November/December Nature Musings 2023

Hi everyone,

Welcome to the November/December 'Nature Musings Blog' - a chance to look back over these last 2 months and remember and honour what nature has shown us and continually teaches us.

I love the turning into winter, the colder, shorter days - more time indoors sat next to the log fire, but I also love going out in the raw elements too, being battered by the rain and the wind, feeling that wild, raw energy against you is so magical.  

Looking back over this last year I have loved those moments of awe and wonder that I have continually come up against whilst being in the wild places I love so much.  Whether it is the magic of a spiderweb on a damp morning glistening for all to see, or the colour show that nature provides throughout the changing seasons, or even being chased down by an American Red-tailed Hawk (falconers escaped bird now surviving in the Blackdowns) when out flying my falcon - falcon and I were not amused and hawk realised it was about to take on too much so very abruptly changed course only 2m from us!   I love being this keen observer of nature, and love being a part of the wonder that exists out there too.  

The last two months are my favourite time to watch the stillness and silence that pervades the natural world.  The plant world is dormant, some animals too, and the energy outside starts to pervade every atom and cell of my being bringing me to that special still point...time to withdraw and just be.

There have been many 'nature occurrences' that could fill this blog quite easily, so I have picked the ones I think you will resonate with the most.  I hope you will enjoy this journey with me....

In the beginning of last year (2023) I started renting land in the Blackdown Hills to both exercise my birds and to have somewhere safe and private to bring clients for Animal & Nature Assisted Therapy.  The land is wild, grazed sympathetically, and the woodland areas are left to do what they need to do - stay wild.  An amazing space offering the sanctuary and safety that is needed for my clients, my birds and myself.

It has been such an honour to work with this land and all that it brings each and every day I visit.  A lot of time was spent at the beginning in ceremony and reverence getting to know each other, and now the land shows so much each time I visit.

I started my journey with this land in the depths of winter...light covering of snow and ice on the ground and bare trees, with the welcoming resident Buzzard very much in view each and every time I visited.

Watching the land change, to bud, blossom and be vibrant throughout the summer has been so lovely to behold.  The wildflowers, orchids and wondrous small mammals in the wildflower meadows has been such a delight to see.  Watching too the resident Buzzards bring a youngster up in the woods, and then watch this youngster branch and finally find its wings (and voice!) all in the space of 2 weeks has been wonderful too.  

The changing landscape has matched the changes within me too, that constant reminder that what we see outside is a reflection of what is going on internally.  

The autumnal changes have been breathtaking on this land and I have deliberately come to the land a good hour before clients to simply just take in the beauty that is present there - and leaving long after they have gone to again have that me time with the land.  

These last 2 months have been cold, wet and windy but feeling the rawness of the elements helping to dig deep into problems that people were facing, has been so transformational for them.  The trees too, with no leaves, are providing wonderful playgrounds for children and adult clients - who knew that a bare, twisted trunk of a Silver Birch could provide so much material for the imagination of a child and be so comforting for an adult to hold.....

The land here allows everyone who visits to tap into that wildness that we have disconnected ourselves from.  To set free that wild spirit within us who isn't afraid to touch the land, to play in the spring, to get dirty, to have fun, to grieve openly, to talk about our emotions and to just 'be'...enveloped in the wildness of the land.

"When we walk like (we are rushing), we print anxiety and sorrow on the earth. We have to walk in a way that we only print peace and serenity on the earth... Be aware of the contact between your feet and the earth. Walk as if you are kissing the earth with your feet."

Thich Nhat Hanh

In the last 2 months the land around starts to look bare, but for the evergreens - the Holly, Ivy and Mistletoe.  Plants that affirm life during the winter months when all else is dormant.  

At the time of the Winter Solstice, Yule, people will have brought in an evergreen tree to decorate, brought in the Holly, the Ivy and Mistletoe too, as well as pine, spruce and fir.  All bringing that 'green' of life into our homes to remind us that life is still abundant out there in the winter months.  

Holly

The Holly is a plant of fire, bringing in powers of protection, anti-lightning, luck and dream magic.  The spikiness of the Holly made Dr Edward Bach recognise this plant as an effective remedy for very negative, aggressive feelings directed at others (feelings of hatred, suspicion, envy, spite).  The basic problem in a Holly state is the absence of love...the Holly remedy encourages a generosity of spirit and an openness towards others.  

I co-created a Holly essence on the Frost Moon at the end of November last year.  The plant reminding me of that strong protection with its shiny, mirror like leaves - reflecting back any negativity from people or places.  I could feel anger being stripped away and a gentleness flowing through me as the essence took shape.  "Of all the trees in the wood, the Holly bears the Crown" - importance of Holly as a guardian, guiding the precious energies of life.  The Holly King really does wear the Crown and reign over the decaying half of the year, from midsummer to midwinter; relinquishing his crown to the Oak King at midwinter.

Ivy

The plant magically paired to Holly at this time is Ivy.  The Holly and the Ivy Christmas carol is a pagan celebration of the male and female parts of nature being abundant at this time of year - masculine Holly, feminine Ivy.  

Ivy too brings powers of protection and healing, and I have worked deeply with Ivy to help clients fears come up to the surface to be healed.  Next time you see Ivy on a tree go and really look at the Ivy.  Notice the deep root of the plant going down through the supporting tree roots - Ivy has its own root system and does not take from the supporting tree...its problem is in its weight when it becomes to heavy for the tree to support.  Notice too the abundance of leaves as the Ivy climbs the tree, providing roosts and cover for birds and insects.  And really look at the leaves......in a darkened corner the leaves are sharply pointed, follow the leaves up through to the light and they become less pointed.  For me Ivy is a great plant spirit ally that helps spear the fear that is disabling us and bring it up to the light to be seen and healed.  A wonderful plant to work with our deep emotional wounds. 

Mistletoe

I love Mistletoe, abundant here in Somerset...in fact a drive along the motorway from Wellington to Taunton you will see masses of Mistletoe balls in the trees aligning the road.  A plant that is in a 'place between places', a magical plant bringing powers of protection, love, fertility, health and exorcism.  A plant representing immortality (its leaves are fresh and green all year long) and life surviving in the dead time.  The Druidic tradition recognised this plant as 'all healing', a very potent magical plant.  And our science community have recognised eleven proteins and substances called lectins which have anti-cancer effects...a magical plant indeed.  Look out for the Mistle Thrush too.....named due to its connection with the Mistletoe.  The Mistle Thrush is responsible for spreading Mistletoe - ferociously defending a berry-laden tree!

For me this plant opens doorways to other realms, other realities.  An essence I co-created early last year showed me just how powerful this plant was.  I could feel one foot in this physical realm and my other foot being guided to go through whatever doorway I wanted, to another realm.  Feeling incredibly protected and safe within the energy of this plant I felt I could travel between the realms....and I did!  Very powerful teachings from this airy plant.  

All these plants symbolise the abundance of life no matter what happens...the will to survive, and survive throughout the darker months.

On the 21st December, the Winter Solstice I would normally make my trip up to Chalice Well and surround myself with like-minded people in celebrating this wonderful pagan festival of the returning light.  But this year was different, and in fact I am turning more to celebrating with smaller numbers of people and making the celebration more intimate.  

So last month I met with new and old friends at Ashbrittle Yew to celebrate the solstice and bring gratitude to this wonderful tree.  For those of you who don't know the Ashbrittle Yew is around 3,800 years old.  A magnificent specimen of a Yew that continues to renew herself.  There is a central hub trunk with 8-9 main branches around her - a bit like a hub of a wheel and the spokes radiating out.  In fact when I co-created an essence with this tree a couple of years ago she showed me the importance of how she links in with the wheel of the seasons.

We spent time getting to know the tree, everyone feeling into her energy, the ancestors of the land, and the soil beneath her roots.  A guided meditation allowed us to really deepen our connection and feel the energy of the Yew deeply grounding us and then spiralling above us to Spirit.  Powerful and profound.  

As a group our energy felt interwoven with the Yew, and the land...a sacred space that everyone honoured and respected.  I was constantly stroking the leaves of a Yew branch I was standing next to, realising how feathery the leaves felt next to my skin.  I could feel the connection too, to the spiritual realms all round, as if a doorway had just opened for us to see and witness.  

Yew trees, in Britain, are commonly found growing next to churches.  Commonly pre-dating the church and in most cases denoting a pagan site of spiritual significance.  It was a tree grown in burial sites, believed to protect and purify the dead.  In some parts of Brittany it is believed that the Yew's roots extended to the mouths of every corpse buried around it.  And the custom of putting sprigs of Yew inside shrouds of the dead was used to protect the immortal soul on its journey.

A tree of death and rebirth, of accessing the ancestors and spiritual realms, and wisdom keeper of the Earth.

Perhaps take a visit to your local church and see if you can spot a Yew tree.  Go and say hello and spend some time getting to know the tree, finding the wisdom it has for you during the winter months.  

The Ashbrittle Yew is certainly a tree to visit, but with reverence and gratitude for all that she stands for and does.

"The Yew tree symbolises a force of nature that transcends time itself"    

One of the talks I gave last month for the Winter Well-being Programme was on 'Sacred Space', and really what this means to a lot of people.  

If you look up the definition of 'Sacred Space' you will see that it is one which occurs on sacred ground (church), sacred place (as defined by religions), sacred temple, holy ground, holy place or holy site - in fact any site which is deemed to be sacred or hallowed.  BUT how about seeing all places, everything around us as sacred?  

Sacred space connects us to a reality that allows us to transcend our fears - the ocean, the forest, even your home (a temple where we experience the fullness of life).

For me it can be several places, and I love the quote from Joseph Campbell "Your sacred space is where you find yourself again and again".

In my home I have my own sacred space in the attic where I dream, meditate, make essences and conduct remote healing.  I also open up a sacred space for clients when they come for 1-1 healing in my home, making sure they feel safe and protected.  Similarly on the land too I open up sacred space - asking permission from the elemental forces of nature, from the plant, stone and animal spirits, and the Spirit of the Land and asking their guidance each time I visit. 

Sacred space can be anywhere in nature too - those of you who have read my previous nature musings recognise my love for Exmoor, especially Hawkridge and the woods there.  This is a place I have visited often for the past 25 years, and yes it has a sacredness about it that I feel each time I enter.  I ask permission to walk through and always give thanks when leaving.  The healing power of nature here allows me to enter into this quiet world where the mundane can not distract me, allowing every nature connection experience to feel sacred and hallowed.  I feel lighter here, the same lightness I used to feel on top of Ben Lomond in South Island New Zealand - feeling that closeness to the Divine at the top of the mountain and the connection to all around still gives me goosebumps today.  But this is the feeling I get when I enter a 'sacred' place.  

There are certain areas within the wild land I rent that have started to feel 'sacred' too.  Do you have a 'sacred' area that you go too, to experience that deep spiritual connection?  Think about an area in nature that you visit often, can be an area of your garden, park, or local forest - is there a reason why you visit this site?  Next time you visit take something as an offering to say thank you - dried flower petals, dried herbs, corn or oats, or pick up litter from the area...give something back and allow this space to remain 'sacred'.

This is one bird that gladdens my heart when I hear them - and you will hear them long before you see them!!  A winter migratory visitor to the UK, the Redwing starts their journey from Iceland, the Faroes and Scandinavia.    

A resident in England during our colder months they start to appear from late October onwards.  They are the smallest of the thrush family, and can be seen in flocks with Fieldfares in hedgerows, edges of farmland and woodland, roaming across our countryside.  According to the Woodland Trust & the RSPB, Redwings were the first bird species which were proved to detect fruit using ultraviolet vision.  The waxy coating of berries reflect UV light, making them more appealing to the birds - enjoying our plentiful 2023 hawthorn berry crop!!  

Their energy is amazing and such a powerful bird spirit to work with too.  As with all thrush family their song is powerful, teaching us the confidence to sing from the heart, to allow our song to be heard.  With their amazing eyesight the Redwing brings in clarity with the unseen, helping us to see that which has been hidden from us, whether that is a truth, a deceit, or access more within the spirit world would depend on how it wants to work with you.  

For me the Spirit of this bird is one of inner peace, especially of the mind.  When I hear these birds I stop immediately, and listen to their mutterings.  Watching their fanciful leaps from hedgerow tree to hedgerow tree, catching the glimpse of the red under their wings and that distinct creamy-white stripe above the eye.  Nothing else matters, the world stops as I observe and take in the beauty of this bird.  Life for that moment is peaceful and still.  

Look out for these amazing little birds on your country walks - they migrate back late April.

2023 has been a full year of nature connection for me and one of wonderful memories.  Being gratefully given the rights to co-work with the land on the Blackdowns has really enhanced all that I do and I love seeing the reactions of clients when they come onto the land for the first time.  Awe and wonder abound!

Thank you for reading my nature musings for the last two months and for the whole of 2023!  I would love to hear your connection stories with the natural world, and the plants and animals that have helped you too - send me an email or respond via Facebook. 

Look out for the next Nature Musing Blog which will appear in your email boxes from end of February.  A list of what is going on re workshops, talks, etc., will appear as a separate 'newsletter' flying into your email boxes in the next few days (sorry a bout of flu has delayed my brain!!).  

If you would like any of the essences of the plants I have been working with, and mention in these nature musings they will all be available in the next few weeks.  I am spending next week updating the essence site to give more information for each essence and adding a few new ones too.  

Enjoy your own nature musings throughout January & February...and look out for the Redwings!

Nature Blessings,

Karen x