Location
Glastonbury is the outer realm of the sacred ‘Isle’ of Avalon, including Glastonbury town and Tor
The Vale of Avalon are the surrounding low lands and hills.
Together with Stonehenge, it is often deemed the most sacred site in all of England and to many, the most sacred site in the whole world.
The Whirl-Y-Fayre sits deep in the southern Vale of Avalon, with a distant view of Glastonbury Tor. Stonehenge lies to the east, close enough for our ancestors to travel there in one day.
Avalon has fluid boundaries, both physically and spiritually. In ancient times Her inland streams were flooded by an inland sea lake at high tide, which surrounded the town and Tor, thus creating an island. Avalon is also a place in the heart and the soul, a place of both inspiration and sanctuary.

People
Avalon has long since been populated by highly unusual people. People have long since felt magically empowered by this sacred land. Goddess worship in Avalon is thought to span at least 3000 years, and has now resurged, with many new devotees (Priestesses and Priests of Avalon), sworn to serve the Lady of Avalon and to nurture and cherish all life. The town remains a centre for independent thinking, free spirited and creative individuals, artists, musicians, druids, sorcerers, shamans, healers etc.
There are meetings and conferences all year round on a wide range of spiritual and esoteric topics such as astronomy, sacred geometry, earth energies, metrology, megaliths, crop circles, Buddhism, and Celtic spirituality. The annual Faery ball is also held there and of course Glastonbury festival is in nearby Pilton. Avalon folk love a good party, but these events are much more than that. They are frequented by people with real faith and passion. Many have personally transformed their lives with love and visionary imagination and offer visitors encouragement and inspiration.

Hidden world
The Isle of Avalon has long been recognized as an entrance to the underworld, (pre-celtic ‘otherworld’) both physically and spiritually. In modern times, strange underground tunnels have been discovered leading to the town and far beyond. On misty mornings, the isle is literally hidden from view. In ancient times the now relatively small lake surrounded the whole isle, making it accessible only by boat or at low tide, across wooden marshland tracks known only to locals. Thus only the Avalon folk themselves could find their way back through the ‘misty’ veil to the hidden world of Avalon beyond.
The name ‘Isle of Glass’ (Glastonbury) evoking the image of glass or crystal, suggests a deeper ‘seeing’, a hidden reality, not simply the glassy surface of the lake that once surrounded the isle, but the land beyond the surface, the land of our souls, where we may meet our true selves and others who have passed beyond the veil.

Lady of Avalon and Faery Fort
The Isle of Avalon is known to many who reside there as The ‘Lady of Avalon’, the Goddess who is this sacred land.
There are many other associations including the Lady of the Lake who carries us safely through the mist to the isle and Gywnn Ap Nudd, the Faery King who resides there. In this faery ‘otherworld’ the once hidden realities now become visible. When realities are embraced, breakthroughs occur. We are cautioned though that the faery realm may generate spinning vibrations of over-excitement and mental distraction! To discern the truth, we are advised to connect with the rooted stability of the earth, with the Lady herself and with our compassion for all beings.

The sun, the moon and the earth energies
The Isle of Avalon stands 520 feet high above sea level with magnificent panoramic 360 degree views. It is an ‘omphalos’ from which energy radiates, and where multiple ley lines converge. Such places have an eerie sense of sacredness, proportion, place and power. The ley lines running beneath have very strong telluric earth energy (strongest in plants, water and stone, especially the megalithic standing stones).
In the ancient world, and now once again, Priestesses of Avalon feel the unity of solar, lunar and earth energy, and are able to harness these energies in a process of spiritual alchemy.
The symbols of solar, lunar and telluric energies are often found at sacred sites as a circle for ‘solar’, a crescent moon for ‘lunar’ and a pyramid, serpent or dragon for ‘earth’ (telluric).
Rituals often occurred when the sun and moon were strongest such as the summer time and at full moon. Age old vibrant repetitive trance techniques were used to stimulate the earth energy and produce vibrations such as intensely rhythmical drumming and dancing, plus invocations and literally singing the ley lines into being (en-‘chant’ment). Geomancy was also used to form connections along various ley lines. Hills and temples were purposefully built upon the lines to enable people all over the land to simultaneously link up the rituals with each other. The location of sacred sites produce magical shaped links such as triangles and hexagrams to enhance the flow of energy along the lines. Even the tower on top of the Isle of Avalon was aligned 30 degrees off the usual east west axis to enhance the flow of energy directly towards the Avebury hexagon.

Astral connections.
Our ancestors certainly took those ley lines seriously and also linked them with the stars! The seven hills of Avalon, representing the zodiac, were carefully landscaped on the ley lines. The Great Bear is Goddess Artha encircling and guarding the Pole Star which on the earth below is mirrored by the Isle of Avalon.

Resurgence
Thousands of years have now passed. Land drainage around Avalon now ensures that the sea cannot encroach too far and that the flat lands are firm enough to farm, though still with streams and estuaries and a smaller lake. The area remains intensely sacred. Much of the ancient knowledge is being re-discovered and renewed passion for Goddess worship, geomancy, divination, and astrology, confirm that reclamation has begun. Mayan prophecies also suggest that now is the time!

Freedom of belief.
The freedom of the people of Avalon to practice their beliefs was outlawed by the coming of christianity. By the 5th century, the old ways were forbidden. The people of England needed an extraordinary leader. Legend tells of the ‘Lady of the Lake’, entrusting the druid Merlin with the sword ‘Excalibur’ to free the people from their prison. According to legend Artha will return again when needed. Many legends are based on the ancient spiritual beliefs of our tribal ancestors. The She Bear ‘Goddess Artha’ brings us courage and protection and the Sword of Light is associated with Danu, Goddess of Air in these ancient islands, and is not a weapon to kill with. The spiritual sword can be felt to illuminate our souls and cut away the shackles which bind us. Historians on the other hand claim King Arthur as a folk hero, rather than a king, and certainly a champion of ‘freedom’. The monks of Glastonbury abbey claimed to have found his coffin in the 12th century, with the inscription ‘Here lies buried the famous King Arthur in the Isle of Avalon’ and apparently with Guinevere beside him, her golden hair still intact. We’ll never know for sure who the two bodies were but King Edward 1st ceremoniously had them interred into a black marble tomb and moved to a secret place. With the dissolution of monasteries in 1539, and the killing of the last abbot, the whereabouts of King Arthur’s new grave became a lost secret. Many believe it still lies in the Vale of Avalon.
To this very day, Avalon remains a place where freedom of belief is held most sacred.
Goddess worship has strongly resurged along with a belief in the elemental spirit of the land, a belief that life is magical, and a belief in the Fae. St Collen himself claimed to have seen faeries dancing on top of the isle! When they invited him to join them, he sprinkled them with holy water from the well, causing them to disappear! We may ask ’Who are the faeries really?’ Are they the pre celtic race who saw the magic, felt the magic and worked the magic, who worshipped the earth, the sea, the sun, the moon, and the stars, Goddess herself? And are we their descendants, elemental earth spirits in physical form who naturally connect with all of this natural magic?
Goddess worship has returned to the sacred isle and many Glastonbury folk connect deeply with the earth and seek to protect Her as Lady of Avalon and follow Her ways.
Christians are not suppressed in Glastonbury, as once were the pagan ancestors. Nor is anyone else who comes peacefully. All are respected as daughters and sons of the Goddess.

Thus the sacred Isle of Avalon continues to grow in fame. The location of the Whirl-y-Fayre with a view of the isle is inspiring, magical and appropriate. It remains the Land of Fae, where the quest is close to fruition, a place where we feel our freedom to be ourselves, to believe what we want to believe, to be together and to celebrate our sacred Eartha and all life!

ONWARDS TO AVALON! HOME OF THE FAE!