Pyrenean Journeys
I have eventually bitten the bullet and after many years of deciding where I should finally go on a vision quest am here in the Pyrenees in the south west of France. This area has been calling me for a very long time, I have visited briefly before but have a very strong connection and longing for being here. I had looked at going back to India, North America, Canada and Africa and even to go to Peru or the Himalayas but was not getting a strong calling to go there to do this. Every time I meditated or journeyed on going on a vision quest or walkabout I was being drawn to this area.
A couple of weeks ago a very good friend did some journeying with me as part of some flower essence work she was doing for me and I got a very clear message that I should go to the Pyrenees on my own quite soon to do this. That evening I looked when I could fit in some time away and managed to find that, with some rearranging, I could go this week. As all things that should happen when they do, I managed to find cheap flights and accommodation and booked to go, not quite knowing what I was going to do when I got here.
I had booked somewhere to stay just outside Foix which is in the foothills of the Pyrenees and as soon as I got here I knew the first place I had to go so this morning I walked up to Montsegur castle which sits around 600 metres above the valley floor with steep cliffs around three sides and a small goat track leading up to the castle. It was a very warm walk as the sun was already shining and the sky was clear blue. With no breeze it made for a very hot walk up the narrow goat track. As I was climbing I realised that I really needed to get back in shape as I had to keep stopping to get my breath.
Eventually I reached the top and could see the valley floor and the small village of Montsegur way down below. I walked into the castle and there was some shade which was very much appreciated. After a drink of water I decided to look outside the castle along the cliffs to the East. I exited the castle from the small archway at the rear and turned right and made my way along the rocks at the back of the castle. It is quite level here and easy to walk around, you just have to watch your footing when stepping over and through the rocks. Part way along there was an area which dropped down towards the South overlooking the village. I made my way over there and had a marvellous view of the snow covered peaks of the Pyrenees mountains in the distance.
As there were only one or two other people who had climbed up to the castle by then, I found a nice quiet spot to sit and meditate. It was lovely connecting with the energies of that place and the energies of this region again. I knew I was at home here and had been here many times before, but only once before in this lifetime. I felt that I had not been here when the Cathars were removed from this whole area but previous to that and again in times after that.
I then walked further along the rocky mountain top and found a small path leading along around rocks and through some bushes. This led to the far Eastern side of the mountain top and dropped down slightly into some trees. As I looked over the edge of the rocks I could see a large bird of prey flying around the cliffs and circling in the warm morning air. (Having had a look on the internet since it looked like a booted eagle which hunt in the lower mountains and hillsides). She circled around quite close but wasn’t in the mood for a talk as she was too busy hunting for prey.
I eventually moved away to go and look at the trees and sit with their energies. They were mainly Beech and Hazel and I sat under a medium sized Beech tree to connect with them and with my guides. This was a lovely peaceful spot and and I soon drifted away on an informative journey which pointed me in the direction for my vision quest here in the Pyrenees. It also gave me insights into what I should be doing after this. Hopefully the next few days will give me more insight and more places to explore.
There are three posts relating to my journeying in the Pyrenees: ‘Pyrenean Journeys’ ‘Castelnaudary and it’s pull‘ and ‘Farewell to the mountains‘.
