The Chapel’s Energy Source: An Ancient Nemeton
Some people believe that the sacred glen next to the enigmatic Rosslyn Chapel is the real source of the mystical nature evident in the inexplicable carvings that cover nearly every surface of the chapel—the abundant Green Men (faces with vines spouting from the mouth); carvings of New World vegetation prior to the New World’s “discovery;” an upside down merman; and the famous Apprentice’s Column evoking the Scandinavian World Tree, Yggdrasil rooted in eight serpents. No photography was allowed in the chapel, but I’ve included a few photos I took of the exterior.
Around every corner, a conundrum.
Perhaps we need to step outside and into the glen to get some perspective. Within the glen lies a powerful nemeton. A nemeton is sacred space, often a grove or wooded area, in ancient Celtic religion. I recorded this video tour in Roslin’s nemeton, a magical clearing surrounded by ancient yew trees and bordered by a mostly standing stone wall. There is a campfire area where people have obviously gathered.
Nemetons were the churches before the churches.
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