Orkney is home to the original stone circles. The Ring of Brodgar lies just half a mile from The Stones of Stenness. On the first day of this week’s Autumn equinox, after sitting here during the day, I was privileged to be offered an opportunity to partake in a night ceremony to link the yang energy of Brodgar with the yin of Steness. The Milky Way lit up for us on a night so clear and still, it had the mark of an otherworldly gift. Hundreds of geese on the surrounding lochs noisily took flight as we danced, clapped, rattled, drummed, sang, and laughed with these stones and their spirits. It was life changing. In the words of a friend I shared the experience with – I will never be the same again.
I knew Orkney was important from the moment I booked the airline taking me here. It happened to have the same name as a main character in my books. Energy and ancestry run deep here. You’ll see my feet disappearing into the 5000 year old Tomb of the Eagles, where 136 people were buried with sea eagles. From there we moved to the Tomb of the Otters, in which thousands were laid to rest, with otters playing a pivotal role in burials. Orkney is a nodal point; a place where many, many ley lines meet, the energy here is immense. It will take a while to understand where this experience fits into my writing. It is early days, but already there is a path opening up for book three. I have an inkling; a spark, and that is all I need. Time to cross the water to the island of Rousay, where there’s magic afoot.
