The Feast of St Bega

7th November 2009. The Feast of St Bega.

The Druid Grove of Bega marked the occasion by building a shrine under the old beech trees which mark the ancient boundary of our woodland garden. The Celtic cross motif was chosen as it represents the connectedness that St Bega has to the sacred centre of the British Isles at St Bees Head, Cumbria. The yellow rose at the centre of our cross symbolises this most sacred spot, whilst each of the four arms reach outwards to the four cardinal points of the land. The circle represents the holy relic of St Bega, her sacred ring, which in turn brings us back to the centre of the land.

We placed sacred objects on Her altar, including gold and silver rings, amethyst, flowers, fruit, candles and incence.

Bega is truly a lady of sovereignty, She is of the ancient lands of the British Isles and has her roots in Western Ireland on Inis Mór. She spreads her ancient wisdom through her teachings, which we may glean from the legends surrounding her visionary journey from Inis Mór to Cumbria. In this we may discover many things, not least our very own visionary journey through life. Bega teaches us to seek the mystery of life, to look for portents and sacred signs and to speak directly with deity. We can each find our own unique spiritual path by following this simple yet profound philosophy. For She is called Bega of the Gifts, and her gifts can be many things, not least the gift of remembrance. We remember Her at this time of the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain for good reason. This too, is part of Her Holy Mystery, for another of Her gifts is healing.

May the Holy Spirit of Bega be with you at this time of remembrance, may you be blessed with Her gifts.

We processed Her sacred image to the shrine at dusk and lit candles and incence. We sent prayers and healing across the land. We entered communion with Her and received Her blessing. All Hail St Bega, All Hail Bega of the Gifts.

St Bega, drawn by
Paul Atlas-Saunders

Samhain 2009

To mark Samhain 2009, my article Samhain: Remembering the Dead, which was originally published on this website exactly a year ago has been published in the latest issue of the Mirror of Isis.

Click here to view.

ArchDruid Union Announcement

A new group of custodians of the legacy of the Fellowship of Isis has been formed by Rt. Rev. Olivia Robertson. The ArchDruid Union of the Druid Clan of Dana has 33 members. This announcement was officially made in Isian News, October 2009 edition.

The ArchDruid Union members join the ArchPriesthood Union and Grand Commander Union as custodians of the legacy of the Fellowship of Isis. There are 32 members worldwide, including a 33rd member, the late Lawrence Durdin-Robertson. This corresponds to the 32 physical rituals of Initiation and 1 of attainment of Divine Awareness without ritual on the Cosmic Web of the Universe which came to Olivia through divine inspiration. As Druids were both mystical and learned, with their own colleges, so the ArchDruid Union will pay particular attention to the College of Isis along with their other duties as custodians of the legacy of the Fellowship of Isis. The work of the ArchDruid Union is global in scope. The title "Most Reverend" is conferred on members of the ArchDruid Union. Example: Most Reverend Olivia Robertson. The members are:

Olivia Robertson, Grove of Eithne, FOI Foundation Centre (Ireland), Caroline Wise (London, UK), Michael Staley (London, UK), Johnny Merron (London, UK), Linda Iles (California, USA), deTraci Regula (California, USA), Michael A. Starsheen (California, USA), Deena Butta (Illinois, USA), Ray Butta (Illinois, USA), Claudia Wehmeyer (Westphalia, Germany), Thomas Wehmeyer (Westphalia, Germany), Mary Browne (New York, USA), Steven Browne (New York, USA), Caitlin Matthews (Oxford, UK), John Matthews (Oxford, UK), Swami Prem Sudheer (Scotland, UK), Professor Tadahira Ohnuma (Tokyo, Japan), Sumika Kurimoto (Tokyo, Japan), Aauriane Veleda (Florida, USA), Michael U. Okoruwa (Edo State, Nigeria), Professor A. E. Afarri (Accra North, Ghana), Steve Wilson (London, UK), Alex Langstone (Cornwall, UK), Mother Beatrice Bhagavati Devi Dasi (Ebonyi, Nigeria), Jane Marshall (Glastonbury, UK), Karl Duncan (London, UK), Minette Quick (Ireland), Eileen Lawrence (County Laois, Ireland), Padraic O’Reilly (Ireland), Patricia Griffin (Ireland), Laura Janesdaughter (California, USA), Fee McBride (Glastonbury, UK).

Bega of the Gifts (June 2009)

St Bega's church, oil on canvas by Doreen Wilson

Bega of the Gifts

by Carole Young

I have recently become a member of Bega of the Gifts; I am delighted about this as I have had a lot of faith in the healing power of the Goddess as manifested through Bega since I first encountered her in the summer of 1989 whilst in Cumbria with Alex Langstone. Since that time I have requested her assistance and healing many times for myself, my family, pets and friends and other’s with positive results. Friend’s have also asked me to ask Bega for help and healing for their pet’s, she does have a very special link with animals, I have found in particular with Cat’s and of course Bees but all animals really and also children! All good Goddess attributes!

I also included Bega healing in my involvement with Reiki therapy and teaching. Some of my student’s particularly resonated to Bega’s energy and the whole story of mine and Alex’s quest in the Lake District that led us to discover Bega in our lives. Some told me that they went on to develop their own meditations and visualisations to contact this positive healing force. I called Bega to attend, along with the Reiki Masters when attuning students to Reiki if they wished. Most felt they accepted her as an expression of ‘The Goddess’.

Quite a few year’s ago now (time flies) I gave a talk accompanied by slides about the Bega Quest and a lady in the audience called Doreen who was an artist felt inspired to visit Bassenthwaite Church and lake and paint the scene in oils for me as a gift, which she did. The painting was beautiful and as you can imagine is highly treasured! (Doreen's painting is illustrated above). Creative inspiration is indeed another of Bega’s Gifts. The site of this church is idyllic and the energies there are very balanced with lake, mountains, trees and meadows and a beautiful stream running down from Skiddaw Mountain making its way to the lake.

I have a photograph of Paul’s beautiful maze painting to link me in with the healing grove in Cornwall and I am sure many ‘linked in’ healing meditations will ensue!

I recently had cause to request healing from Bega of the Gifts and the results were excellent as I knew they would be, it was at the same time I became a member. It may seem strange to some that I work closely with Bega myself and yet requested healing from the Iseum. Well, all I can say is I felt I needed the help and healing and intuitively it felt right to do so. I was at a low ebb and as I reached my lowest ebb I felt the healing flow towards me and within me, there was an immediate shift for the better and continued improvement. I surrendered and then the healing came through! One could say I felt Bega’s Sacred Breath upon me at my time of need!

Sometimes it is good to ask for help.

Actually, I feel a positive shift in energy in my connection with Bega, a strengthening of the link and a fresh new cycle of communing with her Goddess Energy. I think it’s empowering when people work together in harmony, love and trust and much can be achieved. As the saying goes “when a few are joined together”. Sometimes we are asked to work quietly on our own on our spiritual journey, meditating and seeking guidance from within and with the spiritual energy we are working with. Then at other times it is right to join with others of like mind and this is valuable and uplifting!

I would like to take this opportunity to write about yet another of Bega’s Gifts. Many times over the year’s I have become aware of Bega’s subtle presence by the sudden and inexplicable aroma of the most exquisite and delicate perfume. This happened once again the day before I contacted Alex to ask for healing from the Iseum and I wonder if other people may have experienced this also?

Bega told me year’s ago during a meditation with her that she is Bega of the Gifts and this indeed is true!

So, I am delighted to be a member of ‘Bega of the Gift’s Iseum’ and I would like to say a hearty ‘hello’ to all other members!

HAIL TO ISIS - HAIL TO BEGA

In the Cosmos she is One

On Earth She is known by many names.

Her Heart is LOVE!

Beltane 2009 at Tredethy

The Druid Grove of Bega observed Beltane at their new home high up in the hills of North Cornwall. A new outdoor hearth was inaugurated, as they lit the Beltane fire amid mature Ash, Beech, Alder, Oak and Sycamore.

Tredethy Beltane Fire

Life in its abundance manifests all around now; blackbirds are nesting nearby, hedgehogs and toads feast nocturnally on mollusc's and newts have colonised our sacred woodland pond. Nature surges, energy quickens, life pulses. The sun has set through the Sycamore thicket, and a half moon rides the starry sky!

Earlier in the day the ancient yearly fertility ritual was performed at Padstow, and the streets of the Cornish port thronged with colour, music and ceremony. Now at dusk, it is a quiet time for reflection. A timeless sense of the Eternal Spirit of Nature; communion can be achieved at this special time betwixt day and night - at this crepuscular hour the song of summer reverberates through all things. All is one - the heartbeat of the universe hums on the still night air.

Beech, Sycamore and Bluebells at Tredethy

2009 Vernal Equinox Sunrise at Castlerigg

The following photos were taken at dawn on the Spring Equinox 2009.








The Equinox sun climbing the side of Clough Head Fell from Castlerigg Stone Circle.

Pictures by Paul Atlas-Saunders

2008 Montol Festival Photo Gallery

"The Lords of the Night"

Druid Grove of Bega Tatters Guise Dancers

Crowned with Yew, symbolic of death and rebirth the Winter Solstice
Penglaz dances into the night (Photo credit: Sarah Jenner)

Torchlit procession through old Penzance town (Photo credit: Sarah Jenner)

Druid Grove of Bega Tatters Guise Dancers and the Turkey Rhubarb Band
join together for Guise Dancing in Chapel Street. (Photo: Sarah Jenner)

Golowan Band leads the torchlit procession

Lescudjack Montol Beacon

Guising at the Chalking of the Mock

All photos by The Druid Grove of Bega unless otherwise credited

Click here for the Spirit of Albion article about this festival and it's links to esoteric practices across Europe

See here for the official Montol website (external link)

Winter Solstice in Penzance

The Druid Grove of Bega joined with the musicians and guise dancers of the Turkey Rhubarb Band to celebrate the Winter Solstice in style. We danced our way through the historic Chapel Street of district of Penzance. For a full report on this year's Montol festival click here

Picture credit: Sarah Jenner

Save the Holy Headland at Penzance

Please join with the Druid Grove of Bega and support this very worthy cause.The natural world is shrinking every day, and every wild place we can save will help the natural world. This site is of immense cultural significance to the townsfolk of Penzance. More importantly however is the loss of the natural history of the area. The beautiful rock pools full of colourful life, the basking Seals, the sea birds and Dolphins. Please sign the petition now to help us to save this special place. For online petition click here.

Also please see my article relating to this saga on Heritage Action's Heritage Journal here

Sandy Cove, Penzance

Sunrise viewed from Sandy Cove, Penzance

Don't Let Cornwall County Council Rip the
Sacred Heart out of Penzance
A preliminary report by Alex Langstone

Information is starting to trickle through about a hidden plan to build a car park and ferry terminal over the sandy cove by the harbour at Penzance, Cornwall. This is the beach where Celtic saints landed at the holy headland (Cornish Pen Sans). This is the ancient sacred heart of the modern town of Penzance. The site of St Anthony's chapel lies close by and the remains of a dark age cross found by this beach, now resides in St Mary's churchyard just up the hill. We must stop this happening. Seals and Dolphins are regularly seen swimming here, the rock pools are full of beautiful anemones and fish and the view across the bay to St Michael's Mount is unsurpassable!

Contact Save the Holy Headland website now, where you can download and read The Limpet, the broadsheet dedicated to telling the truth about this project. A project that has been deliberately hidden from the people of Penzance!

Above: The Front and back cover of
The Limpet No. 3. November 2008 -
Click images to enlarge.

http://savetheholyheadland.blogspot.com
Email here: savetheholyheadland@yahoo.com

What to do now?
Protest now by writing to the following:

Andrew George MP, Trewella, 18 Mennaye Rd, Penzance TR18 4NG. Tel: 01736 360020
Fax: 01736 332866 www.andrewgeorge.org.uk
Secretary of State for the Environment. The Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP, Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR

Sign the online petition now by clicking this link here

If you are local, visit the beach, take photos of the wildlife and protest, tell people and keep in touch!

You can also help by downloading, printing and distributing The Limpet newspaper from the savetheholyheadland.blogspot.com website. The more people we tell the better.

Rock pool at Sandy Cove, Penzance

Druid Grove's Winter Meditation

The well used Winter Wild Wood Mystery meditation has been published in the Samhain 2008 issue of The Mirror of Isis.

The Mirror of Isis is the online journal of the Circle of Isis, a Fellowship of Isis global advisory board. You can view the Druid Grove of Bega meditation here. Thanks to Linda Iles, Editor of the Mirror of Isis for her continued encouragement and support.