spirits of the land

Whimsical Sight – Day 876

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Fire Pit Shadow Dancers and Water Sprites – Photo: L. Weikel

Whimsical Sight

I managed to spend some extended time outside today and got some work done while sitting in the sun and gazing at our fire pit. Actually, I was staring off into space, not actually gazing at the fire pit, when I suddenly realized the whimsical sight coming into focus before my eyes. It was almost as if the Spirits of the Land were sharing a little bit of magic with me, kicking off the arrival of April and showing me how they celebrate.

The fire pit tends to be my easiest and most convenient gauge of how much rain we’ve had on any particular day. The last day it rained may have been Friday, and there were a couple of inches of rainwater still in the copper container. What caught my eye was the perfect placement of the shadows thrown by the sun’s rays filtering through the metal mesh designed to keep sparks from flying out of the pit when the flames are dancing.

Usually the figures on the fire pit top appear to be dancing in the flames. That’s pretty much the point of the design. It took me a moment to shift my perspective and really see what my eyes were resting upon but not fully comprehending. Suddenly, the fire sprites were actually arising from the water and both prancing and dancing on its surface.

Best Office Anywhere

What a joy to suddenly realize the playful scene evolving before my eyes! I love when the seasons change and the warm intimacy of watching snowfall from inside the house shifts to writing or editing on the porch. Having the opportunity to do what I love while spending time outside feels like such an indulgence.

And it is, I guess. I’ve worked in a fascinating array of offices over the years, from staid Bucks County law firms ensconced in buildings with some serious historical cred (a couple being over two hundred years old) to a bustling non-profit in downtown Philadelphia, to an office in a storage facility that, upon opening the office door, revealed a plant-filled nurturing haven of healing. But I have to say: working in the magical environs of my home, surrounded by nature, is a gift that’s irreplaceable.

(T-235)

Window of Orange – Day 751

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Weighted Blanket – Photo: L. Weikel

Window of Orange

Karl and I took a walk today in what I would consider late afternoon. It was early for us, but we sensed the shift in temperature from yesterday and didn’t want to get even colder walking in the dark. From the look of the clouds, the potential for precipitation was significant – at least a possible snow squall – although my Weather Channel app said otherwise. (We both felt some flakes sweep our cheeks, but they never attained the momentum of even a decent flurry.) Covering the sky with billowing shades of dark slate gray tinged with the slightest edges of purplish black and ashy white, the cloudbank felt like a weighted blanket. But there – far across the miles of fields and farms and forests – a window of orange light appeared.

It almost looked contrived, as if we were in some sort of huge space ship and a rectangular door on the far horizon whisked aside, opening with a swish just like in Star Trek.

While I took a photo of the rectangular doorway of light that appeared, I was definitely more interested in trying to capture the magnificence and personality of the dark, swirling threat of pent up weather-rage manifesting before us. The darkness felt familiar. The light of the sunset peeking through that doorway felt like a false promise. It’s hard to explain.

“Window” closer up – Photo: L. Weikel

Evolution of the Sunset

We watched the cloud cover and setting sun dance with each other and sort themselves out as we walked. By the time we got home, a significant portion of cloud cover had either dissipated or moved on.

The moon rose, powerful and so clear, like the beam of a klieg light. Noticing this full-on brilliance gave me pause when I again contemplated the moon that had awakened us at the very moment of its fullest expression. Perhaps her brilliance was so great that she’d appeared brighter than expected even though she was being eclipsed by the Earth and traveling through her shadow.

Where to place my attention? – Photo: L. Weikel

Starry Night

I came inside from doing my Perelandra Biodiversity Project process right before starting this post. It’s the 1st day of December and, as I’ve written about many other times, the first of every month is the day people from all over the world take about five minutes out of their lives to consciously join in the effort to shift the energy of the land or property over which they have control (own, rent, have authority over) in order to combat the effects of climate change.

It’s a simple process, a means of having a brief chit-chat with the Spirits of the land on which you live during which you show them you are aware of climate change and how the stress of it may be resulting in loss or extinction of biodiversity. It’s a tiny opportunity to communicate appreciation of Nature and express a willingness to co-create a healed environment.

I was moved almost to tears as I engaged in this conversation. (I tend to talk a bit more after reciting the ten or so words the actual process calls for. I enjoy expressing gratitude and asking if there’s anything else I can do to show it.) The stars were blinking in the cold clear air and it seemed almost too great a leap from the weighted blanket of dark and ominous clouds that had hung over our heads only hours earlier.

I’m not even sure what it is I was marveling at as I stood on the edge of the porch and chatted with the Spirits of our land. Perhaps it was the astonishing rapidity with which everything can change.

That’s where the door cracks open to invite miracles into our lives. Realizing that everything can change – <<snap>> – just that fast.

Photo: L. Weikel

(T-360)

I’m Gonna Pay – Day 268

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Amadell Carp – Photo: L. Weikel

I’m Gonna Pay

Oh man. I know I’m gonna pay for this one way or another. But the piper will almost certainly collect his due in the most obvious way: levying a hefty surcharge on my checked bag.

It’s harder than I thought it would be, preparing for a Listening Retreat that’s far away from my home. I think I’ve known, in the back of my head, that this day would come. But it’s rough.

My First True “Away” Game

My evening’s angst issues from the fact that all my other Listening Retreats have taken place within a 20 miles radius of my home. It’s been eminently convenient. Too much so, I fear.

I’ve always made sure to bring a plethora of divinatory decks and books for my ‘retreaters’ to play with and peruse. I’m a huge advocate of giving myself and others access to cool stuff that entices us to steal some time away from everything and everybody and just indulge in…fun.

So it’s been excruciating for me to have to winnow my resources. As it is, all of you who’ve been with me through these past 268 days can take three guesses (and the first two don’t count) on what is the primary source of weight in my single bag-to-be-checked. You guessed it!

Books and Decks

Yup, books and various card decks that I want to share with my retreaters. And while I know that my hosts at Amadell are avid collectors themselves (having shared many a retreat with me through the years, they know ‘the good stuff’), I’m feeling naked. I’m realizing how much anxiety I quell within by having the luxury of telling myself, “I can always run home and get that book if I need it.”

Not this time!

And so it is I am forced to exercise some discernment. Some discipline. Although…I’m thinking that tomorrow’s reckoning with the airline when I check my bag is going to expose my grievous lack of discipline. Or at least the sad truth that I could’ve exercised a whole lot more.

The bottom line is simply my excitement to experience a Listening Retreat in a whole new venue. Yes, I’ve been to Amadell before (and all of you know first hand how much I love it) – but never specifically for a Listening Retreat.

Spirits of the Land Come Forward

And it always seems to me that during a Listening Retreat, no matter where I’ve held them, the Spirits of the Land we’re on reveal themselves in fascinating ways.

Thus, as I packed more and more goodies into my suitcase all day today, I’ve actually known, deep down, that They – the Spirits of the Land – will be the stars of the show. They will be the ones who show up and ask for a willing ear.

My Security Blanket

The books won’t matter. Nor will the decks. What will matter is the willingness of the people who are attending this retreat. Their willingness to trust my suggestions enough to witness the magic.

Ah yes. Just admitting all of this has led me to the realization that the contents of my suitcase are simply my security blanket. (Even if it ends up being an expensive one, when they weigh it.)

The magic of every Listening Retreat is in the land itself. I just need to get them there. The rest will take care of itself.

(T-843)

Welcome to Amadell – Day 178

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Arriving in NC – Photo: L. Weikel

Welcome to Amadell        

It’s said that if you want to get to know a place, it is helpful to connect with the land that you’re visiting: ideally skin to skin, or bare feet to grass, whatever way you can find to make direct connection with the land you are visiting.

I learned about this decades ago, when one of my earliest teachers recommended walking barefoot in a new country or area I might be visiting, particularly if I’d flown in an airplane to get there.

Earthing

Some might say you are simply connecting with the electrons produced by the Earth and synchronizing your energy with that of the land where you find yourself: the energy of that particular place. Indeed, studies have shown that ‘earthing’ or ‘grounding’ can literally improve our physical, psychological, and emotional health. I dare say our spiritual self, too, improves exponentially when we reconnect with Mother Earth.

Another practice which sort of goes hand-in-hand with making a physical connection with the land you’re visiting is a favorite activity of mine: speaking directly to the Spirits of the Land on which you’re standing. Nature spirits are everywhere, and it is always polite to speak to and ask permission of the spirits of the land to enter that place.

Gestures of Friendliness and Gratitude

It’s also helpful to make a gesture of friendliness and gratitude to the spirits of a particular place for their anticipated hospitality. It’s helpful, too, to make an offering – a piece of candy or chocolate, a cookie, etc. is often appreciated. Native North Americans often offer a pinch of tobacco or cornmeal.

And if you’ve forgotten to bring a snack or traditional offering, your gift can be as simple as a couple strands of your own hair. Using your breath to imbue your hair (or any of the other gifts) with you heartfelt gratitude for being welcomed to that place and then placing it on the earth with a spirit of generosity and appreciation is all it takes to make a spiritual connection to the spirits of the land.

Amadell

I arrived today at a magical place: Amadell. Amadell is a spiritual and nature sanctuary in the Appalachians (Smoky Mountains) of western North Carolina.

Not only did I have the chance this afternoon to connect directly with the land here at Amadell by laying my spine directly on her surface, I was given a particularly magical opportunity to connect with the spirits of this land by listening to the voices of some of the land’s inhabitants.

Listening to a May Apple serenade – Photo: L. Kraujalis

Connecting with the Song of May Apple

Specifically, because I happen to be lucky enough to be here at the same time that Peter May is, I lay with my back on the earth and actually listened to the songs of May Apple, Ramp, and other plants growing abundantly upon the mountainside.

What an exquisitely intimate and grounding experience.

To say I feel welcomed and at home here wouldn’t do justice to the magical sense that I’m filled with at the moment.

Peter May – Photo: L. Weikel

Peter May and The Sonic Apothecary

Peter May is many things, ranging from a musician, an alchemist, a wisdom-keeper to a plant whisperer – and you can read more about him at The Sonic Apothecary. Working with technology that picks up on the electrical signals emitted by plants and translates them into musical tones, Peter makes communication with the elemental world more accessible. If you visit his site, you can also hear a sample of the songs of various plants.

As a result of my experiences this afternoon, I am feeling an intimacy with the land and the spirits that live here that feels healing and creative. I feel nurtured and nourished. I feel connected and welcomed.

Of course, the human caretakers of this land, the Kraujalises, make me feel this way also. I am filled with gratitude for their generous friendship.

(T-933)

**I should note that I have photos that I wanted to include in this post – but alas, the perils of being on a mountain include sort of cranky internet service that gets stuck uploading photos. I’ll keep trying, but…