There are some places in the world that we feel a special connection to. Sometimes, it’s because of something conscious - a memory from our childhood or a pleasant experience for another reason. Sometimes, it’s on a deeper level - the subconscious or, you could say, the soul. When this happens, it can feel like we’re just about to remember the reason… like it’s just at the tip of our tongue… it’s… … oh!… and it’s gone.

We can’t name it but we feel a piecing-together inside and a sudden connection to the ground, meaning the Earth, and the present moment. The mental chatter quiets, and our eyes and mouth widen in a knowing smile. What is known is not consciously known, but something in the unseen within us knows.

Glastonbury is one of these places for me. I wish I could say that, before discovering what I’m about to share with you, I’d heard of the name as more than the annual music festival, but I would be lying. When I was introduced to its myths and legends, and Goddess healing presence, I was certainly intrigued. Intrigued big time, so I began researching all about it.

Some call Glastonbury the ‘heart chakra’ of the world. Geologically, it used to be an island, surrounded by the sea and filled with rivers and water pools. One of its earlier names is Island of Glass, apt for a land enveloped by water. For the Celts, it was a Druid centre of learning and held a high status amongst this society. Following Jesus’s crucifixion, it is said that his uncle Joseph of Arimathaea founded the first Christian church in the world here. These are just some of the stories.

For there’s something deeper. A more enticing tale that first captured me. It is said that Glastonbury is the site of the mythic Avalon, the island present in Arthurian legends and literally meaning Isle of Apples. Growing up, I loved watching the BBC series Merlin and so I wanted to follow this thread. Avalon is where King Arthur was taken after his last battle, the Battle of Camlann, in which he was either fatally wounded or died. It is where Morgan le Fey, the powerful sorceress and Arthur’s half-sister (or other relative), and also known as Lady of the Lake, resides. And it is she who took him across from the physical world and into the mystical, other-worldly Avalon after this battle. At Glastonbury Abbey, King Arthur and his wife Guinevere are said to be buried. (This is after a group of monks claimed to have found the remains of both, alongside a cross identifying them as such, in 1191. The cross read: ‘Here lies buried the renowned King Arthur, with Guinevere his second wife, in the Isle of Avalon'.)

There’s another link to Arthur at the beautiful, protected garden Chalice Well. Here, in an area called King Arthur’s Court, a shallow pool of healing water can be walked through and some stories tell that Arthur used to come to receive healing from this water, in particular after battle. Through Glastonbury, there are actually two healing springs that flow - one is this ‘red’ spring at Chalice Well and the other is a ‘white’ spring at, as the name suggests, The White Spring. (More on this and why I love the White Spring in the next post.)

Back to Avalon. The idea of an unphysical, unseen realm where those who have passed travel to is common in many mythologies. The name Avalon itself could derive from Avalloc or Avallach, who was a Celtic demigod of the Underworld. But it’s not just the dead that have access to Avalon. Morgan le Fey lives there and she may have worked as the leader of eight other sisters, or ‘Morgana’s, each representing a different aspect of the Divine Feminine. The name le Fey suggests she may have been more of a fairy and she’s also been described as a Goddess. In Celtic lore, faeries often lived at or around hills, and the otherworld was home to both the dead and such higher deities or beings. Pinning down anything precise gets tricky, as often is in stories long gone.

So how exactly could you enter Avalon? Well, of course, this is in the eye of the beholder. But, if a certain place had to be chosen, Glastonbury Tor would be a good one to start with. Glastonbury Tor is a hill with an old building at the top called St Michael’s Tower. This tower was part of a church built in the 14th century, with only this part now remaining. The climb isn’t too long and the sight from the top is certainly worth it. So, on the physical side, it’s worth exploring for the beautiful 360° view. As we move to the less visible, however, we might find clues on how to experience Avalon more directly.

Glastonbury Tor has been called a Faerie Hill, a Holy Hill, a Spiral Castle, a Grail Castle, a Magic Mountain and the Land of the Dead or the Underworld. Around the hill, there is a series of 7 ‘terraces’ or, more simply, levels. These form a spiral-like journey around and up to the top of the hill, almost like a sacred labyrinth to follow. The origin of these terraces is unknown but they certainly appear to be man-made. Spirals are often a symbol of the Goddess and the nature of the Divine Feminine - its ever-flowing, ever-growing and ever-birthing nature. In Celtic mythology, the spiral can been seen as the soul’s journey through life, death and rebirth; in other words, the cyclical nature of life. As a labyrinth, the path of these terraces can serve as a meditation or initiation. For the Celts, such a journey could relate to our journey to our own soul or subconscious. I have read that it can take 4-6 hours to make it to the top by following the spiral, which certainly would give the traveller some time to clear her mind and self-reflect. (Since a straight walk up takes about 15-20 minutes, I haven’t tried this yet.) The Tor can also represent the female body or the body of the Mother Goddess. As a whole, then, the hill is a place of initiation, ceremony and connection with the Divine Feminine and the Earth. It can mean what we want it to mean.

Within the Tor, there is a story about a tunnel, or tunnels, especially one offering a passage to Glastonbury Abbey. Another story is that there is a Druid cave or temple inside. Since Glastonbury used to be a Druid centre, and since hills were of ceremonial importance to the Celts, it likely was used for a variety of celebrations and initiations. Some believe the hill was the entrance to Annwn. In the Arthur stories, the Tor could be the Grail Castle that King Arthur and his knights travel to. Some say, the Holy Grail - the purpose of Arthur’s quests - is buried underneath the Tor.

As for Arthur’s eventual death and where he is now, the stories certainly say he’s in Avalon. But some legends speak of him as simply asleep on this island, awaiting to wake and return to the world…

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For a little bit more context on the King Arthur stories, Celts, Joseph of Arimethea, and buildings and monuments mentioned, I compiled a few dates and facts that might be helpful:

The Celts were the main inhabitants of Britain from around 1,000 BCE.
Jesus died in 33 CE. Joseph of Arimathea (his uncle) came shortly after to Glastonbury, first said to have arrived at Wearyall Hill. He founded the first Christian Church in the world at Glastonbury Abbey in 63 CE.
King Arthur’s name and story first appear in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae (The History of the Kings of Britain), completed c. 1138. Many other of the first ‘Arthurian’ stories appear between 1150 and 1250.
Arthur was said to have been a British military leader during the late 400s and early 500s (late 5th and early 6th century). He fought against the invading Anglo-Saxons.
In 43 CE, the Romans started to invade Britain. For around 300 years, Britain was under the Roman Empire. By 410 CE, the Romans started to leave Britain. (The Romans never conquered Ireland, which is one of the reasons Celtic history, stories and culture can be found more strongly here. They also didn’t invade Scotland, most of Wales or Cornwall.)
After this, Britain was under the Anglo-Saxons; by around 450 CE, they had invaded Britain and they stayed until around 1066 CE.
A reconstruction of Glastonbury Abbey and King Arthur’s Tomb can be seen here and here.

Glastonbury #1 - The Legend of King Arthur, Morgan le Fey and Avalon

Glastonbury #2 - Glastonbury’s Sacred Sites

Ireland Road Trip #2 - A Day and A Half in Dublin