The waitress was a little ditsy and our crumpets hadn't come for sometime, so I asked again, I think they had forgotten our order. Anyhow, they arrived and we ate them with gusto, then to the PO to send some postcards and suddenly we remembered the damn parking ticket! We had to race back to our car in fear of receiving another parking fine [we keep forgetting about the time thing here]
then on to our destination Avebury. On the way, we saw our first thatched cottage
As we drove into Avebury, I gasped as I got my first glimpse of the stones, standing in fields. I was here! a dream come true. I cannot begin to understand what these great stones were used for nor why they were built or how they were erected.
the stones are brilliant, really. Just in fields and you are allowed to walk around them, there is no charge to see the stones, but there is a charge if you wish to go to the museum or the Manor House, neither of which Joe and I had any interest. We have decided to give the grand homes here a miss. If we want to see a grand home, we will visit one in Australia. same with museums. I would much rather visit one in my home town of Windsor back home, where things have meaning to me.
As I stood near the first stones, crows flew overhead and I was transported back in time. I love it here. But is is only a fleeting visit in time. I feel as if I want to spend more time here, to be able to come back whenever I want. How will it be, not to be able to return? much like visiting Uluru..
I stood next to one of the stones, with my face laid against it and tears welled up. I am finally here. How can I leave this ancient site and never return?
I heard an inner voice say to me:
"that where I live is every bit as ancient and created by Mother Earth herself"
- but to be at Avebury is a dream come true and I feel blessed that when I go home I will be able to sit at my favourite rock place in Katoomba, surrounded by something just as ancient as Avebury. connected to both places.
i didn't want to leave that stone
but I pulled myself away and went towards a grove of beech trees to sit and journal. I felt like a little pixie in the roots of that old tree. I felt very much at home, warm and comforted as the icy wind blew around outside the protective trunks of the trees
after a walk around the village and a cup of tea.. and a browse through the shops [where I bought myself a stone [Menanite] that is supposedly good for menopause and connecting to the Divine.. and a Stoneywylde book, the first one!]...
Joe went back to the car to allow me some time alone with the stones..
I stood by one, once again, laying my face on it and immediately I felt surrounded by a blue and white energetic light.. and I was rooted to the spot, not being able to move, not wanting to. I believe I was captured in an energy field of Avebury.. again the inner voice "go to the rocks in Katoomba, there, we are far more ancient.. go as often as you can, to sit and ponder"
I feel as if little by little, I am laying to rest, the yearning for England that i have held within my soul ever since I can remember and that when I get home, I will finally feel peace and connected to the land of my birth.
and so back to our little home of the moment, in Compton Abdale
there is a fire here in the cottage and it has become Joe's mission in life to keep it alight.. the wood here is not like our wonderful aussie hardwood.. you buy it in bags and it is green and not seasoned.. so we tackle the fire every afternoon... and each night when we go to bed, we are accompanied by rats in the ceiling. we tell ourselves they are squirrels to make it sound more romantic... but such is the life when living in old cottages.. it adds charm and quaintness to our stay.
a year later - 2013
reading this has reminded me just how sacred that land was. It has also reminded me that I must go more often to sit on the rocks here, in Katoomba. Avebury was special, the energy was calming for me, connecting me in a way that I hadn't expected. The stones embraced me, I felt at home. I remember sitting under the trees, writing in my journal, being lost somewhere if a vortex. And the thatched cottage, something that I had been told about so many times by Pa and his sisters when I was little. Oh and that hot chocolate!! - I want to go back.
I understand the feeling of finally "being there". There is a reason you had to go, don't know if it was past life memory or family connections that drew you there. Whatever it is wonderful that you are taking it all in. I love the photos of you.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you resonated so strongly with the stones of Avebury Circle. And it is nice to see the little Henge Shop again! My Rare One bought me a lovely Sheela Na Gig there.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, beautiful photos! ...and I love the one of you journalling under the tree. You certainly were meant to visit here Robyn. xx
ReplyDeleteoh robyn my heart is singing that you had such a wonderful experience at avebuy...and bought the first stonewylde book too ;) we spend a lot of time here and i have dowsed the very stones in your photos...and ohhhh you sat up in the beech grove too :) i am so happy!
ReplyDeleteSuch spiritual strength in those stones
ReplyDelete