Something Magical About Avalon

73

By Lady Guinevere

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Main Site and Other Stories in This Series

Glastonbury Tor

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The Glastonbury Tor

Glastonbury Abbey

Mont Saint Michel, Brittany, France

Whereabouts is Avalon

Most historians put the Isle of Avalon in Glastonbury where the Glastonbury TOR is. It is also suggested the two other locations, Island of Man and Bardsey were possible locations of this mysterious Avalon. It is noted the it was a place of healing and rejuvenation from any sickness or injury. When King Arthur sustained his fatal wounds it was said that they sent him to Avalon so that the Priestesses could take care of him.

Glastonbury claimed that it was the true location of Avalon. The TOR is said to be a portal to The Other World, where the Jewel in the Lotus of the Soul is.

If you look at the pictures on the right your will notice some tiers on the hill. There is supposed to be seven that you can see and many more that you can't because of land erosion and the like. Each level is a part of a labyrinth left by the ancient people who lived there. The labyrinth depicts and show a universal patter made my many ancient peoples such as the Hopi Indians, Kretens, and Ceylons. Weather these are a true representation of ancient sculpturing or not remains to be see, Until they dig up the hill we might never know. The truth is, however, the longer we wait to make an archaeological dig, the more likely that we will find not find the answers we seek.

There is a tour of the Tor that you can take and what it is all about and some more history too for your learning pleasure. Take the Walking Tour of Glastonbury Tour

Glastonbury Abbey was the second place to be mentioned beside the Tor in that buildings that still stand on the Island. There has been much reading on this and that they also consider Avalon being part of Cornwall.

Yet another place puts it on the Iland of Mont Saint Michel, Brittany, France. Avalon was a school for training druids, Priestesses and Bards. Meaning of the Name Avillion states that the Island has gone into the fifth dimension until people can learn and show more love and compassion for humanity.

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Jesus' Visit to Avalon

http://www.morethings.com/
http://www.morethings.com/
Wattle and Daub Hut Jesus built for himslef to live in while there at Avalon
Wattle and Daub Hut Jesus built for himslef to live in while there at Avalon

Jesus Visits Avalon

When Jesus was just a boy he would visit his Mother's brother, Joseph of Arithmathea often. His Grandmother went back to live in Brittany. One year when hew just a teen he wanted to go with Joseph to visit his grandmother, but his parent's had turn down that trip. They wanted the him to stay and finish learning his father's trade of ship building. It was also after he went astray to the churches in Jerusalem and gave his parent's a scare.

Later, when he was older and after his father's death he and his mother did go to Britain to visit his grandmother. His Uncle Joseph was a very important person being the major trader of metals for Rome. This trip was for Joseph to do some important trading and while they were there Jesus made his way from Brittany to the Isle of Avalon. They traveled in many ships that went from Antioch, Cyprus, Ephesus, Sicily, Cyrenia, Sardinia , Massilia (Marseilles) where they would leave the ships to walk and horseback over the land to Brittany, Cornwall for tin and then to Somerset.

When Joseph finished his dealings and tradings they (Joseph, Jesus and his mother, Mary) sailed up the coast to Looe Island, mining districts around Warleggan on the Bodmin Moor, traveled west into Penwith, St Just and Ding Dong mine (the oldest mine in Cormwall) to Whitesands Bay and finished the trip to a place called Pilton on the Severn estuary.

Jesus listend and learned of the way of the Druids. The Druids also learned from him too as they also revered him as a great teacher. You can read an Interview With A Druid too.

Jesus liked it so much that he stayed for a while and making preparations for his mission that he was sent to do. While there it is reported that he made a wattle and daubed hut to live in. Just by hitting his cane on the ground he made a small spring of water come up to the surface.

After his death Joseph did come back and they built the first christian church.

There is a report of the many Reverends, notably the Rev. H.A. Lewis, that wrote some of this information down and how Rome came to the Island and Brittany. You can much more read it on Cornish Legends

The Isle of Avalon Sacred Mysteries of Arthur and Glastonbury
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Isle of Avalon: A Pilgrim's Memoir
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List Price: $15.99
Summer Lover
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Isle of Avalon
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The Apple

Avalon's meaning is that of The Land Of Apples and has a rich tradition from the Druid;s the High Priestess that used them in their ceremonies to other Welsh and Celtic Traditions. Avalon is also the land of the Faeries and the dead. We know about the King Arthur legends as I have stated above.

Druid's used the Apple's as a way to get to the Otherworld and had the powers to bring about healing and youth. It is also a very holy and sacred tree to the Druids. Mistletoe is one of the Druid's sacred plant that they infuse into an Apple Tree branch and have silver shaped apple bells sing melodies. In doing this they were able to go to the Otherworld.

Merlin was said to have work in a magical Apple Grove guarded by birds. He was said to receive the gift of prophecy from the Faerie Queen, (Morgan Le Fay), by eating her magic apples. Merlin was also said to take have laid under the holy apple tree while he was sick with madness.

The medeival church beleived that apples could bring about possession of demons to whomever they were given too.

In Welsh Battle of the Trees the apple tree possesses poetic immortality and is known as the nobelist tree.

“In Druid lore, the essence of three sacred apples growing on the Tree of Knowledge came from three drops that fell from Cerridwen’s cauldron, which correspond with the Druid’s most holy symbol, the Three Rays of Light.” Lots more information about the apple in lore and recipes and much more can be found on Druidry. Org: APPLE by Susa Morgan Black now a PDF file, but here is an excerpt from that article:

"Apples were the fruit of the other world (Avalon or Avallach - the Isle of Apples). They
are often used for magic and fortune telling. A young woman would peel an apple all in
one paring, and throw it over her shoulder. The peeling would take the shape of the first
initial of the man she would marry. Eating an apple in front of a mirror while combing
your hair will conjure your true love's image in the mirror. Another tradition is "dunking
for apples". Apples are placed in a tub or barrel of water, and dunkers will try to retrieve
these apples with their teeth. Those who succeed will have good fortune the following
year. (Another traditional way to do it is to hold a fork in your mouth and try to retrieve
the apple by piercing it.) Hazel nuts were also used in matrimonial divination. Two
groups of "Sweetheart" hazel nuts were placed within the hearth fire; one group was
marked with the names of the village's eligible maidens, and the other with the eligible
bachelors."

Select Scenes From The Movie "Mists Of Avalon"

Priestess of Avalon
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Priestess of Avalon
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Priestess of Avalon Priestess of the Goddess: A Renewed Spiritual Path for the 21st Century
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Priestess of Avalon
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What They Have Found

During some archaeological digs around the year 1190 Arthur's grave was found. A Welsh or Breton bard supposedly gave the location of the grave site to Henry II. He said that Arthur was buried in the old graveyard at Glastonbury between two pyramids. They found a stone slab about 7 feet down with an inset lead cross. At 16 feet down they found a hollowed out log that contained the skeletal remains of an very large man and a small, delicate woman. The cross with the words ""Here lies buried the famous King Arthur with Guinevere, his second wife, in the isle of Avalon." has eroded over time. Excavating the site in modern times brought about a grave site that was much earlier than that one. It is said that the this was manipulated so that they could raise funds to re-build the Abbey, which suffered a devastating fire in 1184 and was in desperate need of money.

This too is considered a myth, even though we do have accounts by clergy and those grave sites as possible evidence.

Myths & Legends of the Celtic Race
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Celtic Legends
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Lyonesse
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Celtic Myths and Legends
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Comments

ralwus 2 years ago

I suppose if I ate mistletoe I too would be sick with madness. Interesting hub LG. I even learned a few things like Jesus' trip abroad.

Lady Guinevere profile image

Lady Guinevere Hub Author 2 years ago

Jesus went to more places then the Bible and religions let on.

Why they refuse to see or tell that his father was a ship builder and his uncle, on his mother's side, was in charge of all metals and the trade thereof and worked for Rome, is beyond me.

I was kind of surprised about the Jesus visit too.

Not Telling! 2 years ago

I like the theory that says Jesus was a Buddhist and that his teachings were Buddhism-inspired. That makes complete sense to me.

Good stuff, D.

Lady Guinevere profile image

Lady Guinevere Hub Author 2 years ago

Not Telling, what a nice surprise for you to visit and leave a comment. He learned and taught lots of beliefs not just the Roman version of things. Many more places are coming in the next few weeks. If there is one that you would like to see post it on the Magical Places hub and I will see when I can get to it--if it isn't already listed.

Artisan Walker profile image

Artisan Walker 2 years ago

You got me! This just came to me; I think Atlantis would be cool (if you haven't thought of it already)... WITH the new twist which has been put on the whole thing by the SyFy series, "StarGate: Atlantis."

Great series idea - Magical Places.

Lady Guinevere profile image

Lady Guinevere Hub Author 2 years ago

Artizan Walker, It is on my list. Go to the main hub--Magical Places and see it on ly list. Right now I am doing Agartha, which is just as big as these last two and also Atlantis, MU, Lemuria and some others.

Pete Maida profile image

Pete Maida Level 1 Commenter 2 years ago

Interesting stuff. If nothing else it is good for the tourist trade.

Lady Guinevere profile image

Lady Guinevere Hub Author 2 years ago

Hey, Pete, thanks for visiting. Yeah they make it a trouist spot and I hear it is quite lucrative.

CMHypno profile image

CMHypno Level 6 Commenter 2 years ago

Interesting Hub about Avalon. I'm not sure that I believe in it, but like a lot of old stories, there ar probably several od myths and traditions that have been woven into one. Also is someone did find an archaological site with and inscription that read 'here lies Avalon', it wouldn't be so much fun anymore!

Lady Guinevere profile image

Lady Guinevere Hub Author 2 years ago

CMHypno, You are right about that. The fun is spinning the tales and imagination. Then again imagination takes us anyhwere we want to go and without it we would be nowhere fast.

robie2 profile image

robie2 2 years ago

who knew that Avalon meant place of apples? fascinating stuff here and very romantic too-- Avalon like Santa Claus exists in our hearts

Lady Guinevere profile image

Lady Guinevere Hub Author 2 years ago

robie2, thanks for coming by. Yeah, they do.

hypnodude profile image

hypnodude 2 years ago

Beautiful hub Lady, and great pictures. I've read that King Arthur was one of the last Romans to remain in England after the Roman Empire withdraw, like one of the last movies about him explained. So he's not much mythological but a real person. I grew up with "The sword in the stone". :)

Lady Guinevere profile image

Lady Guinevere Hub Author 2 years ago

hypnodude, Thanks again for visiting my hubs. Well that will be about Camelot, which is also on my list to write about too---I be swamped right now! One at a time, One at a time!

SweetiePie profile image

SweetiePie Level 6 Commenter 2 years ago

Very well thought out hub LG. I have not read much about Avalon before, so thanks for sharing.

Lady Guinevere profile image

Lady Guinevere Hub Author 2 years ago

SweetiePie, Thanks for the visit and leaving a comment., I take my time when thinking on the layout that I want my hubs to be. Then after that initial phase I don't seem to be able to slow down when writing. I do hope that you were able to go to the links that I have in the hubs. They are full of so much more information than I could post on my hub without plagerizing them.

Angela Blair profile image

Angela Blair Level 7 Commenter 2 years ago

Outstanding Hub! As I choose to believe in everything from trolls to Tinkerbell this Hub just made my evening. I look forward to reading more. Best, Sis

Lady Guinevere profile image

Lady Guinevere Hub Author 2 years ago

Angela, Thanks again for the visit. I know of a story about trolls and tingerbells and faeries and where they have gone--or not gone and if I can find it I will post a link to it---just which hub would that be---Maybe in the first one with Figment in it! I think that would be a nice addition to it. Thank you for sparking my memory of that!

brightforyou profile image

brightforyou Level 1 Commenter 2 years ago

Being British and with Celtic blood running through my veins, I Love this hub and I 'long' to be back there... (I live in Florida now). I manage to go back every year and have experienced Avalon both at Arthur's well and atop the Tor. Thanks for reminding me of the 'magic' of our world and the Merlin energy.

Lady Guinevere profile image

Lady Guinevere Hub Author 2 years ago

brightforyou, Thank you for coming by. Yes, I have Welsh Celtic blood coursing through my veins as well. I have never been there but long for it. I loved doing this hub an I will love doing the one on Camelot too--when I get to it.

WriteAngled profile image

WriteAngled 2 years ago

All I can say is that I walked the labyrinth up to the top of the Tor. The tower of the ruined St Michael's Church was surrounded by swallow performing their acrobatics. In my view of the Universe, swallows are associated with Hathor and thus with the Goddess. I sat on the summit and meditated. Powerful images came, relating to the Goddess and the God.

Lady Guinevere profile image

Lady Guinevere Hub Author 2 years ago

WriteAngled, so nice to see you stop by here too. I would have loved to be right there with you. Thanks for sharing that.

pgrundy 2 years ago

Fascinating hub. :)

I loved the recent miniseries (well, I think it was from the 90s) on "The Mists of Avalon." It brought up lots of these themes too. Thanks!

Lady Guinevere profile image

Lady Guinevere Hub Author 2 years ago

Pam, what a nice surprise to see you commenting on one of my hubs. I watched that movie many times and I also have the book and have read it twice now. I also have Merlin and Arthur and will see if those are on youtube for the Camelot hub in the series that I am doing.

Angela Harris profile image

Angela Harris 2 years ago

I loved this hub. I am interested in all things ancient. Very interesting! I knew very little about any of this. I haven't seen or read The Mists of Avalon. Now I want to read the book, watch the movie, and visit the Tor! Such beautiful photos. As if I already had too much to do. Argh! Thanks again for the great hub!

Lady Guinevere profile image

Lady Guinevere Hub Author 2 years ago

Angela, Thanks for visiting and learning!

alternate poet profile image

alternate poet 2 years ago

This is a nice hub well written. You have about all the myths that I am aware of in one place. I have been writing a (little bit different) King Arthur book for some time now and did quite a bit of research into the myths and legends. When passing Glastonbury in the early morning mist it is easy to imagine it all. Also the whole area around is kept drained or it would still be an island I expect!

Lady Guinevere profile image

Lady Guinevere Hub Author 2 years ago

alternate poet, thanks for commenting.

Merlin Fraser profile image

Merlin Fraser 21 months ago

My Lady,

I saw this hub of your a while ago and meant to respond, I forgot, please forgive me. As you surmised earlier from my name I am a great fan of the Arthurian legend and have long been interested in the possible locations of important places from within the story, Camelot and Avalon being two of the most important.

The main problem being that there is no definitive proof that there ever was a King Arthur and even if there had been he would not have been the wonderful romantic soul depicted in the movies. If he existed at all he would have been a hard hitting tyrant who would have ruled with all the usual tools of the day. Do it my way or die.

As you point out many places lay claim to the title Avalon and for years Glastonbury was indeed the hot favourite. This makes sense given where Arthur was born, Tintagel in Cornwall seems likely as a candidate for the castle of the Duke Gorlois of Cornwall and his wife Igraine, who became Arthur’s mother, when Arthur’s father, Uther Pendragon, used Merlin’s magic to take on the outwardly appearance of Gorlois to rape Igraine.

In those days Glastonbury Tor (Avalon) would have indeed been an island sitting as it does in flat low lying land east of the Bristol Channel. Not far away, the south and east, there lies an ancient Hill Fort at a place called Cadbury Hill. Although not much remains to be seen nowadays it is well worth the climb to the top for a walk round for the commanding view it gives and yes if you look you can see Glastonbury Tor. There is much to commend it as a possible site for Camelot.

But recently there has been much speculation as to the validity of these claims based upon an alternative idea put forward by historians studying Roman occupation of Britain and what they say makes a lot of sense.

No one is claiming they have found King Arthur but what they are speculating about is this.

While the Romans were here in Britain they built many great towns and cities as well as the roads that connected them. One such city was Chester, called Deva (pronounced Dewa after the river Dee.)

Speculation is that Chester was built as a fortress town and it was home to the 20th Legion of Roman. Perhaps they had plans to invade and conquer Ireland but that never came to pass because with the decline of their Empire the Romans had to abandon Britain.

So far so good, the historians case is a simple one, you are a King, the Romans are gone, you may even have helped them on their way, there’s are nice towns and cities with nice buildings Etc. You have Chester which is a Fortress why would you go and live on a draughty hilltop in Somerset ?

Speculation is also rife as to where Arthur’s last battle Camlann took place, over the years ithas been suggested as at Slaughter Bridge on the River Camel in Cornwall, some modern historians put the battle-site as an old Roman fort Camboglanna, on Hadrian's Wall, the border between England and Scotland. There are three Welsh candidates; two Camlan Valleys in Southern Meirionydd and the River Gamlan in Southern Dunoding.

My favourite is at Queen or West Camel on the River Cam, Somerset, just below Cadbury Hill. Could the river Cam that runs through West Camel be the site of Camelot ? If this is the place where Arthur’s final battle took place then it makes Glastonbury Tor the most likely candidate for Isle of Avalon. Nothing else makes sense.

Lady Guinevere profile image

Lady Guinevere Hub Author 21 months ago

Merlin, Thaks very much for the history and archealogic (sp) information. Besides havig an interest in this as my namsakes I am also Welsh decendant as LEWIS and have another hub about the real historical facts of Wales and my genealogy line therein. I am also a decendant on my mther's side as in the surname of Jenkins and am related to the late Richard Burton on that line. My LEWIS ancestral line and a bit of Welsh History is in my hub:

http://hubpages.com/hub/My-LEWIS-Genealogy

Amanda Severn profile image

Amanda Severn Level 3 Commenter 20 months ago

Hi Lady G, thank you for leaving your link on my Arthurian Art hub:

http://hubpages.com/hub/The-Pre-Raphaelite-paintin

I enjoyed reading about Avalon. I've been to Glastonbury Tor and it does have a magical atmosphere.

Lady Guinevere profile image

Lady Guinevere Hub Author 20 months ago

Amanda, Thanks for stopping by and it is a pleasure. I am glad that you left your link here and I will ad it to this hub. I should do that with Chris's hubs too because they area ll inthe same group.

Druid Dude profile image

Druid Dude Level 4 Commenter 15 months ago

Great Hub! M'Lady. More correlations in the bible. Much is there which isn't written. Jesus' inner circle were women. The wedding in Cana is his wedding, as he was considered a Rabbi...Jewish law dictates that he was married. The Grail is real, and yet, not material. That's why I called myself Druid. My real surname means Brave Bear in Gaelic

Lady Guinevere profile image

Lady Guinevere Hub Author 15 months ago

Druid, Yes, I know this. My ancestry is of Wales and German, but wales is what I am called to. I do believe that he was married and had children. I have no idea why Christianity wants him to be single as if that is some kind of purity in it's own rite. He was special that is a fact. He attempted agian what others have attempted to do and that was to tell us that we are the only ones who are in charge of what we are and how to treat it/us and the things that we create.

Thanks for coming by and telling me your name's significance.

Jean Bakula profile image

Jean Bakula Level 7 Commenter 14 months ago

Hello Lady Guinevere,

I just noticed your hub as I wrote a review of The Mists of Avalon. I just loved the book. Interestingly enough, someone on the the questions is asking why the Bible says the forbidden fruit was an apple. It's 3/31, so I think you may have the answer if you wish to post it! I, too, believe that Jesus visited other places and learned from all religions, but wondered about Avalon when I read that Joseph of Arimathea built the first Chirstian Church there. I also thought the Guinevere in Mists was portrayed as not very nice, but since it's all I've read about this topic, am not sure what she was supposed to be like. Nice to "see" you.

Lady Guinevere profile image

Lady Guinevere Hub Author 14 months ago

Jean, Thanks again for visiting another one of my hubs. The answer to the Apple as being the Forbidden Fruit is in the Eden hub that I did. They now think that the Pomegranate was the fruit going on by the area that Eden was supposedly in. No apples there at all.

Jean Bakula 14 months ago

You know, I was thinking that apples most likely didn't grow in that area. Pomegranates make more sense. Don't think I'm nuts, but my friend's Mom has Alzheimer's and sometimes she can keep busy for an hour or more eating a pomegranate.

Lady Guinevere profile image

Lady Guinevere Hub Author 14 months ago

Jean, All those little pods full of flavor. I guess it would take someone a while to eat one if eating the pods one at a time.

shazwellyn profile image

shazwellyn Level 4 Commenter 7 months ago

The terms 1 A.D. started when Christ was 5 years old. I dont know why - maybe something to do with the Roman calendar - but that is what a lot of the scientists in this field state.

Apparently, Jesus came to Glastonbury before the age of 5 with Joeseph of Arithmea (The Times Newspaper) - of course all 'fact' is actually theory (because it changes as new evidence comes along - just look at the 'fact' that the world was flat - as the scientists believed at the time), so we can only look to our hearts when we seek truth.

I believe, in order to find the truth, we need to go to source - or the beginning - and forget the research of others. We need to find this out ourselves and be thankful.

I like your spin on this article and am grateful that I stumbled across it.

Sending love and blessings from this sacred Isle of Avalon, Shazwellyn x

Lady Guinevere profile image

Lady Guinevere Hub Author 7 months ago

Shazwellyn, What a nice surprise tosee your comment this morning. I am glad that you liked my article. The calendars were also changed and one of them they chanbged too made them lose something like 15 days. I just heard that on one of those History or science channels this last week. Yeah 15 days just vanished when the change the dates. All I know is today is today and tomorrow will be the next today.

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