Preseli Bluestones at Stonehenge
How many in the Western world have never heard of Stonehenge? There won't be many. And Stonehenge is also one of the absolute toppers worldwide. And rightly so, because Stonehenge is a fantastic combination of beauty, mystery and... age. Because 'built 4,500 years ago' and 'older than the pyramids' is of course very special. A Neolithic monument, prehistoric and still so impressive today, what more could you want?
Well, use that monument! Stonehenge is not only just a gigantic tourist attraction, but is also still (or again) enthusiastically 'used' for celebrating the summer and winter solstice. And for good reason, because everything indicates that Stonehenge is very specifically aligned with that.
Preseli Bluestones
In the middle of Stonehenge are a number of smaller pillars that began to stand out as 'different' from the rest as early as the 8th century: the Preseli Bluestones. In 1878, Nevil Maskelyne published the first petrological study of the Bluestones.
Currently, only six bluestones are still standing. Thirteen are at an angle or have fallen and another 10 have had stumps found. Small pieces of Preseli Bluestone have been found in thirty other places, which may indicate that these stones were also located there. No one can prove it, but by many the original number of Preseli Bluestones in Stonehenge is estimated to be as many as 82 pieces.
The larger sandstone The Sarsens Stones are found in the neighbourhood of Stonehenge, the Preseli Bluestones however are not found around. It has now been shown that the Bluestones originate from the Preseli Hills Pembrokeshire in Wales, hundreds of kilometres away from Stonehenge. The source of these 'Spotted' Bluestones is located in the Carn Meini, on one of the hills of the Preseli Hills.
Why the Bluestones were moved hundreds of kilometers, we don't know. We do know that it must have been a huge job and therefore also that the Bluestones were apparently important enough to do so. But why?
Especially in the last few decades, there have been and still are countless studies on these mystical stones. A lot about this can be found on the internet. It is not in my interest to write any more about this. I want to tell you more about what the Preseli Bluestone means to me and what I do with it as a Skulptor.
The Rough Stone
Let's take a look at the rough stones I work with. The source of Spotted Preseli Bluestone can be found in the Carn Meini, located on one of the hills of the Preseli Hills.
Although this area is freely accessible to the public, it is a protected area. That is to say, it is not allowed to hit the stones (research has shown that the stones can also be used to produce bell sounds) and or to change the position of the stones, let alone to take smaller or larger pieces home (!)
However, not only in this area there are Preseli Bluestones, in the meadow area there are often boulders here and there on private property of farms. That is also the place where I got my stash of stones from years ago. These usually lie on the ground at the edge of the field, broken off from larger rocks that lie further below the surface. The uncultivated land of centuries ago often looked like this. Farmers used to see these large stones as a nuisance and had difficulty working their land. Despite their hardness, they are very sensitive to temperature. One of the solutions was to make a fire around the large stone in the cold winter months. Due to the temperature differences, the stones cracked and the debris could be moved, which made the fields suitable for tillage.
Over the centuries, a weathered layer formed on top of these fragments. I find this layer particularly intriguing. I try to keep and show as much of this layer as possible in my work. For me, it adds an extra dimension of old age, lived through, and wisdom.
Preseli Bluestone is available in two variants: plain and with white spots. The plain stone is much more common than the 'spotted Preseli Bluestone'. These spots make the spotted Preseli Bluestone look like a representation of a galaxy. In this you can disappear meditatively. The stone pulls you into space, depth, time and ultimately timelessness. You can lose yourself in it and let yourself be carried away. The stone takes you to a space of timelessness, and can then lead you into the future, but also into the past. After all, time does not exist.
If you focus on the past, you end up with thousands of years of knowledge and the point of contact with present-day Stonehenge. Because in our meditation we are looking for what they used to know and we don't know anymore... the ‘why’ and ‘why for’ of Stonehenge. Does it matter that we don't know? No, because your meditation on Preseli Bluestone is not about finding the truth, but about the process of seeking the truth. In that process, the wisdom of your truth reveals itself to you. For me, this is the magical power of the Preseli Bluestone. It encourages you to search, to grow, to move forward.
In fact, the meditative movement into the future is the same: what is going to happen at a later date? You can decide in the present which direction you want to go. The stronger you are now, the more reality there is in achieving your goal in the future. It's all about focus. And even then, you must first gain insight into who you are now and where your higher self wants to take you. Preseli Bluestone also supports your clairvoyance, which are logical consequences of your search. It is not the main goal to develop your psychic abilities, it comes automatically as you search for what the future holds for you. It is an additional phenomenon when you start to delve into it.
A word of warning. One of the aspects of this enormously powerful, mystical, inspiring, advisory and superlative stone is the demonstrable electromagnetic force, which can affect your body. As a heart patient, I know what I'm talking about: your heart can sometimes be over-stimulated. That is why it can sometimes be good to ignore the Preseli Bluestone for a while, from hours to days, and in some cases even years. That you don't do anything with it anymore. If you do use the stone, its effect will come at you in full force and clarity. And that's what my Preseli Bluestone grid has done and is doing. It has the power to activate something in and around me, in my immediate and distant environment, from all sides and elements, to bring about changes that are beneficial to my future goals.
So much for the rough stone, the description of the properties of the stone in general. By giving it different forms, I can then help bring about certain aspects of the search in the past, the future and the present, help set it down for yourself. It also contains the different effects of the artefacts I make.
The Skull
Let me start with the Preseli Bluestone Skull. To me, the skull symbolizes a holographic representation of the divine being, which to me is equivalent to the human being. When you come into contact with this Skull, you do not so much gain insight into the Skull itself, but you receive all kinds of insights about who You are. When we talk about the Preseli Bluestone in skull form, it is essentially a way of looking at yourself and gaining insight into who You are. You dive into your being as a human being on a deeper level. It is important to understand this first, so that you can determine what your cosmic journey here on Earth has in store for you. We've talked about setting future goals through Preseli Bluestone, but these goals need to be in line with who you are. Otherwise, those goals are unrealistic; Clarity about what lies within you and what your potential is, is important. With this Skull there is a spiral at the back. The spiral symbolizes the journey from the outside in, an insight into who you are at the core, or from the inside out, to be able to present yourself as a human being to the outside world. It is a beautiful symbol, the combination of Preseli Bluestone and spiral. If you're wondering 'what should I do with this', communicating with a Preseli Bluestone can give you insight into what to do best. You often know better for someone else than for yourself, but by means of a Skull you can actually tell someone else what would be best for you.
In short, accept that things are the way they are. This is an important life lesson. You can't change everything, you have to stay within reality. If you don't have legs, you can hope to get them, but they don't just grow back. Acceptance is the first step, and from there you can look at the real possibilities. And you can then live life to the fullest in those possibilities. Accept that you are the way you are, and when you do, then you are ready to take the journey inward and understand what that story looks like.
The Dragon
The Dragon is an interesting phenomenon, as it awakens and springs into action when the time is right. The energy of the Dragon does not wait for permission, but overwhelms you. It takes you like a flowing stream, you feel that energy completely around you and then you can be transported to a totally different reality. Your own initiative is much less important than with the Skull. You just have to deal with dragon energy. There are only a few types of dragon weather types; In strong winds, I make dragons. A Dragon takes you along, makes no concessions and goes right through everything.
In combination with Preseli Bluestone: that naturally takes you with you. So when the Preseli Bluestone Dragon thinks the time is right, he drags you to a certain corner and says 'go from here'. Without realizing it, you find yourself in a completely different position than your starting point. You can ask the Dragon in a very general way 'can you help me', but then he may very well put you in a completely different place than you intended. So describe very well which field you want to be taken to. On the one hand, you don't have to exert yourself as much, but on the other hand, you have to do it very well because you can end up in the wrong room. That always has a purpose, but some participation in the direction is always advisable, you can't surrender yourself completely.
The contractor is currently working, I now need to create the wet space I need to make Monumentals – my long-term goal. The Dragon energy is now pushing me more towards that realization. There is no room for "but I don't have time". It's a matter of getting on with it, accepting the consequences and making sure that if you do it now, it can be extra efficient. You can't sit back and relax with Dragon Energy: they will only help you if you work hard yourself. And if you don't listen to that, then you sabotage your own wish and then it can go inside. Then that energy of that desire, which is supported on all sides, turns inward. And that can make you very depressed, and physically and mentally that can have bad consequences for you.
Preseli Bluestone has very little consideration, just wants to see results, it is a result-oriented stone, makes few concessions, is not always patronizing, not at all. Are you here to work? Then the contract that we are going to work is not time for loafing, then we are not going to achieve your goal. A Dragon in Preseli Bluestone is going to trigger something in you. And can also bring about something in your environment, can put you in a completely different situation. You didn't plan it that way, but you have to deal with that. You've turned it on and then you're going to know. Strongly focused, not always via the logical paths. So you have to give him precise instructions, you have to say that you want the shortest way.
The Wand
A Wand is for magic. What can you conjure up with it: your wish. Magic is nothing more than the materialization of your wish. The moment you hold such a wand in your hands, you can do magic by directing your wish to the future with the help of your wand, so that one day at the right time it comes that your wish has become reality. There is a common ground with voodoo, so don't aim at someone else!
Preseli Bluestone is definitely my favorite stone for a wand. It's thé stone. Physically, it is the stone that is most suitable for making a point on it. He has enough mysticism within to translate your power of thought into matter, into life. That's what this stone does. I make different types of Wands: smooth, with a face and with a Bird Skull. The smooth wall can be used freely. The Wall with a Face, the Merlin Wand, is the most mystical and supports the magical change. The Bird Skull Wand helps you to fly over a certain obstacle and reach your goal. Very useful if you find yourself in a seemingly hopeless situation.
The Sword
I'll only make a few of them in my lifetime, because the Sword is demonstrably fierce. Not only in use, but also to make. The Sword is not only able to help you determine the future, but also allows you to break current ties in the present and in the past. Ties, cords, that you are attached to, that you don't want to have anything to do with anymore. It can be your parents, a lost relationship with a friend, but also limiting beliefs, you cut it out. It sets you free. It is even more intense when you stab the Sword. Because by doing so, you put an end to something. Stabbing is stopping, where cutting off is not enough. When cutting off, it's getting rid of something, but when you're stabbing, you're really attacking it. It is the judgment of the tarot. A sword is really a symbol that can only be wielded by the master, it is not for everyone. It was also only the master who could pull the sword out of the stone.
An alternative to the sword is a so-called Athame. This mini-sword is mainly used for grids and rituals and is not intended to be used in real use.
NB: As with the Wand, Preseli Bluestone is ideal for making a Sword. And extremely demanding for the maker and the one who is going to shepherd the Sword. Think before you start!
Cuddle Stones
Pretty much the opposite of the Sword, are the Cuddle Stone. You can use this for meditation, connect with the symbol that I have carved on it, such as the infinity sign or the labyrinth. They are, in fact, meditation stones, really a tool for meditation and contemplation. Less focused, more opening. In which Preseli Bluestone mainly adds the mystical element: the supernatural, powerful, present, with the ability to become physical.
Pendants
The Pendants travel very intimately with your body, after all, you hang them around your neck. They are guides, shamans, Merlins, spirits, inspirers, friends. They can protect or give strength. Often on a subconscious level, because of course you don't think 'I'm wearing a pendant' all day long. I really enjoy making them, it's a direct spiritual art. Always different, always with a different intention, and also very personal. One is not the other, you really have to figure this one out yourself. And then you know if it's your friend, your guide, or a deceased loved one. That's up to you.
Preseli Bluestone on your body can wake you up, make you alert, be very present on a subconscious level. Then it's about change, action, making choices. Or give judgments, make decisions. Wherever action is expected, Preseli Bluestone is an excellent stone. It's not really a stone to doze off on your back, because you'll wake up in no time. For active people.
But you don't always have to be in an alert situation, you also have to give yourself your rest. That's why you should consciously take off your Preseli Bluestone Pendant from time to time. Heart patients really need to watch out for it. Start a morning or a day. Not month in and month out. Because at a certain point you don't feel it anymore and the effect is gone. Putting it aside for a while will make you aware of the stone again.
My wish for you
You now know what Preseli Bluestone is and does. You also know what the different forms of Preseli Bluestone can help you with. I consider myself fortunate to be able to work with Preseli Bluestone. Not only because this is such an incredibly beautiful and powerful type of stone, but also because this stone has actually had its positive influence at several times in my life! So I'm not talking about an 'assumption' but from a personal experience! I realize that I am following in the footsteps of the makers of Stonehenge. In their tradition and reverence for the stone, then take it a step further. I wish that my Preseli Bluestone carvings can help you to take your steps in your precious life.
Ivo Manus