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    The Lady of the Lake

    This seems as good a place as any for this post. I've had a spiritual experience that I'd like to share with the community and maybe even get some feedback (although I've notice this kind of post tends not to get much attention when I see others posting them, and this will be a long post, so I won't hold my breath; I just had to share this with someone).

    A week ago last Tuesday, the evening after my mum's operation, I really couldn't sleep. It was my last night off before returning to work and I like to sleep right through on those nights and get up around 2 or 3pm the following afternoon which resets my body clock for night shift without depriving me of sleep. I just couldn't sleep though. JP was snoring away and my nose was stuffy so I couldn't breath properly if I closed my mouth. I was frustrated and my mind was wondering to some pretty dark places. When this happens, my usual action is to visit one of my inner worlds, yet that night, despite knowing better than to do this when overtired, I decided to attempt a deeper journey.

    I took Magpie and White Horse for support and protection and found myself at a moonlit lake in a forest clearing. A woman dressed in fine lace appeared above the lake as though standing on it and began to speak to me. I told her that I longed to find that magical side of my nature I once had, and to reclaim my ability as a witch. She advised I read an old Llewellyn's book I had kicking about from 10 years ago. As a general rule, I don't think much of Llewellyn publications, but I'm not one to reject advice received during journeys so I agreed to do so, as strange as the advice seemed.

    When I asked if she was a goddess she told me she was, although I need to explain that the dialogue was all in Japanese and that the words 'kami/megami' have a wider application than 'god/goddess' in English. She then said that she was well-known. I asked her name so I could google her, to which she replied 'Mizuumi'. This literally just means 'lake', but I thought it's not impossible that there is a kami with this name. However, when I did google her, I tried various writings of this word as well as the roman alphabet but got no hits for any Japanese goddess or spirit, so I was pretty disappointed.

    There was another pretty major twist to the vision. I saw a hooded figure in the shadows to the right of me. His face appeared disfigured and I was very scared of him. Mizuumi told me to stop looking at him but I couldn't turn away. He seemed to be moving towards me faster and faster but I was just frozen to the spot, staring at him. Mizuumi then told me to run, at which point White Horse came to my side and I hopped on and he carried me off into the trees. After that I just lay in bed trying to find any reference to Mizuumi on my phone. When I couldn't find anything, I started listening to talks on spirituality on youtube with my headphones, one of which included a guided visualisation that I decided to save to try at a later date.

    The following night I took my old Llewellyn's Spell-a-Day Almanac to work with me as I promised I would, and started flicking through it. Instead of judging it like I used to, I found myself putting little marks next to spells or rituals I fancied trying out for myself once the timing was right. I then remembered the guided visualisation I wanted to do so once everyone was asleep and my jobs completed for the night, I sat myself on the floor in the living room and listened to the track. I was amazed to discover that the technique in the video was strangely similar to the technique I'd been developing for doing spellwork and I was very much inspired to start writing in my BOS again when I got home.

    There's a bit more to go.. I've been desperately trying to gain weight on my face so I look healthier, but this comes at the cost of my other problem area; my thighs, getting larger. Although I'm determined to stay at a healthy weight and not go back to crash dieting, I must admit I'm struggling with my BDD right now and finding it hard not to 'just cut back a little'. So after my little meditation I started watching some talks on youtube about BDD for some encouragement and inspiration. One lady suggested personifying your BDD and seeing it like some monster or bully constantly saying hateful things about you. I felt instantly that this is what the man in my vision represented. Just as I've started standing at the mirror staring at my thighs again, as they get larger and larger in my mind, I was frozen in the vision, unable to take my attention off the creature that I've now named 'the Ghoul'.

    When I catch myself criticizing my face or body now, I keep recalling that creature in my mind and how afraid I was. I'm reminding myself that by letting those thoughts pass out of my mind, I'm weakening his hold over me. It seems to be helping too.

    For the last week I've been writing in my BOS and spiritual journal again, doing little workings to retrain my skills and just generally feeling 'witchy'. Everything is starting to seem more positive, as though no matter how hard the road ahead is, and it will be hard, I'll find the strength to get through it somehow.

    I couldn't quite shake the annoyance that the woman in my vision told me that she was a real being in mythology and that if I googled her I'd find her. Then a few nights ago I listened to another guided visualisation from youtube. It wasn't very good, at least not for me, but there was one point; she mentioned the Lady of the Lake from the Arthurian legends. To say the penny dropped then is an understatement. My knowledge of King Arthur doesn't extend much further than the Disney rendition of the Sword in the Stone, so it just wasn't something that came to mind. It's weird too because I claim to have an interest in British Celtic spirituality yet other than using Romano-British names for my patron gods I really haven't made much effort to explore the mythology further.

    That's my next homework I guess then. I'm not one to get excited by knights and kings or any of that historical-fantasy stuff many of my pagan peers seem to be into. I'd much rather watch the Yogscast playing GTA for hours on end than sit down to watch or read something like Game of Thrones, but I guess I do feel kinda curious about the Arthurian legends now. I googled images of the Lady of the Lake and I found some that were so strikingly similar to my vision that I felt chills down my spine. That's got to mean something!

    To anyone who made it this far, I thank you for letting me share this experience, and I also apologise for taking up your time!
    夕方に急なにわか雨は「夕立」と呼ばれるなら、なぜ朝ににわか雨は「朝立ち」と呼ばれないの? ^^If a sudden rain shower in the evening is referred to as an 'evening stand', then why isn't a shower in the morning called 'morning stand'?

    #2
    Re: The Lady of the Lake

    I know the Lady of the Lake is also supposed to be the sister of Queen Maab. In some capacity the Lady of the Lake holds sway of aquatic beings while Maab had the land beings so its very elemental in that capacity. As far as specific lore about the Lady of the Lake I personally haven't seen a whole lot of it that isn't tied to Arthurian Lore. Though a few accounts I've read have tried to tie her to an aspect of the Avalon lore and the sisters of the Druids which again also ties back into the Arthurian lore.

    - - - Updated - - -

    As I re-read this I keep getting the image of The Lady of the Lake in her role of giving Arthur the sword but also the capacity of Arthur's Fetch or double. Which sort of ties into the Arthurian search for the Holy Grail which ties into the earlier notion of the king and the land are one. When the king if healthy and viral so to is the land. When the king is ill and sickly then so to is the land in that capacity. Both of which in my mind reflect upon the notion of as without so within in looking at ones own self image and importance / worth. Figure by bestowing Excalibur upon Arthur the Lady of the Lake in essence confirms the good and noble traits of his and his right to lead. When Arthur looses that and actually battles his manifested dark side in the form of his bastard son Mordrid he gives in. Resulting in his death and his insistence that the sword be flung into the water and returned to the Lady of the Lake. I suppose marking his loss of self and destruction of his life.

    The difficult part is that the Arthurian tales are difficult to trace as they seem to go in cycles and lots of "Supporting" stories have been added over the years. I think Le Mort De Arthur is still the base story most reflect upon but can't say for sure.
    I'm Only Responsible For What I Say Not For What Or How You Understand!

    Comment


      #3
      Re: The Lady of the Lake

      Swords have a mythological connection with water since very ancient times. They were often broken and cast into lakes (deposits have been found all over Europe). Also goddesses have been associated with water (springs and wells, not just lakes and rivers) all over the UK and Europe. The goddess is not only connected with Arthur, and certainly not only with Arthurian legend.

      Water is cleansing and purifying - maybe it is now time to purify your body image once and for all. Good luck - it sounds a fascinating journey, and you are being told quite clearly, that you are not alone! X
      www.thewolfenhowlepress.com


      Phantom Turnips never die.... they just get stewed occasionally....

      Comment


        #4
        Re: The Lady of the Lake

        According to Malory, Arthur's sword was broken in a fight with King Pellinore. Pellinore is about to kill Arthur, when Merlin steps in, tells Pellinore who he is about to kill, and that the "realm" will be destroyed if Pellinore kills Arthur.

        Merlin then puts Pellinore to sleep. Arthur becomes angry, believing Merlin has killed a great knight. Merlin tells him that Pellinore will be fine, will, in the future become his best supporter, and will be the father of Percivale (one of the grail knights).

        But Arthur no longer has a sword. After going to a hermit who heals his wounds, Merlin takes him to get a new sword. They go to a lake, where they see an arm raised above the water, holding the sword in its scabard. To get the sword, they go to the Lady of the Lake who instructs them in how to get it (and the scabard. Notice how I keep pointing out the scabbard?).

        Later, Merln questions Arthur - which do you like better, the sword or the scabbard?

        Arthur, being a warrior, immediatly picks the sword.

        Merlin then says: "Ye are more unwise, for the scabbard is worth ten of the swords, for whiles ye have the scabbard upon you, ye shall never lose no blood be ye never so sore wounded, therefore keep well the scabbard always with you."

        Later it is the theft of the scabbard that results in Arthur's death.

        I don't know if this helps you, but there's the full story.
        Every moment of a life is a horrible tragedy, a slapstick comedy, dark nihilism, golden illumination, or nothing at all; depending on how we write the story we tell ourselves.

        Comment


          #5
          Re: The Lady of the Lake

          Thanks for the responses! I'm sorry my reply came a little slowly, but I wanted to be at a PC rather than on my typo-prone mobile. There are some great points from which to start my exploration! The idea that the Lady of the Lake could be Arthur's fetch as Monsro mentioned, is an entirely new concept but something I'd like to consider a bit further. It's a shame she never handed me anything really, no sword or trinket of any kind. Just the advice to read an old Spell-A-Day Almanac, and the instruction to run from the Ghoul.

          Originally posted by Tylluan Penry View Post
          Also goddesses have been associated with water (springs and wells, not just lakes and rivers) all over the UK and Europe. The goddess is not only connected with Arthur, and certainly not only with Arthurian legend.
          It's funny you should mention this, because before I hit on the idea that the woman was the Lady of the Lake, I wondered if she was Briganta because of Brigantia's association with natural bodies of water. If it hadn't been for the name I'd have been quite happy with this explanation, but it really bothered me that she had told me that I would be able to find her if I researched her because she was well known by the name Mizuumi/Lake.

          Could it be possible that the Lady of the Lake is Brigantia, or based upon a similar Goddess? Maybe this is Brigantia's way of telling me I could learn more about her by exploring those myths.

          Originally posted by B. de Corbin View Post

          I don't know if this helps you, but there's the full story.
          Actually, I think it has helped. Or at least, it has encouraged me to read more. I can see how the story could contain metaphors that apply to my current battles if I so choose to read it that way.

          I started trying to read the stories online but I'm not a fan of reading from a screen, so I'm going to have to buy something. The only problem is that when I did a search on amazon there was too much choice so I ended up not buying anything.
          夕方に急なにわか雨は「夕立」と呼ばれるなら、なぜ朝ににわか雨は「朝立ち」と呼ばれないの? ^^If a sudden rain shower in the evening is referred to as an 'evening stand', then why isn't a shower in the morning called 'morning stand'?

          Comment


            #6
            Re: The Lady of the Lake

            Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur is the classic, if you can handle the language. For the most part it's very enjoyable, but there are some sections that are very repetative.

            If you want a more modern reworking, Howard Pyle's The Story of King Arthur and his Knights is based on Malory, and has some extraordinary illustrations.

            I wouldn't try anything pre-Malory (Von Eshenbach for example) unless you're up to a hard slog, and many of the more contemporary books are slanted toward some perspective of the author, or just overly simplified for children.
            Every moment of a life is a horrible tragedy, a slapstick comedy, dark nihilism, golden illumination, or nothing at all; depending on how we write the story we tell ourselves.

            Comment


              #7
              Re: The Lady of the Lake

              Or you might enjoy looking into something like the legends of the Physicians of the Myddfai who claimed descent from a woman who lived in a lake, was tricked into coming ashore, had children and then, because he husband assaulted her three times, left him and her children and returned to the lake. She kept in touch with her children however and taught them her healing skills, hence the tradition.
              www.thewolfenhowlepress.com


              Phantom Turnips never die.... they just get stewed occasionally....

              Comment


                #8
                Re: The Lady of the Lake

                Originally posted by Tylluan Penry View Post
                Or you might enjoy looking into something like the legends of the Physicians of the Myddfai who claimed descent from a woman who lived in a lake, was tricked into coming ashore, had children and then, because he husband assaulted her three times, left him and her children and returned to the lake. She kept in touch with her children however and taught them her healing skills, hence the tradition.
                That's pretty much the basis of all the Selkie stories. Removes seal skin and becomes a beautiful woman and may marry the man. Many times tricked out of the water or trapped by their skin being captured. As long as her skin is hidden she has to stay but if her skin is found then she returns to the ocean. I know that also ties into the stories of the Merfolk and the Isle of Lewis (well the entire chain from what I understand) in the Outer Hebrides off of Scotland.

                - - - Updated - - -

                Originally posted by B. de Corbin View Post
                Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur is the classic, if you can handle the language. For the most part it's very enjoyable, but there are some sections that are very repetative.

                If you want a more modern reworking, Howard Pyle's The Story of King Arthur and his Knights is based on Malory, and has some extraordinary illustrations.

                I wouldn't try anything pre-Malory (Von Eshenbach for example) unless you're up to a hard slog, and many of the more contemporary books are slanted toward some perspective of the author, or just overly simplified for children.
                Le Mort De Arthur seems to be the core book everyone is told to read when they first discover the Arthurian mythology cycle. I agree there are parts that repeat and at times the language gets to be interesting to say the least.

                Geoffrey of Monmouth's History of the Kings of Britain has a few passages about Arthur but pretty much a different slant than the typical Arthurian style of the legend / stories. Yet it did make for a differing perspective on the story and placement in time.

                Here's a pretty good site for Arthurian related items. http://d.lib.rochester.edu/camelot/theme/arthur
                I'm Only Responsible For What I Say Not For What Or How You Understand!

                Comment


                  #9
                  Re: The Lady of the Lake

                  Originally posted by Tylluan Penry View Post
                  Or you might enjoy looking into something like the legends of the Physicians of the Myddfai who claimed descent from a woman who lived in a lake, was tricked into coming ashore, had children and then, because he husband assaulted her three times, left him and her children and returned to the lake. She kept in touch with her children however and taught them her healing skills, hence the tradition.
                  This story is told in an episode of Druidcast by Claire Hamilton- a master story teller! This took ages to find! It's about 50 min into the episode. http://hwcdn.libsyn.com/p/9/5/f/95fc...dbec3e7495a22a

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Re: The Lady of the Lake

                    Originally posted by Azvanna View Post
                    This story is told in an episode of Druidcast by Claire Hamilton- a master story teller! This took ages to find! It's about 50 min into the episode. http://hwcdn.libsyn.com/p/9/5/f/95fc...dbec3e7495a22a
                    Thank you! I shall go and check it out tomorrow! :-)
                    www.thewolfenhowlepress.com


                    Phantom Turnips never die.... they just get stewed occasionally....

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Re: The Lady of the Lake

                      Originally posted by Azvanna View Post
                      This story is told in an episode of Druidcast by Claire Hamilton- a master story teller! This took ages to find! It's about 50 min into the episode. http://hwcdn.libsyn.com/p/9/5/f/95fc...dbec3e7495a22a
                      Wow, thanks so much for digging that out. I had no idea such a society existed!

                      Also thanks Corbin for the advice on what to read, and thanks Monsno for the link.. I've been dipping into that site when I get a spare minute and it seems like a very useful resource!
                      夕方に急なにわか雨は「夕立」と呼ばれるなら、なぜ朝ににわか雨は「朝立ち」と呼ばれないの? ^^If a sudden rain shower in the evening is referred to as an 'evening stand', then why isn't a shower in the morning called 'morning stand'?

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Re: The Lady of the Lake

                        My goodness! I have been listening to that podcast on my phone while I get on with my work (which tonight takes the form of cleaning windows.. oh the glamour of it all ^^). I'm not even up to the part where they talk about the society that claimed they were descended from a lake lady and already I feel like I've hit on something special. I've actually been looking for something like these podcasts for a few weeks. Something I can have on in the background while I'm doing housework or just want to sit quietly in my new 'conservatory' watching the world go by outside. I've tried a few spiritual vlogs and podcast style youtube channels both English and Japanese, but nothing really struck a chord with me.

                        I can't quite explain how this podcast is making me feel. It's like... It's like finally drinking a proper cup of Tetleys tea after a year in Japan or 4 months in Germany! That feeling when you didn't realise how much you missed something until you experienced it again.

                        The thing that got me the most though is that earlier tonight I was thinking about a situation that is likely to come up at work with one of our residents. I was thinking over what I could say to comfort her if the sh*t does hit the fan. For whatever reason I thought of the words 'if it turns out that this is the only life we have... ' then the host of the podcast made the same point. It was something very small but to me felt pretty significant. I guess I need to start exploring Druidism then!

                        Hmm.. I had a dream that I was collecting acorns a few nights ago (..actually I've been having loads of insane dreams since the Lady in the Lake vision..) That dream felt so significant that I actually designed a ritual around it that I plan to carry out next weekend. With the significance of the oak tree in Druidry, I can't help but feel that I'm onto something here. In fact, I also had a dream about salmon that made me want to plan a ritual too. When I looked up the significance of Salmon as a guiding spirit, it mentioned a Celtic myth of a sacred salmon that lived in a well... pretty weird.

                        I guess you can find connections anywhere when you're looking for them, so maybe it's just my state of mind right now. I can't shake the feeling sometimes that my spiritual insights are linked to my alleged bipolar, so I'll try to keep at least a toe on solid ground. Still, I'm feeling pretty inspired right now. Thanks so much Azvanna, and also Tylluan for sparking the discussion that led to the podcast being shared!
                        夕方に急なにわか雨は「夕立」と呼ばれるなら、なぜ朝ににわか雨は「朝立ち」と呼ばれないの? ^^If a sudden rain shower in the evening is referred to as an 'evening stand', then why isn't a shower in the morning called 'morning stand'?

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Re: The Lady of the Lake

                          I'm very happy for you Jembru! I'm glad you are enjoying the Podcast. There is an episode in particular I think would suit you very well and that is Phillip Carr-Gomm's teaching on Druidcraft which is a blend of Druidism and Wiccan practice. It is episode 75a. Hope you like!!

                          And I must agree... Nothing hits the spot like Druidcast. If anyone finds any other quality teaching pagan podcasts, let me know!
                          Last edited by Azvanna; 03 Jun 2016, 20:25.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Re: The Lady of the Lake

                            I heard the whole thing now. She is indeed a great storyteller! I want more already! I'll definitely check out the interview you recommended. Although I've more or less moved away from wicca, I still retain some of the beliefs so it might be a good way to ease me in! One of my favourite pagan authors, De Grandis, blends Druidism, Anderson Feri and Wicca (although she's American so uses the term 'Wicca' more loosely than it's used here or in British Traditional circles over there). My practice borrows a lot from Grandis so maybe I'm already a druidic wiccan without knowing it!
                            夕方に急なにわか雨は「夕立」と呼ばれるなら、なぜ朝ににわか雨は「朝立ち」と呼ばれないの? ^^If a sudden rain shower in the evening is referred to as an 'evening stand', then why isn't a shower in the morning called 'morning stand'?

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Re: The Lady of the Lake

                              When I first saw the title of this thread I thought "Of course the Lady of the Lake offered guidance to Jembru, she shows such love for Britain!" I'm really glad you are finding strength and inspiration from this.

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