I saw a spirit in a cave on a hill

The Pilbara region of Australia is unlike anywhere else on the planet. It is an ancient land with a static unchanging energy which pervades the land, the hills, the very atmosphere itself. The rocks average in age at about 2 billion years old and the indigenous aboriginals themselves have walked these lands for at least 50,000 years. Here you feel very small when you consider just how old everything. It is a place which will draw out of your long buried memories and feelings which seem to stem from another lifetime. For me it makes me feel very introspective. On more than one occasion while driving the lonely roads I’ve come across a person who, after travelling alone for a few hours have become overwhelmed by the ancient energies and has been reduced to a blubbering mess.



I myself work at an iron ore mine up here and have spent much of my free time scrambling over rocky hills, exploring secret canyons and swimming in rock pools many of which have probably remained unseen from human eyes for nearly 100 years.

It was Mayan Apocalypse Eve (20th of December 2012) and due to all the hype (and also due in no small part to me actually wanting something to happen) I thought I’d do something a little different. Behind our mine camp lies a hill. Despite being very steep many make the trek to the top via a well worn path; and I myself have explored its foot hills extensively. But there are many caves visible from the base which no one to my knowledge has ever explored for they are far from the path and quite hard to get to. One in particular had always caught my eye, so that night I decided that this would be my destination. Truthfully I can’t tell you why I decided to do this. All I can say is that for the months leading up to this I started noticing that cave more and more, and within the last few days prior to the 21st it was almost drawing towards it.



I myself am a fairly spiritual person and I seem feel the subtleties and nuances of universal energy flows more than most. Unlike those I mentioned above though, when I’m in the Pilbara my soul begins to merge with these energies in what can only be described as a beautiful attunement of the very very young (me) and the very very old. It makes me feel more ancient than time itself yet at the same time younger and smaller than I can ever remember being in human form.

That night I meditated until the sun set, then I gathered a bag in which I’d packed my hippie rug, a large bottle of water and many of the smoky quartz and pyrite crystals which I’d gathered on my many treks through the hills. Also I included a two little smudge stick blends I’d created from many of the more aromatic plants that manage to survive out here; one for cleansing and one for the ritual itself. Lastly I packed a little wand I’d carved one afternoon out of boredom from the branch of a small pioneer species known as the ‘desert poplar’, a pretty little white barked tree with lush green leaves which looks more like something you’d expect to find in a European forest as opposed to the harsh countryside which it calls home. Despite long ago moving on from my pagan ways, I still enjoy the focus and pageantry that a little ceremony can produce. That night I was going to perform a ritual of renewal and hope.



I stole my way through the camp, carefully sticking to the shadows cast by the nearly full moon in order to avoid camp security which patrol the village from dusk till dawn (mainly breaking up drunken miner parties before they get too out of hand). Once I reached the perimeter I skirted toward the hill itself and looked up toward the cave. It stared back down and in the moonlight seemed bigger and deeper than ever. After battling through a small mulga forest and navigating the all too familiar outcrops and ledges which lay in my path I finally reached the base and started my ascent. And that is where the real fun began...

It was oh so very steep, and covered with loose scree from the outcrops above. I doubt many of you have actually been to the Pilbara before but one of the first things you’ll realise if ever you do visit is that just about every plant is spiky as hell. I scrambled up the slope for what seemed like hours and I swear I had a mini cardiac arrest somewhere along the way. By the time I reached the ledge where the cave was located I was bruised and scratched and completely covered in dust. The fact that it was still about 90°F and 85% humidity also meant I was completely trenched with sweat. I peeled off my t-shirt and just lay there at the mouth of the cave trying to catch my breath for probably close to 20 minutes. As I recovered I marvelled up at the stars which are as bright as you could ever see owing to the fact that we are 100 of miles away from the nearest town and situated well in the middle of the Australian outback far from any man made lights.

All of a sudden a shooting star tore through the night sky and after seemingly hitting some invisible barrier silently burst into thousands of tiny white sparks which slowly floated down to the ground behind it. Now I’ve seen many shooting stars in my time but this was unlike anything I’d ever seen before. I wondered if anyone else saw it at all, for there are so few people out here and those that are usually have eyes only for far more ‘important’ Earthly matters. If only to see this the climb had been worth it and removed all concerns in my mind that the trip was just a stupid waste of time. And so I gathered up my belongings and turned to face the cave.

The Pilbara itself sees very little rain, but during the summer monsoonal storms blow in almost every afternoon. When I left the camp I’d noticed one off into the distance to the south, given away in the deep black night by tiny purple-white flashes of lightening. I’d been too exhausted to notice but by the time I’d recovered and gathered myself together the storm was now only a few miles away and the lightning flashes illuminated the landscape around me. Like many storm clouds up here this one wasn’t yet dropping any rain and the lightening itself was not accompanied by thunder. It was almost like watching a storm on ‘silent’ and the flashes not only made for a very atmospheric night, but also allowed me to see into the far end of the cave which stretched back about 20 feet into the hillside.



In between the mute flashes the blackness of the cave mouth yawned before me. I moved to step inside but as I was crossing the threshold I felt what almost seemed like a subtle barrier. Physically of course I could have entered but mentally I felt an unwelcomeness which kind of surprised me considering up until now the cave and had seemingly drawn myself to it. I stepped backwards and then it hit me. I’d never asked permission to enter. Simply and silently I asked the hill if I could come inside and within the gusts and eddies and rustling of leaves I heard my answer. I stepped forward again, the barrier was no longer there, so I turned on the torch of my phone and stepped inside.

The cave itself had a static timeless feel to it and it was quite obvious that no human had stepped in here for a very long time. I also felt a small sense of foreboding and I quickly scanned around the floor, walls and ceiling to check for snakes and any other animals that often haunt rock shelters such as this. There was nothing and so satisfied my surroundings were safe I began to make myself comfortable. I laid out my blanket and gathered a few rocks together to make a small fire pit. Fire was not only necessary for light (I hate artificial light in places such as these) but also for the ritual. Also as mentioned caves like this tend to be resting shelters for all sorts of animals which in turn makes these places havens for all sorts of parasites. I’d already found a tick crawling on me while gathering together the rocks and I could see two more slowly creeping through the dust toward me. Smoke is a fantastic repellent for all sorts of nasties and soon a merry little flame danced in the rocks before me.



I began to lay out the crystals I’d brought – one pyrite nodule for each of the four compass points around me and one crystal of smoky quartz in between the pyrite. I selected pyrite and smokey quartz for the energies I felt within them represented qualities within myself which I wanted to further develop. Also as I’d found them locally they seemed quite fitting for my little ritual within the cave.

After setting up I lit one of the smudge sticks and cleansed out the cave. The foreboding I felt seemed to diminish somewhat, and my little fire now burned brightly and chased away the last remaining shadows which hung in the far corners. Using the poplar wand I traced the circular path following the path of the crystals and bought up an energetic barrier which would ensure my meditations weren’t interrupted by any unexpected subtleties.

I then sat cross legged on the blanket, whispered off a few words and began to build up the power within the circle. The pyrite/smoky quartz combination seemed to tap directly into the place I wanted to be and though the wind grew stronger beyond the cave mouth, its influence within the cave itself somewhat lessened and I my mind entered that slightly distant place where I know anything is possible. With the power within the circle growing I dared to open my eyes. Outside the wind had now picked up to the point where the trees and whirled and thrashed wildly back and forth. Within the cave itself the air continued to remain more or less still, though the energies which spun about the circle itself had almost reached their peak. I gathered the second smudging blend in my hand and as I released the power of my intentions to the Universe I dashed it across the flames. The fire flared and a pungently sweet acrid smoke filled the cave and slowly swirled around above my head on a small breeze which had managed to find its way in. A small feeling of elation tickled me inside although I was feeling well and truly drained by then. I gave my thanks, closed the circle and sank back to watch the light show, framed almost like a television set by the entrance to the cave. I checked the time and it was 12:02am. Perfect timing. I had made my peace with the world so bring on the Apocalypse…

It started raining. This was actually a little annoying although not unexpected. I have to wake up every morning at 4:30, tricky at the best of times for a night owl like me. By my calculations even if I left now I’d still only get about 3 - 4 hours sleep max though I was not however prepared to risk scrambling down that steep rocky slope in the dark while it was raining. The moon was also hidden now by the clouds and the lightening show had ceased once the heavens opened. So apart from the distant lights of the mine camp the night itself had all of a sudden become very dark indeed. My shirt had almost dried of where I left it in the back of the cave as well and I really didn’t feel like getting saturated again.

So I simply put it down to one of those ‘meant to be moments’ (as every moment actually is) which seemed especially poignant after I’ve held a little ritual; and resigned myself to spending probably another hour in the cave.

Now here’s where stuff really starts getting interesting. I began to actually doze off to the sound of the rain falling all around me. The fire had burnt down by now and a gentle breeze slowly moved through the cave. I had just only a second or so prior slipped deeply into slumber-land when *BOOM* a massive crack of thunder clapped directly overhead. The whole night turned to day for a split second and I could only assume the hill itself had been hit by lightning. Simultaneously a sudden gust of wind tore through the cave entering on the left hand side and moving in an anti-clockwise direction around the back of the cave. Within it I swear I saw tiny pin pricks of light almost like the fuzz on an untuned television set. This gust of faint sparkling air circumvented the entire cave until it swirled above the dying embers of my fire lifting all the snow white ash high up to the roof.

The moment ‘it’ entered the cave I felt a fear enter my body like nothing I’ve ever known before. I could not move, I could not scream; and it was all I could do just to turn my face to the direction of my campfire where ‘it’ was now rising up amongst the ash and sparks. This thing seemed angry and I got the feeling I was somewhere I really wasn’t meant to be. Like everything else here it seemed very old, a spirit from the ancient Dreamtime of Aboriginal myth. Within the swirling ash I saw the figure of large kangaroo standing above me on it hind legs. In my mind ‘it’ seemed to question why I was here in this cave. I threw back a mental image of what I’d done earlier that night and then mouthed the words ‘But the hill gave me permission to enter…’ For a moment it was as if time itself had stopped and every piece of ash hung suspended and unmoving in the air above me. ‘It’ seemed to me like it was considering my response. And then without warning the feeling of fear began to slowly drain away from my body. Simultaneously the ash began falling from the air like snow all around me and where the kangaroo had been it began settling on what looked like the invisible figure of a man. Soon, enough ash had settled on the figure for me to tell it was a very old man of aboriginal descent dressed in traditional garb (that is... nothing at all). This figure moved to regard me and I felt a sense of benevolence in his gaze. It then seemed to recognise me as the person who would spend hours clambering around the foothills and gullies searching for secret places of beauty. I too recognised a familiarity within the figure like a distant memory of a dream dreamed long ago. In my mind I heard (felt…) the words “It’s okay child, but you must go now”. The figure then disappeared and another much more gentle wind entered the cave and carried the now falling ash out of the entrance and off into the damp night air.



Outside the rain had subsided somewhat and although the descent would still be fairly treacherous I got the feeling I wouldn’t have a problem making it back safely. Finally I got back to my room. It was 2:23am. I stripped off my saturated clothes and slumped on top of my bed naked and exhausted before falling into a deep dreamless sleep. Two hours later I awoke one minute before my alarm clock went off. I actually felt more revitalised than I had in a very long time. I got up, got dressed and after breakfast I made my way to the bus that takes everyone to the mine each morning. As I did I looked up toward the hill. Strangely enough I could no longer make out the exact spot where the cave was…



Since that time I’ve noticed many changes in my life, and these changes appear to be happening at almost an accelerating pace. I now have a son, and a new job. The taste of fast and processed food now makes me a little sick whereas prior I would probably visited McDonalds 3 or 4 times a week for my usual Big Mac with extra bacon large meal. The work/hobby I actually love doing is finally being recognised (though I can’t live off it yet) and a few longstanding personal issues have cleared themselves up.

The cause of all of these changes remains a mystery to me. Was it that night in the cave? Was it Precession of the Equinoxes? Maybe it’s simply the natural progression of my life and would have happened regardless. I honestly don’t know. All I do know is that I’ll never forget that night when I saw a spirit in a cave on a hill...

Cool post, is all the artwork and photography your own?

reply to post by 1littlewolf


Once you are touched by true spirit, your life changes forever.

You have been graced and in having such an experience opens up the mind to more of the spirit world. The more in tune you become, the more things that are not good for you will react with your system and make you not want them nearly as much. There are days now where I look at a beer, or a bottle of whiskey and throw up immediately without even touching them. Fast food tends to make me queasy a lot of the time (even just the thought) unless I have not eaten for a while, and well, just a lot of things that are not really good for me, are now causing mental/physical responses before I even drink/touch them. I attribute a lot of this to spirit, and with aligning with the universe,earth, and the natural flow of all within it. It sounds to me like you have experienced something similar after such an experience, and that is awesome!

But that is just my opinion/experience with spirit.
Thank you for sharing this experience!

Work in an iron ore mine? That's cool! I am surrounded by mountains of man made iron ore and open pit mines on all sides. Unfortunately this area of the world is so heavily explored that there is no place like what you have there, or I would be out in a cave somewhere myself...

Originally posted by centhwevir1979
Cool post, is all the artwork and photography your own?

I wish, being quite the (wannabe) amateur photographer myself (see 2nd link in my sig). The 2nd pic is the mine camp where i work though - you can actually see the area where the cave is to the right of the main valley running up the hill about halfway up. The cave pic is mine, and yes it is the cave...

reply to post by Darkblade71


Ha ha nicely put. I totally agree.

As for the iron ore....I personally hope this particular area doesn't actually become too explored lest i lose my cave, though the fact that iron ore is the only thing keeping Australia's head afloat in these tough economic times doesn't fill me with a lot of hope...

reply to post by 1littlewolf


Thanks for the enjoyable read and pics.

Although had I been in your place my story probably would have been over with the ticks. And you put your shirt down on the rocks afterwards, ewww.

I wish you more happy discoveries in your cave, as it sounds like you plan to return. Only next time, think of bringing bug spray?

reply to post by 1littlewolf


Hello little wolf,

Where is Pilbara [ specifically] ?

I loved your thread and believe all land is sacred but most land has been cover with the pollution of man.
I mean not just the physcial rubbish but 100s or 1000s of years of pain, cruelty etc - it blocks the energy flows from the land.

There are stills sacred places in many lands, even in populated places like Europe and Britain.
Personally - I really connect with what you are saying - I have felt a similar thing in various places like Jordan, Britain , SA.

I do know that Australia is crying, she is in pain. 225 years of Europeans and destruction unlimited - the water table, the extinctions, the cities, the mass slaughters, the heavy energies.

It is sad.

reply to post by HelenConway


en.wikipedia.org...

Got it is North West Australia - always wanted to go there and to Broome.
I lived in Western Australia for a while - but South ... [ a long way away].

What a lovely place - I pray it stays that way.

Someone once told me these places are the best to see spirits because they are the in between space of our living surface world and the captive ground holes where we send our dead. I'm glad your experience has been a positive one as I have heard of others who have come into contact with or had visions of spirits that have changed their psyche in such a way that they can no longer function in society.

reply to post by 1littlewolf


"Unseen by human eyes" "well worn paths"

Nice pics though