Warband

Week 45

WARBAND

That is the Loyal Arthurian Warband, of which I am a member of and have been for nearly a decade. My role within the Warband is as an Officer, my jobs include Webmaster and Finance Officer. I was raised in Avebury at summer solstice in 2007 as Warrior Priestess. These are my personal views.

I've seen a lot of people come and go and come back over the years. Some times in a blaze of words, some times their lives take them a different path and they drift away.  Each person plays their part in the story of the Warband and however they walk away, it doesn't undo the importance of their part.

A raising

What does it all mean? Well the number of people who have gone under the sword and sworn an Oath of Truth, Honour and Justice is easily in the tens of thousands since Arthur first put his ad looking for Knights in a biker magazine all those years ago.  I had the pleasure of typing up the old Arthurian Warband poetry book, that had been compiled of Warbanders thoughts.  I was left wondering where they all were now, so I asked Arthur and he knew where and what most of them were up to.. none of them are involved with the current campaigns but they were the very foundations of the Warband when it started.  They are part of Arthur's story and journey to where he is now.   Even the haters. It always makes me smile that there's one that can say very hateful things now, but they were very much part of the raising of Arthur as King, they walked along the path with him and put him on a pedestal.  You know the old saying 'they build you up so they can smash you down' and that is true of Arthur.  I have witnessed this many times over.

Moving away from the negative... the Warband is a vast network of people from all over the world, from all walks of life.  You don't have to be pagan to have the same ideals, there are a few of many different faiths too.  There are Groves, Covens and Orders ceded to the Warband, that is they are independently run but pledge their support to the Warband campaigns.  There are members from the USA and Holland who make regular trips over to Stonehenge. Everyone is different, everyone is welcomed.  It's a like a family, there's always bound to be a squabble or two but we stick together and watch each others backs.

Going under the sword - being raised means you took the Oath for Truth, Honour and Justice. It doesn't mean you have to join the Order or be part of the campaigns. I've seen many people go under the sword just because they felt it was something they wanted to do. They then have had no part in the Warband... people confuse this fact.  YOU decide how much you want to be involved.  True there's a lot of nasty people saying nasty things about us, but it's up to you to find out the Truth. For every false accusation, we have the proof, not that is ever good enough for those people.  Ce la vie.

So what does the Warband do?

In Arthur's words:

"We are The Warrior/Political Arm of The Modern Druid Movement, The (Peoples Druids) Loyal Arthurian Warband. Some of the Warriors do not like our Order simply because we are Druids and conversely a number of Druids are not ‘with us’ because we are Warriors. We ‘fight’ for Truth, for Honour and for Justice, we challenge injustice in many arenas and we will not go quietly into the Night. Blessings from the Front."

That about sums it up. Of course, you can read more about LAW on the website www.warband.org.uk.  I need to revamp it again but there's a load of information on there about past and present campaigns; articles written by Arthur; a bardic corner; picket news and loads more. Going to court costs money and the donations received towards this are small and infrequent. I've seen some people claim we have hundreds of pounds donated every month but as the Finance Officer, I can confirm this is a total fiction!  There is just enough to buy fuel/tax/mot/insurance/repairs for the bike to get to the picket or meetings.  Further to dispel any other myths, all donations are used solely for the campaigns, all receipts are kept and available for the tax man.  Also people think that because they have at some point donated something towards the picket fund, that it gives them some god given right to see the books or stipulate what it's used for. It doesn't work like that in the real world, all it does is show these people up as petty minded... all over a tenner. Pathetic.

If you would like to know more about the campaigns, what the Warband does and read some interesting articles, then please visit the website. The current focus is the Honouring the Ancestors, we are fighting to get the human remains reburied at Stonehenge. We are involved in other campaigns but the reburial one has our main focus.

Klasp The Moon December 2013

Yes, that's me...

Kazz, Arthur and Lou at the visitor centre

ATOS protest at disability benefit cuts

Mayburgh Henge 2000

Newbury bypass arrest

Winchester

Call a spade a spade.
People can't hack being a target and leave. One of our members was bullied on the Drove and when it became apparent he wouldn't be bullied into leaving the Warband, he was threatened. His tent was trashed and he was told it would run over with him in it. All from so-called peace and love pagans... yeah right!  This chap is the nicest guy you could hope to meet, he travels hundreds of miles to celebrate at Stonehenge and spend time on the Drove with other pagans and gets treated like this. Another time, a member was ambushed by another group who screamed abuse in her face.  She had only gone to invite them over to the fire and to share the food she'd made.  I wish I'd been there, they would have got my staff full pelt in their faces. And you want to believe these people that do this???  I'm sick to death of all the crap thrown our way. I can honestly, hand on heart say, that I cannot see there being any reason for it other than their jealousy and blind hatred.  I've mentioned this many times in previous blogs.   You need a thick skin to be part of the Warband. Arthur has an amazingly thick skin.  The shit that people say about him, do to him and he just 'hail and farewells' them and lets them get on with it. When they eventually come back, he welcomes them back as old friends... whereas I'm still angry at all the shit they had done and said.  I really don't know how he puts up with it.  I think it's called rising above it.. a skill I've yet to learn lol.

FINAL WORD FROM ME
I am a warrior. I will fight for what I believe in and I will protect that fiercely.  I am the nicest person on the planet right up the point when you try and stab me in the back or do harm to people I care about.  At that point, I get Honest, I say what I think and if you've done a wrongun, by gods you'll know about it.  I am not opposed to asking the Universe to sorting those fuckwits out either. Karma is a bitch but cross the line with me and you'll wish you hadn't.  Not that I like confrontation but I am good at defending myself and I am good at standing my ground.  I am happy to admit when I'm wrong and will eat humble pie if I need to.  So far, I've not had to.  I am part of the Shield Wall.. go ahead and throw yourself at it... or get behind it and push back at those fuckwits.

Other related blogs you many wish to view: Arthur; glamour; hex; justice; karma;  love and light;  stonehenge; trolls; voice  so out of the 44 blogs, there's only a small number of mentions.. just in case you think that's all I go on about lol.

Thanks for reading

Be well, be happy, be you /|\

Stonehenge

Week 38

STONEHENGE

Probably the most famous ancient monument in the world. Older than the mighty pyramids in Egypt, older than Christ and a constant source of debate in all quarters.  You all know what Stonehenge is, you most likely have a good idea of the many many theories of who built it and why.  Fact is, no one really knows.  The theories range from it being a giant clock, to a UFO landing site. It is said to have been built by the druids but it pre-dates what we know as druids.  It was built by the people and there is great evidence to suggest it was used as a place for feasting by people who travelled hundreds of miles to be there.  I'm am sure you can find out lots of information on Stonehenge on the countless websites and books dedicated to it.  I'm no expert, I have my own thoughts on it which I will share with you.   What I will discuss with you in the blog is the people who are drawn to Stonehenge in our time now.  These are my own personal observations and experiences from the last decade.  It's all about perspective, my experiences aren't your experiences.

FREAKS

I don't know what it is about Stonehenge but by gods it attracts some right freaks!  As you may be aware, I am a member of the Loyal Arthurian Warband and I'm friends with Arthur Pendragon. You'd think being friends with someone who claims to be the current incarnation of King Arthur, would be a freak.  Not at all, he's the sanest bloke I know.  However, the people he attracts vary from loyal supporters and friends to the biggest fuckwits going.  I often joke with him that he needs to remove his fuckwit magnet.  In the ten years I've been involved, I've become friends with some wonderful people but in a lot of instances, people who I thought were nice, who then turned out to be the most hateful, poisonous, spiteful, vindictive fuckers I've had the displeasure to meet and deal with.  Just as you think the dust has settled, another fuckwit comes along and says even more dreadful things than the last one. Then they get together and join forces.  I think the next blog will be about Trolling because it's a major problem with our pagan community and needs to be blogged.  Hell, I've mentioned it so many times in my blogs this year, it's daft.

So Arthur campaigns at Stonehenge. He fought to get our Free and Open Access for summer solstice after the exclusion zone went up. He was not alone but he was 'front line', picketing in all weathers. After many arrests and years, English Heritage took down the excursion zone. This was all around the time that Arthur found himself and his Quest. If you'd like to read that story, then please read his and CJ Stone's book Trials of a modern day king - an honest read and very interesting. There is a newer revised edition too but I think the first one is better (looks like it's no longer available on Amazon either).  He campaigned to get them to take down the fences and that went up for review so that was another battle 'won'.  The most recent campaign is to return the cremated remains of those buried there aka Bones Protest.  Now because he uses the media to highlight these causes, he's hated by people in the pagan community.  The press give him titles and claim he's King of all pagans/druids etc etc which pisses people off.  He has never made these claims, it's the press writing an interesting story.  Everyone is entitled to like or dislike whom they wish. However, when this dislike becomes an obsession, it poisons everything around it.

Many people agree with the fact that something needs to be done. Arthur does it. People hate that. And that hate is spread about thick and nasty.  You have the elitist druids/witches who want Stonehenge just for their own use and to keep the great unwashed out. You have English Heritage who only give you an hour or two access for worship, which has gotten worse since winter solstice 2013.  You have the Drove lot who either support Arthur or do everything to spite him. It was Arthur who fought to save the Drove aka Byway 12 from being closed, so that these people could carry on staying on it!  Now these haters aren't freaks because they are societies oddities. No, they are freaks because of their psychotic hatred when they preach peace and love and band about 'namaste' like it's a cure-all.  If you think someone who calls himself King Arthur is a freak, then after reading and hearing some of the things these haters say, makes Arthur look like Joe Bloggs.  These people are freaks.  I don't understand how so much poison festers around Stonehenge, how these people who can be in the presence of such a wonderful place, be so damned nasty.  Is Stonehenge a fuckwit magnet - you know what, it totally is.

MY FIRST ENCOUNTER

I first visited Stonehenge in 2003 with my son.  As I drove down the A303, I spotted Stonehenge on the side of the road and actually said WOOHOO!  I was so excited, I didn't think I would be but there I was, woohoooing.  I had read Arthur's book and decided I'd not pay to go in and view the monument but stand by the Hele stone and take pictures from there. People were walking about like sheep, around the wrong way too.  I later found out that it was because the guide who'd recorded the tour for the headphones, had done it the wrong way and they wouldn't change it. So for years, people walked anti-clockwise around it.. which always feels wrong. There's magical reasons too but not going to tell you how to suck eggs.

I went back for Winter Solstice in 2004. I hadn't been to any pagan ceremonies and wasn't sure of what I'd find. I was still a noob on the pagan scene, I knew a little bit about some things but was still working out my path at that time.  To be honest, I found that first experience a bit fluffy - not that I had anything to compare it to.. like I said, I was a noob!

It gets bloody cold on Salisbury Plains, it's like it has it's own climate.  You get the most amazing view of the stars at night too. The wind cuts through you, the rain finds every bit of you and when it's hot, boy is it!  There's no doubt though, it feels raw there, you're exposed - no wonder they built it there.  A friend of mine said it was an energy sink hole, he found nothing magical about the place. It's strange how many conflicting opinions there are about Stonehenge. It felt worn out but still positive to me, I can imagine that when it was first built, it was much more powerful.  

Sun up - not a great pic

Aaron loved it

People keep using this image on their websites for some reason

Sun fights through the morning mists

The Drove

I loved staying on the Drove. I used to go up when there wasn't an access day.  I met a lovely couple up there who turned out to be friends of another set of friends. It's a small world.  There is a right mix of people who stay on the Drove. There's nothing quite like sitting around a fire, looking up at the stars, listening to people playing guitars or drums and singing or just the silence. And then waking up in the morning and the first thing you see is Stonehenge.  

In recent months, the Drove has become less friendly.  There are a group of haters who target anyone wearing Warband tabbards. If they can't convince you that we are all evil nasty bastards, they threaten you. In one case, someone was told they'd tent would be run over whilst they were in it and whilst they were in the monument, their tent was trashed.  That's not the spirit of the place. Those people are poison but as I said above, it's all becoming more sinister these days.  I don't understand how someone can be so consumed with hate, that they can have nothing in their life but sharing that hatred and trashing everything you do, just because it was Arthur that said it.  It's pathetic, sad and damages relationships within the pagan community.  You don't have to agree with what one group does, but that does not give you the right to defame and set out to destroy them. In every single case, it's over absolutely nothing and one of the main instigators is an ex - hell hath no fury as a woman scorned as they say but come on love, it's been a decade ffs - get over it already!

I met Richard and Darren who were promoting testicular cancer awareness, whilst on the picket with Arthur. EH wouldn't let them in for a photo, so they posed with us instead.  They've raised thousands of £ for cancer research.

Morry, Doro, Aaron, Andrea and Kim - fantastic company

Free Stonehenge picket

WHAT STONEHENGE IS TO ME

I've read some books. I've watched a few documentaries. I've seen the archaeological evidence presented in both and I've spoken with people who have been involved in the digs there. I think that Stonehenge was built to honour the winter solstice - the birth of the sun.  I think that it was a great feast site, a place for many clans to gather and celebrate. I believe that stone circles and the like are like a plug into the energy lines of our world.  Some how those who built them, worked out where to channel this energy through these mighty stones.  As I've discussed in a previous blog, each site has a different kind of energy.  I do not know why or how those blue stones were transported from Wales to Salisbury plains but the intent was enough for them to find a way, which baffles people to this day. These people were exceptionally clever and their craft has been long lost in time.. with our current technological advancements, they still can't work out how these ancient people did it.  I also believe that these places were built to enhance sounds.  I saw a great program that Paul Deveraux did about the importance of acoustics at Newgrange and other sites like Stonehenge.  I just found his book on Amazon about it too.  These ancient peoples worked all of this out without our hi-tech tools, they worked out how to build to enhance the acoustics.  These low frequency sounds created a trance like state, inducing journeying. These weren't burial places, these were places to connect to other dimensions.  Those who have been buried at Stonehenge were deemed to be highly important.  I agree with Arthur and many others that these people were guardians, mostly like a priest-caste and furthermore, placed in their chosen graves as magical protection. I hear people scoff 'how ridiculous' well hello, the peoples who built this great temple weren't like us were they? That's the problem with most of these naysayers - they look at it with modern eyes and views.  These people took hundreds of years building this temple up. They moved rocks from hundreds of miles away and for a sacred purpose. Of course any thing they did there was what we'd call magical.  They weren't simple people - they created a mighty temple that still stands to this day! They created it using methods that modern man cannot comprehend. They created acoustics for gods sake!  

I know what I feel. I feel it in my bones. That said, Stonehenge isn't the be all and end all of the pagan world.  There are other more equally wonderful sacred sites.  You don't have to go to Stonehenge for solstice etc. I do recommend you try it at least once.  Summer solstice attracts about 24,000 people.  People of all walks of life - not everyone who goes to Stonehenge are pagan.  Pagans need to get off their high horses and stop slagging off people who visit this site.  People travel from all over the world to visit this site - who are these haters to say they can't?  These haters who do fuck all to help marshal the solstice, who don't go to the Round Table meetings to positively input in to the event but would rather slag it off.   Winter solstice is more low key - it's always very cold, so wrap up warm.  The equinoxes are also quieter, you also get a lot less time to do your thing.  This is being fought by Arthur and others as many people travel great distances to worship there on these dates and they are treated appallingly.  

I suppose I better wrap this up.  I will leave you with three sources of information that I think you may enjoy.  Obviously, the Warband website has a lot of information on. There's links on there to other sources of information too - worth having a look through.  The other is our friend Dennis Price's writings - a former archaeologist who has been on Time Team and has written a few books on the subject.  Excellent book by Andy Worthington - Stonehenge Celebration and Subversion.

My final thoughts are this. Go and experience this site for yourself. Ignore what everyone else says about it. Go for you. You will either connect or you won't. No one else's opinion will make that any less real.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I have and still do.  

More love - less hate.