Respect Rivers: Join our next walk on May 26th 2018
Over the years living in Ireland I have come to respect and revere rivers, and indeed, all things water! I sense how Ireland carries a strong connection to water – she is a true water soul. So whenever I return to Ennistymon, the town where my ancestors are buried, I visit the small river that winds its way alongside cottages and under the old bridge, before it cascades down behind the main street. I respect rivers like the Inagh that give so much pleasure to locals and tourists alike. A lovely walk from the square brings you alongside the river and its new hydro scheme that feeds the grand Falls Hotel which is perched on the site of an old fort facing a tall hill and cemetery across the river and town.
Ley Lines
I’ve often been in awe of the vast amount of crows that swarm and flock to the tall trees on front of the hotel at dusk. It’s incredible to watch hundreds of them circle the skies before settling into their treetop perches. I was told many years ago that crows always rest on strong ley lines. The river beside these trees will amplify any telluric effect of the ley line.
The Willow Month
Each time I lead a walk along the river glen here, finding the rushing water amplifies the earth energies. I think it helps people to respect and revere rivers more by taking time to walk by them. I work with the energies of the current lunar month as represented by the Celtic Trees. Last month it was the time of both the Blackthorn and the Willow and the the Blackthorn. The Ogham (Celtic rune alphabet) letters for these trees are are the S and SS respectively. The willow is the gentle healer. We stopped by a willow grove on the way down to the glen. The willows were growing in marshy land that was drying out under unusually warm Spring sunshine. Reeds rustled gently in the background marking the fringe of the river. I played my special gong there. Afterwards someone told me she felt her whole body cry out with gratitude for being there. The willow is the gentler cohort of the lunar pair. So my poem and guided meditation for the Willow reflects that. By breathing in a rhythmic way that draws attention to the pause between the in and out breaths, we create a space that is profoundly moving. Our affirmation for the gentle, healing Willow was
“When I am still, it is then that I know I am strong”
Gaia Touch
We breathed and stood as trees in the first of our Gaia Touch exercises, and linked in with the cosmic and earth energies in this way.
The Blackthorn Month
Moving on we soon came to a wonderful blackthorn thicket overlooking the sparkling river. Here I recited the Blackthorn guided meditation and poem. Blackthorn energy is vigorous and purgative. The group rapidly related to their own need to be the strong inner warrior. Inner strength is needed to strip out our outworn patterns that no longer serve us. The purgative powers of the blackthorn identifies and then strips out patterns we no longer need in our lives. The tough love of the Blackthorn assists us to move on and meet new challenges without creating an attachment to the outcome.
“I appreciate the grace my shadow bestows upon me”
Exercise to Connect with Nature
Moving to the start of the glen, we continued with more sensitivity exercises to perceive the pulse of nature. We aimed to encounter the nature energies of the glen, always sharing our findings if we wished to. Our connection can deepen with the trees that grow by the river, by using several exercises to link with trees. We also used exercises to increase our other senses that link in better with the elemental realms. It was great to see by dowsing how the auras of the trees expanded before and after connecting with the trees.
Our hearts opened to the beauty of the glen in ways we are unaccustomed to. We felt the connectivity of us and nature too. We respect trees and rivers more when we realise the role they play in bridging humans with nature. They help us expand into the nature realm.
Fairy Garden
We all experienced a treat when a local mother told us to look up the slopes of the glen where a wonderful fairy garden has been installed. See photos at the end for examples of the tokens of appreciation people have for this lovely glen!
Join our next walk : Book Here
The next walk follows the Hawthorn month in the glen. Afterwards you are very welcome to join us for lunch in the Falls Hotel where you can browse my books on trees and meet like-minded souls!
