I gathered about thirty pebbles from Merlin's Cave, which is located near the village of Tintagel in Cornwall, Southwestern England in July, 2004. The day I went to the cave, it was raining. And inside the cave was a group of women druid priestesses from the Untied Stated.

The cave reminds me of a gramophone in shape. If you've ever pictured the RCA dog sitting next to the cornucopia-shaped speaker, with her puppy at her side--you've got part of what this cave looks like. If you placed two of those speakers, their narrow ends connected together, the wide ends flaring outward--one toward the sea and the other toward the bay in which this shale cave is found--you know know what it is shaped like.

Given that the Atlantic Ocean pounds the coast of England, the Cornish Coast really takes a beating at times. This cave has been created by the powers of the ocean (and some say, the god, Neptune) from not only the ocean end, but from inside the bay where the other mouth opening sits.

For me, sitting in the middle of that cave on that wet, dreary English afternoon with those Druid priestesses was a powerful spiritual event. They knew what they were doing ceremonially, so I sat at the bay side of the cave, while they were at the mouth of the ocean side of this cavern. They began to sing--beautiful acapella kind of singing--and I closed my eyes and grounded myself. I went quickly, into the stars, moving faster than light speed through the stars. I realized that this cave had a connection with a certain constellation--and even more pleased to discover that it was STILL connected to it! I saw temples where this planet was within that star system; beautiful, cream colored columns reminding me of Grecian and Roman temples. The foliage was healthy, green, and vibrating with energy and beauty. As I walked up the steps of one of these temples, I was met by two people in white robes. They told me I was welcome and said it had been a long time. I smiled and said yes. When I turned on the steps and looked back, I saw a long rectangular shaped swimming pool. The water was blue, clean and quiet looking. It was a perfect place, reminding me of what it must have been like back when Atlantis was up and running. And my guests told me that yes, this cave, Merlin's Cave, had been used -- actively -- by Druids, since Atlantean times.

I found this connection stunning as well as making a lot of sense to me as I slowly, after about an hour's meditation, came out of it. The Druid priestesses had done their ceremony and their singing had come to an end. I sat there thinking it was a pity no one recorded their lovely voices. For there was such HEART and LOVE coming through their songs that only a blind, deaf and dumb person couldn't have seen and felt it. Such was the power of their ceremony and gifts to this cave and its energy.

After that, I got in touch with the spirit of the cave and ask her if I could gather a few stones and take them back home with me. She said yes. I got down on my hands and knees. The light is very bad in the center of the cave; with dim, milky light flowing in from either end of it. There were black stones, created from the slate mining that took place in the time of Christ, on the floor. There were white stones, rounded and smooth, that looked to me to be quartz crystal. And then, there were light brownish-reddish stones that I think were covered with iron and were quartz crystal. There were also black slate stones with white quartz crystal through them. These stones were all smoothed, their edges softened, by being in the ocean and being worn away over time.

After gathering my treasure, I left the cave spirit a large gift of grains and dried fruit, thanking her for her generosity.

A TEST WORKING WITH THESE STONES

When I got home, I gave 20 of the stones away to people on my list (athena@topica.com). In trade, I asked them to do two things with their stone:

1. Sleep with it nightly beneath their pillow for 14 days in a row

and

2. Meditate with it daily, in their left hand, for up to 20 minutes, 14 days in a row.

This, most of them did. None knew of my experiences in the cave. I did not want to psychologically affect their own, unique experience with their stone. Below are individual experiences with their Merlin Cave stone. I will use only initials for the individuals, to honor their privacy. Alison Sinclair had the stone CHANGE on her as she worked with it. The photos are here in this article and you can see for yourself. You may have similar experiences if you buy a stone. Or, if you buy the gem essence that is made from each of the above described stones.

Some Notes from Alison Sinclair, one of our European Shamanic Facilitators:

1. When the stone arrived, as I recall, it just had a thin white band around it. It might even be in one of your "group" photos of the stones that was on your website.

2. Then, after about a week of working with it as instructed, I noticed that it started changing. This was when you suggested photographing it. The first photo on your website under the stones is one of the first photos ("Merlin Stone upon arrival"). It shows the appearance of a white, waxy, probably quartz-like substance on one side of the stone. Also a white substance starts to show up in the cracks further down on the stone.

3. The second picture on the website shows the hitherto black stone at its most white (26 August 2004). The quartz like substance has grown to cover over half of the stone and is very light in color. Also the shallow cracks on the rest of the stone are lighter.

4. The most recent photos show that the stone is darker again. Overall the cracks on the stone are no longer as light and visible. The prominent waxy white coating is reducing again in prominence - it is still there, but above and below the white line is darker and glossier than before.

It should be noted that all I did with the stone was hold it in my hand. It wasnt in contact with water, wax or heat. I scratched the white substance with my finger nail but it doesnt come off. The photos were taken with the same camera, same flash.

Here are a couple of photos where I think you can see the color changes: one is from 26 August (stone at its lightest on website as "Merlin stone Changed") 31 August 2004 (already darker) and the other 26 March 2005 (currently).

Merlin Stone upon Arrival	Merlin Stone Changed (8.26.2004)
Merlin Stone Changed (8.31.2004)	Current Picture of the Merlin Stone (3.26.2005)

MERLIN'S CAVE STONES PROVER REPORTS

I picked up these stones in July when I was in Tintagel. The reports coming back from those who won the free stones earlier are interesting and varied. I'd like to share some of their experiences here, for you to assess whether or not you'd like to have one of these stones.

Below are actual words from the people who agreed to work in a meditation and putting the stone beneath their pillow at night for 14 days in a row. I've tried to pick different experiences so that you get a feel for how it is affecting them. Whether a stone will affect you can't be answered. Two of the twenty people have felt nothing with the stone. It comes down to a matter of 'susceptibility'. The more you resonate in frequency with the stone, the more you're apt to have experiences with it either in meditation or with it beneath your pillow at night. And no one can tell you ahead of time whether you will resonate with the stone or not. Your only guide is how strong you feel DRAWN to it. If you feel strongly drawn to it, more than likely, you will have some kind of ongoing experiences with it. Those who are not drawn to the stone shouldn't buy it.

Prover #1:

"My hand actually started to shake from the energy of the Merlin's Stone. I started to gaze at it and I saw a blue-purple aura hovering like mist around it. When I look at it vertically I see a face of either a pig, a bulldog or a bull - it's not quite clear. And when I look at it horizontally I see a face of a cat holding up it's paw. Beneath the pig/bulldog/bull face (?) there is a silhouette of a rooster. On the other side there is a silhouette of an adult bird sitting on a branch and feeding a young bird. It's like the stone is connected to some farmyard."

Prover #2:

"I've slept with the stone under my pillow every night since I got it, but I haven't been able to recall any dreams. However, I've been sleeping very well and waking up well rested...which is very unusual, I haven't slept well in years."

Prover #3:

Meditation - 10 minutes...
"Picked up the stone; waves of pulsating color surrounded me in a circle. I went back to England; was 1400's, green hills, countryside. I was looking in a dark pool of water and I could see my eyes. I could see my soul through my eyes. Then there were many eyes. I was told to get a scrying mirror or a black mirror so that I could see. The message then was return to the roots; connect with the power that is lost.
I could feel my chakras trying to connect at another level but there is a block somewhere between the heart and the head. "

Prover #4:

MEDITATION day four

"Each day, the stone feels hot in the middle of my left palm, and
the edges of my hands have felt hot. Today, in addition, I felt heat
around the edges of the soles of my feet."

Prover #5:

NOTE: This prover has actual Cornwall blood in her through her grandparents, and her experiences with the Merlin Stone have been quite powerful, directive and solid. Read on....

Day 2 Meditation 17 August 2004

20:00 - 20:15

I hear the feet of soldiers marching again. I am a young nobleman on the battlements of Tintagel watching the soldiers.

The scene shifts and I am in the cave again. The same figure approaches as previously.

Then the scene shifts again and I am suddenly sitting outside in a sunny forest clearing by a stream. I asked who are you? He said "Well, you were in my cave."

He reaches down and fingers the water, then suddenly pulls out a large salmon. He said "Meditation is like fishing - you know that, but you don't know how to do it. I will teach you a method. Become aware of the sounds around you."

I notice a very noisy truck outside my study window, which starts to get on my nerves, and quickly becomes almost intolerable.

He said that sound reflected my inability to concentrate. "Everything that happens around you reflects you to a greater or lesser extent. This knowledge permits us to read signs and omens just about anywhere. When you change yourself, your outer circumstances can rapidly change. Extend your awareness in a non-resisting way."

After sometime when I accepted the noise of the truck as a part of myself, it quickly drove off. Layers of sound were revealed: children playing, neighbors voices, television, down to the gurgling of my stomach. As the meditation progresses, the room becomes almost silent.

As my awareness centers, he said "Now I want you to concentrate on the stone and see what happens." I can't really do it, but I feel it doesn't really matter because this is what I will do it next time. I feel that there's not much more work to be doneŠ but its very pleasant sitting there with him. He starts humming a tune and I become very relaxed. He said he knows many tales of battles and heroism that I would enjoy hearing. I say I'd better go and write my notes - I feel elements can slip away quickly."

Prover #7:

August 17, 2004

"Meditation was about the same, I have had a hard time focusing this week as I have a LOT of deadlines and am a bit behind. But, I also carried the stone in my pocket to be able to grab ten minutes here and there. It does NOT have a calming effect, it seems to make things crisper and jazz things up a bit...almost to the point of being what I call "twitchy".

Prover #8:

MEDITATION
30-45 minutes

"I asked the stone to direct me like you suggested. Almost instantly I could hardly breathe. I saw a woman running clearly terrified. She was in a forest near an ocean. (I am assuming that because when she started digging it was in beach sand, but I didn't see or hear the ocean) She had a bag clutched to her abdomen as she ran. She would look over her shoulder periodically as she heard screams coming from where she had run from. It was winter but no snow, early afternoon, her clothes were made of wool, she was wearing a black clock with a hood over a dress. She knew that the people where she had run from were being killed. They were trying to give her time to get away and hide what was in the bag. Tears were streaming down her face, her grief and terror overwhelming. I asked, "what is your name" and the name (removed) or (removed) came to me. She came to a sandy area beneath a stone archway and began to dig frantically. She could hear the people that had murdered her friends coming closer. When she had dug about two feet down she opened the bag and poured what looked like a bunch of stones in the hole and began covering them up. She walked backwards covering her tracks as she went back into the forest. Again she ran, I was aware she realized she was going to die and the next scene was her laying on her back with her head right on the banks of a stream, her hair was floating in the water and her eyes were open. She was dead.

I tried to get more info on what she had buried, but only felt that it had been sacred and the people after her wanted them desperately.
I have never lost my breath like that before in a meditation. I was living the experience what her. I felt her feelings."

Prover #9:

"Wednesday; Took a 'power nap' with stone under pillow. My eyes opened just before the bell on my watch... I still had the image of a patch, like sewn on 'official' clothing. it was 3 angles on top of the other >>> each outlined in blue with light color (silver or white) in center, it was worn, some threads raveling at edge. This doesn't have a place in my world that I know of."

Prover #10:

16 Aug 04

"Heavy dreaming. I say this because this was very vivid and staying with me. Horrible and scary. I was lost and it was like almost dark and cloudy and fog/misty like. I felt very alone and uncomfortable. Afraid. I would see a shape here and there, not human or animal or anything I recognized. Kind of like monsters, but what they're threat was they did not show. It seemed like they were all around lurking and sneaky. I kept thing and seeing the word "Souls", and that made me remember my headache from the day before and my head started hurting. I felt confused and freaked and not in a good place. Woke feeling okay (as far as the headache) but preoccupied with what I had been through in this dream. "

Prover #11:

MEDITATION

"After the usual morning ritual, I spent twenty minutes with the Merlin stone, her flat side in my left palm, my obsidian in the right hand as benchmark. Slowly, she produced a twinge in the base of the thumb, then another in the hand-wrist crinkle, then a sense of greater sensitivity in all the fingertips."

Prover #12:

"My day 3 sleep I had no dreams but slept for 4 straight hours cool.
my night 4 sleep no dreams I slept for 4 hours got up than slept for 2 more hours." (Note: this person usually sleeps only 2 hours a night. So, 4 hours is a LOT!)

Prover #13:

Meditation, 20 minutes

"Tingling in hand. I kept feeling little itches on various parts of my body,
like shoulder, elbows,thighs, etc. This was very distracting and difficult
to maintain meditation . I saw clockwise rotation of something reminding me of Ourobouros (snake in a circle with its tail in its mouth). Then it faded. The sound of thunder and rain falling. I wondered-Who is in the stone? I heard the reply-What is who? I didn't know how to answer that. Just kind of thought,- Huh? I began to get sleepy so I stopped."

Prover #14:

"Kinda normal compared to yesterday. Just a very calm, spaced out feeling - but I felt very connected to my guides and patron Deities."

Prover #15:

"08-17- no changes in meditation or sleep-dreams
08-18 - same as above
08-19 / 08-20 / 08-21- no changes"

Prover #16:

"NOTE: I woke up once in the middle of the night for a very brief period of time. "I've noticed that my little dog is sleeping right up next to me lately. I have a little 6 pound Maltese. For quite some time she slept on the ottoman or the chair. She can't jump up on the bed but she has been asking to sleep with me for a couple of months now. It's only been the past few nights that she is sleeping right next to me. Normally she slept at the foot of the bed. The past three nights she has been right nest to me by my upper thigh."