-poche. The advanced retreat for those with previous experience is already fully booked, but at the time of going to press we still have some residential and non-res-idential places available for those who are new to Buddhist philosophy and would like to explore it with a living master. The details of the ‘Buddhism for All Retreat’ are on an insert in all UK editions of The Chalice so if you or your friend would like to attend, send the booking form in, or make a reservation by phone. Lama Khenpo is a wonderful teacher: warm, friendly, relaxed and full of humour and deep wis-dom. A fascinating week in good company is guaranteed!

More Apple TreesNot all Companions know that the Trust owns a small field on the southern slopes of the Tor. As one goes up the Tor, via the pathway at the bottom of Wellhouse Lane, it is the first field on the right. As well as an important ‘green’ field, it is a historically significant field, one that is clearly visible from the main road and the front bedrooms of Little St Michael’s. This spring, in conjunction with the Glastonbury Conservation Society, we are planting thirty tradi-tional variety apple trees, bringing the total number of trees in our orchards here to near 150. Varieties with strange names such as ‘Court of Wick’, ‘Tom Putt’ and ‘Hoary Morn-ing’ will be planted as part of our Spring Equinox celebrations on Sun-day March 20th. Some Companions have already made donations to sponsor these trees, but we still need some more sponsorship. Just £30 will cover the cost of purchasing a tree, protecting it and looking after it for the first season after planting. If you would like to sponsor a tree, please send us your donation of £30 by March 1st. If we should have more sponsors than trees we will inform you and ask you if you would like to donate your sponsorship to our orchard care fund to ensure that these trees have ongoing care for their whole lives. You can make a donation over the phone, or by sending a cheque made out to Chal-ice Well Trust.

Companions who read our last issue will know that the Trust is hoping to con-struct a new building to house our shop. In autumn, plans for a new ‘all timber’ building were submitted to our local planning department. We were hopeful of getting these passed and commencing work this January. Unfortunately these plans did not meet the approval of the planning officers, who felt that the new building should have a more unique design, completely specific to this site. Whilst this is not a bad idea, the Trustees had specifically chosen the all timber building for its clean appearance, envi-ronmental credibility, minimal disruption in installation and for its reasonable cost, and so we were initially disappointed by this decision.

However we have seen this setback as

an opportunity to go back to the draw-ing board and create a new design that will fulfil both the Trust’s and the plan-ning department’s criteria. We will work hard to create a structure that is truly inspirational, a joy to behold, and some-thing that all our visitors will feel is an enhancement to the lower gardens area. Even if we have to wait another year or so it will be worth it. We hope that when you enter our new shop you will feel that you are still in a sacred space, full of beauty and light, and not in just another retail premises. As soon as a new design is passed and we have the funds available we will proceed. We will keep you in touch with progress, and in due course we will publish an artist’s impression of the new building so we can get your valuable views and opinions.

New Shop Update

Companions’ Day – a meeting of friends, old and new

The Tor Field, site of the new orchard, with Little St. Michael’s in the background

Mic

hae

l Orc

har

d

Michael Orchard

4

St Bride This article traces the remarkable story of Brighde from the ancient roots of the Goddess, to the legendary early Christian Saint Brigid of the Isles, to the historically recorded Christian Saint Brigid/Bride of Kildare. This account helps build up a picture of St Bride as the feminine aspect of the Divine presence.

The Ancient BrighdeThe ancient energy of Brighde can be seen as the feminine aspect of the Al-mighty. Matriarchal cultures of the Celtic people worshipped her as an expression of the Goddess. Her name means ‘Fiery Arrow’. She was also known as Bride, Bir-gitta, Briginda, Brigidu, and Brigantia, the latter meaning ‘the High One’. Brighde is often mislabeled as simply an ‘Earth Goddess’ or ‘Fertility Goddess’ but she is revered as a Goddess of fire and light, of poetry and of music. She also oversees the hearth fire and the smithy, and guides the skill and inspiration of all sacred art and craft. She presides over the world of crops, livestock and nature and is called upon by women in childbirth and by those in need of healing.

Brighde, Brighde, come to my houseCome to my heart, come to my hearth

Brighde,Brighde, come to my houseCome to my house tonightBrighde, come in, thy bed is ready,Open the door, so that Brighde may

come in

Brighde (pronounced ‘Bride’ as the h means the g is silent) was believed to trav-el about on her festival eve, Imbolc, Feb-ruary 1st or 2nd, bringing her blessings to each household. Since she also oversees crops, flocks and the world of Nature, she is sometimes depicted traveling on the eve of Imbolc with her white milk-cow. In some areas of Ireland and Scotland of-ferings of food and grass were left on the door steps outside for her cow. In Chris-tian iconography Saint Brigid is identified by the presence of her cow, examples of which are carved on the tower on Glas-tonbury Tor and on the north door of St. Mary’s Chapel in Glastonbury Abbey.

Water, especially springs and wells are associated with the ancient Brighde. Spring water symbolically unites earth and heaven. It rises out of the darkness of the earth and reflects the light of heaven. It has the capacity of incorporating and reu-niting the spiritual and material light and dark. Like a womb it nourishes male and female alike. All springs and wells were powerful symbols of hope and healing.

St Bride of the IslesBetween the label of ‘pagan’ Goddess and the historical saint, there appears yet

another Bride – St. Brigid of the Isles, a purely legendary figure representing the possible transition from Goddess to Saint. In the Highlands and Islands Brigid is commonly known as the foster-mother of Christ, the aid-woman of Mary and Bride of the Mantle (Brighde-nam-Brat). The sacred energy of Brighde must have been held in complete reverence to incorporate her into Christian belief in such a power-ful way.

As legend has it, Brigid was exiled to the Holy Isle of Iona with her father Durach. One day as she herded sheep on the slopes of Dun-I, the highest peak on the island, she drank a little water from

the Well of Eternal Youth near the sum-mit. She fell asleep and dreamt that she was transported by angels to Bethlehem where she was a serving maid at the inn there. She went into the stable nearby and saw Joseph, Mary and the Babe, new-born and smiling. The Mother hailed her “Bride, my sister dear”, and gave the now sleeping infant into Bride’s arms, wrap-ping her mantle about Him because of the draught. Bride then fell asleep with Jesus in her arms and upon waking the Glory had departed, the stable empty. She followed the sacred footsteps of the Holy Family, lit by star light. Overhead, the sea-bird known as the Oyster catcher or Gille-Brighde, the servant of Bride, directed her to Calvary and the Mount of Olives. Soon thereafter she awoke back on Dun-I, her mantle now a beautiful blue with brilliant stars on it - a blessing of the Divine Mother.

As romantic as this legend may ap-

pear, it does form a link. Brighde now becomes Saint Brigid or Bride, and sym-bolically the Mantle of Mary, the virgin Mother of the Christ plays an interesting role, wrapping it around Brigid and the Christ Child. The more the Christian Church established itself the less room there was for the old beliefs. The Holiness of the Bride never ceased to exist however. She always responded regardless of whose mantle she was now clothed in.

History records a person whose birth dates somewhere around 450 A.D. to 525 A.D. in the village of Fanghard on the Irish Coast near Dundalk. It is said that Saint Bride wove the shroud of St. Patrick and foretold the birth of St. Columba – whom she saw as a tree whose branches spread over Ireland and Scotland.

St Bride is the greatest woman in the Celtic Church, the most beloved of all Celtic saints and the Lady after whom all the Irish Bridgets are named. She carries a countless number of sacred titles after her name and moreover she became the first woman that history records as engaged permanently in the work of the Church.

Early LifeBrigid’s father was Dubhtach/Duvach, a non-Christian Scottish Kinglet of Lein-ster; her mother, his mistress; was a Christian Pictish slave. Just before St. Bride’s birth, her mother was sold as a slave to a Druid landowner. St. Bride ap-parently remained with her mother in the West until she was old enough to serve her legal owner Dubhtach, her father. It is told that as a child her mother took her to hear St. Patrick preach, an event ac-cording to legend which left a profound imprint on her.

L.S. Lewis, in St. Joseph of Arimathea at Glastonbury, tells a lovely little story of her presentation to St. Patrick. The saint, by mistake, used for her the form of blessing for ordaining priests. Someone told him of it, to which he replied, “So be it, she is destined for great things.”

As Bride grew in beauty, gentleness and humility so Duvach’s wife was jealous of her and regarded her as a slave like her mother. She was marked by her high spir-its and tender heart and could not bear to see anyone hungry or cold. This some-times led to her giving things away to the needy against her father’s will. There are countless stories told of her love for birds,

5

lambs and all little helpless creatures, es-pecially motherless children. “She helpeth everyone who is in a strait”, says an old writer, while the beatitude she chose for herself was ‘Blessed are the merciful’.

Later, Brigid went on to care for her mother and tend to the farm and at one point asked her father for her mother’s freedom which was granted. Bride re-fused to be married in an arrangement set up by her father. She became a pupil of St. Patrick and at length took the first vows as a ‘Virgin of Christ’. This was a nun’s dedication, but she lived in the family home since there were as yet no religious communities. Even though Bride was not personally acquainted with the Apostle, this statement in the Book of Armagh appears quite true that, “Between St. Patrick and St. Brigid, the columns on which all Ireland rested, a cordial friend-ship existed, such that they were one in heart and soul”.

St Brigid at KildareAt the age of seventeen, Brigid joined a primitive form of Christian community. It is not clear when she actually went to Kildare, but it seems she was already well prepared with a deep love and compas-sion for humanity and for the sacred cy-cles of nature. At the ancient holy place of Kildare, Brigid and a group of dedicated women kept the Sacred Fires alive. It was here her first cell was founded. ‘Kildare’ means small cell or enclosure under the Great Oak.

Brigid was sensitive to this ancient temple and its purpose. Nothing was drastically thrown out or subjected at Kildare. There does appear to have been a blending of traditions and even though the fires were now kept burning in the name of Christ, the fact remains that for over 1000 years in Christian history the flame tended at Kildare retained the universal essence. Structurally, the en-closures were changed to what has been called the ‘double foundation’ instigated by St. Bride herself; twenty men and women in beehive huts or cells with a Church in the centre where the two separate communities met for daily wor-ship. Under Bride’s supervision, the men were responsible for the heavier work in the fields, metal work, making crosses, chalices and patens with Celtic interlac-ing designs and copying the scriptures. The women did craft work, embroidery and nursed both women and men. Al-though St. Bride founded many other communities, while at Kildare she devot-ed herself not only to the management of the place but was also personally

involved in teaching, nursing and caring for the afflicted in mind and body.

St Brigid at GlastonburyIt could be assumed that by establish-ing convents in so many ancient places St Bride would naturally have come to Glastonbury. William of Malmesbury says she came to Glastonbury in 488 A.D. From the consensus surrounding her birth date, Bride would have been around thirty-eight years of age at this time. Just two miles from the outskirts of the Abbey at Beckery, archaeological digs uncovered a convent, attributed to St. Bride. Nearby was an old holy spring called St.Bride’s Well. Since St. Brigid never seemed to stay in one spot for long it is uncertain how long she remained in Glastonbury. Relics, consisting of a victual bag, a neck-lace, a bell and embroidery implements were treasured in her memory. These were kept, according to Malmesbury, at the Abbey until the dissolution.

Brighde/Bride TodayThere is a fine legend that links the old with the new: When she was journeying to take the veil (her spiritual work), Bride had to cross a great stretch of bogland over which none ever ventured who was unfa-miliar with the track. But as she set foot upon the marsh it changed miraculously to a green meadow on which all manner of spring flowers bloomed in profusion.

This legend is reminiscent of the holi-ness attributed to the ancient Goddess Brighde. Sacred plants of Brighde/Bride are the rush, the snowdrop signifying the purity of light, its triple pendant showing her descent to earth. The dandelion is an-other plant attributed to Bride, symbolic in both solar and lunar aspects, its flower is like the rays of the sun and later the full white globe of the moon. According to Irish folklore, the stalk of the dandelion

when broken exudes white milk, giving nourishment to the lambs. The sacred birds of Bride are the linnet, whose fore-head and breast are marked red with the fire of Bride, and the Oyster-catcher who pierces the closed shell of its prey with its long red beak in an image of the solar ray piercing the heart.

In the course of time, many of the legends and ceremonies connected with the ancient Brighde were attached to the memory of the Saint Bride of Kildare. The fusion of the two personalities, one pagan and one Christian, is evident in the rites that have survived to our own time.

As these are times when people, both women and men alike, are becoming more receptive to their inherent feminine natures, the sacred feminine energy of Brighde/Bride can be catalytic for us in many ways. Bride is one of those great eternal beings who like the flame of life itself, keeps alight and rekindles each stage of spiritual development within and without. It is for us to choose the appropriate form she takes and then apply these qualities to our own spir-itual growth. The perfect parallel between Brighde/Bride in both legend and fact is that she is eternally present. She is young in spirit, honest, caring, joyful, compas-sionate and totally giving to the land with a deep regard for its inhabitants, regard-less of how great or small. She is above all, truly humble, holding ageless, angelic and human qualities that surpass all reli-gious frameworks and unite all centuries of worship. Extracted from The Chalice Well Newslet-ter No. 5, Spring 1984 by the then Guard-ians, Taras and Moya Pringle-Kosikowski. Many thanks to Companion Wendy An-drew for allowing us to reproduce her pic-ture ‘St Bride at Imbolc.’ You can visit her website www.paintingdreams.co.uk for a great selection of inspiring cards.

Winter sun illuminates the Mother and Child image in the Sanctuary Michael Orchard

6

Winter Solstice and Christmas CelebrationsAfter a night of pouring rain, the sun rose on Sunday 19th December casting a beautiful orange light over the misty landscape of Avalon. As the day emerged, the skies became clear and blue and we all gave thanks for the blessing. I feel there is a grace which descends on this place at the times of celebration. It is a moment in our busy lives when we can all come together to honour the time of year and to meet and greet old and new friends whilst being in a place which touches our hearts.

The celebrations began at 2.30pm with the opening of the Labyrinth that had been created in the Cress field beyond the Wellhead. This had taken a fortnight to really come into form and as it emerged it seemed to take on a shape similar to the Tor Labyrinth. It felt to me as though the Tor energy wanted to reflect itself onto the landscape at Chalice Well, the two energies meeting as one. Local Companion Sacha Knop and I created the labyrinth using flour to mark the outline; on the day it was lit by 37 lanterns and at its centre was a fire. Sacha gave every person who threaded the labyrinth sesame seeds to take with them to the fire to release anything unwanted or to invite in new qualities, and, as they entered, each received a blessing of the waters. “Creating the labyrinth with Lynne was very powerful,” Sacha wrote. “It brought me to respect myself on a deeper level and to communicate that to the people in my life.” The labyrinth was a gift to us all and it was wonderful to see how people enjoyed making the journey to the centre and then spiralling back out again. As the sun set, the light of the lanterns and the fire illuminated the scene and the white flour seemed like winter snow.

The celebrations continued with a ‘Tribute to Alice Buckton’, to mark the sixtieth anniversary of her death. Alice devoted over thirty years of her life to Chalice Well keeping the spirit of this place alive for future generations. The trib-ute began with a lighting of a lantern in acknowledgement of

her as one of the ancestors of this place. There was a reading and a poem from one of Alice’s many works and finally the Celtic song ‘Deep Peace’ was sung in her honour.

As the sun began to set, the Solstice fire ceremony began with us all gathering around the unlit winter fire. Adrian, as master of ceremony, began by weaving a story of the history, myth and magic of the winter solstice whilst Dechen, as the Spirit of Winter, danced around the circle to his words. As the tale unfolded, Adrian introduced the trees and the plants of midwinter: Holly, Yew, Mistletoe and Ivy – the evergreens. Philippa, as the Yew, came forward into the circle first with her story, and she was followed by the stories of Nicholas as Mistletoe, Michael as the Holly King, and myself as the Ivy Queen. Then, while everyone waited in silence and the gathering twilight, a fiery beacon was carried through the crowd to the centre. The new light spread to the torches of the evergreens who then proceeded to ignite the Solstice fire, and everyone joined in the singing of ‘Fire Song’. As the flames leapt up and the fire burnt brightly the evergreens turned and moved toward the Holy Thorn tree. The Mayor of Glastonbury began the decoration by placing the first ornament on the tree. As everyone came to hang their offer-ings, we watched the red Solstice sun disappear into a soft orange glow and a beautiful white moon rise in a clear blue night sky.

To complete the celebrations, we gathered around the fire to warm ourselves and to listen to some joyful and uplifting carol singing by Oshia, Tim, Laura, Viv and the other Glas-tonbury Carollers. We ate mince pies and drank hot mulled fruit punch or hot chocolate – always good on a cold winter evening. The festivities continued until 5.30pm when every-one made their way home, feeling inspired and enriched in spirit.

–Lynne Orchard

The Tor formed part of the labyrinth landscape

Sky Angel – an amazing cloud formation appeared over Chalice Well during the 2003 Winter Solstice celebrations

A wintery mantle of crisp snow on the Lion’s Head Holy Thorn Hundreds of people walked the labyrinth in the Cress FieldMichael Orchard

Sacha Knop

© Ann Cook

6

7

Winter Solstice and Christmas CelebrationsAfter a night of pouring rain, the sun rose on Sunday 19th December casting a beautiful orange light over the misty landscape of Avalon. As the day emerged, the skies became clear and blue and we all gave thanks for the blessing. I feel there is a grace which descends on this place at the times of celebration. It is a moment in our busy lives when we can all come together to honour the time of year and to meet and greet old and new friends whilst being in a place which touches our hearts.

The celebrations began at 2.30pm with the opening of the Labyrinth that had been created in the Cress field beyond the Wellhead. This had taken a fortnight to really come into form and as it emerged it seemed to take on a shape similar to the Tor Labyrinth. It felt to me as though the Tor energy wanted to reflect itself onto the landscape at Chalice Well, the two energies meeting as one. Local Companion Sacha Knop and I created the labyrinth using flour to mark the outline; on the day it was lit by 37 lanterns and at its centre was a fire. Sacha gave every person who threaded the labyrinth sesame seeds to take with them to the fire to release anything unwanted or to invite in new qualities, and, as they entered, each received a blessing of the waters. “Creating the labyrinth with Lynne was very powerful,” Sacha wrote. “It brought me to respect myself on a deeper level and to communicate that to the people in my life.” The labyrinth was a gift to us all and it was wonderful to see how people enjoyed making the journey to the centre and then spiralling back out again. As the sun set, the light of the lanterns and the fire illuminated the scene and the white flour seemed like winter snow.

The celebrations continued with a ‘Tribute to Alice Buckton’, to mark the sixtieth anniversary of her death. Alice devoted over thirty years of her life to Chalice Well keeping the spirit of this place alive for future generations. The trib-ute began with a lighting of a lantern in acknowledgement of

her as one of the ancestors of this place. There was a reading and a poem from one of Alice’s many works and finally the Celtic song ‘Deep Peace’ was sung in her honour.

As the sun began to set, the Solstice fire ceremony began with us all gathering around the unlit winter fire. Adrian, as master of ceremony, began by weaving a story of the history, myth and magic of the winter solstice whilst Dechen, as the Spirit of Winter, danced around the circle to his words. As the tale unfolded, Adrian introduced the trees and the plants of midwinter: Holly, Yew, Mistletoe and Ivy – the evergreens. Philippa, as the Yew, came forward into the circle first with her story, and she was followed by the stories of Nicholas as Mistletoe, Michael as the Holly King, and myself as the Ivy Queen. Then, while everyone waited in silence and the gathering twilight, a fiery beacon was carried through the crowd to the centre. The new light spread to the torches of the evergreens who then proceeded to ignite the Solstice fire, and everyone joined in the singing of ‘Fire Song’. As the flames leapt up and the fire burnt brightly the evergreens turned and moved toward the Holy Thorn tree. The Mayor of Glastonbury began the decoration by placing the first ornament on the tree. As everyone came to hang their offer-ings, we watched the red Solstice sun disappear into a soft orange glow and a beautiful white moon rise in a clear blue night sky.

To complete the celebrations, we gathered around the fire to warm ourselves and to listen to some joyful and uplifting carol singing by Oshia, Tim, Laura, Viv and the other Glas-tonbury Carollers. We ate mince pies and drank hot mulled fruit punch or hot chocolate – always good on a cold winter evening. The festivities continued until 5.30pm when every-one made their way home, feeling inspired and enriched in spirit.

–Lynne Orchard

Hundreds of people walked the labyrinth in the Cress Field Nicholas and Philippa played the roles of the spirits of Yew and Mistletoe

Some late spring snow in 2004 brought a new beauty to the meadow

Visitors enjoyed the warmth of the sacred fire

Michael Orchard

© Ann Cook

© Ann Cook

© Ann Cook

7

Living Waters and the Divine FeminineI recently attended the “hallowing” of an icon entitled ‘The Hospi-tality of Abraham’, by the iconographer John Coleman. It is a beau-tifully painted piece, commissioned for the chapel of Glastonbury Abbey Retreat House. Depicting three angels seated round a table, it represents the Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Ghost. During his sermon, the Bishop asked us to contemplate this question; “Who are you who comes to the table?” I did not have to contemplate for very long, “I am the Woman”, I thought.

Whilst reading about the early history of Christianity, I dis-covered that at the Council of Nicaea, the Divine Feminine was relegated from the Holy Trinity and the “Absolute” became solely male. Jesus was named the ‘Logos’, a title previously attributed to the feminine aspect of God, Sophia. She and all she represented became embodied in the Virgin Mary and Mary Magdalene. The Virgin Mary was perfect, pure, undefiled and without sin and the Magdalene, a fallen woman who became the model of repentance. I have always known that in such a polarisation, it is impossible to relate to the divine feminine as it obscures a greater truth, and I determined that I wanted to find it and her.

An early revelation was found in Neil Douglas-Klotz’s book, Prayers of the Cosmos. When the Lord’s prayer is re-translated from the original Aramaic (the language which would have been spoken by Jesus), the familiar words “Our Father, which art in heaven,” could become “O Birther, Father-Mother, of the Cosmos”.1

Another revelation was that to the Gnostics and early Celtic Christians, it was a feminine Holy Spirit who was the divine mediatrix and the purveyor of wisdom and knowledge (gno-sis). It was she who emerged from the darkness in the act of creation (Genesis 1:2):

And the earth was without form, and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.James Rattue, in his book, Living Streams, describes the an-

cient associations between water and the feminine principle:The darker, hidden aspect of the feminine can be mirrored in the unpredictable behaviour of water. Water is “other”. Its moods are strange and various. It is quiet and then violent; it can refresh or it can kill. It emerges miraculously from the earth, neither living nor inanimate; it possesses life, yet is not itself alive. Water further comes from below, from darkness, from the place where the dead are buried, from the brooding presence beneath our feet.2

To me, the waters of the Chalice Well are deeply feminine and whilst gazing into their depths, I find myself falling into a state of reflection. The experience is like moving through a gateway into other realms. Whether these realms are literal or self-created is sometimes hard to know, but from deep within their watery depths, something stirs and comes to life.

I learnt that ‘Living Waters’ is a term which represents the soul in the Alchemical tradition. Alchemy itself derives from the words al and khem which means to move out of darkness. For some, darkness is something to be feared as it is associated with death and non-existence, and so the natural inclination is to gravitate towards the light. But I found that in darkness I could begin to experience the unknown, the void and the realm of emptiness. Even scientists have discovered that the blackness of space is not empty, but pregnant with “dark matter” imper-ceptible to the eye, from which, they believe, stars are born

In St. John’s Gospel, Jesus refers to ‘living waters’ when he speaks to a Samaritan woman at the Well (John 4:14):

Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.Was this a reference to the deep-feminine? Were these “wa-

ters” those of Sophia?In the Pistis Sophia, a Gnostic text discovered in 1945 in

Upper Egypt and part of the Nag Hammadi Library, Sophia represents the Soul who dwelt in the heavenly light realms be-fore falling into the darkness of the world of matter. Lost and alone she wandered in the dark until her heavenly bridegroom appeared to take her ‘home’ in the bridal chamber. With their union, Sophia returned to the realm of light.

Some believe (as I do), that Jesus and Mary Magdalene had a profound and intimate relationship and that she initiated him into the deep feminine mysteries. There is currently a resurgence of interest in her, as the bestselling novel The Da Vinci Code bears testament. There is some evidence in the Gnostic gospels that Mary Magdalene may have been regarded as the earthly manifestation of Wisdom, Jesus, the celestial bridegroom, and their relationship the ritual acting out on earth of the liberating union.

I feel that the ‘living waters’ of the Well offer an opportunity to connect with the deep feminine part of our consciousness and in releasing it from its depths, we may be come more illumined to that which we first are. It is at the Well that I always find her, the divine feminine, the “eternal-womanly” as Geoffrey Ashe calls it3. The vesica piscis symbolizes that at the point of liberating union, all dualities dissolve. There is no longer any distinction between dark or light, masculine or feminine, they become one and the same. This union that all yearn for, will only become possible when ‘Woman’ can finally take her place at the table.

–Natasha Wardle, December 21st 20041Neil Douglas-Klotz, Prayers of The Cosmos. 2James Rattue, The Living Stream, Holy Wells in Historical Context, p10. 3Geoffrey Ashe, The Virgin, p16.

8

The Well-Rounded GardenOver the years, visitors to the Well would hopefully have become aware that there are less straight lines in the basic design of the Garden and an increasing number of curves and more rounded shapes. This is a deliberate policy in order to create a more feminine look to the place, to use symbolism in form, and make it more visually appealing. The eye is encour-aged to glide over the scene, rather than be ‘held up’ by straight lines and corners. Indeed the ‘feminine’ is very much wel-comed here, whether it is the honouring of the ‘Yoni Yew’, the ‘Grandmother Birch’, or the many visits by pilgrims who come to venerate the Goddess in all her forms.

The whole Garden feels like a receptacle – truly a ‘chalice’ – ready to receive what-ever divine inspiration comes our way.

Many visitors find that Arthur’s Court has a particular womb-like quality and a very special feminine energy quite distinct from other areas in the Garden, except perhaps the Wellhead itself, where the presence of the Goddess is very close and tangible to some. In fact the reason why so many snowdrops were planted around the Well was because we wished to honour Bridie (Brighde/St. Bridget) within her place of power – the snowdrop being her special flower.

When you next visit The Sanctuary garden near the Well, notice how the design of this area balances masculine and feminine principles. The basic out-line shape is square (masculine), but the latticed fencing around the Sanctuary has been softened by voluptuous, sweet smelling and sensuous plants such as honeysuckle, jasmine, passion flower and fragrant white roses. Within the garden two oval lawn areas represent the egg shape (fertility) found in the centre of the Vesica symbol. The oval pool is a re-ceptacle, or chalice, into which flow three natural surface springs, and in the rear wall are two arched niches, one contain-ing a copy of Eric Gill’s Mother and Child statue, the other with spiral ammonites representing the earth.

The flowforms in the garden are an-other potent symbol of the feminine. Al-though their designer did not intention-ally model them on the female anatomy, one only has to look at them closely to see how much they resemble the female sexual organs, especially with the blood red waters emerging from them into

the Vesica pool below! The mushroom onto which the waters flow also has a resemblance to the male organ, though again this was not done intentionally. In Hindu mythology the symbols of the ‘lingam’ (male member) and the ‘yoni’ (female organ) are commonly found in temples and represent the union of the male and female elements of the divin-ity. In the Vesica pool the masculine and feminine elements are blended to-gether with the inner circle of the pool representing the creation matrix/divine womb. From the Vesica pool, the curva-ceous new rill represents the birth canal that the waters flow down before emerg-ing into a final egg shaped pool. Here they leave their source and are born into the outer world, flowing on to new envi-ronments.

Some people believe that there once was a temple dedicated to the Goddess situated somewhere within this valley betwixt the Tor and Chalice Hill. It is not possible to physically prove this, but we can certainly say that the sacred space we are now creating within the gardens of Chalice Well honours ALL aspects of the divinity, as we seek to re-affirm the femi-nine, and embrace it within a contempo-rary spirituality.

–Ark Redwood & Michael Orchard

Since our feature on the sale of the White Spring in the last edition of The Chalice, many Companions have contacted the Trust expressing a keen interest in the fate of the old building and the water that flows through it. We can now report that the building has been purchased by two English Companions who have had a love of Glastonbury and its two famous springs for many years. In a recent meeting with one of the new own-ers (who wish to remain anonymous for the time being,) a keen interest was expressed in working with the Chalice Well Trust to create a greater unity between the two springs. Their purchase was spontaneous and in-tuitive, and came from a deep wish

to preserve the spring as a special and sacred place.

The new owners have decided not to rush and re-open the spring immediately because they would like time to meet with local people and gain a sense of the qualities of the place before going ahead with any new projects. They think that any sort of business that does operate from the premises needs to be in keeping with the character of the place and any profit from the business should be ploughed back into the care and the maintenance. We have invited the new owners to write an article for the May issue of The Chalice, and we look forward to hearing of their future plans as they evolve.

White Spring News

The Lingam and the Yoni

The waterfall sparkles in the sunlight

Michael Orchard

Michael Orchard

9

10

The Origin of the Waters Under the Tor

White Spring water contains calcium, fluctuates according to rainfall and emerges from the ground under little or no pressure. Red Spring water is rich in iron, constant and makes its way upward with such force that its head is elevated over three metres. Although rising close together high above the surrounding water table, the two springs possess an entirely different nature and this makes accounting for their origin a challenge.

An artesian origin can account for the different qualities of the springs and for their high position below a small rainfall catchment area, but the underlying strata do not support such an origin. The strata between the Tor and surrounding high ground such as the Mendips cannot carry water from one place to the other. The area is underlain by heavy clay – known as Keuper Marl – which is a very poor carrier of water and effectively seals off water rising from below.

If the water from the two springs is of a local and not a deep, distant origin, then the challenge is to explain why the Red Spring rises under pressure, why it is so constant and how its mineral content differs from that of the White Spring when the rainfall catchment area for both springs – Glastonbury Tor – is so small and there is no iron in the area.

A long time ago, what was to become this part of the world was an ocean floor receiving vast amounts of sediment. Over millions of years, thick and contrasting layers of sediment accumulated. On the bottom were the Lias beds laid down in the Jurassic age (208-146 million years ago). These included the Keuper Marl and the local limestone known as Blue Lias. Above these beds was deposited a layer of softer yellow stone, known as Midford Sandstone. It is this sandstone that forms the Tor. Above that were yet more layers and at least one of them contained huge quantities of iron.

As land masses shifted over the next hundred million years, all these layers lifted upwards to form a plateau. Heavy tropical rains falling on this plateau drained into the soft underlying stone and water flowing downwards from the surface of the plateau carried the minerals from the upper layers into the lower. Over many millions of years the iron in the upper layers leached into the water to be deposited in the layers of sand and shale below. As the iron rich water passed into the Midford layers it hardened the sand-

stone and sometimes caused even harder nodules to form. These nodules, or Tor Burrs, range in size from less than a centi-metre to the metre long ‘eggstone’ behind the Abbot’s kitchen in the Abbey grounds.

Over time, erosion removed all the top layers and began on the lower Mid-ford Sandstone. Where the iron rich water from the earlier epochs had infiltrated and hardened the sandstone however it resisted erosion, and so began to appear the familiar landscape of the present day.

Glastonbury Tor emerged as the iron-im-pregnated and hardened sandstone that forms its core resisted erosion while the softer stone around it wore away. Within the Tor however remains an aquifer, a wa-ter bearing system created in earlier times when large amounts of water filtered through from above. The bottom part of this aquifer, in the heavier and impervi-ous shales and limestones, is heavily satu-rated with iron. Rain falling on the Tor is sufficient to keep the aquifer saturated, and because of its size and the impervi-ous clay layers below, the aquifer does not dry up.

When it rains on the Tor some water is discharged by surface springs, but much of the water finds its way into the aquifer. The top layers of the aquifer fill up and discharge their water – within a week or so – into the White Spring. During dryer times the water is discharged at a much slower rate of flow. The water picks up the calcium present in the limestone layers

and deposits these at the White Spring. The water that lies in the lower layers of the aquifer however, has a quite different character. It passes through the denser sediment of the lower layers and the cal-cium is filtered out. It picks up the iron of the lower layers and then emerges under the fairly constant artesian pressure, tem-perature and volume of the Chalice Well.

The Red Spring, although fed by the same aquifer, does not fluctuate like the White Spring as its rate of flow is deter-mined by the relatively stable volume of water in the aquifer as a whole. As the aquifer reaches maximum saturation in the winter months the volume of water does increase slightly however, and in the summer months it decreases. The maxi-mum flow of the Chalice Well in winter is around 25,000 gallons per day, while in summer it falls to around 19,000 gpd. This is consistent with local rainfall pat-terns. The temperature of the water (11 degrees C.,) is also consistent with the springs of the area and makes a juvenile origin unlikely as water coming from closer to the earth’s core invariably means an increase in its temperature.

Taking the average rainfall for Glas-tonbury to be twenty-six inches per year and assuming the catchment area of the White Spring to be the Tor, or about one sixth of a square mile, then following the standard equation that allows for one half loss by evaporation and run off, the maxi-mum volume of water to be expected emerging from the area covered by the Tor is in the region of 125,000 gpd. This amount agrees with the average annual volume of the Chalice Well, 20,000 gpd, plus the average annual volume of the White Spring, 10,000 gpd, plus the other springs in the area, 90-100,000 gpd. The catchment area formed by the Tor above the Red and White Springs is sufficient to supply their waters.

This evidence accounts for the ori-gin, character, the mineral nature and the mineral differences between the two springs. The waters of the springs are, in effect, ‘home brewed.’ They do not origi-nate from far away. The waters originate from an aquifer created in highly unusual circumstances below the Tor, and in fact, underground waters created the Tor and give it the shape it has today.

–Nicholas R Mann

• Energy Secrets of Glastonbury Tor is on sale at the Chalice Well Shop, and online at www.chalicewellshop.com

Nicholas Mann’s latest book, Energy Secrets of Glastonbury Tor, was published last year. In this extract, he explores the geology of the Tor, and its relationship with the Red and White Springs.

11

Water BirthI have always been fascinated by water. The house I grew up in stood in front of a wide stream that flowed right through our back garden. No matter what else was going on in the usual up and downs of daily life, the stream’s soothing, constant presence was a healing force for us all.

Throughout my life, water has re-mained a source of refreshment, restora-tion and renewal. It seemed natural then, because of my affinity with water, that I felt drawn to use a birthing pool when I had my children. I am passionate about the benefits of water during pregnancy, labour and birth, and so I have three pools available for local women to hire.

According to Michel Odent (1984), “Water can be as comforting as a lover, a mother or a midwife,” and it is not hard to imagine how immersing your heavily pregnant body into a deep, warm pool of water is relaxing. “For us,” Michel writes, “it is a naturally supportive ele-ment that allows us to experience a sense of weightlessness.” Immersion in warm water, in semi-darkness, may be a way to increase hormone secretion (especially of oxytocin, the love hormone that we need

to give birth), to reach alpha brainwave rhythms, reduce inhibitions and ease body tension.

Many women report feeling a huge sense of relief when they step into a birthing pool. “Suddenly,” wrote one woman, “I was in my own womb-like space, freed from the effort of support-ing my body. The water embraced me, gave me a sense of privacy and protected me from what was going on around.” Stress levels are reduced and it is easier to let go and surrender to the birth proc-ess when in water. There is no doubt that “the unmistakable sense of tranquility and wholeness that many people experi-ence when immersed in or simply near to water, can be of immense value to a woman in labour. The profound con-nection of life with water has been un-derstood by numerous ancient cultures throughout human history.” J. Balaskas, (2004) The Water Birth Book

In the 21st century, it seems to me that the increasing use of birthing pools by women is another aspect of our heart-felt resonance with the watery element. As birth becomes more medicalised and as

women struggle to give birth in a some-times alien environment, birthing pools are needed more than ever.

–Sarah Waterstone, Chalice Well weekend housekeeper

• To hire a pool contact Sarah on 01458 833654.

Angels Calling at The Chalice Well 2005

June 12th- Angel MessagesInspiring workshop to

learn to receive clear Angel guidance

Dec. 9th/11th- Angel RetreatTime and space for the real

You

for more details about these events,

our Angel Healing Practitioner Training or individual readings and

healing consultations call

0845 4569044www.angelscalling.com

The Sound of SpringFri evening – Sun afternoon 6-8 May 2005

Chalice Well, Glastonbury

A workshop with Steve GardinerCelebrate the joyfully transforming energy of Sound, Silence and Nature

Cost: £90 including veggie lunches For further details please phone Steve on 01736 810183

email: grumbla@btopenworld.com

Sarah at Chalice Well’s new poolMichael Orchard

Mystery of The MagdaleneRetreat for Women

Sunday 17th to Saturday 23rd July 2005At The Chalice Well

Glastonbury, UK

£295.00 all inclusive

For more information contactNatasha Wardle

Tel: (+44) 01458 830549Natasha@heartwoodhouse.co.uk

Μ

α

γ

δ

α

λ

η

ν

η “Mary Magdalene, the Lost Bride”by Cheryl Yambrach Rose

“Mary Magdalene, the Lost Bride”by Cheryl Yambrach Rose

12

Bride’s Mound RevisitedPeople coming to Glastonbury to see the famous landmarks may be excused for thinking that the Abbey, Chalice Well and the Tor are all there is as the Tourist Office says little to noth-ing about the smaller sacred spots. However the area should be viewed as a whole as the many minor sites are important for the understanding of the place.

One such site is Bride’s Mound, officially known as Beck-ery Island, the highest point on a low ridge running behind the Moorlands area (currently involved in various develop-ment schemes) down to the banks of the River Brue. There is evidence of an ancient walkway here, a special feature of the Somerset Levels.

In the past, Bride’s Mound was one of two ‘gateways’ onto the island, as it lay near the causeway between what is now Street and Glastonbury. Excavation of the site showed that a small chapel stood on what is believed to have been an earlier non-Christian shrine. The chapel was first dedicated to Mary Magdalene and then to the Irish Saint Brigid when it probably became a convent. There is well a documented connection be-

tween people living in this site and people in Ireland, and many stories can be found about St Brigid. She left her bell and other items, and tradition also tells of a healing well on the mound and a perpetual fire like the one burning in Kildare. Tradition also says that King Arthur received a powerful vision at Beckery that led to his victories.

The chapel has now vanished from the surface and the place has been neglected for many years. The mound itself is difficult to find, and is not publicly accessible. However, locals continue to go there and enjoy the fire energies of the place.

Ten years ago a local group was formed to protect the mound as it was felt that plans for the area did not have a true understanding of the sacred or the historical significance of Beckery. ‘Friends of Bride’s Mound’ has successfully prevented every attempt to build on the field that contains the mound. They have ensured some level of protection, and are working on having the area declared a nature reserve as the habitat of a rather rare water-beetle. They have also funded a non-intrusive archaeological survey.

The aim of ‘Friends of Bride’s Mound’ is to own and gently take care of the mound and surrounding area. They plan to cover it in flowering herbs instead of nettles and bramble, to re-install the well and the perpetual fire, and to open it up to people of all denominations (faiths) to enjoy for leisure or to use for ceremony. Presently, the ‘Friends of Bride’s Mound’ are working on a management plan and are raising money to be ready to buy the site should it come available.

This past summer, the ‘Friends of Bride’s Mound’ in co-opera-tion with Kathy Jones of the Goddess festival, had the great pleasure of hosting a visit to Bride’s Mound by two nuns of the Brigandine Order of Kildare, Sister Mary and Sister Rhita. The sisters brought with them the Sacred Perpetual Flame of St Brigid, relit in the last century and tended by them in their small refuge at Kildare. The strength and gentleness of the Sisters and the presence of the Flame provided a moving experience for everyone involved. The event is a symbol that the Spiritual Flame of Bride’s Mound is now again alive and burning its way into people’s hearts.

–Lone Bang, Chalice Well Gatehouse Volunteer

The entrance to Chalice Well circa 1880. The building was known as Tor House and the front garden is now the car park. A few years later a Roman Catholic order purchased Chalice Well and constructed a large L-shaped building which joined on to Tor House. Both buildings were demolished in the early 1970s. Little St. Michael’s can just be seen behind the apple tree, on the left of the picture.