Even as we reach the end of the first quarter of the 21st century, our understanding of our human story is deeply influenced by our Victorian forebears. For them, our evolution was a more or less straight-line progression from primitive ape-like creatures to advanced modern humans, replete with all sorts of technological inventions which we have continued with till the present day. This has shaped the way we look at ancient peoples, who were thought to have lived in a world of ignorance and superstition, devoid of the benefits of modern civilisation.
When we look at our ancient standing stones we can easily fall into this trap. We puzzle why and how these monuments were created but reassure ourselves that they do not match the modern marvels of skyscrapers and other 21st century achievements. Yet this view is built on very questionable assumptions of what constitutes human advancement. It sees human progress in material terms: we modern humans can build complex IT systems, and rockets that can go into space, so we must be advanced, mustn’t we? Yet this ignores our spiritual development, our sense of the sacred in nature and in people.
Avebury Stones
All this was brought into sharp focus in my recent visit to the Avebury Stones with its ceremonial avenue of West Kennet, where I experienced an astonishing revelation about the enlightenment of the people who created this sacred site. The main circle of stones was built, it is thought, four to five thousand years ago, and are over 1000 feet in diameter with two smaller stone circles within them. The site also includes other features including two avenues, originally lined with standing stones, one of which, West Kennet, is relatively well preserved. The sketch below is an imaginative 18th century reconstruction. West Kennet Avenue is on the right. It may not be accurate in all its detail but it does capture the feel of the site in a way that modern archaeological plans do not always manage to do.
Insights from the Ceremonial Avenue
West Kennet Avenue is about 50 feet wide, formed by pairs of standing stones, leading up to the summit of the hill where the Avebury Stone Circle stands. As I started my walk up it, I began to sense its extraordinary nature.
When I say “sense”, this is when in silence, I listen inside myself and I “see” inwardly. This is not the same as imagination or random images that may float in and out of our minds. It is more like watching a film of other times or places.
Ceremonial Avenue leading to the Avebury Stone Circle
What I saw was a procession of people in small groups of two to five, each with a “mentor” and their “initiates”, walking up the ceremonial route. Either side were crowds of people, celebrating their achievement. The initiates were mainly younger and the crowd may have included parents, friends and relatives. Along the processional route, where now stand stones, there were figures, seven or eight feet tall, with imposing, carved faces, acting as guardians. I puzzled at what I was being shown. I wondered if they were from a higher spiritual level and the ancient peoples that built the avenue, sensing their presence, had built stone monuments to honour them.
As I reached the top, the atmosphere became more and more filled with light, till at the summit when it was as if the heavens opened and there shone, like a spiritual sun, the ancient Light of the cosmos. This was the original Divine Light, that fills the entire universe, invisible to the naked eye, but immensely powerful, that is the spiritual source for all living beings. It is this light that the Christ spread across this planet in its time of need. And here, the supposedly ‘primitive’ Neolithic people, had sensed a portal to this spiritual Light, that those that were ready, the initiates, could be opened to. They knew.
And here we are, modern humans in the industrialised world, our natural sense of spirituality too often either buried under layers of theological dogma or disconnected from us by our material attachments. We can sense something is missing from our lives yet struggle to even remember what it is we lost. Maybe we could look at our ancient world again, with humility. Are we really "advanced" and were they simply “primitive”? Maybe the ancients had a spiritual wisdom that we could use in today’s world.
By Simenon Honoré
Any views expressed are not necessarily those of Spirit of the Rainbow as a whole.
If you are interested learning more about ancient wisdom, why not watch our video:
Ancient Spirit of the Land - Stone Circles, Druids and the Magic of Nature
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Comments
Jane Jackson
Added 17th November 24
Great to hear about your experience rather than technical info, as it helps me get a new perspective on Avebury. Thank you
Author response
Thank you for your feedback and encouragement - much appreciated.