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Journal of the Companions of theChalice WellIssue No. 21 • Spring 2008“Life is a unity and all its manifestations in form, both visible and invisible, are interdependent upon each other”

EditorialRecently, while sitting on the bench in Arthur’s Courtyard, a couple of American teenagerscame rushing in. They chattered away to each other and were full of exuberance and life. Asthey approached the waterfall there was a sudden change. All their ‘noise’ and ‘speed’ droppedaway and they sat down quietly on the stone bench to absorb the atmosphere and watch thewater flow down the channel to the healing pool. The girl turned to the boy and said: “This isamazing, sooo cool. I’ve never felt anything like this before.” He replied, “Well, I’ve never beenanywhere else like this, especially back home in the States – it’s like, a calm oasis.” And thenthey sat there, not meditating, but calmly taking in the ambience under the trees.It set me wondering about how many other people over the years have had a similarexperience here. Maybe when the valley was a natural place with no walls and gardens andrills, or when Alice Buckton had the old bath-house in the courtyard, or in recent times whenvisitors flow through the gardens on summer days. Perhaps all who come are touched bysomething we can’t quite grasp, something that moves our hearts and makes our everydayconcerns and worries drop away. At certain specific places in the world, and Chalice Well iscertainly one of those places, we can experience an attunement that is especially powerful;surely that was what was happening to those young American visitors in Arthur’s Courtyard.Suddenly, the world of You Tube, My Space and the iPod dropped away to reveal a deeper reality.In the pages of ‘The Chalice’ we hope to share with the readers and Companions of theWell something of this mystery. During the three issues this year we will be looking back overthe fifty year history of the Trust and looking forward into the future. In this issue we havecontemporary accounts and pictures of the lighting of a flame at the winter solstice to take usforward to our anniversary year in 2009.Elsewhere we go back to the years after Tudor Pole died and pay tribute to former TrusteeDr. Martin Israel. Then, in the first of a series of articles about former Guardians, we get aglimpse of the period between 1980-1986 when Taras and Moya Kosikowsky were residenthere. We also focus on the present context as Nicholas Mann examines what is being askedof us in this time of transformation. There is also our usual selection of news and wonderfulphotographs, and a perspective from Companion Michael Calabrese in America. We hopeyou will enjoy this issue.Paul FletcherFront Cover: The winter sun illuminates the garden above the well head.Quotation from Wellesley Tudor Pole, from ‘A Man Seen from Afar’.Back Cover: The Mother and Child with spring flowers in the Sanctuary. Photo by Andy Scott.2The Chalice Well Trust is a registered charity, founded in 1959 by Wellesley Tudor Pole and a group offriends. It is dedicated to preserving the ancient spring and surrounding gardens as a living sanctuary foreveryone to visit and experience the quiet healing peace of this sacred place.The Trust welcomes donations to maintain Chalice Well and gardens including Little St. Michaels retreathouse, and to further its work. Voluntary contributions towards upkeep are therefore greatly appreciated.Any person who wishes to support the Trust’s purpose by making an annual subscription may be registeredas a Companion of the Well.For further information contactThe Chalice Well, Chilkwell Street, Glastonbury, Somerset BA6 8DD UKTel: 01458 831154 Fax: 01458 835528.Email: info@chalicewell.org.uk Website: www.chalicewell.org.ukRegistered Charity No: 204206Published by The Chalice Well Trust, Chilkwell Street, Glastonbury, Somerset BA6 8DD, UK

News from the WellA Perpetual FlameAs I write this piece on the first day of 2008, I reflectthat a year from today will be the 50 th anniversary ofthe founding of the Chalice Well Trust by WellesleyTudor Pole. He had recognised that this place was ofsignificant spiritual import not only to the world in1959 but, as he understood, for times to come. He wasmoved to safeguard it in the foundation of a charitableTrust. The 50 th anniversary of the Trust in 2009 will be anopportunity to reflect on Chalice Well’s story and also toalign ourselves to its future unfolding. Everything thathas gone before will stand to serve what is to come. If thereis such a thing as a ‘divine plan’ then this coming yearprovides us with an opportune time to tune in and listen.Whilst preparing for the recent Winter SolsticeThe ironwork over the entrance to thewell headGathering we were struck by the research our Archivist, Paul Fletcher, was doing into thehistory of the wrought iron gates given to the Trust by Cornwall-Legh. One of the gates usedto stand at the entrance to the Cress Field (and is to be brought back into a new position inthe gardens in the near future), while the existing one leads from the garden to the sanctuaryof the wellhead. At the top of the gate are the words ‘Chalice Well’ and above it the iron workis shaped into a form which suggests it could hold a light, a lamp or a beacon.As I spoke with a number of the staff about this, we all felt inspired. The idea crystallizedstill further into the lighting of a candle that could burn for the whole of the coming year as wemade our preparations for the anniversary. The flame could serve as a beacon of inspirationand symbolize a rededication of the Trust’s aims and all that radiates from this extraordinaryplace. It could also represent the light that we carry inside each and every one of us.Jenny White, our resident caretaker, volunteered to be the keeper of the flame and it wasdecided that it should burn in the window of Vine Cottage, visible to all who walk through theentrance. Tricia Callaghan was holding silence in the Meeting Room for a day in the run-up tothe Solstice, as she describes on the following page, and it was in this silence that the flame waslit. The following day, the flame was carried around the gardens, down from the wellhead andinto the Winter Solstice gathering. All present were invited to acknowledge the divine sparkwithin. The light was handed to those who were to light the solstice fire with the blessing: “youare light and light you shall remain.”Perhaps it is a coincidence, perhaps not, that I re-found this quotation of Tudor Pole’sfrom this year’s calendar. “We are engaged in re-kindling a lamp at Chalice Well,” said WTP atCompanions’ Day in 1966. “Make no mistake about it. We do in fact stand on holy ground.” Theimage it accompanied was of the 2005 Winter Solstice Labyrinth with a brazier burning at its heart.The lamp that has been burning on this holy ground has probably been burning since timeimmemorial. Many have been drawn to its flame, many have been touched by it. The flamethat we have lit for the coming year is our acknowledgement of that. I would like to leave youwith a final quotation from Tudor Pole’s great friend Sir George Trevelyan, from his address atCompanions’ Day in 1980, which, I feel encapsulates what this perpetual flame is for:“The earthing of Spirit is of profound importance, and this Tudor Pole knew so well. Itcalls for our initiative to invoke the Spirit for its entry into matter. Therefore, centres likeChalice Well are seen to be an essential part of a great network of light.”Natasha Wardle3

Winter Solstice 2007 – Light from the Silence4By Tricia CallaghanThis is staff member Tricia Callaghan’s personal account of the lighting of the flame.In response to a deepurging from within, Imade a suggestion to thestaff circle about holding aDay of Silence. We agreedto use the Meeting Roomon the 20 th December forthe purpose and offer it tothose who felt inclined tojoin in for any length oftime throughout the day.The silence wasopened at 10am with threeparticipants. I lit a candleand silently invited in thehighest good of all, theDevas of the Well and of thegarden, and any beings oflight who wished to assistus. As the day unfoldedthe Meeting Room becameTricia gives the perpetual flame to resident housekeeper Jenny White.filled with energies that attimes felt very peaceful and loving and at othertimes very intense. I had committed to hold thespace, and indeed I felt I was rooted to the spotand had access to a far more expanded sense ofself and consciousness. I left with the feelingthat we could hold more of these days andmake them available to anyone who wished tomake a deeper connection with the silence.As a continuation of this emerging process,there was a further development in a meetingduring the planning for the Winter SolsticeCeremony.At the Solstice ceremony on the 21 stDecember I was asked to bring the light of theDay of Silence into the ceremony. From themoment I stepped out of Vine Cottage therewas a feeling of grace and gratitude flowingthrough me. At each point in the garden Iacknowledged the spirit of the place, and offeredthanks and light before handing the light to agroup of four women who held it in Arthur’scourt until it was called forth into the ceremony. Derek Brightman, our long-standing gardenvolunteer, prepares the Solstice fire.

Blessing the Solstice fire. The Yule Log lies in the foregroundDuring the ceremony I spoke of the eternal light representing the unfolding consciousnessof humanity and our desire to evolve and experience our divinity here on earth. It seemed theceremony brought together all of the threads of my knowing, past and present. It allowed meto feel the acceptance and allowance of the connection to the divine source – being a part ofit all and it all being a part of me.The Winter Solstice fire is well and truly lit.All photos by Saul Macauley Haines5

Winter UpdateWe welcome our new Shop Manager, Chaia Forster, to join the shop team. Thanks go to JennyWhite, who has been managing the shop during the interim. We say goodbye to MargaretOrr-Rabuse who has given her energy and dedication to the upkeep of the retreat houses forthe last two years and we wish her well in her new role of caring for the elderly.Little St Michael’s closed in January for two weeks of redecoration and deep cleaning. Theentrance hall and the Elder Room have received a fresh coat of paint and necessary renovation.The two weeks of rest every year is a chance for the house to receive refreshment, and for thehousekeepers to pause and reflect, before the start of the busy year.During the Christmas period the office also underwent reconstruction and re-organisation.We wanted to create a more welcoming reception area for visitors, guests and companions inkeeping with our ethos of service and care. The administration has relocated to the two roomsupstairs and the shop, at last, has a dedicated area for its operations downstairs. We hope thatyou will enjoy the new look and feel when you next visit.We very much enjoyed the pre-Christmas gathering with our volunteer team, beautifullyorganised by Jill, our volunteer co-ordinator. Dragonsfly Moon were invited to perform andthey sang a number of moving Celtic and traditional songs about those who are “keepers ofthe gate and watchers of the threshold”. Our gatehouse and garden volunteers are the face ofChalice Well to those who visit and it is very much a service of love and dedication. If anycompanions are interested in learning more about volunteering opportunities at Chalice Wellfor this coming year, please contact Jill, who will be happy to talk with you.The free open evening and illuminated gardens at the beginning of December proved tobe a success. Many came from the local community who, due to our winter opening hoursand their work commitments would not normally have been able to come to the gardens orwho had not been before. The shop was kept open and we provided hot drinks and mincepies to warm the body as well as the spirit. A number of visitors remarked on the peace andtranquillity of the gardens during the evening time and we are considering how we mightafford more opportunities for late evening openings such as this during the coming year.Forthcoming EventsOn Friday 1 st February we celebrated Imbolc with a morningceremony at the two springs. We will carry the quickening lightfrom there through to the Spring Equinox and World WaterDay on Friday 21 st March when there will be a meditation atthe wellhead at 12 noon. We plan to carry our prayers throughto the following day, 22 nd March, the actual World Water Day,the theme for which the United Nations has highlighted as‘Coping with Water Scarcity.’Sunday 23 rd March is our Easter Ceremony, where we inviteyou to attend a meditation and a foot washing in King Arthur’sCourt at 12 noon. Please bring a towel.Then, of course, on Thursday 1st May is our annual Beltaneevent with a ceremony around the fire followed by May Poledancing. The Gardens will be open at 6am for the ceremony tobegin at 7:30am. Refreshments will be available and admissionis entirely free for everyone. More details of these events will beposted on the website or sent to you by email in due course.6Imbolc maiden.Photo by Ann Cook

Garden News and ViewsThe new year has just dawned, with all the expectations, high hopesand resolution which this season engenders. One of my own personalresolutions is to strive even more to help provide the means for visitorsto connect with the very special qualities of this place, whether thatbe by providing more seating in hidden corners of the garden forquiet contemplation; increasing the variety and colour of plants; orby ensuring more attractions for wildlife, especially to encourage thesoothing sights and sounds of bees and butterflies, which never ceaseto lift the spirit. Chalice Well is undoubtedly a haven and oasis formany visitors; the recognition of that is held dear by all who workhere, and we are dedicated to enhancing that experience for all whoenter its environs.Since the summer there have been a few minor changes andprojects. Several more trees have been planted in the Plum Orchard.Martin Faulkner has improved and resurfaced the Lion’s Headpaving, taking out the tiny plughole, and replacing the outlet pipe inorder to help prevent further blockages, which had been a recurrentproblem in the past. The old square sump hole has been removed,Ark RedwoodOrchardist Anthony Wardplants a DennistonsSuperb ‘Imperial Gage’ inthe Plum Orchard.and therefore what had been a trip hazard has now been eradicated. Bearing in mind thesafety of our visitors there will be further repaving in other areas of the garden when time andopportunity permit.Martin has also provided a wheelchair ramp, and new benches in the Shelter. These seatsare retractable, and so can be utilised during events. Despite all that, I really pray we don’t getas wet a summer as we had last year!The old water feature in the meadow has had a semicircle of ivy planted behind it. Theidea being that eventually the solidity of the feature will be softened by the planting. Thevariety of ivy is an old favourite called Hedera helix ‘Manda’s Crested’. It is one previouslyplanted in various places around the garden as it has the quality not only of being a fairlyvigorous grower, but also the habit of turning red in the autumn and winter, which looks veryattractive when established. So, patience please!I have planted a fair number of bulbs for spring display in various parts of the gardenincluding tulips, dwarf irises, a pure white narcissus called ‘Mount Hood’, snowdrops, crocus,spring snowflakes and a lovely allium called ‘Purple Sensation’.I’m not a big fan of bedding schemes, but I do like winter-flowering pansies, and haveplanted up two or three beds with them in order to brighten up the grey days. One plant thatwill certainly cheer people up when it has fully grown is the Daphne bholua, which I haveplaced in the bed next to the Sanctuary. This particular species of daphne is probably the mostheavily-scented. Although on the borderline of hardiness it should survive our mild winters(fingers crossed!), and give much pleasure to the senses for years to come.The bed to the left of the Chalice Seat (near the big Yews) has always been a problemowing to its deep dry shade. I’m hoping that there will be more horticultural interest in futureas I have planted several species, including hardy cranesbills, which should be able to copewith these conditions. Deep shade is without doubt the most testing of environments, andthe number of species which can thrive there is limited to say the least. So let’s hope theconundrum is solved once and for all.7

Whilst our indispensable assistant, Sue, has been busy trimming hedges and mulchingthe beds, I have been tackling two new projects of which I am particularly excited; namely anew front garden for Vine Cottage, and the second phase of the Physic Garden in the old herbarea.The front garden of Vine Cottage had been in need of refreshment for some time. Thetopsoil which had been imported onto the site during the construction of the new pergolaentranceway in 1996 proved very poor indeed, and all the plants and shrubs there have struggled.The removal of the leggy and overgrown shrubs afforded the opportunity to create a display ofplants and flowers that would welcome and draw visitors up the entrance path. So everythingwas taken out, including the lawn, and the soil replaced. The garden has now been redesignedand hopefully it will be a visual treat for the eyes. A circular sequence of stepping stonesdelineates the structure,and the central areawill be planted up withsmall evergreen shrubsto complement the greenlawns further along theborder. A line of silverleavedplants will runparallel with the pathway,and link again withthe other silver foliagealready in the area. Thecolour scheme for theflowers will be white,pink, blue and purple,which will blend wellwith the blue lias walls ofthe cottages.Autumn colours in the garden. Primula ‘nectarine’, (above) and Berberisstenophylla (below).8The work on thenew Physic Garden is allvery exciting, and onceall of the beds have beenthoroughly weeded (youshould see the size ofsome of the bindweedroots!), we shall belooking forward toplanting up, and orderinglabels. The first phasecompleted last year wasvery successful, and so weare hoping that when it isall finished we will have apart of the garden whichpeople will specificallywant to come and visit.I am confident that thiswill be quite a feature formany years to come.

In the Spiritof Well BeingWe give thanks to these deep healing waters,That flow from the depths far and wide,As we seek balance within,A renewed world to begin,The key of loveWill be turning the tide!Lorye Keats Hopper9

The Story of the Guardians of Chalice WellPart 1 ~ Taras and Moya KosikowskyAs we approach the 50 th Anniversary of Chalice Well Trust we intend to run a series of articlesabout the contributions of previous Guardians and Wardens who lived on site at Vine Cottage.Starting with this issue we look at the time of Taras and Moya Kosikowsky who came to the Wellafter the sudden death of the previous warden John Simmons in October 1979.With his wife Ida,John Simmons playedan important rolefrom the autumn of1966 in consolidatingvarious aspects of theTrust. However therehad been tremendousstrain on the Simmonsduring the 1970’s whichthe following extractfrom ‘The Messenger’of 1977 suggests. “Thepassing years haveseen many changes (atthe Well),” wrote JohnSimmons, “and wehave on occasions beensubjected to intensepressure of every kindto remove us from ourguardianship. But wehave always found sufficient support to uphold us whenever needed.”In fact a few months before his death in 1968 Wellesley Tudor Pole had written to Johnand Ida saying, “Little did you realise when you first arrived at Chalice Well of the full scope ofyour valuable activities and of the services you would be enabled to render to so many peopleand on so many planes of action. Thanks be.”The Simmons oversaw what Sir George Trevelyan later called “a delaying period,” a timeof protection and slowly building up the energies. “The time was not yet right for forgingahead.” But with John’s passing, new energy and an opening occurred which welcomed in ayoung couple.Taras and Moya had felt it was time to leave the Findhorn Community for a fresh challenge,and so in the autumn of 1979 they moved south to Glastonbury. At that time, John Simmonshad just died and the gardens were closed for the winter. Moya and Tara joined a band ofvolunteers in the garden (as so much work was needed), and as time went on and withencouragement from Eileen Caddy, Alice Crichton and Ann Jevons they applied for the job ascustodians. On February 15 th 1980, Moya and Taras married and became joint custodians ofthe Chalice Well from March 1 st . There was a welcoming sense of joy and relief at the Trust,and at Companion’s Day in the summer of 1980, Sir George Trevelyan spoke of “a flower thatis now blossoming, a rose that is really opening.”10Arthur and Pip Bourne with Taras, Moya and their newborn son at theLion’s Head in 1981

The lower gardens were cleared and reseeded in the Spring of 1980. The newly delivered millstone can beseen on the right of the picture.So it was that Taras and Moya set to work, removing a newly planted ‘forest’ of 88 conifertrees which had been placed across the lower lawn after the dismantling of the Tor School, andbeginning to build up the shop which was in its current position and was also the entrance tothe gardens at this time. They did much restorative work on the rest of the gardens which hadsuffered terribly in 1979 when flood water, redirected into the Chalice Well grounds, washedaway many of the original paths and plants. Among the Trustees was local resident ArthurBourne and he and his wife Pip, who at a later date also became a Trustee, helped to maintainthe garden. Alongside Taras and Moya they began to work together as a close group, bringingin more volunteers from the community of Glastonbury.At the end of the 1970’s the gardens had been temporarily closed and Taras and Moyawere key to re-opening and restoring the site, which included much needed maintenancework on Little St. Michaels (LSM) guest-house and Vine Cottage. They agreed to a six-monthtrial period, which went well, and as Custodians (the then agreed title) they stayed throughto 1986. The office was above the garage which was still used for cars (May Cottage), andTaras and Moya also implemented season tickets for local companions that introduced freshenergy.During the first year they lived in LSM while Vine Cottage was gutted and restored andmany timbers were replaced. Regular meetings with Trustees were introduced; Pip and Arthurwere the link on the ground with the Trustees who lived further afield. Sir George Trevelyanplayed an important role at this time, providing a link between Chalice Well and otheremerging aspects of the new age in Britain.Throughout 1981 work continued, allowing more light into a badly overgrown Arthur’sCourtyard, restoring a rusty lid at the Well-head and building steps by the shelter near theLion’s Head to give easier access to the higher parts of the garden. A wonderful old millstonewas brought from Ireland by Michael Crichton, who was a very close friend of Tudor Pole and11

David Russell, and placed near the yew trees. It provided a magical place to pause and reflect,looking across to Wearyall Hill before turning to walk between the yews. Drawing on hisexperience at Findhorn, Taras also developed the herb garden; the idea was to plant togetherherbs with similar or complementary medicinal properties for treating various ailments.Their son, Sean Michael, was born on November 30 th 1981 in Vine Cottage only two daysafter they had moved in upon completion of the renovation work. By this time Taras and Moyahad become more aware of the challenging nature of Chalice Well. “As you might imagine,”Taras wrote in mid 1982, “so many seemingly ‘amazing ideas’ show up on our doorstepbrought by many well meaning individuals. Some of these ideas upon closer examination arein themselves fine, but within the greater context of Chalice Well do not feel right. The innerand outer balance is always at work.”Sir George Trevelyan continued with his support and addressed several Companions Dayevents along with the likes of herbalist David Hoffman, Dr. Alec Forbes from the Cancer HelpCentre in Bristol, Geoffrey Ashe and Soozi Holbeche. Kitty Tudor Pole, aged 100, was able tobe present at one of the summer gatherings. Gradually, LSM was restored so that guests couldstay on retreat again, and Pip and Arthur continued their day to day support alongside FrancesCoxwell in the office and manyother committed volunteers.This led to the introduction oflocal Trustees that created moreof a community feel than hadpreviously been present.There was the small matterof a twelve and a half thousandpound debt and it was decidedto sell off a field up WellhouseLane to the National Trust toclear this. Long time supporterFrances Nuttall gave her ‘ChalicePrayer Card’ to the Trust to sellin the shop, and this is stillavailable today. Tudor Pole’sbooks and pamphlets were alsosold in the shop and there wasa reprint of four of his originalbooklets.Going into their fifth yearTaras and Moya were aware ofthe growing media interest inGlastonbury and the Well butunfortunately found much ofthe coverage to be sensationalist.Visitor numbers were on theincrease and the stresses andstrains of being custodians hadto be balanced with their familylife at the Well while taking careof all the ‘nooks and crannies’that comprise the workingsMoya with two weeks old Sean above the Well head12

of the Trust. At this time a long-obsolete reservoir was purchased by a local councillor fordevelopment; the White Spring Café was about to emerge on the other side of WellhouseLane.By 1984 there were four bedrooms available in LSM and bookings were growing. Therewas at this time a minimum stay of three days and a maximum of two weeks; the cost was £8 aday. Visitors to the garden had increased to well over 16,000 a year. “This place is touching anddrawing many more people to itself,” Taras wrote in the newsletter. “It is a good affirmationthat all of us everywhere who want to be a part of the Well, in many various ways, are helpingto preserve one of those rare places of beauty and tranquillity.”However, by the summer of 1986 Taras and Moya and Sean were ready to move on. Theyhad completed well over six years of dedication and service, overseeing growth and expansionon every level. Companionship had grown from 153 to over 600 with visitor numbers risingabove 22,000 by the end of 1985. The Gate House Shop was paying its own way and was inprofit. The Trust had received an endowment the previous year from a supporter, making itfinancially secure for the first time.Their leave-takingtook about six monthsso that a new appointmentcould be madeand the details ofthe position handedover in a positive way.During their years ofdedicated service theyhad held the originalvision of WTP whilesuccessfully workingwith his close friendSir George Trevelyanto open the doorwider. They playeddown any attemptto glamourise WTPor the work theyhad accomplished atChalice Well.Let’s end withsome wise words fromTaras in their finalnewsletter: “There isno need to attempt todominate this place orSean returns with daughter Shannon (five weeks old) and wife Julie in 2007 toVine Cottage where he was born in 1981. Resident housekeeper Jenny White,centre, welcomes them.to build healing temples here, or even to begin emphasising various religions or spiritual paths,regardless of how big or small. These gardens embody all faiths already. And they simply waitpatiently to enfold all who enter this Universal Living Sanctuary of Prayer and Peace.”This article is based on a recent interview with Taras and Moya and also draws on newslettersand records of the time. Taras and Moya can be currently found running Growing Needs Bookshopand the Celtic Thread in the centre of Glastonbury.Paul Fletcher13

The Quest Deepens14By Nicholas R MannThe earth will solve its problems, and possibly our own, if we let the earth function in its ownways. We need only listen to what the earth is telling us.(Thomas Berry, The Dream of the Earth.)In the talk given onCompanions’ Day in 2005 Idescribed how an apple fromNew Zealand was literallycosting us the earth. The costto the environment of shippingthe apple outweighed its benefitmany times over. I went on tosuggest as a remedial measurethat “the more we consume,the higher up the energy ladderwe climb, the more we shouldpay.” A few weeks ago, emergingworld leader Al Gore, in hisacceptance speech for the NobelPeace Prize, said in words farbetter than mine that “we needto put a price on carbon, witha CO ² tax that is rebated backto the people, progressively…in ways that shift the burdenof taxation from employmentto pollution.” When this idea isPicture courtesyof NASAthought through, it is striking in its simplicity: one is rewarded for carbon neutral activitiesand penalised for ones that are carbon excessive.Such economic measures, if properly implemented, would soon start to transform theshape of human society, as its ecological balance with life on earth is slowly restored. In thiskind of economy there can still be growth; not as money accumulating in our bank accounts,but as investments made in the health of bioregions and as interest returned from pure water,pure soil and pure air.Yet although solutions like this are not beyond our reach, the last few years have beenextremely hard for humanity. In spite of numerous high level reports produced with immensecare by peer-reviewed specialists, in spite of the leadership shown by people like Al Gore, inspite of events like the Bali Conference, and in spite of the ever increasing cost of oil, the publichas been slow to accept the deeper implications of what we are doing to the environment. Onlywhen they are understood does it become clear that we are undergoing a political, economic,social, and above all a spiritual crisis. The great challenge, or opportunity of our times, is oneof integrating earth and spirit and the human.But we do not have to face this challenge alone. The Buddhist precepts of right action andright livelihood, the Pagan law of ‘harm none,’ the native American teachings of considerationfor the seventh generation, the Christian principles of love and non-violence – to name a few– are spiritual principles that can guide us at this time. They are in keeping with the actions

that our troubled scientists are saying will be essential for restoring the balance betweenhumanity and life on earth.In his Nobel Prize acceptance speech, even Al Gore spoke of the challenges that lie aheadin spiritual terms. He called for a “new consciousness,” and especially for a “uniting moralpurpose that is manifestly good and true.” He added that “the spiritual energy unleashed cantransform us.” Gore also spoke of how the necessary measures could be implemented on thelocal level, not just by the laws of each country, but by individual citizens, who would thus beacting in unity with the whole world.Here, in Avalon and in Britain, we can envisage each village, school, college, business andfamily finding its own way to meet the challenges. Local voices will arise to inspire each placeto move forward into the “new consciousness” of balance with all life. Already there are plentyof signs of these changes: serious recycling is taking off, Transition Town movements areunderway, people are thinking hard about their carbon footprint, earth sciences are developing,and local organic food production is now on the agenda of even the large supermarkets.The Grail for our AgeOn Companions’ Day 2005 I spoke of the Grail, a symbol central to the mystery of ChaliceWell, as something that would help us “through this terrible crisis of the wasteland.” I imaginedthe Grail for our age as the symbol of a great communion of humanity with the other forcesof life on the planet.I proposed that “Chalice Well and its Companions can uphold this symbol and so reaffirmthe message of balance, of reciprocity, of a renewed moral and spiritual relationship with theearth… If we all were to choose the path of life, the path of unity and co-operation with allliving things, then there is no limit to the healing and abundance that can pour forth fromthe Grail to sustain us.”Comfortingly, the greatest teacher and guide we could ever have is already here to helpus. The amazing intelligence that has created the genes, the DNA, the oceans, the biosphere,the geosphere, the sun, the structure of the universe itself, is already here. So let us return tothe earth and learn to listen carefully to its wisdom. Its animating principle, the world soulor anima mundi, never went away; it was we who left the shelter of its vast, numinous andnurturing power.Lifestyle changes that may at first feel like a loss of comfort and convenience, even apainful loss of freedom and individual choice, will eventually bring about a true prosperity,true community and a moral justice – not just for humans, but for all living beings. In a newreflexivity of our conscious self-awareness, humanity will at last take its proper place in themutually dependent web of all life: this, as the venerable ecologist Thomas Berry has pointedout, is the true “Earth Community.”With world leaders like Al Gore inspiring the peoples of the world to act, each in their ownway, for what is uniting, “good and true,” then we can have a great hope for future generations.Each of us now has the opportunity to take our place in a great movement of all nations andpeoples, as we loosen our dependence upon the harmful industrial economy and learn to livetogether in balance with all life in the world.The symbols of Avalon, like the Grail, are no less strong today than they were in the past.Chalice Well, for example, is already spreading awareness of the vital, spiritual and ecologicalvalue of pure, uncontaminated water. Chalice Well, in union with other centres around Britainand the world, can play its part in developing the links between ecology and spirituality,between science and earth wisdom. The importance of this work seems ever clearer as weunderstand the depth of the healing that now needs to take place between humanity and nature.15

A View from Across the PondBy Michael CalabreseA part of our occasional series of articles from overseas Companions where they share theirperspective on the Chalice Well.Today is Yule and a short day is a good time to write a short article, even though I spend longhours thinking about the place I’ve been gone from for far too long. While these little articlesare called ‘The View From Across the Pond,’ I thought it might be useful for Companions ofChalice Well to have a look at what people in the United States actually see – which is verylittle.The truth is, few people here, Christian or Pagan, know of Chalice Well. During on-linediscussions or workshops, I’ve found that many people in the States have little or no conceptthat the place actually exists in the world. The idea that there is something tangible therewhen the mists have lifted is very surprising to them. They have no idea that all those storiesof underworld entrances, sleeping kings, Holy Grails and priestesses hidden in the mistsare tied to a place with a history. They don’t know that there has been archaeology done atthe wellhead or that the Trust sponsored an investigation to see what was really on the Tor.Finding out that these things are true, brings an assortment of responses.Among Christians, Unitarians and others I’ve spoken to, many are fascinated by the Graillegends. Some know about Glastonbury, the Abbey and Dion Fortune’s “Avalon of the Heart.”I even met someone who knew who Wellesley Tudor Pole was without thinking he was aHenry VII or VIII. Many want more information on Christian activities. They are intriguedthat Joseph of Arimathea is an important figure in the Glastonbury landscape, and the veryidea that a representation of the Last Supper is there in the Upper Room is a source of thewarmest of smiles. Looking at copies of the recent book: This Enchanted Place, they turn thepages, read about the healing waters, see a place of faith where the lines between us can fade,and wonder how photographs of debating Buddhist monks can sit beside those of Christ’s lastmeal and Beltaine fires.In Pagan circles, there is something of an ‘Avalon fetish.’ It seems like everywhere you lookthere is an ‘Avalon Re-born,’ the ‘Real Avalon’ or an ‘Avalon Rising.’ If you ask about gettingto Avalon, you get a variety of suggestions on meditation, candle magic, crystals and onelegged Kundalini machinations. No one thinks they should take the A361. Unfortunately,many Pagan types seem to prefer the myth of Avalon. When given the link to the Chalice Wellweb site or shown photographs of the real place, eyes glaze over, bottoms shift uncomfortablyin chairs, and someone wants to show me his new Frodo ring.Others become fascinated. They read, they do some research; some have gone and havebecome Companions. Some are on their way. There is interest in the water pouring forCompanion’s Day, in Bride’s Mound and the White Spring – and the role Companions canplay. For many, there is a sense of spiritual attachment and joy in the realization that they canindeed be part of something real. I guess we, the Companions, know what that is all about.The owners of a Pagan nature sanctuary here who are dedicated to Bride now plan to becomeCompanions. They’ve made contact with the Bridgettine Sisters here in the States and areconnecting with the Sisters in Kildare.Personally, I think it would be a good thing if WTP were “A Man Seen From – a little less –Afar.” Much can be done to increase awareness of the Well, the Trust, WTP and his work, overhere. The Chalice Well Companion’s web site at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ChaliceWell/is a great place to start. It provides a wonderful way for those of us across the pond to keep intouch and discuss and spread WTP’s extraordinary vision. In the end, whether in the USA,in Britain, or anywhere around the world, one thing is certain: we are the Companions ofChalice Well and together, we are Avalon Rising.16

‘In the Heart of the Well’2008 Chalice Well Trust RetreatsCONNECTING WITH THE HEART OF NATURE2 nd – 5 th May 2008Learn how to work with Plant Spirit Medicine to receive teachings directly from thedivine wisdom of plants for the healing of people and the planet. The retreat will involvemeditation and silence, journaling and sharing circles, learning to make and work withFlower Essences and a ‘Love and Thanks to Water Ceremony for Peace’.Led by Trustee Sophia Knock with Companions Sabrina Dearborn and Caroline WyndhamSHARED PERSPECTIVES – AN INTERFAITH RETREAT15 th – 18 th September 2008This will be an opportunity to explore Christian, Buddhist and Hindu contemplativepractices. Invited guest speakers will share their insights. There will be time for reflection,dialogue and meditation. This is the first in a series of Chalice Well Trust Interfaith Retreatsintended to highlight the shared perspectives at the heart of all spiritual practice. Our aim isto foster respect and understanding for all paths of goodwill.Facilitated by Trustee Mary Priest-Cobern with guestsLIVING SANCTUARY RETREAT7 th – 9 th November 2008Experience the profound peace of the living sanctuary that is Chalice Well and gainunderstanding of the vision that has manifested here over the last fifty years. The weekendwill be spent in meditation both indoors and in the landscape, interspersed with the storyof Chalice Well. We aim to provide an enjoyable mix of reflection and discourse by setting arhythm to the short days at this time of year.Facilitated by Trustee Joanna Laxton, Companion Philomena Houlihan Woodand Archivist Paul FletcherFor More Information and Retreat Brochures, please emailinfo@chalicewell.org.uk or ring the office on 01458 831154WORKSHOPSWe will also be hosting the following teachers at Chalice Well in 2008.22 nd May 2008A one day Flower Essence Workshop with Ian White,Founder and Director of Australian Bush Flower Essences.July 18 th - 20 th 2008A Soul Recognition Workshop with Flo Aveia Magdalena, author of I Remember Union.17

Obituary:Dr Martin Israel, 30 April 1927 – 23 October 2007Pathologist, Mystic, Priest, Spiritual GuideBy Kyrin Singleton. Former Chair of Chalice Well TrustMartin Israel was invited to be a Trustee of Chalice Well by Wellesley TudorPole in 1966. He was a true and faithful servant of the Well during this time,seeing the Chalice Well Trust as a noble cause. After he resigned in 1974 hecontinued to retain connections and blessed memories of Glastonbury. Hewas a much sought after retreat guide, leading 15 - 20 retreats a year aroundthe country, many of them in Glastonbury.Jewish by birth, Martin qualified as a medical doctor in his native South Africa. In 1951 hecame to England to undertake post-graduate research followed by a year as a house physician atHammersmith Hospital. He then spent the years l953 –55 as a pathology registrar at the RoyalWolverhampton Hospital before electing to undertake his National Service in the Royal ArmyMedical Corps. On return to civilian life in 1958 he was to become a Senior Lecturer in Pathologyat the Royal College of Surgeons.For sixteen years Martin suffered bouts of acute depression. At this time he broke with Judaismand began to study New Age and Eastern Religions, eventually seeking Holy Orders in the Anglicanfaith. He was involved with the Ministry of Deliverance and Healing. A natural born mystic withthe gift of psychic empathy, he had the ability to speak spontaneously for an hour with no notes.Tudor Pole recorded that he sensed Martin was assisted by an “admirable source.”Martin was shy, humble and sometimes mysterious, but always willing to reveal his own frailtiesas a human being, and tell the truth, however unpalatable. With a life-times experience of helpingothers, the constant stream of people who went to him in need were counselled and helped. He was aprolific letter writer and the author of more than twenty books. With many friends from all walks oflife, a truly remarkable man, always generous with his time and for me, a good friend, he will be missed.Here are a few extracts from an address Dr Martin Israel made on Companions’ Day in 1969.Speaking about Chalice Well he told of how his friend Tudor Pole had examined the waterson a psychometric level and had found an emanation, which he could not understand, but wasassociated in his mind with some kind of blessing or consecration. Dr Israel stressed that the watershould only be taken in small doses – seven drops diluted in a wine glass of water or juice taken oneto three times a day – to receive the maximum vibrational effect.“There is an atmosphere here,” Dr Israel said, “a healing atmosphere which pervades the verysenses. It is this, surely, that has made the water potent through the ages and made it a vehicle ofhealing. This is the true healing gift. It does not require remarkable knowledge: but it requiresremarkable love and this is what we are trying to establish in Chalice Well. The water, plants,atmosphere, are part of this love; the Upper Room its realisation in practical life. When we areworking properly Chalice Well will be what our founder wanted it to be: a beacon and symbolwhere people may come and be refreshed. It is a question of being in silent communion withpeople that is important.“The truth is that there is a spiritual existence that transcends and pervades the world ofphenomenal beings. The world of spiritual reality is eternal and immortal. In true immortality weestablish our own true identity, which is not the identity of simply appearing nice and just smilingto other people, but rather being good in ourselves. This is the function we trustees and workershave for Chalice Well, a place which will not depend on occultism, or prophecies or even astrologybut will depend on its own being. This to my mind really summarises the ideas of the healingmission of Chalice Well.”18

SiberiaA cultural & Spiritual Journeyinto the magical & unspoiltAltai RegionSmall group traveling 2 weeksJuly 2008for further informationEmail: jenniferj.white@virgin.netTel: 01458 835038 / 07765141159Sacred Waters Tour,Israel - Easter 2008From the source of the RiverJordan to the Sea of Galilee, theDead Sea and the Red Sea with thedolphinsA week long journey through themany waters of one of the world’smost mystically renowned valleysPhone Sophie : 01458 830293Email Edgar :sacredwaterisrael@yahoo.co.ukSweet-TrackSpiritual Counselling TrainingsCounselling Skills Level 2April ’08 startSweet-Track is a centre for psycho-spiritual education based in Glastonbury, providing accreditedprofessional counselling trainings. To meet the world of clients we combine good counsellingpractice, energy and spiritual awareness, along with psychic understanding. Drawing from manytraditions, our aim is to respect each other’s difference and empower people’s spiritual expressionand identity.This non-residential training course takes place over eight weekends at the Chalice Well Gardens,Glastonbury. It carries a CSKL2 qualification with CPCAB.The total cost is £1,325 which can be paid by instalments. We are registered for the CareerDevelopment Loans scheme.For dates and further information contact Course Tutor Collette BarnardTel: 01458 835 552 / 07980 402 791www.sweet-track-counselling.co.uk19