Communing With Nature

 

Hello fellow travellers of the old ways

I want to talk about something thats close to my heart, as I am sure it is with all of you, Nature and the beautiful gifts that Mother Earth bestowes upon us.

I consider myself lucky as I have a garden, which I have to do a bit of work on yet to get it to where we want it, and where I live is only about 5 minutes drive in any direction to get to woodland or common land, I also work a few minutes drive from a lovely wooded area, so for me communing with nature is within fairly easy reach. I use my lunchtimes at work, when possible to go and sit out in amongst some fantastic company in the wooded area close to the office.

There is something very special about sitting quietly by a tree, a river or in a meadow just listening to the sounds of nature, whether it be a simple droning of a worker bee going about its daily business of collecting pollen for the hive, the wind gently blowing through the branches of a tree on a summers afternoon, the rustling of the grass and wild meadow flowers as they dance in a gentle breeze, and what's more it's all free, they are gifts from Mother Earth that we should cherish and look after.

I was out in the garden the other saturday morning doing my usual daily ritual, the sun was already shining brightly and I felt its warmth embracing me as I stood there, I looked down at the water bowl that we keep out for the birds and noticed it needed topping up, so I took the opportunity to do this and a few other little things that needed some attention, watering the plants before they were hit by the searing midday heat, and topping up the bird feeders for my little feathered friends. I was actually made aware of the bird feeders by my little Robin friend that usually comes and sits with me when I am in the garden.

On this particular day I had, what I can only describe as a purely magical experience. First let me set the scene, many years ago my lovely long suffering wife bought me a Goji Berry plant, I have been told they are particularly hard to grow but it was a challenge and one I was looking forward too. I planted it and the thing just erupted growing like mad, we then moved house and out of everything the Goji was one plant I wanted to take with me, not knowing if it would survive a move, I hoped for the best and put it in the garden, well not only did it survive it has grown enormous, it is around eight foot tall with a spread of about fifteen or so feet, it has wrapped itself around the bird feeder pole and provides a lovely safe haven for the little birds to eat their seed with little fear of attack or disturbance. This year after spending time removing suckers etc. it has an abundance of flowers, more than I had ever known before, the bird feeders sit nicely inside the very heart of the plants expanse, so to top them up involves ducking and diving to get to them, and so this Saturday I got the bird seed, ducked under some branches and emerged by the feeders, what I experienced was as I said purely magical, as I stood there filling up the feeders I was surrounded by a loud droning of many many little bee friends retrieving pollen from the Goji berry flowers, I cannot put into words the sound, it was loud yet incredibly meditative, the bees were buzzing around me going from flower to flower, they would pass by me without a care and I watched them go about their business talking to them and listening to the beautiful music they made with their wings as they went from one flower to another. I stood there motionless for what seemed like ages just being apart of their world, and it felt that they accepted me into it. I eventually had to get on with my initial task as I had a rather frustrated Robin chirping at me reminding me of why I went in there in the first place.

I love the sounds and the feelings I get when I am out in nature and feel more at home there than anywhere else. This has been the same feeling I have had, it seems, all of my life. We have some lovely lavendar in the front garden, and every time I pass it it is filled with the cutest fluffiest little bees, I always walk passed carefully so as not to disturb them and talk to them, wishing them a good day and welcoming them into my garden, I do this with everything I see, birds, butterflies, caterpillers, plants and trees, much to the bemusement of neighbours and passers by.

When I go to the woods, I introduce myself when I first enter, I feel it only polite as I am entering their home as a guest, I walk amongst the trees and plants talking to them, asking permission to sit with them and moving along if they are not particularly keen to be spoken too that day, we all have off days and so we should respect this in all other living beings that surround us and welcome us into their homes.

One of my many favourite writers is Glennie Kindred, she writes books about interacting with trees amongst other things and when I started to read her stuff it struck a chord with me, the things she says in her books is about the way we should approach trees and introduce ourselves to them, this was also highlighted in the material from the British Druid Order when I started to work through my Ovate journey, there were exercises on the Ogham (Celtic Tree Alphabet) and the different dances and movements that represent the different trees. Her books are very easy to read, full of very interesting ideas and things to try. I guess as a Druid, talking and interacting with trees is a fundemental thing, but it is not a chore, doing it gives me great satisfaction and a sense of belonging that I have felt from my earliest memories.

And so the madness starts.................... funnily enough there are a lot of people out there who find it strange to see and hear someone talking to what they consider, "A Tree", they dont get that the tree is just as much alive as they are, don't get me wrong, they know trees grow and they know they are alive but that is the extent of their understanding, yes a tree, a plant is alive but it is also living and this is the bit they don't seem to understand, for me talking to a tree, confiding in it, sharing with it is as normal as it is when I talk to someone at work, or when I go about my daily business. To others it's "MADNESS" Run for your lives!!!!! I openly talk to these wonderful beings, and yes also listen to them, it is not a one way street we share this planet with them and so we should also share each others thoughts and feelings. Unfortunately we live in a time when things like this is considered not normal, but what to me is not normal is ignoring these beautiful and amazing souls, they have so much to share if only we stopped and took some time to be with them.

I guess what I am trying to say is, we are the people that can help turn these feelings around, people mock and laugh at tree huggers, but why should this be, if any one should have the last laugh it should be the tree huggers for we are the ones that can actually understand and feel what it is like to fit in to a world that is not constantly surrounded by technology. I know, you are all saying but without technology I wouldn't be doing this, yes but I don't let it take over my life, when I talk to a tree, sit with a tree, chat to birds, bees and other such wonderful creatures I do so without the need to pout and post a selfie, I sit with them because I want to be with them fully at that moment in time. I want you all to do the same, which I am sure most of you do, don't feel self-concious when you talk to trees as you walk through the woodland, if people look at you let them, who knows, they might start doing it too, I tell you all this because I feel happy enough to be amongst these wonderful beings and I know that they like me being with them. We need to make sure we learn from the things around us because at the end of the day, they have been around longer than we have and will be around long after we shed the skin of the being we are in and we can learn so much from them, whether its the meaning of life or something as simple as learning to appreciate just sitting, listening and feeling nature in a world so fast paced if we blink too often we will miss out. I don't want to worry about blinking, when I sit in the woods under a tree and close my eyes I don't miss anything, I have all I need right there......

Well I hope that you are still enjoying this, please try this it will have such an amazing impact on you I promise.

As always I will end with one of my poems, I will have to write more if I am to keep going with this blog before I run out, I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy sharing them. This one is called " Solitude"

 

SOLITUDE

I on grass in barefoot stand

And feel the lifeblood from the land

I feel a presence deep within

Of what is now, and what has been.

I stand with both my eyes closed tight

My vision now is full of light

I stand alone but not as one

Part of the web the spirits spun.

The rising sun does me embrace

The warmth I feel upon my face

Through the trees and whispering grass.

A gentle wind begins pass

The morning song I hold so dear

From a robin perching near

He sings to me the sweetest song

That he’s been singing for so long.

With that I slowly raise my hands

A gesture to forgotten lands

To offer thanks eternally

For all the things surrounding me.

My thanks are made to spirits old

For natures gifts that I behold

And there in solitude I stand

But not alone, part of their land.

 

Well once again I thank for for spending time with me and travelling along this path with me, take care my friends, until the next time.

Blessed Be /|\