You could be forgiven for thinking that this is not a labyrinth, but you’d be wrong, It is infact a dual spiral labyrinth. This shape has been knocking on my door for a while now, quite subconsciously.
I was carving slate labyrinths and some small resin cast labyrinth coasters, one of those was of two spiralling dragons.. one Cosmic and one Earthly, like Spiralling Galaxies. Heaven and Earth. I had no idea to the notion of a dual spiral labyrinth at this point.
The second time this similar pattern emerged after being asked my thoughts on a friends physic garden design, I had drawn a spiral so that people could view the plants on both sides walking in around one side of the curve and out on the other side of the spiral with access to both sides of the beds.
And Thirdly this Fire labyrinth Spiral was an installation for Shatwell farms Winter Solstice event as part of lillith Pipers Water and Fire exhibition. Though difficult to make out it is a Dual Spiral. Fire Labyrinth – https://www.instagram.com/p/Cm0-HV_IJ9-/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Dragons of Cole Manor
Having worked at Cole manor I had many discussions with Martine, the owner, on the theme of Dragons, Ley lines and elementals. The space has a strong energy, that I would describe as having a crystalline quality as the garden seems to shimmer at times. The river Brue runs through the property cascading in to waterfalls at several points, one of these points most notably is where the labyrinth is situated and where many people feel drawn to.
Martine was drawn to this spot during her first visit to the property. As she sat down and closed her eyes she was interrupted by an unexpected presence behind her which she initially thought was a dog, but upon turning around there was nothing there. Martine is accomplished in traversing the inner worlds and so checked in to see who it was visiting her? She was surprised to see a baby dragon! She then thought.. Well if there’s a baby dragon there must be a Mum and Dad around here too. There was…a Water Dragon resides around this spot at the waterfall.
After speaking to Martine about her experience I dowsed to find the spot, interestingly finding there to be a node point there of 6 intersecting Earth Energy Lines.
Another spot of interest for me had been the hillside adjacent to the garden, before starting the labyrinth I trundled up to connect with the spirit of place, ask permission and for any help or information. Later that morning Martine and I went to the builders yard, upon telling her of my visit to the hillside she informed me that the hillside was home of the Male Earth Dragon!
Design and Space
I’d considered different design options for the space, the undulating surface and slightly trianglular shape didn’t really lend itself to a classical or more rounded shaped labyrinth, I considered stepping stones, herbs, plants and beds. The dual spiral shape worked a treat with the two elemental dragons representing the male and female, a balance of yin and yang, with an entry and exit point between the flower beds and stone wall seemed to fit in very well.
The dragons appear to me to be of an elemental consciousness. Dragon lines on the other hand are large earth energy lines of ‘chi’ energy flowing through Earths meridian lines. Tuning in to these two dragons I experienced a swirling water world with the water dragon and a Red magma Earth vision with the Earth Dragon.
The build
After dowsing for any negative Sha lines,( underground water lines of negative charge), and connecting to and receiving the energetic green light from the dragons and over arching spirit of place as well as asking for permission from all benevolent spirits of place and welcoming help from those benevolent beings of place. I set about measuring up and marking out with rope, an eco spray paint also helps to get an idea of shape.
Next came the task of digging out and putting down a subbase, this installation technique was labour heavy, the lines too thin for a whacker plate so I used a tamper bar and the digging out all done by hand as too small and intricate for machinery.
At this point the labyrinth was also consecrated by myself and the owner, Martine, with Rose petals, crystals and a large dollop of love.
Below you can see the tamped down subbase with weed suppressant layer.
After the subbase was down it was time to start mixing cement and laying in the stone..
The stone used was 40mm slate chippings – Green, Plum and Blue as well as Blue, black, green and Rose glass chippings. A mixture of various stones and Crystals bought by Martine included Jasmine, Jade, Agate, labradorite, Tigers eye to name a few.
I also retrieved slate and stone from the river Tone for the ridges and spines of the dragons backs. Asking the river and stones that wished to be included in moving to the labyrinth.
Earth Dragon body
Water Dragons body in process
The Earth Dragon
The Water Dragon
Yin, Yang, Mas, Fem.
The dual nature of the shape lends itself to the dual nature of humanity, to the yin and yang forces, opposites, of the masculine and feminine, to the polarity. Both Dragons ended up having a very definite quality of being to them, the water dragon was flowing, somewhat smoother, she seems to dance, there’s a movement to her. The Earth Dragon has a strong sense of grounding, stable and solid. The intention of a labyrinth which would help people to embody these qualities for healing and growth was forged. The Dragons heads are connected in the middle underground via a copper wire completing the circuit. The build was very much a process, working with the subconscious realm to bring elements of the invisible to light. A co-creation with the entirety of place, Martine ,myself, Dragon consciousness and the Spirit of place. Numerous times physical beings graced the labyrinth with their presence, kingfisher, dragon flies and damsel flies, buzzards and kites. The installation was created through a process of asking and listening, opening up communication then meditating and journeying and allowing for the flow of the moment to create the installation. I believe this was the reason for the strong qualities which can be felt within the two dragons.
Negative entities.
A week after finishing the project I received a message, a text message, from Martine to say that negative entities had been coming through the labyrinth! A space clearer had been called and he reported that, ” A wormhole had to be dealt with and that an inappropriate psychic door through which undesirable energies could enter”. He also said that there was a Reptilian portal had been opened somewhere in the area. Martine reported that the female dragon had picked up the abuse and wounding of the entire UK!
This news was rather surprising considering the intention and emphasis that had been placed on the co-creation. Though in this case I wasn’t asked or needed to deal with rebalancing, my protocol would have been as follows:-
Dowse the lines and node point and labyrinth for any negetive and undesirable energies, proceed with rebalancing of energies through Earth acupuncture and if needed using sound via a shruti box or crystal bowls and toning with voice. And the reinstating/changing of the intention for the labyrinth. Martine had done this in the re-naming of the dragons to ‘Beauty and Benevolence’ from ‘Grace and Pax’ which she had named during the build, thus reinforcing the theme for the labyrinth which spoke to their qualities and the quality of energy that was desired for the labyrinth.
I am unaware as to the methods used by the space clearer. Martine had placed the labyrinth within a bubble of light so no energies could come in or out for a time until balanced.
I find the differences in perceptions, perspectives, methods and tools very interesting. In a subjective field such as this I think it’s important that we recognise we are all sensing through our own personal filter system and the accuracy of that perception is not necessarily literal. I prefer to say I perceive this energy or it feels like this? or may be its this? It is understandable that people experience differently but when we are dealing with intangible subtle energies as opposed to the tangible material reality.. can you find my lost keys? Is there an unground water source? Then we need to be discerning with the way in which we present that information or express what we perceive.
I got in touch with Two Geomancers/Dowsers who are renowned in the field to get their perspectives, both have experience in building or using labyrinths. Graham Gardener, ex president for the society of British Dowsers and Richard Creightmore, well respected Geomancer/dowser located in Sussex. I respect them both as very experienced and professional and they also come from slightly differing angles, you could say Graham was more scientific and rational and Richard working closely with Elementals and Spirit, though both cross over.
Graham had this to say –
Hi Mark,
Thanks for sharing your labyrinth story.
I have never had a labyrinth act as a portal for calling in undesirable energies, but I guess it’s possible if there wasn’t a strong intention to block such things at the creation of the labyrinth. Is it possible the other space clearer was calling these in from another location, and not through the labyrinth, perhaps?
I always like to incorporate a stone either in or at the entrance to the labyrinth, with the intention that it will ground any detrimental energies, as taught to me by Billy Gawn. He explains the theory in this article: https://britishdowsing.net/the-power-of-the-labyrinth/
I would have probably have adopted a similar procedure to yourself in sorting things out.
Anyway, I hope that’s of some help to you.
All the best,
The following email was from Richard –
Hi Mark,
Good to hear from you, the labyrinth looks lovely.
I don’t feel that the portal has been inappropriately opened, it is a place of healing for dragons and people both. But it has summoned a lot of pain from further afield carried by the female dragon which is coming up and out through the installation, feels yucky and negative for sure at the moment, but is part of her therapeutic process and will pass. The ‘reptilian portal’ is not to be feared but honoured I would suggest.
I would encourage this process with all the methods you suggest, as well as the owner’s process work with the female dragon, and all should be well.
Best blessings,
Richard
So to summarise…
I can’t say what the reason for the negative intrusion was. I wasn’t there to perceive it or deal with it. An educated guess, never completely factual, working in the realms of thought, energy, astral, its all an individually perceived experience in my opinion… Would be that the node point of 6 intersecting lines had a negative influence from further afield. The nature of the labyrinth and Dragons being Feminine and Masculine I feel showed up in the installation, perhaps mirroring the collective? I don’t rule out human reflections either.
I would usually have done a harmonising of the labyrinth through toning and shruti box at the end of the build but neglected to do so, it simply slipped my mind and I had no cause to think the space needed it.
I like the idea of using a large grounding stone close to the entrance with the intention to keep any undesirable energies out and keep the desirable energy focussed.
WILDWISDOM 