Reportage“The Heralds of the Forests” (4/6). In the South West of England, Penny Billington perpetuates the traditional rites and mythology linked to the trees to which she devotes respect and recognition.
Near an old English abbey in ruins stands, for more than a thousand years, a yew. Sacred tree among the Celts, it is today a protected species in the United Kingdom. Majestic, imposing, its trunk is so thick that a gaping fault splits it from top to bottom. Its branches look like multiple twisted arms, ready to pick up the first passerby. We approach, then we jump: a dull noise emanates from the tree. A man slowly extracts himself from the cavity of the giant conifer, looking sleepy. The scene makes the English druidess Penny Billington smile: “Ah yes, it’s not uncommon to doze off in the trees here! Many of us have a very carnal relationship with the surrounding nature. »
Here is Glastonbury, a small town in south-west England renowned for its music festival, which has brought together a monster audience since 1970. Returning hippies stroll through the shops of the central street which sell incense and precious stones, magic objects or esoteric books. “Glastonbury is sacred. When I first came here in the early 1970s, I was immediately drawn to the mystical force that emanates from the city”, remembers the druid, big black hat and glasses, walking stick in hand.
In this city in the county of Somerset, various religions and spiritualities intersect, from Christianity to paganism, including Druidism and witchcraft. Dion Fortune, occultist author and magician, called the city the “English Jerusalem”. For many, Glastonbury embodies above all Avalon, the mythical island of Celtic tradition where the legendary King Arthur is said to rest, not far from the millennium yew. Perched on a hill dominating the city, the enigmatic tower of Tor ends up nourishing the local mythology; it is at the foot of this medieval monument that great druidic celebrations take place throughout the year. Officially recognized as a religion since 2010 in the United Kingdom, this spiritual movement, close to nature, is experiencing a current resurgence in Europe.
“The forest was a place of life and contemplation where the druids practiced meditation, ceremonies and celebrations. With their strong connection to the plant world, they were precursors” – Penny Billington, druidess
Fifteen years ago, when she was finishing her career as an English teacher, Penny Billington logically moved to Glastonbury with her family. “Free and available, I could invest myself in my search for spirituality, and I thus passed the three stages of the druidic path, that of bard, ovate and finally druid”explains the one who has since developed a strong sensitive bond with trees.
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