Avalon Within

by Jhenah Telyndru

  The time of day shifts around you—the stars shine then fade with the rhythm of a heartbeat. Shadows point first west, then east, as the sun rises one moment and sinks back behind the distant hills in the next. The moon waxes full and bright before fading to a pearl and silver sickle in the woad blue sky. The rose gardens bud and bloom and shed their leaves within the space of a breath, while the level of the lake rises and recedes according to its own inner tide.

  Everything around you cycles and changes in perpetual movement, yet where you stand at the center of it all is serene and unaffected, save that your perceptions begin to grow more sharp and clear. Your peripheral vision expands and the horizon that bounds the landscape moves further and further away; you become increasingly able to take in more of the whole all at once. There is no place on Avalon you cannot see, feel, or experience. Here, there is nothing that is beyond your reach.

  Your consciousness begins to envelop the whole of the island and its sheltering lake … the woolly flocks and fruit-laden orchards … the long timber halls and thatched round houses … the twin mystic pools and the mysterious green hills … the working songs of novices and the solemn chants of priestesses … the sounds, scents, and energies surround you, weaving themselves into a singular tapestry of experience here at the Heart of Avalon.

  The unified calmness settles upon you like a blanket, and you lie upon the clover-carpeted ground. Feel your breathing become synchronized with the inner rhythms of Avalon, pulsing through each stone, tree, and hill. Your energy becomes one with the patterns of the landscape—the Dragon Lines, the nodes of power, the Divine essence permeating the sacred places. With every breath, you feel yourself being enveloped in the Spirit of Avalon, and in merging, you begin to experience the Holy Island unlike never before.

  Bring your attention to the center of Earth energy in your body—that nexus of heavy, receptive forces pooling at the base of your spine and the opening of your vulva. Spend as much time as you need focusing on this Root Center, until your consciousness is able to perceive the entirety of the Earth energy within you. When this connection is complete, you feel a line of resonance arcing from your body to link with the labyrinthine-sculpted Tor. Take some time to fully experience what it is like to be the Tor—simultaneously in your body and the landscape. When the two become one, you become aware of the sound of a deep resonant tone or feel its accompanying energy, enveloping the totality of your experience.

  With your breath and intention, move the energy of your consciousness up into the place in your body where the elemental energies of water are concentrated—your womb space or abdomen. Here the energy is fluid and magnetic, vibrating at the same frequency as the Red Spring. Immersed in the inner totality of this deeply feminine force, you feel your womb space reaching out across the landscape to combine with the red-tinged waters. Take some time to fully experience this connection—feeling the water energies expand and overtake the whole of your energies, rising side by side with the earthen essence of the Tor. Feeling deeply and fully connected with the Red Spring, you hear or feel a high-pitched note rise from the merging of the watery inner and outer landscapes to join with the tone of earth power.

  Breathe the energy up higher along your body, bringing your focus to the fire nature of your Heart Center. Begin to kindle your Heart space energy until it expands, becoming an actively pulsing and raging fire. Feel the flames spread out from your chest and into the Avalonian landscape, finding resonance in the essence of Modron’s Mound. Spend time fostering the bridge between the similar energies of that which is within and that which is without. When the two vibrate as one at last, a fiery third note rings out, and you feel it perfectly harmonizing with the tones of water and earth.

  When it feels right, breathe the energy up your spine until you become fully aware of the Throat Center, the dwelling place of all that is aligned with the element of air within. Feel this center of active, expansive energy become fully activated with each intention-filled breath. Connect with all that is airy within, and when you are as conscious of this energy as possible, another beam of light bursts forth from your Throat Center into the Sacred Landscape, rushing to connect with the sparkling waters of the White Spring, where it emerges from the mouth of the Earth. Experience what it is like to be the Tor Springs, and sublimate its energy with your own. You will know you have made a strong and enmeshed connection when a fourth tone, of a higher pitch yet, beings to vibrate alongside those of the Heart Center, womb space and the Root.

  When you are ready, bring your attention to the Third Eye Center in the middle of your forehead. Here dwells the essence of all that is of the Spirit and is your place of union with the Divine. Breathe this energy center wide and open as you experience all that connects to your sacred nature within. When you are as fully conscious of this energy as you can be, use it to connect with the island’s Divine essence, rising forth to merge with the indwelling Spirit of the entire Avalonian landscape—the universal energies that underlie the archetype of the Holy Island. A fifth tone sounds out, a result of the union of energies of Spirit within and without.

  When you are fully conscious of the energies flowing through and around you, gather the vital force within you using your breath; begin with your Root. Breathe it up through every energy center—from earthy Root to watery Womb, through fiery Heart up to airy Throat, into the etheric Third Eye, building to fountain out through the crown of your head. There, the force meets and merges with the Modron—the essence of the Goddess that inhabits the Holy Isle. This union of the outer and inner Avalon is mirrored by your now-conscious connection to the indwelling source of Goddess—inseparable from the All.

  In the wake of this acknowledgment, the five tones become intertwined, plaiting their ethereal concord like shining knotwork across the land. Their mingled vibrations release a powerful harmonic and everything shifts, everything changes. The veils between the realms are pulled aside, and the core nature of the whole of Avalon is revealed. There is no thought, no way to understand. You can only be in this energy, and feel its resonance within your own soul. The pall of pain and illusion, ego and expectation, fear and limitation, is lifted from your soul. In this enlightenment comes the revelation of your Divine truth; the fundamental essence of all you are, have been, and will be.

  Take as much time as needed to fully experience this space—without thought, without judgment. Do not try to make sense of it all—simply be and receive all you can. When you feel it is time to return, fill yourself with feelings of openness and connectedness and ground yourself in the knowledge of your sacred nature. Breathe the energy of Avalon down through the top of your head, through all your energy centers, and through the bottom of your feet, closing the energetic circuit but retaining the essence of Sovereignty within you.

  When you feel centered and grounded once more, your guide leads you back through the orchard and to the shores of the lake, where the Barge of Avalon awaits you. Turn again to face the island, and thank the Lady and all the guardians of this sacred space for supporting your work and allowing you to visit. Bid your guide farewell and climb aboard the Barge to complete your journey to the other side of the lake, bringing with you the memory of all that has come before.

  Revisiting the Self

  As you continue making your connection to the Island of Avalon and your fully actualized Sovereign self, go back and re-read the self-reflective questions above. How have your answers changed? What catalyzed this change? What underlying energies are you now aware of that were previously unconscious? What patterns have become visible? How can you put your insights and connections to work in order to bring change into your life?

  Tool for the Station: The Three Realms Working

  The essence of our being is a cosmological echo of the whole of Creation. As the Hermetic Axiom states: “As above, so below; as within, so without.” We can use this wisdom to tap into our full potential as women and apply universal prin
ciples to our own process of unfolding. From what we understand about the Celtic worldview, they held a tripartite paradigm of cosmic organization we call the Three Realms.

  The Realm of Land is the physical plane, where the majority of our conscious experiences occur. This is the Realm of manifestation and the dwelling place of plants, animals, elementals, and entities connected to the land.

  The Realm of Sea is the dwelling place of the Ancestors, the Underworld to which souls return before again seeking manifestation; the maternal waters of birth and rebirth and sacred Cauldron of the Goddess.

  The Realm of Sky is the abode of the Divine; the final destination of souls who have completed the cycle of bound and rebound, rejoining the All once more. Here too are all things celestial; the patterns of sun, moon, and stars exist here and derive from this progenitor of Cycle.

  This triple division of the All is reflected in the microcosm of the self. Each of the Three Realms has a corresponding province in each of us, governing particular aspects of the self. Learning to navigate this inner landscape with consciousness is a key skill to master on the voyage to self-actualization.

  The Land Within encompasses everything we manifest in the material world. It also determines how we create the outward circumstances of our lives. This inner realm holds the energy of our physical health, our ability to create abundance and stability in our lives, and our overall capacity to survive and thrive in the mundane world. The Land Within holds the energy of the present, the stage upon which we either play out our shadow patterns or choose to walk a new path.

  The Sea Within is the medium through which we relate to the inner and outer world. It is the sphere of the emotions, connecting us to spiritual planes and granting us access into the collective unconscious. This inner realm is the receptacle of our innate wisdoms, the source of our intuition, and bears the reflection of our relationships to ourselves and others. The Sea Within holds the energy of our past—our memories, our fears, and our greatest hopes and dreams.

  The Sky Within is the filter through which we view our world and understand our place within it. This inner realm holds our perspectives, the functions of the higher mind, and determines our ability see truth with clarity and discernment. The Sky Within generates our ideas for the future; how it will unfold depends upon the choices we make, our mental outlook, and our degree of conscious communication with the higher self.

  These Three Realms compose the whole of who we are; their existence in our lives is immutable. What can change, however, are the ways in which each realm influences our lives. The ideal is for all three Realms to be in perfect balance with each other, gently overlapping in energetic interchange and synchronized clarity. Cleansing these energy fields of lower-self impulses and shadow patterns will bring them back into balance, and allow us to experience the gifts of spirit available to those in alignment with the whole. Consciously clearing and activating the highest vibration of the inner realms will ensure that we come to our work, and indeed our lives, from a place of center and discernment.

  When used daily, the Three Realms working is an exercise that will cleanse, connect, and activate each realm of the inner self.

  The Three Realms Working

  Find your Power Breath, and sit with it for a space of nine cycles of inhalation and exhalation, finding your center. Bring your awareness in turn to each of the three inner realms, beginning with the Land Within. As you connect with each in the manner described in these pages, begin by taking note of how each inner realm feels. Is it heavy or light, active or still, clear or dense? Are there vestiges of other energies being carried around? What color is this realm? How is it the same or different from the last time you performed this working? Can you discern any energetic pattern for this realm—swirling motions of energies or subtle etheric textures? Does connecting with this inner realm evoke symbols, memories, or insights? Take the time to experience everything that comes up for you, making sure to write anything you feel is important in your journal later.

  1—The Land Within

  This Realm exists as an energetic overlay of your physical body and the space immediately surrounding it. It is anchored to your body through the Root Center, at the base of the spine. Bring your awareness to your Root Center, and from there, feel the energy radiate outwards, enveloping your body. Once you have taken inventory of the Land Within in the manner described above, connect with and breathe through all the issues connected with this realm: issues of abundance, physical ailments, mundane-world impediments to your growth and actualization, shadow impulses, self-indulgences or denials—anything which interferes with the clear flow of energy and brings this realm out of balance. Gather these energies with your breath, and breathe them down into the Earth, the planetary vibration of the Realm of Land.

  Once you have removed these impediments to your inner realm, connect with the outer Realm of Land and breathe its influence into your energy field. Visualize the Land Within being filled with the clear, clean, balanced energy of its macrocosmic template. Bring your consciousness deep within the earth, connecting with the dark, rich soil that supports the Middle World. Breathe that energy up and into your personal energy field, replacing what you’ve released with a firm, stable foundation and a fertile field to yield inner abundance. Expand your consciousness outward to connect with all of the spirits of nature, feeling yourself a part of the greater pattern. Breathe the energy field associated with the Land Within as far out beyond the boundary of your physical body as you can, expanding your connection with the All, and your ability to live in the now.

  2—The Sea Within

  This realm exists as an energy field directly touching and surrounding the perimeter of the Land Within. It is anchored to your body through the Womb Center, just below your navel. Bring your awareness to your womb space and from there, feel the energy radiate and envelop your body and the inner land energy. Once you have taken inventory of the Sea Within in the manner described earlier, connect with and breathe through all the issues connected with this realm: issues of attachment, emotional imbalances, relationship concerns, disconnection to your innate wisdom, sorrow, pain—anything that interferes with the clear flow of energy, unbalacing this realm. As before, gather these energies up with your breath, and breathe them out into the waters, the planetary vibration of the Realm of Sea.

  Once you have removed these impediments to your inner realm, connect with the outer Realm of Sea and breathe its influence into your personal energy field. Visualize the Sea Within being filled with the clear, clean, balanced energy of its macrocosmic template. Bring your consciousness to the maternal waters, connecting with the red, life-bearing power of the Cauldron of the Otherworld. Breathe that energy up and into your energy field, replacing that which you released with a fluid, receptive relationship with the cosmos and a clear connection to your inner wisdom. Expand your consciousness outward to connect with your ancestors, the Celtic Matronæ and the women who have walked the path of Avalon before us, feeling yourself a link in a sacred chain extending back into eternity. Breathe the energy field associated with the Sea Within as far beyond the boundary of the Land Within as you can, expanding your connection with the All and your ability to give and receive with clarity.

  3—The Sky Within

  This realm exists as an energy field directly touching and surrounding the perimeter of the Sea Within. It is anchored to your body through the Head. Bring your awareness to the area spanning from the crown of your head to the Throat Center and from there, feel the energy radiate and envelop your body and the energy of the inner sky. Once you have taken inventory of the Sky Within in the manner described earlier, connect with and breathe through all the issues connected with this realm: issues of perspective, lack of clarity, problems with discernment, blocked communication—anything interfering with the clear flow of energy and brings this realm out of balance. As before, gather these energies up with your breath, and br
eathe them out into the air, the elemental vibration of the Realm of Sky.

  Once you have released these impediments to your inner realm, connect with the outer Realm of Sky and breathe its influence into your energy field. Visualize the Sky Within being filled with the clear, clean, balanced energy of its macrocosmic template. Bring your consciousness high above the clouds, connecting with the white, higher-self energies dwelling in the Upper World. Breathe that energy down and into your energy field, replacing that which you released with a clear, objective perspective and open channels of conscious communication with Divinity. Expand your consciousness outward to connect with your guides, your higher self, and the all-embracing essence of the Great Goddess, knowing without a doubt the truth of your Divine nature. Breathe the energy field associated with the Sky Within as far out beyond the boundary of the Sea Within as you can, expanding your connection with the All and your ability to set your sights—with consciousness—on the far horizon.

  You are now enveloped with three interconnected strata of energy– fully clear, open, and connected with their interpersonal resonances. Visualize the three layers—black, red, and white—meeting at a point at your Heart Center. Feel these energies touch each other, and with your breath, move the energies around in a clockwise motion, forming a triple spiral radiating outward from the center made up of three streams of different colored energies. Expand this spiral until each stream is balanced and extended to the farthest expanse of your energy field. Hold this energy and set it with your breath for nine cycles of inhalation and exhalation, feeling it expand beyond the personal into the cosmological transpersonal realms. When you are ready, reverse the spin of the spiral in a counterclockwise motion, drawing the energies back into your center, bringing the higher vibrations back down into the realm of the personal, empowering the Land, Sea, and Sky Within. Feel this energy once more fill your personal energy field, and set the energy again with your ninefold breath.