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January 1st 2022………

Posted in Uncategorized on January 3, 2022| Leave a Comment »

I was asked for my comments, astrologically, on 2022. I decided to take a world view (UK-only view the last paragraph)

Click here for YouTube version: https://youtu.be/N-09aZfcuDw

Ironically because we celebrate the change of the year, worldwide on the 1st January, each New Year has similar patterns. This has been happening since 1582 when the Gregorian calendar was adopted. These fundamental patterns, no matter where you are in the world, the Sun sign is always Capricorn and the Sun’s position is about 10 degrees. The Ascending Sign is always Libra. On a positive note, both of these signs have strong Saturn links, representing order, legality and a need for strong leadership. On the negative side this could become too restrictive, not allowing growth or change, getting extremes in crazy laws and irresponsible leaders.

The energy that does change, year on year, is the Moon sign. The Moon sign in any event chart corresponds to the people – the ‘joe blogs people’, us. The Moon sign on the 2022 New Year is Sagittarius, closely linked with Jupiter. This gives the year a more generous, sharing and expansive flavour than the last two years. In 2020 the Moon was in Aries, which can be very open to new ideas but can also be selfish and self-oriented. The Moon sign in 2021 was Leo, which continues the ‘self’ theme of ‘I am OK’ but does have a warmth that Aries often lacks.

Many people have picked up on the Jupiter connection for 2022, highlighting the openness, artistic and inspirational energies it brings. Opportunities run alongside this, bringing ideas for innovative business start-ups or expansion. However, the flip side is one of continuing confusion and without grounding or boundaries can actually be quite overwhelming and damaging. The power amassed by the political few is unlikely to be let go easily, so we could also experience more scattering and confusing energies as restrictive patterns try to unwind. Jupiter moved into Pisces at the New Year and joins Neptune there, in a direct connection in late March and April, which will bring all this into focus.

So, what is the bottom line in all this?

Starting with Pluto…… what a start point that is!

Pluto was demoted from being an astronomic planet in 2006. Many astrologers saw this as unfortunate, knowing the powerful energy that Pluto reflects. Indeed, Pluto’s entry/ingress into Capricorn at the start of the 2008 coincided with the banking crisis. Basically, things have gone downhill ever since! Ironically there is talk of Pluto being reinstated as a planet!

The reinstatement could not come too soon as Pluto’s energy often highlights areas that are not healthy and that need deep healing and fundamental change. In Capricorn, a sign that is often one of stability, ambition and steady advancement, Pluto upended any system, that was anything but. Societies that are grounded in reality have weathered Pluto well. These have mostly been less patriarchal/ male dominant as women tend to use power in a different way than men. Societies where money and rewards for ‘the boys’, with disregard for families, the poor, sick and disabled are struggling. Societies where there has been care that the whole of group thrives and survives, have been more successful. Covid, has been part of this pattern.  Pluto stays in Capricorn until January 2023, when is starts it slow, erratic departure into Aquarius. I suspect, therefore that many CV based problems, will be with us for at least another year.

Three Pluto cycles back in history was when the Black Death occurred. Two cycles back in 1530 there were a lot of religious changes and one cycle back was the American Revolution.

100 years ago, saw the so-called ‘Spanish ‘flu’ which was an outbreak of H1N1 or swine ‘flu as we know it today. Interestingly swine ‘flu returned in 2008/9 as Pluto moved into Capricorn.

Each of the faster-moving planets reflect how society functions. In New Year 2022 Venus is also in Capricorn, indicating a wary and tentative approach to relationships and a steady but slow progress building creativity. Mars started in Sagittarius (with a nod to Jupiter), bringing openness, adventurous and a willingness to try and learn new skills to broaden knowledge. The downside is that boredom can set in if no progress is obvious…….so movement onto the next topic is quick!  Jupiter in Pisces, we have spoken about and Saturn remains in Aquarius, working as it has done since 2020, towards a fairer and more humanitarian society.

There are four eclipses in 2022, all linked to Taurus or Scorpio

These are:

 30 April, a partial solar eclipse at 10 degrees Taurus, visible in southern parts of south America.

16th May, a total lunar eclipse (moon at 25 degrees Scorpio/Sun at 25 degrees Taurus, visible in the Americas, south and west Europe and Africa

25 Oct, a partial Solar Eclipse at 2 degrees Scorpio, visible in most of Europe, north east Africa and through to India and western China.

8 Nov, a total Lunar eclipse at 15 degrees Scorpio, visible nearly everywhere bar Africa and Europe.

In the New Year chart, these link to finances, values and deep healing.

The Lunar eclipse on the 8th November conjunct (same place) as the planet Uranus. Uranus reflects the energy of the pattern-breaker, the catalyst that creates change. This eclipse could herald a dramatic break from the past for the whole planet. This will also become very personal to anyone with other planetary placements or birthdays around 15 degrees Scorpio/8th November.

Although eclipses move in and 18-year cycle, the last time Uranus and an eclipse that coincided in Taurus was in the 1520/1530s – when Pluto was also in Capricorn! So we have lived through this pattern before.

UK Only Additional Notes:

The UK chart is often taken as 1st January 1801, so fits uncomfortably with the 1st January problems of any year.

2022 – Pluto – creates an ongoing aspect with Saturn in Leo, linked to the superiority stance taken by many in the UK tied in with karmic issues and habits. It covers too, the various laws being brought in to stop any show of disagreement the populace has with the government. Layers of control, one after another trying to ensure those in power stay there.

Uranus – has been sitting on the Mars in the UK birth chart since April 2021 and does not leave until April 2022, bringing to the fore the negative energies (because to date (3/1/2022) the UK has stubbornly refused to change). Hence the toddler-like behaviour from those who represent the UK. The eclipse in November is close enough to this natal Mars to suggest a very difficult time. It is also very close to Prince Charles birthday.

Saturn – reaches the UK Venus placement in Mid February, 2022 – hopefully giving stability to the need to be free of traditions that no longer serve.

Jupiter passes Natal Pluto in the second week of January giving a much needed push to idealism and the need for change but does not fully establish that drive until March 2023.

Winston Churchill is renown for saying” Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” So it is with those in charge of Westminster, repeating patterns of the 1520-30s that led to the Reformation and the split from Rome  – in the drive for Brexit.

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Adventures with Preseli Bluestone

Posted in Preseli Bluestone, Spiritual Growth, Uncategorized, Visualisation, tagged , , , on May 18, 2018| Leave a Comment »

Someone on a Facebook group page asked today for ‘stories’ about working with Preseli Bluestone………. so here goes…….

My first experience “travelling” with Preseli was in 2004. We had been asked to investigate its healing properties by Liz and Colin. we were getting ready to ‘try it out’ on some students, so I thought I had better first, see for myself.

“Late in evening I laid down and instinctively put a small piece of Preseli on my upper forehead, at the little Soma chakra.
I just relaxed. Nothing happened for a while and then I found myself on a hillside, at night looking downhill towards a small village. I was dressed in a long, grey cloak and held a small coronet in my right hand.
As I looked down on the village, I thought ‘why am I here?’. There was great reluctance to put the coronet on, though I knew it belonged to me. I asked what healing was needed. I was drawn to absorb my ‘today self’ with the me I was aware of from the vision. I also had a good look around me, especially at the landscape.”

Nevern

The next year, we went to visit the Mynydd Preseli. We stayed in Felindre, just on the edge of the hills themselves. We dutifully climbed up towards Carn Menyn and collected water from a stream running off the hills to make essences. We also did other ‘touristy stuff’ – we climbed up to Foel Drygarn, visited Pentre Ifan and the Little Folk in the woods nearby. We ate lunch in Newport (Trefdraeth ), near the beach and visited the bleeding yews of St Nevern’s Church. We also went onto the headland beyond Nevern…….. Ah…..the land of my vision with Preseli bluestone…….. I knew this place and it knew me!

 

Another experience with travelling with Preseli happened several years later when an old back injury returned. This was probably brought on by a mixture of loss of hormones that keep tendons and muscles flexible (menopause) and lifting lots of cut wood for the fire. My back muscles went into spasm and again, a vertebrae went out of alignment. (This had also happened when I was seventeen following a session on a trampoline.)

The trouble is, 50 or so years on, the body is less forgiving. It took a couple of weeks of various sorts of painkillers, one month of four-times weekly osteopathy then a further two months of twice-weekly osteopathy to get me back on my feet.
Being so immobile and in pain gives you a lot of time to think. One thought was, ‘I wonder if this is an old injury?’ So I decided to use Preseli to find out.
Getting comfortable and then placing a small piece of Preseli on the Soma chakra, I started my journey.

Working with Preseli in this way is pretty consistent. Nothing happens for a while and then suddenly, like a quick film or tv replay, the memory comes.

“There I was, an old man, a former warrior, left in a village to protect the women and children whilst the men went off to fight. The enemy came. They rushed in and I picked up my shield to protect two small children to my right. The enemy sliced me through, shoulder to groin on my left. Needless to say, I started to die, but the children were safe. Then I realised the child nearest to me was a close relative. The emotions were overwhelming. Then I remembered that feeling. Nine years ago, I stayed at my daughter’s over the time she gave birth to her second son. Whilst driving home I started to cry. I had left him again. There was a deep bond there, but not one, this lifetime, of parent, but nevertheless I recognised it as very old. Whilst some consciousness was still in my vision if the old man, I talked to him and told him all was well. The child is well and living again within the family. It all got very peaceful and I found myself quickly back in the Now.

I am still very protective of those I consider I have been given care of, whether it is people, animals, the Land. I know I have paid the price for that in the past and that continues to this day. It is part of who or what I am. Part of who or what I am, is still the reluctance to ‘wear the coronet’. I still prefer to work behind the scenes, creating stability, good lines of communication, though I can be ‘at the front’ if needed………… So I guess the gestalt from Nevern is still working its way through.

PresliFlatsBig

The book ‘Preseli Bluestone’ Healing Stone of the Ancestors’ by Simon & Sue Lilly is available.

Published by Tree Seer ISBN 978 1905454082, £9.95 + P&P

Click Here

 

 

 

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Yet another dragon……….

Posted in Dragons, Earth Healing, Spiritual Growth, Uncategorized, Women, tagged , , , , on December 13, 2017| Leave a Comment »

It has been a long while since I blogged as a lot has gone on, with deep shifts of energy and identification of patterns that have taken a while to surface and understand.

I have never been an ‘Earth Mother’ type as I am blessed with an independent, rebellious streak. Nevertheless, from time to time I have taken younger women under my wing to support them through times of transition and transformation, with eventual success.

This was until a year ago.

There came a time, at the point of transformation, the person chose to stay as they were. After they had put so much effort into working on themselves this came as a shock to me and caused me a lot of soul-searching, re-assessment and self-examination.

Had I failed?

Eventually the realisation came that it had been my job to create the opportunity for them to change and whether they did or not was nothing to do with me. I had done my job and kept my side of any karmic bargain.

It was compounded by other issues dear to my heart. The liminal beings of the Land were involved as were the energy flows within the Land.

I was guided by the energies of the Land, to help them make some delicate adjustments to how energy flowed in several places. This I did with a few trusted friends, but I was still emotionally troubled. I always support people in their freedom to make their own choices, but never had I come across someone wanting to stop growing.

Then I realised I had that same choice when I was in my early 30s. Stay where I was, conform, be safe or choose to break out of the apparently cosy place that my life had become. To me that was no choice, being the rebel so I chose to break free. The cost was considerable at the time, but I would do the same again. However, I can really appreciate that this would not be for everyone.

Events last year forced me to step back and let go…and then let go some more.

This I did and got stuck back into my work with the Land. I got to know this area where I now live, quite intimately, in a geographical sense, over a period of three months. Gradually this brought a deeper connection within myself too.

In meditation one evening, a new dragon companion presented itself. it seemed I had passed some sort of test……. but a skeleton dragon! WTF!!!
I had to let go of any preconceived thoughts about how it flies and just chuckle at the absurdity of the whole thing. Terry Pratchett would have had a field-day.

skeldrag

It was also made clear to me as a local cauldron-holder, that I needed to hold energies at every level…….for the Land, its liminal occupants, but also for the human occupants.

I had done a few things to try to help gather the disparate human energies of the valley in the last three years. Recently, an opportunity presented itself to do some very practical, mundane work for the local community. I threw ‘my hat into the ring’ without any idea if I was the type of person with skills that was being looked for. I told myself I was too old, for a start. Well, upshot was I found myself ‘walking my talk’, and doing a ‘real job’ for the first time in thirty years.

Of course, it is the ultimate “bringing spiritual practice into the material world” – so what more could I ask?

ogyenmenlasmall.jpg

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Kundalini – what it is and what it is not

Posted in Kundalini, Shakti, Uncategorized, Yoga, tagged , , , , on August 16, 2017| Leave a Comment »

There is a lot of information on the web and a lot of chatter on social media about kundalini and related subjects. It is also becoming a selling, peddling and marketing description for workshops, crystals, energy healing tools and spiritual exercises. Many people also are very keen to ‘awaken’ their Kundalini, as it is understood to be a sign of spiritual progress and development.
Responding to a request, myself and a few friends have put together this short information sheet to help clarify what it is and what it is not.

What is Kundalini?
‘Kundalini’ was a word first used in the 7th Century and it was used to describe the creative force of the universe. In its original usage, it was closely linked to written Sanskrit and the power of language and sound.
Nowadays the name has become synonymous with the energy that most people describe as lying dormant or in a quiet state near the base of the spine. The word itself means ‘coiled up’. In traditional texts there are two energy flows that are important – a downward flow, often referred to as ‘Shakti’ or upper Kundalini and a lower one or red Kundalini that flows upwards.
It may help if we look at the subtle channels in the body according to Vedic tradition.
Many people are familiar with the chakras. The main chakras are only part of a much larger complex of subtle energies that go to make up the human being. There are many other chakras throughout the body, all of which are expressions of different kinds of consciousness and energy.


Intersecting each chakra are channels of energy or ‘nadis’ that interact with the rest of the body. (These nadis do have a relationship with some aspects of the autonomic nervous system and also with the meridian channels, but they are of a much finer subtle substance.) There are said to be, in total, seventy two thousand nadis. Three are of prime importance: the ida, the pingala and the sushumna. These three main channels run parallel to the physical axis of the spinal column. The sushumna is the central channel. Ida, the left channel, carries a lunar energy that is nourishing and purifying. Pingala, the channel on the right side of the sushumna, carries the solar energy, that is activating. They can be represented in two different ways, the first has all three channels running parallel to each other, the second shows the solar and lunar channels weaving between the chakras until all three meet at the brow chakra.

The lower Kundalini energy remains dormant until activated. This would normally happen after the person experiences a descent of upper Kundalini or Shakti from the crown chakra down to the root chakra.

What is Shakti energy?
‘Shakti’ is the name given to a type of cosmic energy that is given or transmitted to an individual via another person or energy archetype. Traditionally this is accompanied by the ‘laying on of hands’. This process is not tied to any particular belief system or religion. It can be referred to as the ‘Descent of Grace’ or ‘Descent of the Dove’ (in Christian traditions) or ‘Shaktipat’ (in Vedic Traditions). This descending energy compresses and activates the lower kundalini, sustaining and supporting its progress. The ‘Shakti’ energy and lower Kundalini energy need to unite to move up the central channel.

The upper Kundalini can also be stimulated through traditional spiritual practices.

Without activation of ‘Shakti’?
Sometimes the lower Kundalini energy gets activated without the descent of the Shakti energy. This can happen through specific meditation or visualisation, use of drugs (recreational or pharmaceutical), acute stress, types of physical activity or extreme situations.
There are two problems with this:
1. There is no connection to a teacher or archetypal energy that would support and guide the process.
2. Without the Shakti energy to help to clear the energy blocks on its way down, when the lower kundalini starts to rise up the central channel it hits energy blocks.

These energy blocks or samskara are the subtle scars we carry from previous actions, memories and habits.

When Kundalini becomes active without Shakti, its upward movement brings problems that need to be resolved. This can be a difficult process as the ‘scars’ or blocks are moved or try to be moved. Many people in this situation find their mental and emotional well-being becomes very delicate. If life experience has included particular stress, abuse or negative habits, these will become pronounced. This creates vulnerability and can create psychotic breaks. It leaves a person open to those who would manipulate, both physical people and subtle entities. Over stimulation of the lower Kundalini adds more energy into the process and can aggravate the situation. Even well-meaning friends sending absent healing can make things worse.
Pro-active steps need to be taken to integrate energy, to ground. Therefore, doing daily, physical chores can help to deal with the situation. Sometimes a complete withdrawal from spiritual practices of any sort may be the only way to cope with the effects of premature Kundalini activation until the energies have settled down.

Traditional spiritual paths prepare the person for Kundalini activity by basically dealing with samskaras. This takes time, maybe even lifetimes. These days, few people are attracted to this slow, but safe process of clearing the central energy channel.
There are three areas or ‘knots’ where the progress of kundalini is naturally checked -the solar plexus, heart and brow chakras. With the descent of shakti, these are loosened. When no Shakti activity has occurred when the lower Kundalini energy gets to these chakras there are major issues to be dealt with before the energy moves on. Each chakra’s correspondences will reflect the energies to be resolved.

Clients and Students
People working as therapists need to be aware of spontaneous, temporary stimulation or ‘flashes’ of Kundalini activity in their clients. Similarly tutors of energy work need to be aware of the same thing in their students.
If this happens, grounding is vital. Get them to eat something sweet can bring the energy back to a manageable state.
This temporary stimulation is not the same as a permanent awakening.
Anybody might experience a temporary stimulation but this is not something to be encouraged, sought after or set as a goal. It can only be of use as a result of the body naturally clearing the central channel.

Worldwide
All spiritual traditions have their own words to describe this process. We have used the Sanskrit here as most people use that terminology.
Different traditions have different ‘flavours’ of shakti, so a spiritual seeker may experience several types of energy descent to ease or manage the progress of Kundalini rising.
“There are no secret teachings or activities that will awaken you faster. All the steps to take are already outlined in all the major spiritual teachings. – Gopi Krishna”.

Sue Lilly, Simon Lilly, Swami Prakashananda Saraswati 2017

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Full Moon musings

Posted in Astrology, Blue Moon, Current Events, Dragons, Earth Healing, Full Moon, Spiritual Growth, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , on May 22, 2016| Leave a Comment »

During a ritual many, many moons ago I was invited by the Gentle Folk to hold a cauldron. This cauldron held the area that they lived in, keeping it the animals and the humans living there safe.

That imagery has followed me since then, occasionally coming to mind when working with the energies of the Land.

The last few weeks saw a return visit to Carn Menyn, one of the outcrops on the Mynydd Preseli and a reinforcement of my connections with that magical place. In my dreams following that visit I watched the dragons dancing in the night skies above Wales.

carnmenyn

I was also made aware of the energy line connection between the stone at Callanish (Callanais) on the Isle of Lewis and the area of Wales that I now live in. This energy line runs parallel to the ‘Spine of Albion’ mentioned in the book of that name by Gary Biltcliffe and Caroline Hoare.

This line cuts through:

West of Lyme Regis
Taunton
Barry
West of Brecon
Anglesey
Isle of Man
West of Stranraer
Arran
Mull
Skye
Callanais (Lewis)

……. all places I have visited.

I have yet to discover more information about this energy line.

Uklines

Whilst being shown this line I was also reminded about the cauldron. The space that holds energy. The space that keeps energy safe.  The space in which new things can be gestated and born. The space where opposites blend to create union.

Looking at maps, the place I now live is due north of where we used to live in Devon. In Devon we were near the Michael line and on the big lunation triangle of Stonehenge. That was indeed a powerful have to hold a cauldron, but what of here?

If I think of the Vedic and Tibetan imagery of the spine and the energies alongside the spine, then the line I now live on could be one of those?

Then the penny drops………. If that was the case, then there would be another line to the east of and equidistant from the Spine of Albion.

Wow, I have lived on that line too…………………………..

Experience of disparate/opposite energies to balance………………………

As I reach out in meditation I perceive that the cauldron here is bigger, possibly as there are less people living in this part of Britain, certainly this is one of the least populated areas of Wales. The energies of the Unseen are stronger here and there are more of them. The Land is old, but still geologically active.

I am reminded of visits to the stones at Callanais, how the complex patterns are still not completely understood. Research has only scratched the surface of what our ancestors created there, let alone to really understand why they created the many stone circles. As an astrologer I was fascinated and had thought of each circle being linked to a visible planet, so the whole area being one huge astrological and astronomical calendar. Without living there and watching the passage of the planets from the site, that cannot be proved. It is thought that the circles were constructed at a time when crops could easily be grown that far north. Climate change? Is climate change cyclical too? The climate change we are seeing now, has it happened before? Was that when Callanais was created?

callanais

What opposites need to be in the cauldron now? What needs to be brought to balance now?

At a time when British Society has become very polarised, politics have gone crazy and grounded, humanitarian logic seems to have disappeared from our so-called leaders……….. what is being created in the greater scheme of things? Who or what is holding that cauldron?

 

Mmmm…………………………

 

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The Red and White Dragons

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , on May 17, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Having moved to the Land of the Red Dragon nearly eight months ago I began to ponder over the relationship between the Welsh Red dragon and one of my personal dragon links – a huge white dragon.
The legends of conflict between the red and white dragons came from various sources. In the medieval story of Lludd and Llefelys the warring dragons were a source of trouble and stress to the point they were killed and buried at Dinas Emrys in north Wales.
The original source of the legend seems to come from the earlier writings of Geoffrey of Monmouth (1100-1155). In Geoffrey’s ‘History of the Kings of Britain’, Merlin was called upon to solve the problem of newly built castle walls constantly collapsing. The young Merlin confirms that the collapse being caused by the fighting dragons and instructs Vortigern to cut into the hill that he was building on, to release the dragons. Being one never to miss a political point, Geoffrey of Monmouth also identifies the white dragon as that of the Saxons and the red dragon of the native Welsh.

dragoneyesThe status of the white dragon linked to the Saxons was taken further in the 18th century by Sir Walter Scott, when he also aligned the Saxons to the white dragon in the poem “The Saxon War Song”. Indeed even more recently Welsh-born Rowan Williams, who was Archbishop of Canterbury from 2002-2012 wore robes showing a white and red dragon when he was enthroned in 2003.
This sounds fine at superficial levels, but there were two things nagging in my mind:
1 – ‘warring dragons’ is indicative of unbalanced earth energies. So the dragons that Merlin released were geopathic energies that were disrupting the stability of the building works. Parts of the UK are still quite active geologically, especially if building works were to be carried out near one of our many rift-valley cliffs.
2 – In Tibetan and Chinese traditions the colours red and white represent female and male respectively. Male is represented by white (semen) and female by red (menstrual blood).
Taking these into account it puts a logical answer to Merlin’s wisdom on the collapsing towers. However it also sheds a different light entirely on the relationship between the red and white dragons. Like the black/white of yin/yang – the red dragon energy cannot maintain balance without the white dragon energy and vice versa.
This in turn makes me wonder about the underlying relationship between England and Wales. Is this essentially a male/female, yin/yang relationship with one balancing the other?

(This first appeared in ‘Notes from the Edge of the Epynt’ March 2015)

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First Oriental Meeting

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , on April 9, 2012| 2 Comments »

A journey to Japan was not on my ‘to do’ list, the subject of travelling there had simply not entered my mind.

Several years ago, therefore finding myself in Tokyo in mid-March left me somewhat bemused and mystified, though pleased to be greeted by the last few days of the cherry blossom.

I woke shorty after dawn, that first morning, courtesy of the time difference, and being in a relaxed state, my awareness shifted easily.

I became aware of a beautiful woman, dressed in traditional Japanese style. I guessed whom she might be from my experience of travelling through Europe, where I had become used to meeting local aspects of the Goddess of the Land, or Sovereignty, as landscapes and named areas and places changed.

I asked if there was anything I could do for her. She gestured that healing was required and immediately a small dragon appeared near her. It was injured and without really knowing what to do, I started to sew flesh and sinew together, followed by some ‘hands-on’ healing. The dragon then swooped off, flying little circles in the air and disappeared.

Later during that first visit to Japan I journeyed to Lake Ashinoko, near Mt Hakone and the dragon shrine Hakone-jinja. The water from the shrine seemed to be very powerful, a water dragon energy. Some of this water was preserved in vodka to help me in the future.

The strange events of this first visit to Japan were kept a secret, however during a subsequent visit, my efforts to continue to hide those events from the notice of failed. On a visit to Mt Fuji there was an unexpected detour to a small shrine on the north side of the mountain. This shrine is known as Fujiyoshida’s Sengen Shrine and is dedicated to the Shinto deity of Mt Fuji – Princess Konohanasakuya. As in previous visits to shrines, I took part in a small ceremony. As the ceremony started I began to look around the main room. To my left I noticed a painting (in itself unusual). I realised this was the woman who had come to me that very first morning in Japan.

I was stunned.

It hit me so hard, I started to cry! I managed to blurt out a question between between sobs ‘ ‘who is that?’ The answer came back – this painting was of Konohansakuya-hime herself.

It started to dawn on me that maybe being in Japan was no accident, no quirk of fate………….

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