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Monday 22 August 2011

Yeah Maaannn! Glastonbury!

This is my favourite place on the planet.  I have loved Glastonbury for over a decade.  I have never been to the Festival though, I think I am too old, unless I was 'Glamping' with my own porta loo!  I first visited Glastonbury on my birthday when Henry was about three, he was very cute back then.  He trudged up the Tor singing 'Happy Birthday' and 'I love my Mom' songs.  It melted my heart.  He still loves the Tor and is always happy there with good energy.  I have visited Glastonbury many times with and without the children.   I have stayed at The Shambhala twice,  for two day breaks and walked up the Tor alone, for Sunrise which was blissful and sunset which was blissful.  The last couple of times I have been to Glastonbury I just couldn't make it up the Tor.  My energy just wasn't there.  Euan was born with a club foot and has had three or four operations, he is fine and surgery has worked really well so far, but I am always conscious of him doing too much and I worry when he says his foot hurts, so we have played at the bottom of the Tor while Henry has made light work of going up and down and up and down!  I have a few problems with general fitness, extra weight doesn't help, my back is dodgey and my knees often ache.  I love this hill.  This time I was determined to make it to the top and so was Euan.
  Euan and Henry carried on without me, I used Lacey to pull me up!  I counted steps, I sat in peculiar places and regained my breath four times!  I cursed a little and met a few of my demons, but somehow I wheezed and puffed my way to the top!  It was like meeting an old friend again.  I must get fitter!  Euan was absolutely fine and very pleased with himself.  It was great to take Lacey to the top too (or rather she took me!)

I love this poem too:  'Jerusalem' by William Blake;

 "The poem was inspired by the apocryphal story that a young Jesus, accompanied by his uncle Joseph of Arimathea, travelled to the area that is now England and visited Glastonbury.[2] The legend is linked to an idea in the Book of Revelation (3:12 and 21:2) describing a Second Coming, wherein Jesus establishes a new Jerusalem. The Christian church in general, and the English Church in particular, used Jerusalem as a metaphor for Heaven, a place of universal love and peace.[3]
In the most common interpretation of the poem, Blake implies that a visit of Jesus would briefly create heaven in England, in contrast to the "dark Satanic Mills" of the Industrial Revolution. Analysts note that Blake asks four questions rather than asserting the historical truth of Christ's visit; According to this view, the poem says that there may, or may not, have been a divine visit, when there was briefly heaven in England. But that was then; now, we are faced with the challenge of creating such a country once again.[4][5]"  (Wikipedia)

And did those feet in ancient time.
Walk upon England's mountains green:
And was the holy Lamb of God,
On Englands pleasant pastures seen!

And did the Countenance Divine,
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here,
Among these dark Satanic Mills?

Bring me my Bow of burning gold;
Bring me my Arrows of desire:
Bring me my Spear: O clouds unfold!
Bring me my Chariot of fire!

I will not cease from Mental Fight,
Nor shall my Sword sleep in my hand:
Till we have built Jerusalem,
In Englands green & pleasant Land



I cant explain what it is about this hill, it has many myths and legends about it.  'The Ancient Isle of Avalon', 'The Home of the Fairy King', 'A place where Dragons Sleep', 'The Heart Chakra of the Planet', 'Part of an Ancient and enormous Astrological Map', 'An Elysium, where the veil is thin between this world and other worlds'.  It really depends on what you read...  To me the energy is tangible.  It is simply a fantastic place.  It draws many 'Pilgrims' from all over the globe.
The humped hill you can see in the centre if this picture is Wearyall Hill  It is suppose to be the place where Joseph of Arimathea stuck his staff in the ground and from it grew 'The Holy Thorn'.  In recent years ( the last couple of years) this alleged 'Holy thorn' tree has been victim to brutal vandalism, chopping and burning which is very sad.  There is an off cut that grows in the grounds of the ruins of 'Glastonbury Abbey' that flowers each 'Christmas'.  Glastonbury Abbey is also said to be the burial place of 'King Arthur and Guinevere'.  Of course Merlin is asleep in a cave within the Tor.  He will return!
I took my own 'Glastonbury Love heart' picture.
This is one of the clearer carvings on the tower, it is 'Saint Brigid' milking her 'Holy Cow'.  Saint Brigid and the pagan Goddess Brigid are often taken as the same person.  Glastonbury Abbey was said to be the site of a major, ancient Druid centre, prior to becoming the site of the The first Christian Church in England.  Whatever your beliefs Glastonbury has been a major spiritual Centre for thousands of years.
At the foot of the Tor are two Holy Springs, This is the White Spring and across the road is 'The Red Spring or The Blood Spring'.  It is believed by many that the water has healing properties.  It sure is refreshing anyway after puffing and panting your way up the hill.  I like to have a slurp from both.  People tie little 'prayer' rags and ribbons around the springs and in the nearby trees.  There were also little 'corn dollies' decorating the spring.  It is said these waters have never run dry and they are always pure.  Euan said it was amazing as it cured his cold, I pointed out it was the first I had heard about him having a cold!  
This is just a random shot of Glastonbury High Street many of the buildings were built using stone from the 'Dissolution of the Monastries' in 1539 when Glastonbury Abbey was destroyed.  The last Abbot, Richard Whiting resisted and was hanged. drawn and quartered as a traitor to the King Henry VIII, on Glastonbury Tor on November the 15th 1539 .  (The dog in the picture is not Lacey it is just a 'Look a likie'.) 
 For those of you that have hung on in there and actually read this rambling post I thank you and I have a little reward.  Look what I spotted in a shop window in the High Street.......
I feel a 'Mini Glasto Granny Square' Project coming on!  Oooh Fringe and all! 

12 comments:

  1. Those pictures are just wonderful! The views and the history are absolutely incredible. What a blessing to live near a place so steeped in history and legend! And what a quaint little street! Very cute :) Thanks for sharing the fun yarny picture too. Let us know if you go for the project!
    ~Lacey

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  2. Oh I loved walking with you up the Tor and learning about it's wonderful historic mysteries. I'm sure you are getting stronger with all the adventures you've been doing of late!
    ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  3. What a wonderful informative post, I'm glad you all had such a super time :-)

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  4. Thanks for that , I read every word, very interesting and well done you for he climb. Having driven past recently I know how blummen steep it is!!

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  5. I have been trying to convince the man to visit Glastonbury with me for years to no avail. He thinks of it as just the festival and doesn't get why I want to go so much. This year he is swaying though and this post has just given him another little push. Next year will be our year I think :)
    xx

    PS - word verification......awsrest, you needed to after that hike!!

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  6. Beautiful photo's and beautiful words :) I was at Glastonbury for the Summer Solstice with my Druid Grove and, yes, it is a very special place indeed.
    Near where I live is a place called Brent Tor, which is another hilltop special area aligned with Glastonbury Tor...it gives out the same energies.
    Did you succumb to the shops?

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  7. lovely, lovely pictures, Lucy.
    Very beautiful... :)

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  8. Playing Jerusalem always makes me feel very patriotic, but I've never really thought about the background, thanks for that.

    I was looking closely at your shot of the High Street to see whether I could see The Crystal Man's shop - did you see it? I knew Mike when we were both in Norfolk (he was briefly in the same shop that I'd previously occupied there and is a lovely man.) I've still not yet visited Glastonbury, but you've made me think about that too!

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  9. Thank you very much for all your comments on this post. :)

    Lacey - I have already started my little project :)

    Teresa, I am glad you enjoyed yourself, :) I am making the most of my holidays with all the adventures before I go back to work.

    A trifle rushed - My healthy eating regime included your delicious salad with Peach today, I will get up that hill again!!

    Louise - I loved your photo of the Tor, would you believe people were jogging up it! Tut tut, nutters!

    Becks - You must go, it is a great place for the family. Keep twisting 'The Man's' arm until he says ouch and gives in!

    Sarah, what an interesting life you lead ;) I will have to check Brent Tor out one day :) I try to avoid the shops these days, I have 'kicked the arse out of them' in the past! Yarn and fibre replaced a crystal, incense sticks and wind chime habit! I have some excellent books from Glastonbury, some real gems and I am partial to Burns the Bakers! If you have walked up the Tor you deserve a cake!

    Thanks Medha - It was quite a wet, grey day and I was taking pictures with lacey pulling one arm and a bag on the other :) x

    Shiela, you would love Glastonbury and the surrounding area with all your walking. I am sure you deserve a break too. Does Mike have long blonde hair? I am not sure if I know his shop or not...I try to avoid the shops. I fall in love with chunks of Amethyst for £300 quid etc!

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  10. Beautifull, Lucy, and the poem is great too. so passionate.
    I hope to come and visit one day this site.
    Lucky you people are to have such leftovers from old culture.

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  11. I never had a chance to go to Glastonbury, but your pictures make me miss living back in England! There is such wonderful history there. :)

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  12. it is a wonderful place.
    once my health has improved i must invite you to visit me when you are Somerset way.

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I appreciate and enjoy reading all of the feedback from your comments. Thank you for taking the time to stop by and sharing your thoughts. Sadly I have found it necessary to enable word verification, something I was trying to avoid...but I am receiving an unmanageable deluge of Spam! We don't want that do we? xxx :)