There are times when I learn or create some beautiful and useful practices, which I then forget for a while. Sometimes they come back. This is one of them.
It starts by entering your Sacred Grove, or any inner landscape where you are safe and at peace. This is how you get there:
Find yourself in a woodland grove. Feel the ground under your feet. Is there grass there, or moss, or is it bare earth? Walk up to a tree and feel its bark. Smell the earth and the green leaves all around you. Can you see what trees are around you? Don’t worry if they aren’t clear yet, in time your grove will become more stable. What can you hear? Is the wind playing in the leaves? Can you hear birds? Perhaps there is water nearby.
If you have never been to such a place before, you might want to practice this for a lunar cycle or so before proceeding with the next step. Making contact with the spirits of place is easier when your inner Grove is well established.
So when you are fully present in your Sacred Grove, open your eyes in ordinary reality. See your Grove superimposed on the actual landscape around you. Whether this is your living room or a bit of parkland, your garden or an open hillside, feel yourself being present both in the Grove and in that place at the same time.
Now sit and listen with your whole being. Listen with your skin and your eyes, with your nose and your ears. Be as present as you can be.
In my experience, something interesting happens. You get to see the inner or Otherworldly aspect of your land. A plant may suddenly show you the colours of its aura. You may be able to clearly see a river of earth energy flowing through that place. Or a guardian spirit may show themselves in human or animal form – or maybe something in between.
Whatever you see, listen to it. Become aware of the gift you are being given. And ask what you can give in return. This will create a magical connection between you and the spiritual reality of your land. See how you can serve, and what you can learn. Our future on this planet may depend on it.
And of course, I’d be very grateful if you’d share your insights and experiences.
I love my garden, I love the trees in it, elder, ash, holly, oak, rowan, hazel. And I love sharing it with the local wildlife. I honour and work with the spirit of place through the seasons but I had never once thought to ask who, apart from myself, were it’s guardians.
Inspired by your email I went and sat under the elder, because I knew without asking that she is a guardian here, and I settled myself into the present moment and asked. As soon as I opened my eyes a robin flew onto the fence directly opposite. Well that makes perfect sense. And I closed my eyes again and asked again, who else is guardian of this space? I was shocked into laughter as a sudden hectic chase disturbed the peace and my dog evicted an unwelcome cat. Well of course, thank you Kayli for guarding this space.
Then I went and sat under the rose arbour in my circle, and I asked a third time, who is guardian of this space? And the robin came and sat on the southern marker stone and then flew across the pond to drink from the water that collects in the water feature. I noticed it was pretty much clogged up with last autumn’s leaf fall, so I cleared it out so the water is clean and fresh.
So thankyou Hilde, for inspiring me to spend a magical afternoon in my garden. Its guardians are an elder tree, and a robin, supported by a woman and a daft little dog. Xxxxx
Thank you, Tracey, for sharing that story. It warms my heart.
Lots of love to you, Kayli, the robin and the elder. xH