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The Rainbow Serpent enters Latvia, after crossing the Baltic Sea from southern Sweden, in the area between the northern end of Lake Liepaja and the southern end of Lake Pape.
The city of Liepaja is known as the place where wind is born. It hosts Latvia’s largest rock festival, called Liepajas Dzintars, or Amber of Liepaja. As stated in the Swedish essay on the Rainbow Serpent, amber is the sacred symbol of the Rainbow Serpent in this part of the world. To the ancient Greeks amber was called elekton, due to the static electricity that can be generated from it. Amber, fossilized pine forest resin from over 40 million years ago, is used meditatively to attune to the wisdom of the Rainbow Serpent – the Zaltys Current – and to all nature forces.
Imitating the path of the Rainbow Serpent from Denmark to Latvia, an undersea communication cable was laid to connect Copenhagen to Liepaja in the 1860’s. Liepaja has several interesting churches. The beach, backed by Jurmala Park, is an ideal area to invocationally welcome the northern stream (Lacplesis-Saule line) of the Rainbow Serpent on to land.
Lake Pape, the village of Pape and the nearby coast welcome the parallel southern stream (Egle-Perkunas line) of the Rainbow Serpent planetary ley artery to Latvia. The Lake Pape area is a sanctuary for birds and for wild animals. In ancient times, wild horses roamed Europe. These Konik horses have now been restored in this pioneering area. The WWF also has plans to add wild bison and cattle to the area soon.
This southern stream crosses Latvia for 15 km. and then passes through a northern slice of Lithuania - south of Skuodas, through Mazeikai and through the northern part of the Kamanos Nature Reserve. Kamanos contains upland bogs and is rich in bird, plant and mammal life. If you are exploring the pathway of the Rainbow Serpent across northern Lithuania, there are numerous side trips south that are interesting. As on any diversion from the Rainbow ley artery, try to link in sacred sites to the main flow via local song lines or ley lines. A small ley will connect a minimum of three sacred sites along a straight line.
Travel to the Mecca of Lithuania, Kryziv Kalnas – the Hill of Crosses – about 10 km. north of Siauliai. There are hundreds of thousands of crosses here. Many contain pre-Christian symbols in their designs. Cross crafting in Lithuania is officially recognised as a World Heritage tradition. Pagan crosses were carved from the sacred Tree of Life – the oak. The sun, moon, and other icons of nature would be carved into them. Pagan and Christian forces unite at the Hill of Crosses. The Qabalistic Tree of Life provides a pathway and a strategy for uniting spirit and matter into eternal substance. This important site contributes to this goal.
Another area worth visiting to the south of the Serpent Path is Zemaitija National Park, with its Lake Plateliai. This lake, with its seven isles and seven shore terraces, is one of the traditional gathering places for the Midsummer Night’s Eve rituals. The ancient pagan name for this event is Rasos. It is the custom to gather at lake shores or retreat to pine forest sites or oak groves for such rituals. At true solar midnight – when the sun is, locally, directly under the feet, the night of 23-24 June, there is a profound mystic union of spiritual forces throughout nature.
On the northeast edge of the park is another famous Christian pilgrimage site – Zemaiciu Kalvarija. During the first week of July, many travel the 7 km. pathway over seven hills containing 20 chapels mapping the life of Christ. The Orvydas Garden near Salantai and The Museum of Unique Stones at Mosedis are other interesting places to visit near the national park.
Finally, a diversion to Palanga, just south of Lake Pape, is very worthwhile. It has an excellent beach. In the Botanical Garden, meditate at Birute Hill, an ancient pagan site, and at the statue of Egle and the Serpent. The park also contains an Amber Museum housed in a palace, lakes and a rose garden.
There are many other areas in Lithuania, further from the Rainbow Serpent Pathway, that are fascinating. Klaipeda, south of Palanga, is the gateway to the wonderful Curonian Spit National Park. For the sake of this essay’s theme and length, we must stop here and return to the Zaltys Current.
50 km. inland from the coast, the highest hill in the region stands in the centre of the serpent pathway. At 184 metres, Krievukalns is an important site. At sacred summits like Krievukalns find and ritually bless the sources of rivers, which are always found nearby.
Just to the east of Krievukalns is the village of Nigrande, on the bank of the Venta River. This major river flows across the Rainbow Serpent, from Mazeikiai, Lithuania on the southern edge to Skrunda, Latvia, just above the northern edge.
After Lake Liepaja, the northern serpent line heads east, passing through Saldua, Brocini and Jaunpils. It passes underneath Kemeri National Park and Riga and then crosses the legendary Daugava River near Ogre.
The central flow of the Zaltys Current arrives at Jelgava, which was the historic capital of the ancient Duchy of Courland. The Jelgava Palace is an important site here. Around Jelgava the serpent pathway is criss-crossed by another major river system feeding the Lielupe River. This is the most fertile region of Latvia.
After re-entering Latvia the southern Rainbow stream passes just south of Eleja and arrives at a region notable for three great architectural sites – Rundale Palace, Mezotne Palace and Bauska Castle. These three sites share a festival of ancient music held on the third weekend of July each year. The beautiful music emanating from these events contributes to the health of the Egle-Perkunas song-line passing through the area. Music is always a powerful stimulus to apply at planetary ley artery nodes. Attend this festival and also study the works of the Italian master architect Rastrelli – Rundale Palace and, in the central Rainbow flow, Jelgava Palace.
Next the Rainbow Serpent crosses the valley of the great Daugava River. The source of this river is near the source of Russia’s mighty Volga, in an area northwest of Moscow, where the planetary Rainbow Serpent reaches its highest northern latitude, before curving towards the 13th synthesising centres of Sergiev Posad and Moscow.
Along the Daugava, from Ogre on the northern serpent path to Jekabpils and Krustpils on the southern flow, are several ruins and castles. Lielvarde and Aizkraukle have ancient mounds. Another picturesque castle ruin is at Koknese. Lielvarde is also the home of Andrejs Pumpurs, who wrote the famous epic poem Lacplesis. This is the national epic of Latvia and - like the return of King Arthur in Britain - prophesises a future regeneration arising from the Daugava. Expect this prophesy to be fulfilled shortly after the High Tatra inspirational centre begins its spiritual expansion in April 2008. It is the function of the Rainbow Serpent – the Zaltys Current – to regenerate liberty from out of the Daugava-Lacplesis energies from 2008 to 2027 AD.
Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia are already benefiting from the earth energies created by the world structural heart chakra (Brandenburg Gate, Berlin) and the world inspirational synthesis centre (Sergiev Posad and Moscow) vesica piscis overlap force. When the High Tatra and Stockholm sacred site circles to begin rapidly expand from 2008 to 2027, these three Baltic states will regenerate within a quadruple overlap force. 11 November is Lacplesis Day in Latvia. Beginning in 2010 the energies of this day will develop over the coming years, contributing beneficial forces to world health. Lacplesis shall rise like an eagle. From out of the heart of Latvia, from the Rainbow Serpent area of the Daugava, shall come a positive force for greater global harmony and health. The Zaltys Current resurrects Lacplesis and all life.
After crossing the Daugava Valley, the northern steam of the Rainbow Serpent passes just south of Braki, birthplace of the writer Rudolfs Blaumanis, and arrives at an important node point, Gaizinkalns – the highest sacred site in Latvia, at 312 metres. This is a place to commune with the ancient deities of sky mountain – Debeskalns. Like Mt. Olympus - a creative centre expanding from 2008 - and Asgard, Debeskalns is the legendary home of the gods. Gaizinkalns and other high hills are important sites to work for the union of heaven and earth, or spirit and matter.
This northern Lacplesis-Saule stream continues east, passing just north of Madona, through Lubana, and on to the border, arriving at the Russian village of Gaviy. The parallel southern Egle-Perkunas stream passes just north of Vijani, Rezekne and Ludza and arrives at Mozuli in Russia. Rezekne is an excellent base if you want to make a diversion to the south from the Rainbow Pathway and explore the Latgale Upland, with its many lakes and hills.
The central flow of the Zaltys Current from the Daugava Valley to the Russian border contains two important nature reserves – Krustkalni and Teici. Teici contains Latvia’s largest bog and hosts a large migrating crane population. Cranes are a symbol of Immortality. Lake Lubans sits in the centre of the Rainbow Serpent’s eastward journey. Karsava is the last sizable town before the Russian border is reached.
Where the Rainbow Serpent planetary ley artery passes through Latvia and Lithuania it is known as the Zaltys Current. The Zaltys, or zalgtis, is the beloved sacred snake of this area. It is loved by Saule, the sun goddess. These concepts parallel the Rainbow Serpent, which is energised by its nesting area, Uluru and Kata Tjuta, the world solar plexus chakra. Always, the sun and the serpent are interconnected. The northern stream of the Zaltys Current is known as the Lacplesis-Saule line. Lacplesis is the Latvian hero who, like King Arthur, did not die and will return with great spiritual significance. The sacred site for the Return of Lacplesis is in the Daugava River at Lielvarde, directly in the central regenerating flow of the world Rainbow Serpent-Zaltys Current. The two key ritual dates for the Restoration of Lacplesis are Midsummer Night’s Eve and Lacplesis Day – 11 November.
Midsummer Night’s Eve 2007, 2008 and 2009 are important steps in this Return. Find a sacred oak tree or oak grove on the bank of the Daugava. This is the sacred tree of dawn, or the sacred tree of life of the east. At sunset, reflect on what virtues and principles have been lost in the world. Meditate on the loss of Lacplesis. At true solar midnight perform rituals, songs and prayers to alchemically unite and restore what has been lost. Gather dew at this time and use this charged substance in later rituals of celestial alchemy. Then, from true midnight to sunrise, nourish these restored forces with love, praise and joyous thanksgiving – culminating in the their full return to local and planetary culture at sunrise. This Midsummer ritual can also be carried out at any sacred site in Latvia, Lithuania or elsewhere in the world.
Lacplesis Day, 11 November, is a time to celebrate the presence of all forces which contribute to health and harmony among all beings and nature. It is a time to honour the fire of Saule, the sun, and light flames of praise and liberty to guide life through the coming winter. Light a sacred flame in an old oak grove, on a sacred lake or sea shore, or on a river bank. It is a time to welcome the ancient Celtic-pagan new year. Beginning with Lacplesis Day 2010, this annual event will grow in significance and in its benefit to the health of the region. The world Zaltys Current restores Lacplesis.
In the Qabbalah, the lightning bolt of Divine wisdom descends the Tree of Life and the serpent of strengthening earth wisdom ascends. All these archetypes unite in the symbolism of the Egle-Perkunus line, the southern stream of the Zaltys pathway. Egle is the Queen of the Serpents, married to Zaltys, and is eventually transformed into a sacred tree. Perkunus is the deity of lightning and is the sacred guardian of mystical oak groves.
Song and music are extremely important at these ancient Zaltys Current sites. The national song festivals of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are vital events. The annual ancient music festival held on the Egle-Perkunus line at Rundale Palace, Mezotne Palace and Bauska Castle energises the planetary Rainbow Serpent ley artery. Always remember that the Rainbow Serpent-Zaltys ley artery is a great song-line. Music and singing are powerful forces to utilise at sacred sites located on leys.
There are many sacred sites in Latvia and Lithuania. The pine forests, oak groves lakes and hilltops are all very special. Lake shores, sea shores, and river banks are magickal places to gather on Midsummer Night’s Eve. It is important to welcome ashore, from out of the Baltic Sea, the Rainbow Serpent ley artery at Liepaja beach, Lake Liepaja and the Lake Pape area at this time annually.
The Latvia-Lithuania sector of the global Rainbow Serpent path makes a deep and profound contribution to planetary evolution and health. All of the archetypal living dimensions of nature – sun, moon, stars, earth, sea, lakes, rivers, trees, telluric serpent currents – are unified in a beautiful and harmonious way here. It is vital that this alchemy of nature is maintained annually, through all the seasons, in this area, as the next region up the pathway to the east is the Sergiev Posad-Moscow world synthesis centre. The vibrancy and total aliveness of nature must be celebrated and given as a gift to the world before the Russian synthesis occurs.
On 23 August, 1989 over 2 million people formed a chain from Tallinn, Estonia to Vilnius, Lithuania. The Zaltys Current passed through the centre of this great chain of life and will for liberty. This Rainbow Serpent force was contributing the energies of the Saturn-Neptune conjunctions in Capricorn – sacred sign of the Australian Rainbow Serpent – to this historic Baltic liberation event. The re-emergence of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania as independent states in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s was known as the Singing Revolution. Now we look to the future… The Song arising from the Zaltys Current – forever growing in its power, beauty and harmony – will advance global liberty throughout the 21st century.
Latvians, Lithuanians and Estonians have a profound respect for nature. The old ways have been kept alive in the Baltic region. Lithuania was the last area in Europe to be Christianised – in 1385 AD. The Romuva movement is contributing to the preservation and strengthening of the old nature wisdoms. As this new Aquarian Aeon progresses, these earth wisdoms - distributed by the Rainbow Serpent - are destined to benefit and contribute to every global culture.
Note: The locations of Neolithic and pagan sacred sites along the Zaltys Current are being mapped and researched in Latvia and Lithuania at the present time. When this information becomes available, it will be added to this web page.
Bearslayer text www.bearslayer.com
The Baltic Times – www.baltictimes.com
The Baltic Review – www.tbr.ee
Official Latvia Tourism site www.latviatourism.lv
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