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…