Journey to a special healing place…

The White Spring at Glastonbury Tor is like stepping through a portal into another world and time.  A special ancient magical and healing place, where myths and legends feel alive, they surround, bewitch, and inspire us.

My story begins a few years ago…
Glastonbury Tor has been drawing me back to it since my first visit in 2010, but it was on a later visit that I first discovered the White Spring.

I’d already been up the Tor and was on my way back to Glastonbury, passing by the Museum of Rural Life when I decided to visit the arts and crafts exhibition that was on there and look around some of the museum exhibits. Whilst there, I got chatting to a couple from Clitheroe in Lancashire and the lady – out of the blue – told me about the ‘White Well’. She was quite excited that she’d found it open and been able to visit it, after it being shut on her previous visits. She told me about the white and red wells and how incredible a place it was.

Intrigued and my curiosity piqued, I postponed my journey back to Lancashire and after going to Glastonbury and extending my car parking, I walked back up to the base of the Tor in my quest to discover and visit this ‘white well’.

My luck was with me and it was still open when I got there. I walked through the doorway into the darkness, my eyes gradually getting used to the dimness of the light. Sounds came from the water, echoes of running water and I was aware of a humming vibration. It felt like time was on hold and there was a peaceful stillness about the place, like being in a church, which made you want to whisper, hum or sing, rather than talk.

There were some small alters created for sitting and meditating, so I sat for a while and let the atmosphere of the white spring envelope me in its cocoon. To be there felt so magical, but also strange in a ‘good way’, such a primeval and ancient place with its mysteries.

Inside the white spring, there are a number of small pools, of different heights with the water moving from one to the other and a larger pool. I was tempted to take a dip in the water, but not having a towel with me decided against it and that it would be something to look forward to and be prepared for on my next visit. I left a donation and once outside drank some of the white spring and red well water from across the lane.

There’s a sign up asking not to take photographs or videos inside, which I agree with as it would alter the atmosphere of this special and peaceful place, so these are just a few photos from outside the White Spring.

Over the next year or two on visits to Glastonbury Tor, I’d hoped to revisit the Spring, but each time found it closed. Then last October (October 2015) although it wasn’t open to the public – there was a private group using it – I found out it would be open the following afternoon, so I changed my plans and it was to be 3rd time lucky!

It was a few hours after my sound healing gonging experience in St Michaels Tower at the Tor with Norah and Odette, as the White Spring wasn’t open until later in the afternoon, I sat in the sunshine outside the Tower; meditating, having a picnic, reading a book and chilling out before heading down the hillside.

Inside in the semi-darkness of the White Spring, I meditated in the peacefulness of the small shrines and waited for a quiet spell… I’d double-checked with the volunteer steward that it would be ok to take a dip in the water before I climbed up over the smaller pools and into the deepest pool. I wondered if I’d feel anything different as I submerged myself into the water of the White Spring, but it just felt very cold.

As I sat there in the water, I noticed my breath had changed, I could see it when breathing out and it wasn’t my normal breath. My exhaled breath was compressed like it was coming out in a tube that was at least 2 metres in length and it remained like this whilst I was in the pool. Although I wanted to stay there longer, I only managed about 5 minutes, before the coldness of the water drove me out and I clambered out over the pools and into the warmness of my dry towel.

I meditated a bit more, feeling a lightness of being and not wanting to leave the cocoon of the candle-lit white spring and re-enter the world again.

When I recounted this experience a few weeks later to a friend that does reiki, she said ‘it sounded like I was expelling or releasing something’. 

Coincidences:

• For many years, I’ve been interested in spirals and ancient symbols and love working with copper wire to make spiral-shaped unique jewellery. I’ve found similar designs to those I’ve been creating decorate the door of the White Spring.
• my interest in healing springs and wells has grown over time and I’ve become increasingly drawn to visit and learn more about them.

Since the last visit I’ve researched the White Spring further, read my next post…
Sam Rowena, jewellery artist x