Sanctuary
Walking down the path, I savour the sounds of the woods against a backdrop of silence as you can only find here. It has rained not long ago and the air is rich with the scent of damp earth mixed with heady notes of honeysuckle. A fox appears as if out of nowhere and we both stop and stare at each other for a few long seconds before he dissolves again into the undergrowth.
I carry on along the sun-drenched lane until I reach the turnoff to a less accessible path that winds itself to the place I call my sanctuary: A small grove filled with scrubby grassland dressed in gregarious bramble – which loves to trip you up if you don’t pay attention – and nettle, which is a bit more shy and stays out of the way, but will make its presence known with a sting if you draw too close. A botanist once told me that they don’t sting if you treat them kindly.
The trees that form and guard the edges are an array of natives: Beech, Willow, Alder and Oak. Although I work mainly with stones and crystals when guiding people to the beauty and magic of the deeper layers of the natural world, trees are my family and my sanctuary. I originated in a little house in the woods and all my life, trees have given me refuge and all the teachings that matter. I seek them out often, for little things, for big things, to listen and to just be together.
When I arrive at the grove, I sit down against the trunk of my oak friend and ask permission to enter a deeper level of connection. As I slow down my breath and open my senses to the finer aspects of the tree, I am met with the most beautiful gentle holding, emphasised by the reassuring solid support of her trunk behind me and the branches overhead shielding me from the sun. I slowly surrender my logical human awareness and merge into the magic of the more subtle layers of connection. As ever, all becomes increasingly vibrant and alive.
