THE THREE RAYS ESSENCE

Three Rays Essence - YEW & PETRIFIED WOOD

The Three Ray Essences is about the alchemy of healing, unity within the physical body, the mental body and the spiritual body. It is the Sacred Trinity, which enfolds all Life. From a vision given at the Chalice Well in 2002, the guidance for this union was gifted. Three hooded figures arose from the Well head, one holding the cross, for the devotional Ray, the other holding the pentagram, for the Earth healing ray, and in the centre, this figure held the Caduceus, the alchemical, hermetic ray.  This powerful vision holds the key of knowledge and wisdom on many levels. It is the embodiment of all energies that flow and within the sacred Avalon,

This essence was created over Sawhein, 2004, at the ancient Compton Dundon Yew, which sits next to St. Matthews’s church. This Yew was growing long before the church was built. Its girth and hollow centre can fit a small adult. This hollow centre is a secret, intensely beautiful space where faerie abide, and the essence, (chalice well water and the crystal-petrified wood was laid over the whole of Sawhein. The star alignment was also magical, with the configuration of a pentagram, which stayed in the skies over this period.
Yew is the tree of death and rebirth and coupled with petrified wood, (from canyon DeChelly in New Mexico) creates an essence that is excellent for deep healing. It assists in  healing skeletal problems , rejuvenates the nervous system and helps resolve deep emotional blockages, through dream recall.

Making the YEW Essence.
( Sawhein: 2004)

The approach of Sawhein always brings intense activity at all levels of life. Energetically it is the clearing time, chaos, upheaval and most certainly a big cleansing. It is Hagalla, the symbology of this rune, meaning |”forces outside our control” creating change.

The yew is the tree of death and rebirth. It grows forever! There are ancient Yew woods in this country, Sussex having the most famous, that almost pre-dates recorded methods. New shoots of the tree embed into the ground and grow around the original trunk. Its girth then spreads outwards, and the inner centre fades away. This leaves the ancient Yew with a hollow middle: a secret, intensely beautiful space where faeirie abide. You can feel the magic coming from this inner home of spirit. The age of the tree can be gauged by the size of this inner sanctum, and the sprawling girth reaching ever outwards. With a tree so ancient, there also comes legend and myth. The Cornish legend of Tristan and Iseult, whose love for each other, became immortal through the Yew tree. The lovers died in each other’s arms, and when buried, two Yews grew over their graves. The king had these yews cut down, for they reminded him of the fateful love match, which broke his heart. Yet, three times the Yews grew, and the King granted the symbol of the two lovers to remain. These two Yews grew to entwine their branches around each other, forever in a loving bond; Iseult and Tristan for forever remain together.

The Irish legend tells of two Yews springing into growth. The graves of Deirdre and Naoise were staked by king Conchobar, with Yew, to separate them in death, yet the stakes took root to become growing Yews and their branches intertwined to join these lovers, even in death.

The Yew represents by its very nature, the tree of immortality, showing the eternal constant of transformation and renewal. To have two Yews entwining over lovers’ graves shows us, to those who are searching, that the force of creation is bound by love: that the eternal energy of creation can only be maintained through the energy of love. It is incredibly beautiful symbology that speaks of perfection and the sacred union between man and woman, tree and humankind and of all living things.

Yews were used by the Celts for divination. They would carve the Ogham script onto Yew sticks, for it is the most durable of woods. The Ogham was seen as an ancient tool for knowledge to be disseminated and the Yew, the perfect wood to use, as it symbolized immortality. Yew was used for dowsing, and to the Druids, sprigs gave them the power of invisibility and protection. The Druids thought the Yew could transcend time and the church took this aspect, both as a doorway through to the eternal and as a symbol of fear and death. The superstition surrounding Yew, established by the church, was for its own purposes. They capitalized on its use by druid and witch alike, as evidence of evil, magic wands and amulets etc.
Yet, many churches were built very near to existing Yews. The Christians most certainly recognised the power inherent within the Yew, and also the energy lines where Yews grew were “poached” to energize the church buildings. Whether this was an attempt to bring a joining together of the two cultures, under a stone roof, or mere greed, it is debatable. For, in some instances, at very old churches, there is plain evidence that the former is true. These churches were Celtic or Druid churches: symbols honouring the dragon and earth spirits can be plainly seen. One such place is the church at Elkstone, in Gloucestershire. You will experience the strange phenomena of walking into a “time warp” an altered reality. This is very magical place to visit and highly recommended.

The Compton Dundon Yew.

©2005 by Cerridwen/RQ

The magnificent, majestic Yew at St. Matthews Church in Compton Dundon, was seeded and growing well before the church was even thought about. Its huge hollow interior can nearly accommodate an adult, most certainly a child. Its girth spreading ever outwards, echoes to a time before Christianity. It is as sacred as the ancient Oaks, Gog and Magog. I have only just recently been granted permission to enter the Church. This came after many visits to the Yew, and I never felt the urge to enter the church. I wanted to know this Yew as an old scholar who was teaching this young student. It felt inappropriate to visit the church that was built over the Yew’s sprawling roots, while it offered up both teaching and healing. The healing energy of this ancient is both empowering and overpowering, depending on the approach! I recall one visit, on a beautiful summers day, and I entered the churchyard from a different entrance than usual. Slowly walking up the steep incline towards the Yew, I was abruptly halted. I felt this huge energy, the periphery of its field, some 15/20 feet away. I was both excited and shocked, because the intensity of it. I was feeling my feet physically being elevated from the ground, and all energy bodies following suit. It felt that finally, the Yew had come to greet me, I was ready and had been permission to be shown the extent this beautiful tree can heal. Maybe I had opened up enough to reach out to the Yew. Whatever, the reason, it doesn’t matter much: all just words, really and what follows is a very secondary attempt to describe the healing.

I sat with the Yew, and created an empty space in my mind. Then, in a flash, I saw white and blue and magenta light streaking around the outside of the tree. A swirling mass of colour encircled the tree oscillating upwards. Then, as suddenly, it streaked towards me, and I felt my cranium expand, I felt it open up completely. This was my crown charkra opening up like a ravine in my head. It was as uncomfortable as it was sudden, but the light from the tree surged down through my charkra. The energy was tremendous and the feelings of serenity, joy and excitement just went right through me. It was as if the Yew spirit had accepted both my energy and my spirit: it was such a sudden experience and so complete, it was an experience of union that gave the gift of insight into the Yew Our condition of humanness makes us live in the world of duality, ego- driven actions we feel compelled to utilize to overcome opposition, gain victory over and so on. The Yew helped me experience union without ego, and the absence of it leaves you feeling whole again. Whatever way we choose to realize that feeling within ourselves, we are shown that the ego acts as a constant barrier, a split that ruptures any chance of union.

From that day, I visited the Yew, but left the Church alone. I never questioned this, it just felt that the church had been erected there to “borrow” the Yew’s energy, yet the men who created this shrine did not honour its powerful force and contribution because their “religion” forbade the real union the Druids knew full well. Tokens may have been brought into the church, in sprigs and sprays of Yew, for burials, for they knew the connection to death and rebirth. Again, it was the display of “ranking over”, the ego displacing real union.
For some years I continued to “ignore” this little, pretty church. But, one day, in the Chalice Well, while I sat quietly, a vision came and as always took me by surprise: when you are thinking something entirely different, images come in to show you what you really need to know.

Three hooded figures rose slowly out of the well itself. So tall and majestic, the thinking part of my mind said they were archetypes, great souls of Glastonbury. Their large hoods masked their features completely, for the intention was to focus on what they were all holding.
The figure to my left held the cross, in gold, an equidistant cross. The figure to my right held the Pagan pentagram within the circle. This was  in silver.
The central figure held before him, the Caduceus.
All of them slowly and in unison came towards me the symbols they held in sharp focus. Then as soon as they appeared, they retreated and vanished.

The meaning of this vision, or the teaching, my opinion, supposition, any or all of the aforementioned words, ( and I may be way off beam here) led me to believe that these figures are the ancient archetypes of Glastonbury. They are the quintessential energy that intertwines this complex little town, so full of “searchers”, “teachers”, “gurus with the instant enlightenment package”. They have been permanent residents in an ever-shifting population. They were there when the sacred land formed and the pilgrims first arrived. The Druids and pagan people are the first nation of this land. The Romans invaded and brought Christianity, the legends tell of Joseph of Aramathea and even Jesus visited Avalon. The Romans called Glastonbury, Inis witrin, “Isle of Glass” which suggests a land imbued with crystals. All are interwined and part of Avalon.
The Three Rays embody the meaning of the vision and the figures as they were shown to me. The Green Ray of the Earth (body) spirit ways, shown by the pentagram gives power to the pagan spiritual path: the Purple Ray is of the Christos, the consciousness of the higher realms (mind), shown by the equi-distant cross gives power to the manifestation of love and compassion in our lives. The purple Ray is the hermetic Ray of healing, of Alchemy, bringing both the green and blue ray to its centre, seen as the Caduceus. All three are intertwined, yet separate, and the wisdom in knowing and honouring the sacred diversity is the key held within the Caduceus.
There is endemic polarization in Glastonbury between the two Spirit ways, paganism and Christianity. Yet Glastonbury is a melting pot of different faith ways, all coming to join in.  The melting pot can be mis-used and can become a “spiritual supermarket” with market forces holding sway in the minds of “searchers” and students, who are maintaining in their consciousness the disposable ethic of pure materialism. “Here today, gone tomorrow” is a phrase often heard in this intense and polarized town. It is not, in my opinion, the “spiritual university” of Great Britain, because there is little respect for what is actually there, and the deep tradition does require all the elements of Love to survive and grow: Respect, Care, Trust and Intimacy. With almost everyone dipping into this faith way and that faith way, the core is left, neglected.
So, when the three hooded figures came slowly towards me, at the Chalice
Well, I felt so strongly, their Respect for each other, their care for the divinity of the symbol in their charge, the trust of the sacred diversity and the intimacy of each others and Creators’ love.
What I felt even more was total equality and sharing, which can only flourish when respect, care, trust and intimacy are truly honoured and lived.

I decided to take a small pilgrimage, with Pipe, to the Torr, Wearyallhill and the Holy thorn and to the Yew at Compton Dundon.
I arrived on the Torr, alone, a great west wind blew up and I was forced to my knees, in supplication and total humility. It was here I realized I needed the permission of the Faeiry  King and Queen if anything was to work at all. It was a salutary lesson and one I will hold in respect for the primal energy of ancient Avalon. It was so hard to fulfil the ceremony, but eventually I gained a calming and acceptance. All ended well and I proceeded to the Holy thorn. Again, I was alone and in sight of the Torr, close to the Thorn, I called for the Christ energy and Awen to come. I received a beautiful joining here and honouring with pipe, I received the confirmation that I was on the right path. I also knew it was time to enter the little church at Compton Dundon. I travelled there and after sitting with the Yew for a while, I entered the church. It is so small and yet extraordinarily powerful., I found a wealth of love rising in me, and a presence that brought me right up to the alter. It had been so long since I had gone into any church, and not knowing the right protocol, I laid rosemary down in an offering to the four corners and held the Heron wing I always work with, aloft. What followed was so similar to the Yew’s power: I felt my feet rising and the Heron wing was being pulled upwards until I could barely hold onto it. The energy was so strong and I just cried at the beauty of it. No words were spoken, just this intense presence of total love and compassion. The union was made and I thanked Christ energy, and left.

  
The Three Rays essences hold this energy within each one, the Ash, the Oak and the Yew embody the Earth spirit way. The crystals, Elestial, Aqua Aura and Petrified wood hold the energy of the higher vibration, or deep cellular memory.
Brought together to create these essences, they infuse with alchemy under the stars, moon and sun. This is the magic of the Caduceus.
The Three Rays Essence is a manifestation of the vision. The work of healing to be undertaken with them is twofold.

  1. Brought together to form a Quintessence, The Three Rays are destined to heal the waters of this land, as was shown at the Chalice: wherever pure and sacred water is caste, so the waters will heal.
  2. When used in their own energy, each one is a powerful healing for the body, mind and spirit.
  3. NB. The Quintessence can be used to infuse the air, as a spray, and it can be given to the Earth in healing. It must, however, never be used for human healing, as its potency is far too strong.

 

 

MAKING THE ESSENCE AT THE DUNDON COMPTON YEW

The approach of Sawhein, and the full moon brought an intensity of energy as we prepared for the Celtic New Year. It is always a time of drawing energy earthwards: a time when the veil is at it’s thinnest and the nightriders prepare. Spirit and the Earth join each one in anticipation. I have always felt a tightening of the earth energies, and a stillness, the trees and birds, insects and plants pause holding their energy and we would do well to join in as natural forces dance to this rhythm. Although unseen to the naked eye, this force shapes our future.
 
The Yew is the tree of death and rebirth, so it was the perfect choice to bring him in to make the Three Rays Essence at this time of year. The crystal, petrified wood, brought from Canyon  Dechelly in Arizona, balanced the working with Yew to access ancient cellular memory of the Earth, herself. Petrified Wood assists in accessing ancient memory, past lives and dream recall. Together, they would amplify the workings above, of the Full moon and the elemental energy of Sawhein itself. A very interesting time indeed!
What I didn’t realize until afterwards was the positions in the heavens of a planetary configuration in the shape of a pentagram, held in the sky during the whole of Sawhein. This was exceptional and made the essence transcend into a very powerful combination of all elements.

I took the Petrified wood crystal with Chalice well water to the Yew  on a dark and challenging day, a Wednesday before Sahwein full moon. All the elements were gearing up for a heavy weather beating. So it is at Sawhein, a time of brushing out the old, and it was this energy I felt so strongly that afternoon. The Yew was, with its laden, heavy branches stretching out for to the church and the gravestones, was swaying in the heavy gusts of wind. Many small leaves and twigs were lying on the floor, which pleased me, as I always place a part of the tree in the water. A small twig fell down at my feet, and I knew this one was for “the pot”. The Petrified Wood nestled in a large glass jar, and the Yew twig sat in a pure glass bowl. Both were placed inside the hollow trunk. I always asked permission of the Faeiry realm, and I sat for while to feel all the energy coming in.
Both glass and jug were nestled in there safe and hidden so I left and allowed the following days to Sawhein itself to work the alchemy into the essence. Well, what followed was two days of storm and tempest, flooding, lashing rain and storm force winds.
 Calm entered the third day, a gentle energy displacing the fury and sun bathed the battered trees and wildlife. This, then was the true start of the New Year, the elements spoke eloquently. The Gregorian Calender shifted the consciousness of man to a false beginning on the Sunday. The show had already finished. I went to collect the Essence before Sawhein, as I felt the cycle had already been completed. They were still there, safe and full of brown sediment. Pouring the essence through muslin into clean bottles filtered this out. I half filled the bottles, and set the essence with gin. I always tap the bottles nine times and gyrate nine times to mix the solution well. All that was left to do was label and shelf them for twenty-four hours.

 



Three Rays Essences

 

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