BEST OF BRITAIN

Glastonbury Tor

C A Seeker’s Guide to Glastonbury

Welcome to my seekers’ guide to (paraphrased): Every sacred site we visit tate on what you feel and what emerges Glastonbury and its sacred sites, for those awakens a spark in us and takes us forward within you. Churches are often built on seeking to make the most of the magic you on our journey of self-evolution. As each of sacred sites, which in turn were often built might encounter but with both feet on the us is on our own unique life pilgrimage, we on the earth’s energy, or ley, lines. Ley lines ground. Glastonbury is famous as the site will each experience it in our own way, crisscross the globe, connecting ancient of the annual music festival, but is also an which inspired me to put together my own monuments and are believed to contain ancient English town, steeped in myth and seekers’ guide to Glastonbury. magnetic energy. history and linked to the founding of Glastonbury Tor is a magical spot. To People have been making pilgrimages to Christianity as well as the legend of King connect and feel the energy of the land, I sacred sites for thousands of years, using Arthur. chose to walk up to the top of the Tor bare - them for their intentions, prayers and cere - . Everything is frequency. Sacred foot. Being so steep, every step was a re - monies. Put all this together and you end 2 sites hold a specific frequency minder of how unfit I was feeling – I ended up with a magical energy for us all to tap stronger than most and we all hold up feeling more out of breath than enlight - into. Sit in the glow of those energies and our own frequency. Simply said, ened. To keep myself going I imagined all let them share some of that subtle-to- some will resonate with you and the pilgrims that had walked the path be - strong magic with you. some will not. Don’t take it fore me, all the ceremonies and processions Glastonbury can be many things: personally. that the hill must have seen over the ages. I quirky, magical, spiritual and, at times, hoped that by the time I got to the top, the over the top. It is a reflection of our inner . Do give yourself the time and veils would lift and Avalon would appear selves, whatever we want it to be, so be 2 space to sit and see if you connect before me. Needless to say, that didn’t hap - prepared for fairies and men with arrows to the place. pen. Instead I went and found a quiet spot and crossbows walking along the high to sit on the hill and feel all that I couldn’t street. It can have moments of feeling like In the wise words of Manon Tromp: “Let see, to connect to the energy of the site. It it is spirituality gone mainstream, but it is go of expectations, go with the flow and was pretty magical. still enchanting. e people I met there are take your time to let Avalon do what it If you find yourself at a sacred site, do all doing whatever they want, being who - needs to do”. I also agree with Freddy find a quiet place away from everyone else, ever they want and living life as they want Silva’s views on why we visit sacred sites a place to connect, to go within and medi - – blissfully content. In this crazy world,

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Glastonbury Abbey “Glastonbury can be many things: quirky, magical, spiritual and at times over the top. ”

Sacred White Spring

Chalice Well Gardens

maybe this is the sanity of it all. ere isn’t Chalice Well is run by the trust, Joseph of Arimathea drew me in and I am any seeking, but an authentic way of being. www.chalicewell.org.uk. so very glad it did. I have my doubts that And that in itself is kind of magical. Address: 85-89 Chilkwell Street, King Arthur ever existed let alone lay there. Glastonbury Rumour has it that this was most likely the Glastonbury Tor is free to visit but for up- churches medieval money-making market - to-date information visit the National Dive into the sacred ing ploy. So, while I didn’t see a tomb fit Trust’s website www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ White Springs for marketing, I did have the pleasure of glastonbury-tor. visiting one of the oldest medieval kitchens e White Springs sit at the foot of the in Europe and a chance encounter with Getting your toes wet at Tor. It’s managed by volunteers and open ‘Alice’ from the 1500s. Chalice Well in the afternoon. e spring and its pools Alice was busy working and complaining are lit by candlelight. Entry is free and about how a woman’s work is never done. Chalice Well sits at the bottom of the Tor, you can immerse yourself in these waters. across the road from the White Spring. It’s Before beginning her story of the kitchens While I stood in the darkness, I wasn’t and abbey’s history, we sat down and had a a peaceful, well-tended garden with many sure if I wanted to risk slipping across the nice long chat about ages past. I heard that areas to sit, reflect and meditate. e ice cold stones into a pool of water. So I my fellow countryman from the Low cold red spring water at Chalice Well is the drank some instead and wet my feet with Lands (Netherlands) visited the abbey in stuff of legends. One story is that the water it outside and hoped that would suffice. the 1500s. Brought over for their skills in gets its red colour from Joseph of For more information go to the White silk weaving and with the intention to Arimathea who added a few drops of Jesus’ teach those skills to locals, it is believed blood to it. Another is that it is the spring Springs website: www.whitespring.org.u k they spent time living in the kitchen of of eternal youth and has healing properties. the abbey. e fact is the iron oxide gives the water Address: Wellhouse Lane Glastonbury, BA6 8BL I did the day tour with Alice later in the the reddish colour. e well has been in day and learned that the abbey was once use for thousands of years and is a constant the richest in the country. Pilgrims and 11 degrees all year around. ere is a small Time travel to visitors came from far and wide to visit the pool you can walk through or you can Glastonbury Abbey holy site, seeking to clear their sins. Luckily drink from the spot by the lions head. At a cost of £9.50, I had to consider wealthy people had the most sins which Legend says it gives eternal life. I did have whether it would be worth it to see an old they could have absolved for the right a drink so let’s see if that is true. Only time ruin. e curiosity of seeing King Arthur’s amount of money. is is why wealthy will tell. tomb and the supposed original church of landlords left all their holdings to the

www.focus-info.org FOCUS The Magazine 27 BEST OF BRITAIN abbey in the hope of eternal redemption. For those looking for a stronger sacred Now, in a cruel twist of fate, it is the same drink, the George’s Hotel and Pilgrims’ wealth that destroyed them. With the Act Inn is a lovely traditional English pub in a of Suppression, Henry VIII ordered the well preserved medieval building. You can dissolution of the monasteries, the abbot book a room and stay overnight in the inn, of Glastonbury was put on trial and was if you dare, as it’s known to be haunted. eventually executed at the top of the Tor. e abbey was ransacked and left to ruin Where to stay in and its wealth sold. Glastonbury You can enjoy the abbey’s rich history by I had the good fortune to spend three taking one of the guided walking tours that weeks doing a work exchange through is included in the entrance fee. Workaway at the Earth Spirit Centre and For times and latest information go to was incredibly lucky to meet some truly their website: www.glastonburyabbey.com magical people. e centre runs workshops Address: Magdalene Street, Glastonbury, throughout the year, so be sure to check BA6 9EL their calendar to see what’s on. Earth Mama’s House is run by Tromp St. Margaret’s chapel and and she also runs tours to sacred sites in - almshouses cluding Stonehenge and Avebury. is is a quiet secluded garden off the St Margaret’s Almshouse For more information go to street. At the entrance you’ll find a finger www.earthmamatravels.com labyrinth, which is a fun meditation in it - e Holy Torn is where the original staff of e Magic never ends. self. You can pray or meditate in the small Joseph of Arimathea took root and grew. old chapel or garden. e little courtyard e tree is still there but it pains me to almshouses were once hospital rooms built write that vandals have chopped branches in the 11th century. One of them is open from the tree. It isn’t half of what it once For further reading and set up with furniture from the era. You was. e tree, or the remaining stump, is Freddy Silva can see how small yet gracious it was and still there and still holds an incredible en - www.invisibletemple.com and his that residents were well looked after. ergy. I recommend putting your hands on book The Divine Blueprint. While the walls of the courtyard lie in it and feeling it’s warmth. Manon Tromp’s ruin from the onslaught of time, there are It costs nothing to visit, and has great www.manontromp.com. You can lovely details to the garden and it’s clear views over to the Tor and the rest of also find her on the Mystical Earth that the place is maintained with love. Glastonbury. Tours website Address: 46 Magdalene Street, www.mysticalearthtours.com Glastonbury, BA6 9EL More magical spots to visit For information about visiting Glastonbury is full of unusual shops, peo - Avebury stone circle, please Wearyall Hill and the ple and places that you won’t find on your see FOCUS magazine average high street. At magic shops, such as Holy Thorn July/August 2019. the Cat & Cauldron, you can buy a real wand, staff or a host of other magic books Glastonbury Thorn and paraphernalia. Lovers of the esoteric and metaphysical books should visit Library of Avalon. Star Child, an incredi - ble essential oil and herb shop, is in the same arcade. Upstairs you’ll find the Goddess Temple which, in normal times, hosts speakers and events most nights of the week. Anyone for cuppa tea and a scone? e Abbey Tea Rooms has stunning views of the ruins and some of the best tea and scones with clotted cream and jam, as well as other English goodies, which will give Michelle van den Hout, an avid you the energy to climb the Tor or walk traveller, perpetual nomad can be the abbey gardens. found residing in stone circles in England and over on Address: 16 Magdalene Street, www.travelmovelive.com o r Glastonbury @flowgroevolve on Instagram.

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