Dragons Rise: Stonehenge’s Sacred Call
The news hits hard – plans for a tunnel beneath the sacred landscape of Stonehenge, a place that holds an otherworldly allure for many, are back on the table. Despite previous plans being quashed by the courts, the UK Government announced approval for a major tunnel and road scheme, choosing to disregard objections from UNESCO and acting against the advice of planning inspectors.
The Stonehenge Alliance, a tireless advocate for the preservation of this sacred landscape, has expressed profound disappointment in the government's choice, and are determined to defend it once more.
With Sacred Earth Activism, I've been on this journey of sacred activism for Stonehenge since the previous plans were put through by Grant Shapps in 2020, walking the path of ceremony within the stones, coordinating new moon and full moon rituals, unfurling banners, and even standing vigil outside the Royal Courts of Justice as part of a Solstice fire ceremony.
The plans were ruled unlawful 2021, and there was a ray of hope that this may be over. But here we are again, facing the same challenge as the new transport secretary greenlights the plans in July 2023. The fight to shield the stones isn't over. Stonehenge Alliance, in the spirit of relentless guardianship, is rallying support through a legal fundraiser to challenge these plans in court once more.
Answering the Call to Sacred Action
In August 2023, under the energies of the Leo new moon, a small group of us returned to Stonehenge. The symbolism of this new moon was, "Destiny is calling, it's time to act, and let your light shine," and we heard the cosmos whisper to us. Our aim was twofold – to reconnect with the land's spirits and help to spread the word about the renewed tunnel plans and the fundraiser seeking to thwart them.
Shortly after the sunset, we projected messages onto the stones. Simple phrases like "Standing for Stonehenge," "Stop the Tunnel," and "Defend Sacred Lands" gleamed against the stone's ancient surface. These messages found their way onto various online platforms, shared far and wide by like-minded individuals in Sacred Earth Activism, and Extinction Rebellion.
In relation to this, I gave the following statements in articles with Sacred Earth Activism, “For millennia, people have travelled from far and wide, gathering in the Stonehenge landscape to celebrate life. It's time for us now to reaffirm this vital, sacred relationship with the land. We must protect our sacred sites from desecration by billion-pound vanity projects like this Expressway and choose to honour these landscapes rather than destroy them.”
Watch the full video of the messages projected onto Stonehenge.
The Dragon Takes Flight
Before embarking on this action, a small ceremony was held on a significant burial mound near Stonehenge, a place that marked the start of our sacred activism journey in December 2020. With prayer, we sought to commune with the spirits of the land, those who have journeyed with us in times of both celebration and adversity. It was a heartfelt plea for their continued guardianship, for their guidance in protecting this sacred landscape.
Looking out from the mound as the sun dipped low on the horizon, casting a warm, golden hue across the sky, just as we asked the spirits of the land to rise with us, a cloud formation emerged, one that resembled a dragon in flight. This wasn't just meaningless meteorological phenomenon; it felt like an ancient symbol arising from deep in the land's mythology. The dragon, long held as a guardian of the land, is said to return when harmony was restored. Its flight felt like an affirmation, a nod from the unseen forces that we were on the right path.
In the Wake of Illumination
Leaving Stonehenge that day, I carried with me a sense of fulfillment, a feeling that our actions were genuine, a true reflection of our love for the land. This wasn't a grand epic; it was a quiet, heartfelt response to a call we couldn't ignore.
With every ritual, every shared message, we're weaving a collective tapestry of care and concern. We're standing with the spirits of the land, bringing our footsteps in harmony with theirs. As we navigate this journey, we're simply trying to preserve a space that holds spiritual significance for many. Our steps are guided by a deep sense of responsibility, a knowing that our actions today can shape the destiny of a sacred site for generations to come.
If you would like to join with us in sacred actions to protection the sacred landscape of Stonehenge, please connect with us in Standing for Stonehenge at Sacred Earth Activism.
This approach of interweaving ceremony and sacred practice in honour of the land's spirits resonates deeply with the ethos of the Spiritual Rewilding Online Course, particularly in its segment on Wild Service. If you're intrigued to delve further into this profound connection and its transformative potential, consider enrolling in the course.