Lessons From Nature

Midday Sun 

I'm going to do it, I'm going to mention it - you knew it wouldn't be long before I did....what beautiful weather we've had!

As the wheel of the year turns, the lighter evenings and warmer days have drawn me off the sofa and led me out, keen to explore Goddess's land and countryside again, greeting the plants and familiar seasonal landmarks like old friends. 
This year I have found myself remembering what was where the year before, looking out for signs of new growth and really noticing the subtle changes as they happen, rather than just suddenly realising we are in a different season once more. I've restarted

The Corn Field, that was...

my weekly Wednesday walk through the three fields to pilates (or 'pirates' if you allow your predictive text headroom - sounds much more fun that deep breathing, lots of pelvic floor clenching and rolling around a church floor doesn't it?)
The corn field that became a bean field, has become a mystery field again - some sort of cereal by the looks of it, a joyous replacement to the muddy field I stood quietly in a few months back, arms outstretched and  listening to the rhythmic patter of rain on my hood. I really look forward to this part of my week and it has become a ritual as important as my daily grounding and calling in of Ker or Kerah as I once again name Her as Lover and Warrior. The 15 minute walk usually takes me well over half an hour, all my senses revel in their hyper sensitivity, gleefully eagle eyed in spotting new blooms and foliage, smelling the wild scents and ears straining to differentiate the different bird calls. This week as I approached

Woodpecker's Nest Hole

a beautiful quiet copse carpeted with bluebells and celandines, I heard a persistent tapping that grew louder and nearer. As I inched in to the copse, I was rewarded by the sight of a magnificent male green woodpecker gently and carefully drilling into a tall silver birch. My size 8's crunched on a dry twig and frightened him away before I could get a photo, although I got a photo of a fresh nest hole that will hopefully become a home soon. I was amazed how big he was - about a foot tall and so close! What a surprise blessing from Goddess. A bit of research taught me that their call, known as 'yaffling' is a sound I've often heard and not recognised - to me it sounds not unlike that of a warning call of a Blackbird. So that's why the Wooden Woodpecker in Bagpuss is called Professor Yaffle!! Who knew? 
Before I started writing this week, I looked up the symbolic meanings of woodpeckers; opportunity, the need for creative vision, refocusing on projects and even a suggestion by Dr Carl Jung that they

Apple Blossom in The Third Field Orchard

represent a return to the womb of creativity* which resonated with me as my mind continues to swirl with half formed creative ideas and projects, spirally and drifting hazily before slowly taking shape in the depths of my imagination, as well as mentioning root chakras and 'other worldly messengers', protection and the star sign of Aries (mine) - I've added a link at the bottom if you would like to read more. Interestingly I saw a rune like figure in my Beltane fire last weekend, which I identified as Algiz. A friend of mine who is a wonderful Rune Maker and Master, assured me that it meant protection, doubly so with the fire element. Protection from what I had pondered? Hmmm. My research made me remember something from earlier in the week and I would get another prompt before the week was out....

Pink Spanish Strain Bluebells - not so welcome?

Earlier in the week I had attended a local Mystical Forum that has started up. Each month there are two guest speakers, this month a wonderful talk on meditation with a short guided meditation which I easily slipped into and enjoyed, feeling the familiar tilt that comes to me when I meditate. I used to feel like a ship listing, convinced that I would wake up at an odd angle. Someone once told me it was a start of a trance which used to worry me a bit until I accepted it and went with the flow, I seem to come back ok, although I usually find a cat sitting by me or in me as I come back to real world. This night however, it was suggested that it was the closeness of a spirit around me, bearing in mind that I often see odd things,

Altar Feather

I wasn't quite so happy about that! The second talk was about Paranormal Investigations which was fascinating and we had a taster experience of equipment used in an investigation,however yet again I was slightly freaked out to be one of a couple of people singled out and informed -albeit kindly that I was susceptible to spirits, deep joy! Is this why the protection seemed to be around me from the rune? Then I have Mr Woodpecker who seemed to be adding weight to that too. I also had a wood pigeon literally shed a feather on my head as I was walking - I suppose it could have been worse! I decided that such a gift needed to be added to my Altar - maybe it was  Kerah's sign to remind me that I can fly in my own way and to keep looking for my wings?
That or we have a lot of wood pigeons around here!

Saturday I headed off towards Folkestone to see a lovely lady called Sue and to support a fund raiser for her sky dive in aid of MS. A meditation journey and an angel card reading in Sue's wonderful and aptly named Womb Room, once again called up a complete focus on creative gifts and their current lack of usage, followed by a discussion about how the obstacles could be overcome. I'll consider myself told! Told and protected!

I'll leave you with a picture of my crazy cat Spock, yes named after the dude from Star Trek, enjoying the sun in style..... Bless him!


     Have a Blessed Week x x x








*http://www.whats-your-sign.com/symbolic-meaning-of-woodpecker.html