Excerpts from:
The Myth of the Sacred Millennial Journey of
the Archangel Mikael (Michael), The Holy Grail and the Marriage of the Sun and
Moon: the Total Solar Eclipse.
August 6-20, 1999
“You
are lovingly invited to be a member of the sacred wedding party celebrating the
Sacred Marriage of the Sun and Moon, August 11, 1999--to be conducted at Land’s
End, Cornwall, England. Please join us
in this once in ten thousand year celebration of this sacred journey.” This invitation was hand delivered by the
Keepers of the Sacred Secrets many moons before the journey.
Prologue: (Journey to England)
Boston,
Friday, August 6, 1999
Written September 29, 2000 Michaelmas
We left the summer shores of New England to
Pilgrimage across the grey Atlantic Ocean to the place where myth and legends
come alive in the land of the ancients, known as Cornwall, England and the
Pyrenees, France. This journey was
honoring the completion of a 2000-year cycle and it was heralding in a new
millennium marked by the form of a grand astrological cross in conjunction with
the Total Solar Eclipse.
We each got to intuitively choose a mythical
character, which we were to embrace as an identity that would enhance our
understanding of ourselves by acting out that very persona.
The
Solar Eclipse Journey
Day
One: Saturday, August 7, 1999 (Journey
to Tintagel, England)
It was tolling midnight as we stole silently
down the narrow hedgerows and passageways in search of the outskirts of town
near King Arthur’s castle in Tintagel.
We lit up the dark night until we came to this very town, which was
wide-awake with the young and the old spilling out from blazing pubs and
taverns. Campfires flickered on the
hillside overlooking the castle ruins and the ocean kept the heart beat of
eternity. Ah, the air was filled with
salt and dew. We were back on the shores of legendary times. Conversation and laughter carried over the
ravine and those who could hear between the lines knew this very night long
ago.
Day
two: Sunday, August 8, 1999 (Holy Day
of the Archangel Mikael)
After a full day and eve of travel, the rooks
awoke us to the sun rising over ancient stonewalls and moist green
pastures. Breaking our fast, we
discovered the meaning of the encampment and our first day of voyage played out
to be quite unplanned. In the fields
across from our way station, Mordred was battling King Arthur in their final
combat and we were to witness this enactment.
Enchantment could not be more tangible.
Each Pilgrim had the freedom to wander the fields or the streets and
thus we scattered, united and scattered throughout the day. It was a star-filled night above the roof of
our chambers and sleep came early for many of us.
Day
three: Monday, August 9, 1999
We all loaded into the coach after a sumptuous
breakfast of eggs, toast and tea and the Captain and Guardian Angel guided us
to the sacred stones of Bodmin Moor.
Here we hiked along footpaths winding to the place of ancient ritual and
sanctuary. Under a stone shelter, we journeyed to meet the male aspect of
ourselves. In order to attend the
celestial marriage of the Sun and Moon, and to unite our own masculine and
feminine aspects, we need to embrace our own internal male and female. The Faery Queen took us to the Otherworld on
the spirit of her drum. The Captain
guided us to our inner realm. We met
our sacred male within. This masculine
symbol vibrated with the stones and pinnacles of this place of worship. Thunder echoed in the distance. The Keepers of the Sacred Secrets brought us
back from other dimensions.
Day
four: Tuesday, August 10, 1999 (Eve of the Total Solar Eclipse)
Tintagel remained a place of fervent activity. The anticipation of the eclipse was
electric, hovering around and charging up the many humans gathered for the
event. Queues reached the streets for
pasties and brew. Pigeons and trash
littered the sidewalks. Lorries and
transports crawled through the human infested streets. We too moved like lava through the throngs,
making our way by foot to the mouth of the sea. This morning the sun glistened on the water and the footpaths
were crammed with eager folk. The
stones were warm and the air was still.
As Pilgrims we moved unnoticed to the mouth of
the stream cascading over the mossy cliff walls. We clustered near to the wizard to hear his words on life, loss
and the passing-over of a loved one.
Merlin, on the threshold of his powerful cave, passionately encouraged
the Pilgrims to communicate with the spirit-realm, to listen to the voice of
the sea, to open to the vibration of the stones, to cleanse with the purity of
the stream, to feel the essence of the wind, and to speak to the spirit of loved
ones.
We were asked to enter his cave with
respect. Following the footsteps of the
Faery Queen, who was formerly guided by the purple serpent, we walked into the
mother’s womb. To my knowledge, none of
us was blessed by any mythical guidance, but we each met with our own female
within on a self-guided journey. The
ocean and the cave worked in unison to remind us of the female power. Quietly merging with the stonewalls, the
female aspect of our humanness presented herself. The flow of humans around us was like a river that pulsed to the
depths of the cave, touching the rising tide and then surging back out
again. As Pilgrims, we too surged out
of the cave, but as we burst into the light of day, we gave birth to our female
aspect. This sparkling new feeling
glistened like the salt water meeting the sand, washing the tiny pebbles clean.
Just after English teatime, we gathered again
to share about the experiences we had at the Widows Window and Merlin's
Cave. For the remainder of the evening,
we were given freedom to prepare for the sacred marriage of the Sun and Moon in
our own manner.
How grand was this eclipse? The Keepers of the Sacred Secrets speak, “it
will be one of the greatest moments on this earth—a Solar Eclipse ushering in
the coming millennium. This Total Solar
Eclipse is in the sign of the King, the royal sign of Leo. During this eclipse, what is referred to as
a ‘Grand Cross’ will be formed in the heavens by the sun and the planets. The Sun and the Moon in Leo are opposite
Uranus in Aquarius, squaring Saturn in Taurus on the one hand, and Mars in
Scorpio on the other. These four main
zodiacal signs of Taurus, Leo, Scorpio (the eagle) and Aquarius (the human
water-bearer) will form this ‘Grand Cross.’”
The eclipse will pass from the Atlantic Ocean crossing land and sea to
complete over the Indian Ocean. And we,
as Pilgrims will bear witness to it, standing on the Cornish Coast two miles
north of King Arthur’s Castle in Tintagel.
Day
5: Wednesday, August 11, 1999 (Day of the Total Solar Eclipse)
Dawn comes with clouds in the sky and rain in
the forecast. Remember that dawn still happens even if clouds obscure the sun
cresting the lip of the earth, and so too, the Sun will marry the Moon even
though the clouds may veil the Moon walking down the heavenly aisle. We break our fast in silence, humbled by the
power of the day. A circle is cast and
Merlin and the Faery Queen offer each Pilgrim a drink from the Grail (spirit)
and a piece of honey sweetened bread (matter).
We partake in this ritual to consecrate this sacred day. We gather our few belongings and head for
the hallowed window.
All have come prepared with wedding attire. We
dress for the sacred marriage. This was
an occasion beyond mortal description. In the words of the Guardian Angel, the
glory and power could “cast a shadow where there should be none” and it could
“create a blinding darkness.” As the
Moon united with the Sun, it cast a shadow across the farmlands and we
witnessed a hush fall across the world. A blue window in the sky above blessed us and the eclipse was
unveiled as the clouds parted. The
marriage crested in heavenly harmony.
The eclipse displayed the power of light and the power of dark. In darkness waking life goes to sleep and in
light sleeping life awakens. When the
Sun was eclipsed by the Moon, the Grandmother Ocean’s swell was lulled then
stilled, the wind lay down, the birds sang their evening song, human powered
twi-lights emerged, sheep and cattle rested, night critters came out and we
were all wrapped in darkness.
With the power of this complete union, our own
divinity and humanity, male and female within were united and charged by the
heavenly energies of the Total Solar Eclipse.
We married ourselves in conjunction with the marriage of the Sun and
Moon. From this place of totality, we
each had the choice to purify ourselves by fire with the returning light. Like the phoenix who burns himself before rising,
we too could symbolically die, be purified by the alchemy of fire and be re-born
with our souls shining brighter. As the
first stroke of light returned when the Moon slipped across the Sun, we lit a
white candle. This symbolic act represented our light within ourselves and that
which we shine into this world of Middle Earth. The essence of this ceremony
under the Grand Cross will resonate within each Pilgrim for years to come. Our hearts experienced an alchemical union,
which no earthly presence could duplicate.
Day
six: Thursday, August 12, 1999 (Journey to Alet les Bains, France)
A spirit-ship flew us from the United Kingdom
to the European Continent. We landed in Toulouse, France and were greeted by
the passionate young Joan d’Arc. Our
final destination was the Lanquedoc region, where many spiritual and esoteric
traditions flourished, such as the keepers of the Holy Grail, medieval
alchemists, the Knights Templars and the Gnostic Cathars. Plus, there was the wellspring of the
romantic age of chivalry, the troubadour tradition and the courts of love. “In times of freedom and peace, a stream of
learning and wisdom flowed through this land, refreshing its people with beauty
and joy. In times of oppression (and
spiritually forgotten times) it flowed still, quietly, subtly, beneath the
surface, an underground stream nourishing the observant and persistent
seeker.”
As we entered the town of Alet les Bain, we
crossed the singing, babbling river (oh the stories it could tell!) and passed
two stone pillars before we glided under the heavenly carpet of the massive,
ancient tree’s canopy. The shelter of
its branches and leaves whispered and quieted thoughts. Night had fallen and the air was thick. This
was our place of refuge at the Bishop’s Palace. Under that ancient tree, nearing hundreds of years old, we were
seated to our first meal of French cuisine: green salads, breads, cheeses,
trout and local red and white wines.
As a group we settled on the dewy grass by the
running river. The Captain taught, “The purpose of your soul is to reach its
destiny. This is a great mystery. Your spiritual journey on earth is to
connect you with the essence of the mystery that transcends our minds.” Once the heavenly and earthly gates are open
(seventh and first chakra), and then you want to move your energy from these
two realms to marry at your heart and burst forth your essence. In order to achieve this spiritual strength,
you must allow you body to experience relaxation. We were offered the simple,
yet timeless exercise of sitting with the earth. We were to connect to her energy by feeling her essence at our
root chakra and letting that powerful energy flow through our chakras as the
heavens energy poured in from the crown chakra. This day we were to focus on the earth element: smelling, seeing,
tasting, touching, and hearing all.
During the previous Archangel Michael journey,
Merlin came across one of Elizabeth van Buren’s works in the town of Hey on
Wey: Refuge of the Apocalypse, The Doorway to Other Dimensions. He and the Queen Bee made Elizabeth’s
acquaintance the next autumn and were invited to share in a bottle of wine,
which was the beginning of a new friendship. Elizabeth has dedicated her later
years to the research of this rich region.
We were lucky to be able to cross the doorstep into her secluded space,
where she served us mint sun-tea on the back patio. She handed around a beautiful pamphlet, which had been
distributed in the very town it was written about: The Dragon of Rennes le
Chateau. She authors that the dragon
which Michael appears to be slaying wants to be loved, and Michael who
"thinks with his heart…transforms the Dragon with love” and the tomb of
dense matter is purified.
The sun rises into a cloudless sky and we too
rise to the Cathar fortress of Montsegur, known as the Sun Temple. Before ascending the actual path to the
pinnacle, Merlin and the Faery Queen teach about the element of fire. We are traversing towards the heavens, the
place of the flaming sun. At the peak
we can enhance our connection with the fire element by focusing on the second
chakra and then by envisioning the flames within to grow and strengthen. We are instructed to do appropriate prayers. Do Pilgrims remember to honor the Archangel
Michael, The Prince of Light (Sun)? The
wind picked up from stillness when prayers were offered. Even if Pilgrims do not believe in this way,
if they have no fears or doubts and if they remain open, the sheer vibration of
the journey will affect them. It is one of the secrets.
Day
nine: Sunday, August 15, 1999 (the Holy
Day of the Archangel Michael)
Not only was this Sunday, but it was also
Assumption Day, and the town abbey rang sweet bells that resounded with high
overtones. We attended the church of
Notre Dame de Marceille, the Black Madonna, where Elizabeth van Buren awaited
us in the surrounding gardens. In the gardens was the healing fountain of Mary,
with the serpent entwined at her feet. Because the fountain lay dry, Elizabeth
found this to be the cause of much desolation.
The serpent with the rose in its mouth, encodes the symbolic power and
knowledge of the growth of the earth energies and these must be watered.
In the mid-afternoon, after farewells to
Elizabeth, we followed in her well-worn footsteps to the original “Temple of
Solomon” at Rennes le Chateau, located in La Val-Dieu (the Valley of the
Gods). According to her years of
research, Elizabeth decoded that the legends of “Solomon’s treasure speak of
riches so great that they have no end.
The gold is Light itself.” I
repeat, the gold is Light itself. “The
mystery relates to the Science of Light.”
Throughout the graveyard, garden and church of
Rennes le Chateau, there are secret teachings of the mystery schools. The church is small, situated on top of a
hill that overlooks the Valley of the Gods, where abundant crops and rich soil
bask under the golden sun. It is over
this valley that the star of Venus travels for eight years to form the five
pointed star defined in the heavens.
Inside the church her reflection is painted throughout the earthly
ceiling. The twins are depicted at the
altar and the Star of David is mysteriously engraved on an outside
headstone. Out of Egypt and the holy
lands came the mystery school teachings.
Merlin spoke about personal power, spiritual growth and the ability to
commune directly within ourselves: connecting divinity with matter on
earth. After the crusades, the
prevailing authorities could destroy you, so the mysteries were kept in
churches, hidden in secret knowledge.
“Remember to drop the stone,” he taught. “As the stresses of life are created, you
must let them die. Talk to the stone,
say your words and don’t judge your wounding.
Remember that the little things can be connected to a larger
incident. Forgive on a daily
basis. As the sun symbolically dies,
let go each day. He spoke on, looking
to nature. “She teaches so well. You hardly ever see stones alone. They are usually piled together, layered and
all connected.”
After a long day, the night gifted us with
angelic voices from the mortal realm.
Under a sky of silver stars, voices of liquid gold carried through Alet
les Bains, as song traveled high above the concert abbey walls.
Day
ten: Monday, August 16, 1999 (Journey to Carcasonne, France)
The town clock ringing in the morning
dispelled sweet dreams. The river lay open to any willing Pilgrims who chose to
drop a stone. I heard some splashing.
The Faery Queen presented roses as gifts from
Fay. She passed them around the circle
on the womb of her sacred drum, empowering them by her words. “These red blossoms symbolize your own
flower hearts,” she blessed, “accept them, embrace them and focus on this
loving aspect of yourself. Take them
with you to Carcasonne, the final destination of our journey.”
Out of all of the fortified medieval cities on
the European continent, Carcasonne is known as the most intact. As the stone city came into view with its
towering turrets and castle, the impenetrable wall surrounding it duly
impressed us. We had left the quiet
land of alchemy, which pulsed under the surface, to enter the medieval city,
which throbbed in the open air.
Our bedchambers were delightfully cool and
calming in the midst of the bustle. The
Keepers of the Sacred Secrets offered their wise council in the back garden,
which was nestled in-between thick green hedgerows. The atmosphere of the medieval city imbued in the French culture,
set the stage for many wonderful events.
Day
eleven: Tuesday, August 17, 1999 (Day
of Double Grand Cross)
We broke our fast with cold cakes, fruits and
cereals. It was a sunny late summer
morning, and the double grand cross was forming in the heavens. Under such awesome energies, the Pilgrims
were led on a powerful journey. Each
day and each moment we are weaving our own life’s tapestry, but here we got to
experience a piece of destiny in mythological form that we could apply to our
lives.
Early
afternoon arrived swiftly. News spread
through the city by an urchin boy and young girl that the noble knights of
Carcasonne were jousting when the clock struck five. We were privileged to
watch the chosen knights perform stunts and feats of remarkable equestrian
control. On the way back to the
Dungeon, we stopped at the airy thirteenth century gothic church, Saint
Nazaire, where the medieval choir sang like troubadours. As the mantle of evening descended, a
colorful crowd gathered for a play at the amphitheater. In silence, the play began with horsemen
coming into the arena bearing torches.
It ended with the stars shining silently and the moon setting over the
turrets in a midnight sky.
A soothing day of playful activities followed
the compelling play of the previous evening.
We traveled to a small town known for its healing baths and its natural
hot spring: Rennes les Bains. The firewater poured from the side of the earth
and fell the distance of a child’s height onto a round slab of stone. This column of sparkling fluid rained down
on all who sat beneath its path. Warm
pools were formed just downstream.
Pilgrims journeyed one by one to be blessed and purified by the sacred
earth waters. The spirit of the living
waters was delightful.
Merlin and the Queen Bee increased the liquid
merriment by divining a detour to Robert’s vineyard, where the wines were so
special that it took forty laborers forty days to harvest the grapes from its
many acres. Some of the Pilgrims plus
the Keepers of the Sacred Secrets planned to celebrate the birth of the new
millennium with sparkling wines bottled just for the year 2000.
The journey is nearing its completion. One more sunrise and the Pilgrims will say
farewell to this magical, mystical land.
They follow their own destinies on this day where the clouds are in
hiding and the sun is in full glory.
They have walked a blinding path of eclipsed light. This “wondrous voyage of discovery”
initiated the Pilgrims into the “Age of Aquarius and took them into the inner
realms of their kingdom of their soul and the outer reaches of the earth and
the heavens.” “It is not what the
experience does to you, but what you do with the experience.”
Our
final gathering was held in the green garden courtyard. This circle will never be cast with the same
characters again. Each Pilgrim enacted
a personal piece of the myth. The Keepers of the Sacred Secrets were given a
unicorn tapestry blessed by words of gratitude from the Pilgrims. We dressed for our evening meal and crossed
the street. Light conversation with
savory French cuisine drew us late into the night. Winds of change were in the air.
We were the last to exit the feasting hall.
Day
fourteen: Friday, August 20, 1999
(Farewell Journey to the New Land)
Though all might not have learned the alchemy
that was taught—how to turn base metals into gold and dark into light—the
impact of the journey will still resonate deeply within each Pilgrim’s
life. It was a clear day and the sky
welcomed our heavenly crossing.
As the sun symbolically dies, so too does this
journey. But, like the phoenix rising,
our souls are shining a little brighter.
Maybe if we keep questing and walking as sacred Pilgrims we will find
that grail within as we unite our male and female in the chamber of our
hearts. But in the meantime, go forth
bearers of light and do not fear facing your shadow, for it is only that
illusion of separation that keeps you from true oneness. But only you, and you alone can make the
choice of transformation each day as the sun rises and the sun dies, as this
journey began and as this journey ends, as you breath in and as you breath out,
and everything that you do in-between!
And so here ends the myth of the sacred
millennial journey of the Total Solar Eclipse—the Marriage of the Sun and
Moon—in honor of the Archangel Michael and the Holy Grail.