There is a story that, despite my best efforts, I cannot source yet it is all over the internet particularly as in articles about Earth energies in Wawel Castle, Krakow, Poland. The myth or legend states that “many moons ago, Lord Shiva threw seven magic stones towards seven parts of the world, one of which landed in Krakow, in the Wawel Castle. The places that had been hit were instantly imbued with the God’s energy, and remain so to this day. The seven places, known as the world’s chakras, are: Delhi, Delphi, Jerusalem, Krakow, Mecca, Rome and Velehrad.”

Now I can’t be certain that this isn’t some invention made recently to promote Wawel Castle. What I can say is that dowsers and sensitives flock to the place to experience the energy, which is said to be very, very strong. Apparently, the place was even visited by famous theosophists. According to Wikipedia, “the origins of the tale have been traced to a newspaper story published in the mid-1930s. It reported that two mysterious gentlemen from India visited the Wawel Castle and were overly interested in an empty corner of the courtyard, which prompted guesswork. The story resurfaced in the 1980s.”

Velehrad is a small Czech town famous for its Basilica of Assumption of Mary, and Saints Cyril and Methodius. This is a place of significant pilgrimage and also healing energies. Saints Cyril and Methodius are two Greek brothers that led the conversion of the Slavs back in the late 800’s to christianity. I also note that it was in fact these two and five disciples – known as the seven saints (7 Chakras, 7 Saints…), who brought their form of christianity to Moravia. Again, according to wikipedia “in 862, the brothers began the work which would give them their historical importance. That year Prince Rastislav of Great Moravia requested that Emperor Michael III and the Patriarch Photius send missionaries to evangelize his Slavic subjects. His motives in doing so were probably more political than religious.”The capital city of Moravia was a place called Velegrad. The location of Velegrad is still uncertain but the area around Velehrad is a strong candidate.

But back to these seven stones…. apparently, the chakra located in Velehrad is the sixth chakra. It is said to characterized by the union of opposites, intuition, wisdom, clairvoyance, visualizing, fantasizing, concentration, determination, self-initiation, the power of projection, and understanding your purpose. The shadow side of the Sixth Chakra is confusion, depression, rejection of spirituality, and over-intellectuaIizing. At this point, I would point out that, for me anyway, shadow side appears manifest in the Czech social culture quite often as does the idea of determination. I would also see something interesting here in that personally my spiritual interest appears to be in reconciling the opposites – as best seen in the book The Mystical Hexagram. But I digress….

In the Basilica at Velehrad, the energies are palpable. For the pilgrims and the Church, it is a healing energy associated with Mary. For me, it is Earth energies and they are very strong. I found them either side of the main alter where they become incredibly strong. I too see these energies as being associated with a receptive energy (The Goddess). I strongly believe that the site is more ancient than the founding of the basilica in 1205 and its inauguration in 1228. Strangely enough, one of the founders of the basilica was Robert of England, who served as Bishop of Olomouc at the time.

The first time I visited Velehrad and the basilica, I was with a Czech friend who was raised in the area. He didn’t feel the energies but as we walked out of the church and around its side, I was busy explaining how earth energies was often associated with dragons. As we walked by the side of the basilica looking up, two dragons revealed themselves each overhead the area I had sensed the energy. Hidden in plain site said I. My friend was even more amazed when during a visit to the crypt and foundations of the original basilica beneath the current one, we came across an information board. Central on that was an article about how the recent archeological excavation had unearthed a very rare tile depicting a dragon.

I will be visiting the Velehrad area many more times in 2021 as soon as allowed. I believe there are many important things to discover in this area some of which I will write about shortly…. but it is not only the center of the Slavic Moravian kingdom but one, which we shall see, has an affinity for dragons and dragon slayers.

A beautiful guided visualization by Sue Vincent

Way back at the start of winter, I engaged in an old Slavic tradition and collected materials from around my neighborhood to construct an effigy of Morana, Goddess of Winter. I used natural materials gathered from the forest and a couple of rubber bands to hold it together. Morana has sat in the room close to my desk since then.

Then yesterday, on the Spring Equinox, I continued that tradition. After meditating and invoking Morana over the three winter moons, it was time to say goodbye. I chose a beautiful spot in nature outside of Brno by Hrad Veveri to conduct this simple ritual that many Slavs would also have been conducting throughout history.

Fittingly, it had snowed overnight and the days was dull with snow flurries. Winter was still evident, yet spring was also with the rushing meltwaters in the stream, the birds singing and the odd crocus peeking through the snow.

In time honored fashion, I set Morana alight. As she burned I thought of the things I desired to rid myself of in life. To help Morana burn, these were also written down on papers attached to the effigy. Then, I tossed her out into the water. Spring has arrived. Winter is done.

It was interesting to conduct this little Slavic tradition that has been performed for centuries across the region. The act of burning away the dross or the unwanted and then tossing that into the waters of consciousness is a strong act of natural magic as well.

I now move on to meditation and invocation of the Goddess of Spring – Vesna – through the three Moons of Spring.

Last year as winter moved into spring, I disturbed a local shaman mid practice just around the corner from where I live under the castle in Brno. I followed his activities capturing photographs of his intricate designs on full display to anyone who might stop for a moment and notice them. I really wanted to meet this man and ask him a bit about what he was doing but the activities ceased suddenly in late spring. The encounter with this shaman, resulted in the book – Chasing the Shaman and its follow up Chasing Dragon’s in Moravia.

Since then, I have kept my eyes open for any further sign of his activities. March 1st is traditionally the day that Vesna, the goddess of Spring, is first welcomed. At the Spring Equinox, her arrival is complete and Morana, goddess of winter, is defeated. So, on March 2nd, in the same spot, I came across a number of things that I think may be down to the shaman celebrating the arrival of Vesna.

I have been mapping these energy lines around the castle and way out into the city of Brno. Me and my dowsing rods. Hours of walking, checking and mapping. I’m still no where near like finished. But as these lines emerge and as I discover them passing through churches – directly down their aisles – and then find memorial crosses and children’s playgrounds decorated with carved Slavic designs on these lines, I have to ask…… how?

One line I am mapping passes directly through three churches. All the churches are modern! Built in the last 80 years or so. So how did they site these churches on these energy lines that I dowse? I do not yet know.

Do the lines even exist? Are they real? Am I imagining the dowsing rods crossing?

So last weekend, I took a friend and we walked around the Castle. Periodically, I had him dowse and area with his rods and every single time, he found the same line I had – broader and wider even than I had.

And so I will continue mapping the lines in Brno….

Won’t you join me?

Words from Sue….

One of the things I do these days is try to connect with the land but what does that mean? Well…. it’s really about getting out into nature and following a whim. I usually try to chose places where there is a link to the Slavs or Celts or, failing that, Templars. Also, monoliths, stone circles, natural places of energy like Macocha, or say, Holy Hill in Mikulov. I tend to approach these visits with a sense of curiosity and of wanting to find the magical or spiritual energies of the place so I may take my dowsing rods and I may meditate or even engage in a small ritual. In the end, we are often guided by synchronicities.

The idea of connecting with the lands isn’t mine. I borrowed it from a close friend and her partner after they took me around a bunch of places in the UK. She told me to connect with the land here in Czechia and see what happens. I did and a lot happened that I have blogged and written about. But, let Sue tell you what connecting with the land means in her own words….

Writing about the experience wasn’t my idea originally either but Sue and Stuarts, and I can recommend their trilogy of books to get started (Triad of Albion) to get a feel for what it is all about!

And if this interests you, then please do get in touch and joins us in connecting with the land ([email protected]).

With this website now activated and a Facebook group/page set up, this group is now active. Anyone who may be interested please do email us at [email protected] for further information.

The general idea is to keep this a relatively informal group – you participate if you want to in whatever activities you want to. There is no ‘membership’ per se. However, having said that, anyone who wishes to take a some magical instruction – either beginners or more experienced folk, will need to follow some basic rules. These will be communicated at the time of inquiry regarding the courses.

We are very keen to start having trips into the landscape as soon as this is permitted again to explore the land and the magic of the land. These will be day trips or even weekend trips and there may be a small participation fee just to help defray any expenses. Some examples may be as follows;

• An exploration of the Slavic past of Hostÿn,
• A trip to Holy Hill in Mikulov to feel the Earth Energies there and explore the site,
• A trip to TempleÅ¡tejn and an exploration of the Templars influence on that region,
• Or, just a wander around Å pilbirk dowsing the energy lines there.

Stay posted for further details.