This Solstice was extra special and historic.

Regular visitors to this site will already be familiar with the remarkable story of how the priests of Stonehenge and of Tiwanaku came to hear about one another and sought contact, resulting last year in the Amesbury Stonehenge Druids (Aes Dana Grove) sending two of their number (Frank and Kate) to celebrate solstice  as guests of the Amauta in Tiwanaku.

You can read more about this on this site:

Bolivian Ambassador visits Stonehenge and Amesbury

Druids visit to Tiwanaku

A meeting of cultures: 3 part detailed story written by Frank

 

This story continued this June 2012 when Aes Dana Grove received as special guests: Beatriz Souviron, formally Bolivian Ambassador to Great Britain (who is still acting with her governments authority with regard facilitating to our cultural liaison with the Amauta), Amauta High priestess Eulalia Huanacuni de Laure, and High priest Francisco Franklin Balboa.

 

This was a huge honour, huge pleasure and great opportunity that was to be embraced by Amesbury council and 2012 committee just as it was by ourselves.

 

We have work to do together for the well being of Mother Earth and that of all mankind. To this end we have dedicated ourselves, as have the Amauta.

 

In this gallery are just some of the pictures we have, recording this historic solstice from our perspective. Please forgive us starting on Wednesday 20th, solstice eve, with the arrival of our Brother and Sisters from Bolivia.

 

"When the earth is ravaged and the animals are dying,

a new tribe of people shall come unto the earth from many colours, classes, creeds

and who by their actions and deeds shall make the earth green again.

They will be known as the warriors of the rainbow."

 

The weather at Stonehenge overnight was very wet. Britain has experienced some very dry months and our over consumption of water had led to drought and water usage restrictions across the country by April. Our weather was so warm and sunny that it confused our birds insects and wild flowers causing harm to their food chain. May compensated by being one of our wettest ever as Mother Nature redressed the balance for us.

Ceremony at sunset was conducted by CoBDO as usual, who were present at the heel stone at ‘sunrise’ whilst our group entered the great sarcen circle at sunrise for blessings by the Amauta, after which Frank led circle to the south of the outer henge. The feeling is that Stonehenge and Tiwanaku are no longer isolated from one another but that following this solstice will be interlinked. In effect they will be holding hands across the 6000 miles that separate us.

Pictured above, from the left: Kate and Bex (Aes Dana Grove), Eulalia and Francisco (Amauta priests), Beatriz and the embassy driver.

Frank was taking the photo. Arriving at Heathrow airport in the mid afternoon on solstice eve meant that we would need to travel straight to Wiltshire where we had arranged a stay for our guests at the picturesque Rose and Crown Hotel. The rooms overlook gardens that sit on the banks of the river Avon. We would like to thank the staff and management of the Rose and Crown for their hospitality and welcome to our guests.

Having checked our guests into their hotel we needed to decide where to eat, where upon Jill and Jazzie offered us a welcome to their home and laid on a marvellous meal and most importantly a place for everyone in the grove to meet and talk with these most wise and warm hearted people. It was perfect, our extended spiritual family all together in a traditional family setting.

Stonehenge

We all had great difficulty waking up. The Druids had camped near to Salisbury could hear the wind and rain battering our tents, whilst the Amauta now in warm beds after a 24 hour journey were still in serious need of sleep.

We eventually made it into four vehicles, led by Franks van, by back roads towards Stonehenge to arrive at around 3:30am. We were full of sympathy for those who had arrived before us and had the full force of the weather all night through.

The Bolivian embassy limo carrying Eulalia and Francisco was allowed through to the Secure compound (thanks English Heritage) which would mean that they did not have to walk through a kilometre of mud as we did !

We all met up beneath Amesbury’s wonderful ‘Ancestor’ statue created by Andy and Michelle and which was transported to Stonehenge this year as a goodwill gesture to the celebrants of solstice by the local Army based nearby in Durrington.

At long last, Druids and Amauta,

together at Stonehenge !!!

Left: Eulalia and Francisco greeting the great sarcen stones to the south west of Stonehenge. There are very similar stones to these lining the walls of the temple at Tiwanaku that were once arranged differently and which were free standing

Above and Left: Inside Stonehenge, for sunrise the people gathered are mostly the party goers and Druids rarely get to feel welcome. Yet Euralia and Francisco insisted that they honour Mother Earth and our ancestors by going in, Druids and Amesbury Mayor Jan in escort, they managed to gain access through the press of people and held prayers and blessings.

We would like to thank those present for their respect. Actually it was written on peoples faces that most valued this experience greatly, and the Amauta way opened the hearts of all present. We blew horns and chanted as one in salute to the sun !

We exit Stonehenge by the east and held ceremony again but this time just outside of the stone circle to the south

With Frank opening circle, calling to the four elemental directions, and to Mother Earth, the Sidhe, The Ancestors and the great ones to be present. Then the amauta holding the salute to the sun and teaching the spiritual way of doing this Amauta style.

We spoke of the importance of this time and of the significance that each and every person present has to the unfolding of our new age and to future generations. The time for talking is nearing its end, now is the time for good deeds to match good thoughts said Frank.

As we closed circle then TV closed in wanting to speak with Frank, Beatriz and the Amauta, interested in what was going on. The young blonde lady who is a superb bard recites a poem.

Right, Euralia and Beatriz talk with Amesbury Mayor Jan whilst who was also visiting Stonehenge for the first time and was thoroughly enjoying it

Lots of people approached Euralia and Francisco to say hello, bow and put a hand to the heart, the Aymara way. Very touching. People say that there are not many spiritual people left at Stonehenge anymore but the evidence of this day was certainly the opposite.

We all left Stonehenge feeling very happy

TV coverage from ITV can be seen at the bottom of the page from this link below:

http://www.itv.com/news/west/2012-06-21/thousands-celebrate-the-summer-solstice/

 

Finally a quick hello to friends and grove members who for various reasons couldn’t be with us at Stonehenge but who we know were thinking of us, particularly Mark and Niall, you were there in spirit.

June 21st - Summer Solstice

Historic visit by Amauta high priests from Bolivia to Stonehenge

Above, short video by Shamini