“Sacred wells are recognised around the world, in nearly every culture and in every age. Long associated with feminine, divine power they are also seen as places of healing, magick, wisdom and sources to the Other World.
Some believe that these wells were originally created to bring the Moon and its powers to the Earth, at least in its reflection.
Water from these holy wells was believed to have the intrinsic value of fertility and life and thereby love and sexuality.
In many cultures, and for untold centuries, it has been believed that Holy wells are inhabited, or at least guarded, by nymphs and faeries. Holy wells are also contradictory. Traditions have held that they are life giving: they grant wishes, they heal, they foretell the future but also that they take life, apply curses and serve as residences for lost souls and supernatural mischief-makers.”
~ by Gary R Varner from his book ‘Sacred Wells: A Study in the History, Meaning, and Mythology of Holy Wells and Waters’
“One thing is clear: a holy well is not always a well. That is it is not always a stone-lined tank, sometimes with a structure built above it, which is what the word ‘well’ means to most people.
A holy well is almost never a deep draw-well: in fact it is almost invariably a surface spring, which on occasion may degenerate into a muddy hole in the ground. Sometimes it may be a pond, a pool or even a small lake. Sometimes it may be water that has collected inside a tree stump; or inside a bullaun (basin stone).
Unusual locations include seashore wells which are periodically covered by the tide, or coastal wells high on cliffs, or in sea-caves; wells close to rivers or streams which are inundated during flooding; wells in bogs and on mountain-tops; and wells inside churches.
Holy wells are by no means always easy to access and pilgrims would sometimes have to be daring and/or persistent to actually reach the well which was their goal.”
~ by Janet Bond from her book ‘Curses and Cures, Ritual & Cult at Holy Wells’
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Both these books are available on Amazon and very good resources for anyone intersted in Wells/Springs.
• Gary R Varner - ‘Sacred Wells: A Study in the History, Meaning, and Mythology of Holy Wells and Waters’ Amazon UK http://amzn.to/1684B4m Amazon.com http://amzn.to/15I9HnU
• Janet Bond - ‘Curses and Cures, Ritual & Cult at Holy Wells’ Amazon UK http://amzn.to/12ihNXl
(artwork: http://bit.ly/139oFQQ)
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