Spirit Chaser Reviews

Here are two recent reviews of Spirit Chaser. The first was published on psychicquesting.com, the worlds premiere website for the Questing community, and the second appeared in North Lakeland's local paper The Keswick Reminder.

Spirit Chaser review by www.psychicQuesting.com webmaster. 

There are a surprising number of strands in Alex Langstone’s new book “Spirit Chaser”, intertwined and running like luminous DNA through the pages of the book. At the most immediate level this is a “psychic questing” story in the classic mould. We follow Alex on a series of journeys (both physical and psychic) around the British Isles and watch as the threads of synchronicity, symbolism and psychic experience weave a fascinating picture about some of the early Celtic Christian saints. Through traditional (though painstaking) research Alex is able to corroborate much of the information that is psychically transmitted. Even what is not immediately backed up adds entirely believable detail to the skeleton story. 

As well as this, however, he mixes in an imagined historical biography of Saint Bega – the focus of the book – and traces how she and her Celtic colleagues may have left a legacy for us in the present day. Still more, he breaks off his own narrative and hands over to “guest” authors such as Yuri Leitch and Gary Biltcliffe whose own impressive research is shown to dovetail seamlessly with Alex’s. This is a great example of an inclusive, co-operative attitude that breaks down the possessiveness that often stifles genuine sharing of information and which can only strengthen the questing community. 

Lastly the book is a meditation on the spiritual nature of the British Isles. As an Irishman living in England with three half-English, half-Irish children, I found this aspect of the book both surprising and touching in a way that I hadn’t expected. I was powerfully reminded that in those days the sea was easier to cross than the land and the communities dotted around the Irish Sea were far more connected than you would imagine. The ancient perspective probably inverted todays default view and envisaged the Irish Sea as the container and focal point rather than the land around it. 

In all of these areas Alex writes honestly and engagingly. In fact, at times he is probably too modest and does not accompany some of the more astonishing events with the fanfare that they deserve. He traces his own spiritual development as the quest unfolds and clearly illustrates how questing can provide a framework for this kind of inner exploration. In summary, this is a great addition to the questing canon and Alex is to be congratulated on a truly inspired and inspiring work.

The Keswick Reminder's review

Alex Langstone has produced a well-written clear account of his "Quest for Bega" a trail he follows with dedication from her birth in Ireland, through her escape from an arranged marriage to her arrival at St Bees Head. Then he makes his journey to the places in Rheged where she built churches and paid homage at the sacred stone circles dotted throughout the region. His story follows two threads, the first being Bega's early travels, the second being his tracking, along with a group of like-minded friends in the 1990s, of her journey of revelation taken almost 2,000 years earlier.

She lived t a time when the very early Christian church was establishing itself in a land devoted to paganism, druidry, fairies, goblins, strange beings and a host of ghosts and earth mysteries of various kinds which peopled the minds and practised their powers in the natural world, especially in the wooded areas where they lived. Christianity was wise enough to move forward hand in hand with the existing beliefs, that is, up until the "Synod of Whitby" which established a more Roman Church in 664 AD. St Hilda of Whitby along with St Aidan and St Herbert of Derwentwater were her contemporaries and met her at Hilda's Abbey, Whitby for this famous gathering.

The second thread is the strongest and longest. All of this 20th century group have fantastic psychic abilities, visionary experiences, strong pantheistic convictions, belief in the occult and had powerful visions in which St Bega and others appeared and spoke to them. The group gave detailed accounts of and meanings of: the stone circle near Keswick, the pagan/Christian cross at Gosforth, the stone circle near Penrith, the Bewcastle cross and many more holy or sacred wells.


This book will make a fitting present for anyone fascinated by the supernatural and is curious to learn more of the life of a much venerated Cumbrian saint,

Spirit Chaser exclusive art showcased

Exclusive art, which was specially commissioned for the book is to be showcased on the artists online gallery. Artist Paul Atlas-Saunders has nine brand new pen and ink illustrations, eight of which are exclusive to Spirit Chaser. The pen and ink drawings depict some of the key historic sites mentioned in the book. Illustrated below is Long Meg standing stone, a large monolith sited at Little Salkeld in the Eden Valley, Cumbria.

This large sandstone standing stone sits as an outlying stone at one of the finest stone circles in the north of England, the circle has a diameter of about 350 feet, the second biggest in the country. Long Meg is the tallest of the 69 stones, about 12 feet high, with three mysterious spiral symbols, its four corners facing the points of the compass and standing some 60 feet outside the circle.Being such an important and impressive ancient site, Long Meg and Her Daughters play an important part in the Spirit Chaser adventure.

Long Meg, Cumbria

Paul is also responsible for the exquisite front cover art, which depicts St Bega's arrival at the sacred centre of the British Isles. Entitled Alightment, the drawing is a vibrant and colourful image, which sets the tone for the book extremely well.

To view the Spirit Chaser art gallery, click here

Spirit Chaser is the true story of a psychic adventure that turned into an uplifting spiritual pilgrimage. In June 1989, the author began following a series of psychic messages and significant synchronicity that led him to discover the enigmatic mystery of St Bega, the sacredness of the British landscape and ultimately to experience the divine reality of the Celtic tradition of mysticism, miracles and magic.

Over a period of 17 years, the author has met many people who have helped him on this spiritual quest. People from many different backgrounds and traditions; a myriad web of seemingly unconnected folk, who through a strange and unconscious thread of fate have each contributed to this amazing story of psychic adventure, spiritual fulfilment and creative enlightenment.

Spirit Chaser takes us on a magnificent journey, a journey into the twilight past of seventh century Britain and Ireland. A journey into the heart of a modern day quest for the mystery that is the Sancta Bega; the sacred ring at the mystical centre of the British Isles.

Alightment by Paul Atlas-Saunders

An Interview with Astrologer and Psychic Quester Carole Young

To coincide with the launch of the first ever re-print of psychic questing cult-classic Bega and the Sacred Ring, which first appeared over 19 years ago in October 1992; I took the chance to speak to one of the psychic questing movement's longest serving supporters. Carole Young, was the central psychic during the many years of research on the Quest for Bega, and features prominently in Bega and the Sacred Ring. Carole spent many years as an active member of Andrew Collins' original Earthquest group in the early 1980s, and her amazing psychic abilities will feature in my forthcoming book Spirit Chaser, due out soon.

Alex: When did you first realise you were psychic, and what was your first psychic experience?

Carole: I had many psychic experiences as a child. They seemed perfectly natural to me. One of my earliest recollections is of vivid dreams, some that came true. My Mother was also very interested in dreams and we used to discuss them together in the mornings, I was fortunate we could share in our interest. A lot of children who are sensitive to such things are made to feel there is something wrong with them if they talk about it. However, my Father who was a really lovely, wise and kind man and very down to earth and practical thought we were both mad but let us get on with it, he seemed amused by it all I think. I also discovered that my friend Kathryn was also very interested in dream interpretation, so we used to interpret each other’s dreams on the way to school, or attempt to. I believe dreams are very important and are one of the best sources of psychic information going.

My Mother was probably more clairvoyant than me and I tend to hear spirit rather than ‘see’, however, when I was about 9 yrs old I went with my Mother to visit a friend of hers she hadn’t seen for a long time. Whilst there, I went upstairs and on the landing an elderly lady passed me and smiled. She asked me if I was having a nice time, she then promptly walked straight through the solid door into a bedroom! Evidently the lady of the house had a lodger who had passed on a couple of years previously. It was a wonderful experience. I felt privileged to have seen her. She seemed solid and real but surrounded in a gentle light. Her eyes were bright blue. Anyway, I had all sorts of experiences and was fascinated by all the mysteries of the universe. I was also very interested in UFOs. I think it’s important to have a positive outlet and channel for psychic ability and to have training and discipline. When I was 21 I took up a study of astrology and started reading astrological charts for people and of course studied my own chart intensively, this helped me in many ways and I found I used a lot of intuition when reading the charts, I also had a sense of purpose and direction, which I felt was positive and helpful to other people. I actually had less random psychic experience once I took up astrology; I was more grounded and generally less open to influences than before. I was more in charge of my own ship, so to speak. I also developed a healthy scepticism. My aim was to try and learn and have an open mind. I remember being very hungry and thirsty for knowledge of the more mystical/spiritual kind.

However, one experience I had while at school aged about 12/13 I found disturbing, not so much due to the experience itself but the reaction to it! One afternoon I was called into the Headmaster’s office. He told me off good and proper for going out of school at lunchtime. He said he had seen me walking along the road in my school uniform and so had others. I protested that I had not gone anywhere and had eaten my lunch in the playground with a group of friends. He insisted it was me; my friends went to see him and told him I’d been with them all lunchtime. He was really quite nasty and said. “Well it must be your double, don’t meet her or you’ll die” Some people just don’t know how to speak to kids! He seemed pretty spooked out by it and I reckon he had me marked down as some kind of wicked witch even at that young age. I felt a bit of the old persecution vibe going on there. However I must show some understanding as he was probably scared shit-less! To this day I have no idea exactly what occurred. Oh well, there are more things in heaven and earth and all that! Around the age this happened can often be a time for strange occurrences of a psychic nature, for some children.

Alex: When and why did you first become involved in the controversial subject of Psychic Questing?

Carole: I first got involved in psychic questing in the early 80’s when I went along to Andrew Collins' Earthquest Group. I was working in London at the time but wanted to get more involved in the local scene and find out more about the part of the Country I lived in. I saw an article Andy had written in a local paper. It sounded really interesting; I had always wanted to know more about the Earth Mysteries and ancient sites, such as stone circles and the like. I remember visiting Stonehenge when I was seven and just being blown away by it. My parents parked their car and I just ran across the field with my brother and the closer I got the bigger the stones got, I just loved it and was so fascinated. Earthquest sounded great and so different to anything I had done or studied before. I rang him and he told me that he would be taking the group out to various local sites and they would do a group meditation and tune into the site. This sounded to be something I wanted to try, so I went along to the first meeting. It was great and I started going on a regular basis. We used to go out on Sundays on bumper to bumper day-trips all over Essex. It’s a long story but suffice it to say we visited and tuned into some very interesting places and we visited some wonderful ancient churches of which there are many in the eastern county of Essex. One of the churches we visited was Borley church and rectory in Essex, reputedly haunted. Well, nobody will ever tell me it's not haunted, because as we sat in the porch of the church at midnight we heard noises coming from inside the locked church that sent cold shivers down our spines. What noises? It sounded like something being dragged along the central aisle and furniture being moved. Horrible! One thing I also remember is the guys in the group decided at that point to wander off back to their cars for an in-depth discussion leaving us girls to remain in the porch in case anything else was heard!! The group consisted of talks by Andy Collins and guest speakers and lots of slides of sacred sites from all over the Country and beyond, so it was a chance to learn as well, about a subject that had always fascinated me but I knew little about. Earthquest came into my life at a time I was looking for a new direction and a new learning path. I also loved the connection with the landscape and nature. Essex is a very interesting county. Earthquest gave us the framework to enable us to open up to how much of ancient interest there is to be found on our own doorstep if we just look. The same is true for every corner of this beautiful and ancient land. I have always found that every county in Britain has its own special vibe. Earthquest was also about helping to preserve these ancient sites and traditions through telling people, writing about them and field trips to visit them. We were not amiss to re-erecting the odd fallen down stone from a site here and there!

All this seems so long ago now and those days will probably never come again but I have vivid memories and we did have some laughs as well. When I look back at it, it was all very innocent and so heart -felt and I think that’s what made it so good! It was during these times during the 1980’s that Andy first wrote and published Earthquest News. The magazine consisted of articles of quests that the group had been involved in. The Earthquest News journal in my humble opinion was brilliant and still stands today as excellent material for anyone interested in psychic questing.

As for the psychic side of things, I started using my abilities in new way, a completely new direction. We mainly worked as a group and everything that was picked up on psychically was written down and researched and articles were formed for Earthquest News, or for lectures. Everyone contributed and quite a few people received good psychic information even though they never felt they were psychic before. The whole situation had triggered abilities they didn’t know they possessed. It is important to write things up so it can then be passed on to others, so preserving and passing on knowledge. Something that the main individuals in questing have in common is they work hard, otherwise quests just evaporate, which really is a waste.

As regards to questing and psychic ability Andy really wanted to work with direct information psychics and was on the look out for anyone who showed signs of this ability to receive names, dates and places accurately, this is totally understandable as they are so valuable in the psychic questing movement. I am not a direct information psychic myself, they are quite rare, but I have my moments. .

During my time with Earthquest I also got to go to some UFO lectures and as I had been fascinated by the UFO phenomena since I was a child this was great! I just used to sit and listen and look at the slides, hoping to learn something.

Alex: What is your own perception of the psychic questing phenomena?

Carole: I think psychic questing is amazing. I know it’s considered controversial but it’s very exciting and it covers so many different subjects. I think really it’s a whole way of looking at life. The quest is within as well as we learn about ourselves. What I find positive about questing is its approach to using psychic information. Basically psychically received information tends to be researched before it’s used, if it cannot be researched then that is stated and people can make their own minds up. I personally don’t like this attitude of total acceptance of every bit of psychic information. Only time will tell in some cases. The main thing is not to want to be right all the time but put whatever is received into the pot and if it checks out then great, if it doesn’t, then someone else might receive relevant information. Honesty is important and if nothing is received then it’s best to say so. That way integrity remains intact. Psychic questing takes all involved on a journey that can be a bit of a roller-coaster ride of experiences, discoveries and emotions.

It’s a funny thing this questing, some people just seem to have the questing gene. What I have also found is that certain combinations of people working together on a quest just work really well and the quest starts happening and yet other combinations of people just don’t seem to work. I have seen this happen many times. As an astrologer this doesn’t really surprise or mystify me as I know that certain combinations of people create a special kind of energy when together. Take one person out of the equation or put another in and it can change that energy radically. In astrology we do a chart called a composite for a couple and it shows what they create when together, not so much the effect on each other but what effect they have on others and the world around them, like a third point. Two makes three, creativity! This applies for groups of people also. It’s a bit like a recipe.

I also believe that being in tune with the signs of nature is a major part of psychic questing, as nature can talk to our souls and awaken our inner vision.

Alex: What is the most interesting aspect of your work as a psychic?

Carole: There are many interesting aspects to psychic work, it’s very varied. I still find it all interesting and fascinating and as every year goes by I realise how little I really know and how much there is to learn. It’s a hunger to know really, a fire within. Yes, I have my dull times but basically it’s still there. It’s the eternal flame. Everyone has it; certain people and experiences can fan its flames and reawaken it. I think questing can be something of a passion, for quite a lot of people. Psychic stuff is just part of the picture, but it’s still fascinating and interesting, I don’t think I’ll ever lose that. I have to say that the most interesting psychic quest I was involved in was the Bega quest because I felt so in tune with it and so connected and it opened up a whole new path for me. Alex and I worked well together, it just seemed to flow. The whole experience was so cathartic and healing, for me it was very much about self-healing as well as the Quest. Also, this was the time I discovered Goddess energy in a very specific way. I have worked with Goddess energy ever since. To me, there is one Divine Source of Creation that rays out into different forms but comes from the One Source, this is my belief!

Alex: What other quests have you been involved with?

Carole: I have been involved in many quests with Earthquest, many of which were written up in Earthquest News. One was on the Island of Menorca, which was very strange. Menorca is a fascinating island and very atmospheric for those who are sensitive to such things. Lets just say I will never forget the Sirens! I was also very involved with the re-discovery of the Running Well, an ancient holy well near Wickford in Essex, which was written up by Andy Collins in his book - The Running Well Mystery and of course the Cumbrian Quest for Bega - written up as Bega and the Sacred Ring by our very own Alex Langstone! This was the quest of my life.

However, another excellent psychic quest I worked on was with Jack Gale in Greenwich and involved the Goddess archetype ‘Holda’. Jack has lectured and written extensively on this. Alex got involved in this quest at the beginning and was present when I had an inner vision of Holda coming towards us in all her glory. No, I’m not crazy!

Alex: (Laughing) Yes I remember it well. The Greenwich quest was very interesting, and Jack wrote about it in his books Other Meridians, Another Greenwich and Goddesses, Guardians and Groves. (See book list at the end). So tell the readers a little about how you become involved with the Quest for Bega?

Carole: The Bega quest began on Midsummer’s day in 1989. I met Alex Langstone in 1985. He came to an earth mysteries group called New Era and we got on really well right from first meeting and have been friends ever since. Andy Collins then set up Earthquest '88 which took off in a really big way. Alex came to this group and got involved. Alex and I both needed a break and we decided to go to Cumbria. I had never been to the lakes and Alex had fond memories of visiting there as a child. I chose a cottage right by Skiddaw Mountain range and booked it. The siting of this cottage would later turn out to be of significance. Skiddaw figured heavily in our quest, and the cottage was on a footpath leading directly to Bega’s Church, which we discovered on the very last day of our holiday. I knew none of this when I booked the cottage, I had never been to Cumbria and I’d never heard of Bega. Another significant point is we arrived on Midsummer’s day the same day that Bega arrived at St Bees Head from Ireland according to her legend back in the 7th Century. Neither Alex nor I had any intention of questing, researching or anything of the like. We just wanted a holiday by the lakes and fells of Cumbria. But this was not to be, as the quest began the very evening we arrived. It all started as we were sitting in the cottage and a shaft of sunlight shone through the window, the beginning of the sunset, the beginning of the quest and with it came the inner vision. We were intuitively called out of the cottage and onto our quest. Then, not far from our cottage we met Ciaran, who is a spirit, the spirit guardian of Skiddaw mountain range and a lot more besides. He stayed with us almost to the end of our quest, guiding us and then left as suddenly as he had appeared. The initial part of the quest lasted the whole holiday taking us both on a journey that would change and enrich our lives for ever. Also it was a work of resurrection of the Goddess in the form of Bega. It has this quality of Eternity, with no beginning and no end. It is the circle of Bega! Alex and I went back several times to continue the quest. Later, Andy Collins and friends began to receive dreams and psychic information that was relevant to the quest. They travelled with Alex to Cumbria to continue the quest there, opening it out to a new level. I really liked the concept of St Bees Head being the centre of the British Isles, the heart. This seemed to make sense of some psychic information I had received while at Gosforth in 1989. Alex then wrote and published ‘Bega and the Sacred Ring’. A major factor of the Bega quest has to be the Amethyst crystal that apported in St. Bega’s Church, Bassenthwaite when we visited in July 1992. Other apports were received too by Andy’s group that went to Cumbria. The Bega quest has a very spiritual quality to it and is centred in such a beautiful and inspiring landscape, which is a major part of it all and never to be underestimated. In a way, that’s what it’s all about. Attuning to Bega, set me onto a path of self-healing and led me towards a new learning experience, that of healing through the energy of the Goddess. Bega led me to discover the energy of Green Tara of Tibet, for meditation, mantra and healing. I then became attuned to Reiki healing as did Alex around the same time. But I always call upon Bega during any meditations or Reiki I may do. I feel that it’s a very good example of what can be involved in a quest and how it can begin, what can happen, what to look out for. It was all there, we read the signs, and it was about responding and following it through with action, research and meditation. In a way it was a bit like reading the landscape on a subtle level and the memories imprinted upon that landscape. At times it felt quite mystically ecstatic. I can only now really thank Alex for carrying on researching along with other people, and most importantly working so hard over the years to write it all up. I am over the moon about the new edition of Bega and the Sacred Ring, hopefully people will be inspired, and I look forward to the new book Spirit Chaser, which will at last tell the whole story. After all it is a quest of the Beauty of the Divine Spirit no less, manifest in Nature!

Alex: Yes, the "Divine Spirit in Nature", so perfectly sums up the quest for Bega. So tell me Carole, where do you see extreme fringe subjects such as Psychic Questing going in the future?

Carole: Well, I see psychic questing gaining even more interest over the year’s I think. Obviously there’s still lots of people not remotely interested, always will be but I can see interest growing and hopefully involvement, as it’s a very varied subject really whether you’re a psychic type, a researcher, writer or just fascinated, I think different types of people can contribute constructively if they have a genuine interest and get a lot out of it themselves. As for me, well I’m not actively involved in any quest at the moment apart from life which lets face it is a quest in itself but who knows, maybe sometime in the future with the right people, the right place, the right time? In the meantime, I have memories of some great quests, and of course Bega is ever present in my life. Astrology still plays a large part in my life as does Reiki and I am endlessly fascinated by them, never bored by them and still learning, I don’t think we ever stop learning and so we nourish our souls as well as enrich our minds. Happy questing, have fun, and love and light to you all.

Carole's recommended reading list:

Goddesses, Guardians and Groves by Jack Gale
Other Meridians Another Greenwich by Jack Gale
The Circle and the Square by Jack Gale
Bega and the Sacred Ring by Alex Langstone
Earthquest News Magazines by Andrew Collins
The Running Well Mystery by Andrew Collins
The Knights of Danbury by Andrew Collins
The Ancient British Goddess by Kathy Jones
Spirits of the Stones by Alan Richardson
Hidden Heritage by Terry Johnson
The Aquarian Guide to Legendary London by John Mathews and Chesca Potter
Mystical Britain and Ireland by Richard Jones
The Year of the Goddess by Laurence Durdin-Robertson
The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield
The Giant of Penhill by Ian Taylor
The Sea Priestess by Dion Fortune
Mysterious Britain by Janet and Colin Bord
The Glastonbury Temple of the Stars by Katherine Maltwood
Enchanted Britain by Marc Alexander

Interview conducted by Alex Langstone. To buy Bega and the Sacred Ring, please click below:


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Unrecorded Stone Circle Discovered on Bodmin Moor

SPECIAL EXCLUSIVE REPORT!

On the 8th November 2009, Carole Young and I visited an unrecorded standing stone not far from Stannon stone circle at Harpurs Downs on Bodmin Moor. We had been alerted to this possible pre-historic stone by Cheryl Straffon, editor of Cornish earth mysteries magazine Meyn Mamvro and talented Cornish dowser Lana Jarvis. However we found much more than we expected and very soon we were asking ourselves if we had possibly discovered a hitherto unknown stone circle situated on a panoramic slope on the north-west edge of Bodmin Moor.

Unrecorded Stone Circle Discovered on Bodmin Moor

a preliminary report by Alex Langstone

above: the only stone still standing, showing a possible
Summer Solstice aligment to Roughtor. Showery Tor can be glimpsed to the left.

The site lies on a small area of land between three minor roads which cross this area of moorland. The grid reference is SX1142 7984. As soon as we arrived at the spot, I could see that we were dealing with more than just a single standing stone. I immediately could see other fallen, half buried stones, which looked as though they made a circle. There are eight visible stones. One still standing, four clearly visible and three partially buried but obvious! They seem to form almost a perfect circle measuring approximately 22 metres west to east and 22 metres from north to south. The site appears to be aligned to the two nearby prominent peaks of Brown Willy (Bron Wennyly) and Roughtor. The large upright stone in the west aligns to the small flat stone in the east then onto Brown Willy. There is a largish recumbent stone in the north and a partially buried recumbent stone in the south. To the south east is Alex Tor. Roughtor is approximately east north east from the circles centre, which is where I made all the observations from.

above: Roughtor and Brown Willy (Bron Wennyly) punctuate the horizon

Most of the remaining stones are between the standing one in the west, moving along towards the north and east. The southern side of the circle only has one obvious buried stone remaining. HES does record a couple of hut circles in the vicinity at SX 1139 7998 but this site does not look like any of the nearby hut circles on the slopes of Rough Tor, plus it is much bigger than any of the localised hut circles.

above: one of the larger visible fallen stones

These now lost hut circles were shown on the 1908 6-inch and 25-inch maps but could not be found on the ground in 1973 or 1984 by the OS and RCHM fieldworkers. The site is now under pasture. The destroyed hut circles are associated with a nearby pre-historic field system. On a later visit in 2010, accompanied by Paul Atlas-Saunders, Cheryl Straffon and Lana Jarvis, we took more measurements and attempted to locate the hut circles. Using GPS, we clearly found that the proposed stone circle was nearby to the lost hut circles but importantly was not one of the remaining hut circles. We rechecked the measurements and dowsing suggested that there were originally 18 stones. The 'circle' is admittedly small by Bodmin Moor standards, but not very different in size from King Arthur's Downs circles. There are good views to both Brown Willy (east - equinox sunrise?) and Rough Tor (NE - summer solstice sunrise?). It is definitely not part of the hut circle complex that is listed on the HER (number 1921) at SX1139 7995.

above: overwiew of the circle looking west

Peter Herring, Characterisation Inspector for English Heritage comments - "the largest stone is indeed on a low stony bank, probably part of a prehistoric field system. Agree with you that it is a very nice position with views to Roughtor, Brown Willy and indeed Showery Tor. The other stones might conceivably be part of something interesting, perhaps a stone circle, and the stony bank may be later and reusing the largest stone in its line."

In conclusion, this site needs to be verified, but my initial feelings are that it looks very interesting. I shall be conducting further experiments and observences from the site soon. I will report my findings both here and through HES and Meyn Mamvro.

The Berwyn Mountains of Poetic Adventure

I first became interested in the mysteries and folklore of the Welsh borders in 1990 when I was very fortunate to witness an amazing paranormal manifestation at Pistyll Rhaeadr, a spectacular waterfall dramatically sited in the mysterious Berwyn Mountains. This small range of heather clad mountains, virtually unknown outside north-east Wales has a rich and diverse folklore and mythology. The area lies west of Oswestry and is bordered by the Dee valley and Llangollen. It is an area of outstanding beauty, natural history and mythology. Folklore seems to permeate every valley, hill and stream.

The Berwyn Mountains of Poetic Adventure

by Alex Langstone

April 1990.
Psychic questing surreal visualisations of piercing dragons, morphing into a blood-red waking-dream. Awake energy of old, awake! Primordial chaotic raw energy, released from the ancient Post Coch standing stone. Shadowy psychic stories fill my mind as we brave the elemental power of Gwybr of Llanrhaeadr. Twilight red creeps across the land, but no rosy sunset has been seen here. The ancient legend has been re-enacted and darkness has fallen. We seek the healing sanctuary of the Pistyll Rhaeadr.


We arrive at the Pistyll Rhaeadr waters of light. It is a dark night. The roar of the watery cascade is deafening. The white foaming cataract fluctuates between a ghostly white lady and a shimmering gateway beyond time and space. Indistinct creatures move in the darkness and a green dragon unfurls beneath the shadowy fronds growing around the plunge pool. This resplendent delightful place of natural beauty offers us the protective nourishing guardianship that we seek, and we are thankful for sanctuary. The sanctuary of Elen, the white lady of the rhaeadr. As we become accustomed to the dark surroundings and the constant reverberation of the falls several members of the assembly plunge themselves into the cool flowing waters of the Druid's Bowl pool, immediately beneath the ghostly deluge. Strange flickering lights are seen above and amongst the falling water. Many of us witness this simultaneously. Unseen presences are with us and we await with much anticipation as to what may or may not happen. A few stars shine down from a partially clouded night sky and the atmosphere of this beautiful place is powerfully charged and lively with cross-dimensional and mostly unobserved mystical activity. More silver flashing lights are seen at the top of the waterfall and something, possibly an object, is seen to be falling with the water for the briefest of seconds. Intangible and unsure, for whatever it was has disappeared. The ethereal cascade of the rhaeadr a constant mythic soundtrack to our nightime poetic adventure. We ritually wash our faces and hands in the river, purifying energies are released from the fast flowing water. Then three of us all see something dropping from the top of the falls, a small flash of light, like a starburst tumbles down with the water. What is it? What is happening? One of the group is in the water, then two, then me. We are searching for something. I then see a ripple of silver light in the water, then a larger flash of light just below the surface. Then I see a physical object bob up and down. A hand plunges into the water and an object in hurled into the cool night air, as it tumbles back towards the water it is caught. A turquoise Celtic cross. A gift from the waterfall. A gift from the spirit of the place. A meaningful gift for us all. For me it is a sign of the future, a symbolic representation of my esoteric poetic future. Goddess Elen thank you. (1)

Above: The Celtic Cross artefact, which mysteriously appeared
on the night of 22nd April 1990, at the base of Pistyll Rhaeadr.

April 2009.
After 19 years, my interest in Pistyll Rhaeadr has been renewed. During the first week of April 2009 I had a very vivid dream. I was standing at the base of a huge waterfall. It was twilight and as I looked up I saw a white stag standing above at the edge of the precipice. This powerful image stayed with me for many days until I realised its significance. My sister and her family had recently moved house, leaving the flat fens of Eastern England for the rugged Welsh border country. During a visit to their new house, I quickly realised that Pistyll Rhaeadr was their local beauty spot. I was intrigued and we visited the falls and a few days later, where I was able to re-live the drama of 19 years previously, when I had spent an intensely magical evening at the spot with Andrew Collins and friends whilst on a particularly meaningful part of the seven swords quest. More importantly, I was able to visualise my dream of a white stag peering down from the top of the waterfall. I also spent some time in Oswestry library, researching the area around the waterfall. It was during this library visit that I realised the significance of my dream, and what it meant.

The ancient abode of Gwyn.
The Berwyn (Bre Gwyn) Mountains above Pistyll Rhaeadr are very special. In Welsh mythology they represent the physical and geographical location of Annwn, the Celtic Otherworld, the place where the spirits of the dead reside in the mythology of the ancient Britons. The Otherworld kingdom of Annwn is ruled by the ancient British deity Gwyn ap Nudd - pronounced Gwin ap Neeth, king of the fae folk the Tylwyth Teg and patron of the land of the dead. He and his people live in a wonderful shining white palace beneath the purple Berwyn’s. Travellers on the moors of the Berwyn’s will sometimes suddenly be presented with this wonderful apparition and invited to join in the feasting and dancing. But anyone who chooses to do so remains in the palace of Gwyn. The only way to escape is to try to resist temptation and refuse the wonderful feast.

There are numerous old stories told about local people who went missing after a night on the Berwyn’s. The most famous of which is the tale of St Collen of Llangollen, who walked onto the mountains to confront Gwyn, armed only with a bottle of holy water. Challenged by Gwyn to step into the great halls of the dead, he accepted. He debated long and hard with Gwyn, refusing all offers of food and drink, and eventually the vision faded away into the mist and he returned safely. A jolly tale of medieval Christian one-up-manship. Gwyn’s powerful presence though has remained and the Berwyn Mountains still provide a stunning backdrop into the living presence of the Celtic Lord of Otherworldly adventures. It is easy to visualise Gwyn’s ghostly wild hunt flying across the night sky here. Indeed flying manifestations of another kind have been seen in these haunted hills. The area has been given the dubious title of Britain’s Roswell, due to the high profile UFO incident of January 1974. (2)

There are many references to the all powerful Gwyn on the Berwyn’s. Just above the waterfall is the summit of Post Gwyn (the great stone of Gwyn) and nearby the pass Bwlchgwyn. Above the stone is Cadair Berwyn, the seat or throne of Gwyn's glowing white palace . Cadair Berwyn is also the highest peak in the range standing at 830m (2,723 ft). Below the summit can be found Llyn Lluncaws, a lake where, according to folklore, a wise fish lives. This oracular lake sitting below the seat of Gwyn adds even more mystery to the area, and gives us tantalising glimpses into another world, which is truly easy to pass into in these beautiful hills. In Welsh folklore it is common to find the belief that entry into Annwn is through a lake on top of a hill or mountain. The area of land above the waterfall is intriguingly called Rhos y Beddau, the moor of the graves, and the land here is dotted with bronze age cairns. So Gwyn is linked to death and transformation where he guards the otherworld, his divine kingdom and ancestral home.

Gwyn is associated with other areas of Britain, most notably Glastonbury Tor, where an almost identical legend is told of St Collen. Back in Wales he is also identified with the Vale of Neath in the south (3) and with a dramatic hillfort sited by the banks of the River Dee near Corwen. Gwyn may also be associated with Cornwall. Gwynngala, the Cornish language word for September is beautifully poetic and meaningful; translating as white or blessed straw. The cereal harvest completes during September and the white straw stubble is left in the fields. The transformation of grain into food is underway and we are heading straight into autumn's decay. Yuri Leitch has connected Gwyn to North Cornwall at St Nectan's Glen via Gwyn’s father Nudd otherwise known as the ancient river god Neath or Nodens (4). He may also be connected to Carn Marth, a high hill in south west Cornwall which rises to 235 metres. The hill is part of the Carnmenellis plateaux, an area of rough moorland which includes other notable hills such as Carn Brea. The hill lies close to the village of Gwennap, and again Yuri Leitch suggests that this area echoes the ancient cries of Gwyn. So it seems that Gwyn may preside over parts of Cornwall, and I am tempted to link the autumn equinox with Gwyn via Gwynngala. It seems only right to have Gwyn as patron of September and autumn, as the Cornish language name for the month may suggest. It is also interesting to note that the feast of St Michael is celebrated on September 29th. Michael has replaced Gwyn at some of his ancient sites (such as Glastonbury Tor) and in many ways Michael and Gwyn share similar attributes. For example - Michael guards the gates of heaven, whilst Gwyn presides over the Celtic otherworld of Annwn. Both have fiery, glowing energies and both preside over high hills and mysterious places of immense power.

Above: White Stag by Yuri Leitch

The Sacred River Dee.
The importance of the river Dee in the folklore of North Wales is huge. One of the earliest recorded names of the Dee is the Deova, meaning the holy river of the goddess. The river is associated with the legend of the Fisher King, keeper of the Holy Grail and sovereign of the land. Welsh folklore links Castle Corbenic, the ancient domain of the Fisher King, with the site of Castell Dinas Brân, which sits high up on a hilltop overlooking the river Dee at Llangollen. This romantically sited Grail Castle can be seen for miles and dominates the surrounding river valley. Gwyn is also linked to the great river, as mentioned above. By the sacred banks of the Dee close to Corwen we find Caer Drewyn (Gwyn's Fort). Nearby at Cynwyd is the whitewashed church of All Saints at Llangar. The medieval building stands in an idyllic setting overlooking the confluence of the Dee and Alwen rivers. The church retains many ancient features, including extensive 15th century wall paintings, including a deer, a 17th century figure of death (below), old beams and old box pews.

There is a curious legend associated with the founding of the church site. The tradition is that Llangar Church was to have been built near the spot where the Cynwyd Bridge crosses the Dee. Indeed, we are told that the masons set to work, but all the stones they laid in the day were gone during the night and no one knew of their whereabouts. The builders were warned, supernaturally, that they must seek a spot where they found a Carw Gwyn (white stag). The following evening they glimpsed a white stag in a clearing at the rivers edge. The church was originally called Llan-garw-gwyn - the church of the white stag - from whence we get Llangar. Here we have the ancient mystical symbol of Gwyn ap Nudd on the banks of the sacred river Dee and on the edge of the Berwyn Mountains, his ancestral home.

Elen of the Rhaeadr?
I have been intrigued by the appearance of Goddess Elen at Pistyll Rhaeadr. There do not appear to be any legends of white ladies attached to the falls, as are found at numerous other waterfall sites across Britain. Yet Elen poetically appeared to us in 1990, and has appeared to me at the falls again more recently. I feel that this is a powerful portal into the energies that manifest as Elen. The Welsh word Elen actually means nymphe and Elin in Welsh translates as shining light. The English name Ellen comes from the Greek language and also means bright or shining light. This is similar to the meaning of Gwyn or Gwen meaning fair, bright or white. In old or middle Welsh and in modern Cornish Gwyn also has the meaning of holy, pure, blessed and sacred. The feminine form, Gwen, is the root of Gwenhwyfar, the original Welsh form of Guinevere. Maybe these are tantalising clues as to the true identity of the guardian goddess of Pistyll Rhaeadr?

Whatever the case, the Berwyn Mountains are a poets dream. A thin place, where time slows and the space between the spaces expand to allow us glimpses and experiences from other dimensions. Pistyll Rhaeadr is the luminous liminal gateway to a fantastic realm, where the imagination becomes real and communication between the worlds is significant.

At this time of Samhain, the waterfall can be used as a meditational aid to gain access to the abode of Gwyn, where our ancestors impart their wisdom and give comfort to those who seek it. Allow the White Stag to guide you across the veil to where our ancient ancestors reside. Unlike St Collen, we can now begin to understand the real meaning behind the ancient teachings of Gwyn. May we gain the wisdom and understanding of those whom we have loved who have gone before us.

Notes.
(1) See chapters 64, 65 and 66 of The Seventh Sword by Andrew Collins.
(2) See http://www.uk-ufo.org/condign/berwart.htm for an article by Andy Roberts on the 1974 Berwyn UFO incident.
(3) See chapter 7 of Gwyn by Yuri Leitch.
(4) See page 77 of Gwyn by Yuri Leitch.

Thanks to Yuri Leitch and Dr. Angelika Rüdiger for providing inspiration and for putting me on the correct pathways.

Also published in Samhain 2010 Mirror of Isis here

The Grace and Beauty of Exeter's Green Man Cathedral

The great Gothic Catherdral of St Peter in Exeter boasts to be one of the most complete Gothic churches in Britain today. The soaring magificent arches, stained glass and spaciousness of the sublime building is inspirational in its beauty. The church here was begun in the 11th century, but most of what remains is the result of rebuilding between 1275-1375. The Lady chapel and retrochoir were added at this time, to be followed by the presbytery and the choir. The nave was built in the mid 14th century, under the direction of Richard Farleigh, who was also responsible for the spire at Salisbury. The vaulting extends for an extraordinary 300 feet, making it the longest uninterrupted stone vault in Britain. Partially destroyed during a second world war air raid in 1942, the building was very sympathetically restored between 1945 and 1953.

The Lady Chapel is a sanctuary of light and peace, with two statues of the Lady plus a beautiful stained glass image. There is also an icon of Mary by the screen at the top end of the nave. (Pictured above). High above the centre of the Lady chapel a painted green man peers down, keeping a watchful eye on the sacred proceedings.

The speciousness of the buildings enterior is partly due to there not being a central tower, this allows the gothic vaulted ceiling to continue along the length of the cathedral uninterrupted.

There are over 60 images of the green man in the cathedral. They are found on misericords, bosses, corbels and other vault carvings. This is the second biggest concentration to be found in the UK. Indeed, in Exeter Cathedral, far more images of the green man exist than images of Jesus Christ.

Exeter Cathedral is a powerful, iconic and evocative gothic masterpiece, much underrated and forgotten against the more famous of England's great medieval churches.

Fellowship of Isis Central Blog

A brand new blog has been launched by Linda Iles to keep the worldwide membership of the Fellowship of Isis in touch with each others news and events.

The blog, which will run alongside the long standing FOI publication Isian News, will be a great way to spread the interesting and inspirational work of the members of the Fellowship around the globe. The description below is taken from the blog.

"Welcome to the Fellowship of Isis Central Blog! The Fellowship of Isis is an international organization dedicated to furthering awareness of the Goddess. Information presented here about the Fellowship of Isis (announcements, policies, liturgy and the branches of study in the FOI) is provided directly to us by FOI Co-Founder Olivia Robertson, Temple of Isis, Clonegal Castle, Ireland."

fellowshipofisiscentral.blogspot.com

Posted by Alex Langstone

Magazine Review: Poetry Cornwall 28

Poetry Cornwall/Bardhonyeth Kernow - Volume 9 Number 2 Issue 28 - 2010. Showcasing the bardic arts in Cornwall and beyond. See website for details here

Poetry Cornwall, edited by Les Merton
Reviewed by Alex Langstone

Poetry Cornwall/Bardhonyeth Kernow is the only magazine entirely dedicated to the poetic form that is published from within the Duchy, and as such commands a fair sized readership. The poetic styles are many and varied, and always there is something which vies for more attention.

From Men-an-Tol by Les Merton:

Observing the ritual is essential,
healing power is primeval virtue
like the Men-an-Tol circle stone
it has no beginning or end.

Or from Seasons on Coverack Lane by Ronnie Goodyer

The trees lifted the weight of winter
and a silver face shone on the beeches.

And from The old Man of Ghu by Bryan Teague

This Bronze Age menhir,
Leaning gaunt and coarse,
Still venerates the dead...

And a few lines from my personal favourite Padstow Night by Phil Lucas:

Sea mist
wraps the creamy whipped
watching gull
who sits and barks
her ocean dreams.
Taking twilight
under crescent wings
she calls
to a distant
shoreline moonbeam.
Then silence...

Edited by Les Merton, Bard of Gorsedh Kernow and Mick Paynter, Grand Bard of Gorsedh Kernow, the magazine has published many famous Cornish poets alongside other established and up-coming poets of today.

My brand new poem Zennor Quoit has been published in this issue, which is packed full of over 70 poems from authors spread far and wide as well as many from within the Duchy, proving once again that the bardic arts are alive and well in Celtic Cornwall. All in all a great magazine and one I would highly recommend.

Poetry Cornwall, priced at £3.95 or £11 for 3 issues from:
Palores Publications
11a Penryn Street
Redruth
Cornwall
TR15 2SP

Zennor Quoit

Between craggy hilltop

And Holy Carn
Amongst scrubby gorse
In the midst of steep rolling
Tawny moorland hills
Edged by the vast turmoil
Of the wide stormy Atlantic;
Moor and Sea
Wind and tide
Megalith and horizontal rain
Sky and earth sing a
Desolate solitary Allantide tune
From heart of the
Ancestral abode
Deviating through misty movement
Of swirling dancing ghosts
Reaching across the
Invisible spectral gate
Holding, presenting, gesticulating
Through the heart of matter
The hidden splendid realm
Whence we return.

Book Review: Avalonian Aeon by Paul Weston

Avalonian Aeon by Paul Weston
reviewed by Alex Langstone

Autobiographies are funny things.

They can be read in one of several ways; the reader may be interested in the author, which is a good starting point, or read from the angle of the subject matter. Mostly, however, they are read because we are all pretty damn nosey about other folk, especially so with the popular interest in the cult of personality - both mainstream and fringe. With this in mind, here is a character who writes from a very interesting and articulate perspective. A 1979 psychedelic neo-hippy, Typhonian occultist, Osho mystic, counter culture junkie, psychic questing groupie, visionary poet and historian - all these descriptions can apply to Paul Weston, as he seeks out his unique spiritual path amid the chaos, dreams and aspirations of his interesting life. Intriguing possibilities are suggested, including the idea that if you read a certain book at a certain time in your life, strange things may start of happen in your own life. Indeed!

Avalonian Aeon is the much anticipated, long awaited, highly entertaining, interesting and at times very amusing autobiographical account of the psychedelic and mystical adventures of occult author Paul Weston. Paul's spiritual quest starts with the Stonehenge free festival in 1979 and very quickly builds pace as he moves on to Pilton. Synchronicity builds throughout his early adventures with dope and LSD, and the author soon discovers that his life is being maneuvered in a very purposeful and meaningful spiritual direction. Occult books are read as a vortex of psychic energy builds.

This book will very likely give you an information overload, but it is an overload I thoroughly recommend, as you read through the pages, very quickly an understanding of where Paul is coming from emerges, and as we enter part two of the story a significant magickal vibe builds. Different currents and flavours of mystery and mysticism converge on the author with an intensity very peculiar to Mr Weston. At this stage I should probably point out that the author is an old friend and past collaborator of mine, so be warned, the rest of this review may diverge into personal occult nostalgia!

Part two deals with a lot of psychic questing history, contemporary witchcraft, the esoteric work of Robert Coon, the Fellowship of Isis and much paranormal phenomena. The Green Stone Seven Swords story is revisited and updated along with much information, published for the first time, on Andrew Collins surreal and shamanic Glastonbury Zodiac quest. Lots of very intense personal memories are stirred in this section of the book, including my own dream time adventures with the Glastonbury Zodiac quest and other esoteric poetic sequences where the mystery beyond dreams personally manifested.

Paul's poetic words completely sum up the general vibe of much of what was happening around all who were involved with this vastly strange tale in the early 1990s:

She's our mother like the ocean,
she's our lover like the moon.
She is what we've all been missing:
night's dark wisdom returning soon, returning soon,
the Goddess,
the fullness,
of the moon.

Part three sees the author reaffirming his own unique path once more with Crowley, rebirthing, Jose Arguelles, Sai Baba's birthday, strange apparitions, the Goddess of Avalon and Robert Anton Wilson's Cosmic Trigger.

Part four sums up the story so far and dances with Thelema, destiny, Dion Fortune and Egypt. As with the rest of the book, tantalising references are made of other surreal mystical occult adventures which I have no doubt will be revealed in future books. Indeed a promise is made right at the end of the book, stating that the next installment will be entitled Aquarian Phoenix. I await with anticipation, amusement and delight.

I seriously recommend this book to all who are interested in the occult, counter culture, psychic communication, the Great Cosmic Goddess and mysterious paranormal encounters. If you have read Paul's two previous works, Mysterium Artorius and Aleister Crowley and the Aeon of Horus, the theme does indeed continue. If you haven't yet come across these earlier works, check them out!

Paul writes with a balanced, witty and articulated overview of the many wildly outrageous personal adventures he describes in this book, and though the author will not win over the most ardent sceptic, his personal integrity shines through.

If you so desire, play some suitable psychedelic soundtrack (and Paul makes many epic suggestions in his narrative) light up a big fat one and sit back and enjoy a modern tale of acid induced mysticism, Goddess aroused mystery and fusion inspired magick.

Avalonian Aeon is available to buy now, priced at £14.99. 540 pages, illustrated. Visit website now to purchase: www.avalonianaeon.com

Postage costs are:
UK £3.50
Europe £4.50
Worldwide £7.50

BLURB FROM THE BACK COVER

Avalonian Aeon is an epic and encyclopaedic exposition of the total Glastonbury experience in the form of an autobiographical tale of magic and mysticism, ecstasy, hilarity, horror, the mystery of destiny, the charisma of landscape.

Against the backdrop of Crowley’s Aeon of Horus, the Thatcher years, and Gulf War, feeding on a diet of drugs and books, the author was pulled via the famous festival into the mystery of Glastonbury with its history and mythology of the Tor, Arthur and the Grail, Joseph of Arimathea, abbey, Chalice Well, and alleged terrestrial zodiac.

Features:
a misspent youth, perplexing outlandish paranormal phenomenon, psychic abilities and manifestations, visions, and artefact retrievals.

Includes:
Early days and inspirations behind the Stonehenge and Glastonbury festivals.

Extensive previously unpublished Andrew Collins material providing a unique overview of psychic questing, including the entire story of the seven swords of Meonia and how Glastonbury proved to be a doorway to the mysteries of what may lie beneath the Giza plateau.

Complete survey of work of American visionary Robert Coon relating to Glastonbury, Crowley, global chakra sites, and the Omega Point.

Green Stone, Sirius, Tintagel, Stele of Revealing, witchcraft, Tarot, Qabalah, Rebirthing, Fellowship of Isis, Harmonic Convergence, Synchronicity.

Also starring a further illustrious cast of characters:
Dion Fortune, Geoffrey Ashe, Jose Arguelles, John Cowper Powys, Gurdjieff, John Michell, Leonard Orr, Anthony Roberts, Oliver Reiser, Katherine Maltwood, Frederick Bligh Bond, Graham Phillips, Mary Caine, Robert Anton Wilson, Shirdi Sai Baba, Hank Harrison.

WARNING: THIS BOOK MAY ALTER YOUR STATE OF CONSCIOUSNESS.

Summer Solstice 2010

To celebrate this year's Solstice, here is a poem reproduced from Lucifer Bridge, which is available to by now from www.spiritofalbionbooks.co.uk. May the sun shine and the energy pulse.

Solstice

Dancing entwined across the summer sky
Dragons dart flying, flying by!
Undine serpent unfurls and awaits
In the Herby undergrowth lays the energy bait.

Rearing monsters from a slumbering sleep
Rise up and shine from the darkening deep
Solstice sun through the dappled leaves
Serpent pulses, glistens then takes his leave.

Dragons fused in the summer sky
Above the ancient oak, we hear their ancient cry
Mid-summer passions waft and wend
Through the rippling shade to the shining end!

Secretive journeys through the slumbering hills
Entwining colliding taking their fill
Summer energy pulses, pulses round
To where it is needed and there can be found.

See here for more on the Summer Solstice in Kernow.

Sacred Britain, Cornish Culture and Celebrate Kernow

The recent relaunch of the Cornish Culture website has prompted me to think about the folklore, cultural events and folk-celebrations in Cornwall and across Britain.

Chalking the Mock at Midwinter ceremony in Penzance

I have long been involved in the folkish mystical celebrations of Britain. From England's fantastic Morris Dance traditions, the spiritual practices of Druidry, a deep sense of the sacredness of the diverse and beautiful landscape, the Cornish midwinter Montol celebration and the midsummer hilltop fires that burn from western Cornwall to northern Scotland. Britain has a rich, interesting and often magical folk culture, and I for one want this culture to be welcoming and open to all who are interested.

Border Morris at the 2010 Royal Cornwall Show

A great new website and community group has recently been launched in Cornwall. Celebrate Kernow is a grass roots celebratory society with an emphasis on participation and enjoyment of all things culturally Cornish. The official website Cornish Culture is a fantastic portal of information relating to the myriad of traditional culture and folkways of Cornwall.

As an Englishman living in his adopted home of Kernow, I have always been slightly wary of Cornish Culture organisations. Often it appears that lurking within these organisations is a dark and unpleasant brand of Cornish Nationalism, where there is no room for diversity. Well be rest assured that Celebrate Kernow, with its roots in such festivals as Golowan and Montol, expounds its philosophy of inclusiveness for all the people of Cornwall.

It is not just Cornwall where this dark and unpleasant shadow may sometimes lurk. As the far right of British politics continues to try to infiltrate our folklore, customs and festivals we should all try to be more aware whilst enjoying our rich, diverse and often eccentric traditions. Each of us should take responsibility to be tolerant and open to all who are interested. As the group Folk Against Fascism state: "we do not wish to see folk music and culture used as part of a cynical political agenda."

I believe that organisations such as Celebrate Kernow and websites like Cornish Culture have an important part to play in reviving the regional folk culture and living mysteries right across the wonderfully diverse British Isles. There is no room for bigotry but there is room for the sharing of ideas and the revival of interesting and often very sacred and unique festivals. It is a great way to rein vigour ourselves with our rich and historic past and a fantastic way for us all to look forward to a peaceful and tolerant future.

Let us celebrate the many interesting and sometimes very strange folk customs of ancient Albion, and let's encourage the revival of, and even the creation of new events in the hope that a much needed community spirit will emerge. A spirit of respect and understanding, where we can work, live and play together on our small green North Atlantic island.

Let us celebrate Kernow, and let us celebrate Britain's diversity!

http://www.cornishculture.co.uk/

The Old Oss of May Day in Padstow