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Newgrange

Excerpt from Celtic Spirit

Chapter 7, Newgrange

As we near autumn equinox, we are reminded of the changing of the seasons, and the power light and dark have over our lives.  Newgrange is one of those ancient sites that honors the longest night and welcomes the new day better than anywhere on earth. Newgrange is visited by our travelers on Day 7 of their trip as their insight into the mystery and wonder of Ireland is beginning to really sink in to their consciousness. Imagine yourself in Ancient times, welcoming the sun: the source of light, heat, life itself. Imagine yourself inside the chamber as they did.

Timothy, the Irish bus driver is speaking: 

“Before we know it, we are standing in line to enter the chamber itself. I am wishing that folks could have taken in the wide view before we got into the line. Will I not need to remind them to walk around the big mound itself upon exiting?  ’Tis now re-sided with what is considered its original white quartz stone, but not too long ago, all caved-in like, it looked like a natural hill on the grassy plain. Only in realizing that, can you understand what Dorrie was saying about all the interpretations of the history of the place.

For now, we examine the doorway, the positioning of the lintel and the roof-box. Aloud, everyone speculates on how the Ancient Ones knew to do such work; advanced degrees in architecture, astronomy, and engineering would be needed today to construct such a thing. ’Tis hard to imagine how they arranged to build it so on the morning of the winter solstice the sun’s first rays would enter through that space and illuminate the interior. Truly mystifying. Jake adds to the wonderment by telling us that he read this was built 1,000 years before Stonehenge. I must remark that in the natural order of things, the Irish are always ahead of the English.

The guide warns folks it will be dark, and the walls get closer together in the passageway sloping upward into the chamber. He assures us that the inner chamber is large, artificially lit, and comfortable. But I was not prepared for the extraordinary feeling I get when we get to the Center. ’Tis both cave and cathedral. ’Tis the Womb of the Mother and an unimaginable edifice of ancient civilization. The longer we stand, the more the energy of the place builds. I didn’t feel this way on previous tours.

When we are all nicely situated, Dorrie signals the guide. He asks that we clear a path going straight from the passage way to the basin in the far recess. We do that. He turns off the lights and we hear Dorrie’s voice.

We come humbly to this place as did those who came before.

We stand humbly in the silence of the darkness as did those who came before.

We wait for the light and are grateful for its return.

At that moment, a beam of light comes through from the roof-box, down the chamber and rests in the basin, directly on the three-spiral design. We know it is a laser simulation, but it is still magical. Beyond understanding. Not a sound is made for what seems like minutes, but is probably only seconds, before Herself continues.

And as the light fades away again, we return to darkness. 

We trust that darkness and trust that it will once again return to light.

As the day turns to night and back to day again, so turn the seasons. And so turn the seasons of our lives and the cycle of our birth, death, and rebirth.

May it ever be so.

Blessed be.

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