Roots That Heal

I have started writing my Celtic Reiki book this week and the first chapter - The Beech (not the first chapter in the book but my favourite tee so my favourite chapter to write!) has just been completed! I’m going to be sharing some excerpts from the book as and when I feel it is appropriate, as the whole process is a great way for me to develop my understanding of each tree to even deeper levels than I have previously. And as it’s been such a long time since I shared a meditation with you I thought I’d post this one here. Stay tuned as I am going to be looking into a way to record and publish it as an actual guided meditation over the coming week, but until then enjoy reading through it and perhaps give it a try with a loved one!

This meditation works best with some music playing softly in the background, as the Beech tree delights in taking those who visit her on a dancing journey to her home. You can just as easily follow this meditation without any music and just dance to the music in your soul, if you feel that this is something you would rather do.

Find somewhere quiet and comfortable where you can sit without being disturbed. Make sure you are nice and warm and then close your eyes and quietly listen to the sound of your own breath as it goes slowly in and out, in and out.

Be aware of your body, focus on first your toes, then your feet and ankles, your calves and knees and then your thighs and hips. Note if you have any tension in any of these areas. If you do, gently direct the breath down to the tense area and allow it to softly blow away the pain. When your legs feel nice and relaxed move your attention further up your body to focus on your abdomen, chest, arms, hands and fingers. Again allow your breath to ease away any tension, slowly but surely. Finally bring your attention to your neck, face and head, breathing out any tension here, until the whole of your body feels warm and relaxed.

Quietly listen to the sound of your breath once more, noticing how slowly and deeply you are now taking breath in and blowing it back out. In and out, like a steady rhythm, beating to the sound of the music you can hear.

As you listen to the music you become aware of a green thread of light, dancing in swirls before you. You watch it, following each dip and swirl and realise that with each movement the colour gets brighter and the trail it leaves longer. Feel the green light dancing around you, inviting you to step into its world and dance with it.

As you begin to sway to the music realise that you are now standing in a beautiful forest, where the sunlight is shining down through a canopy of the most beautiful green you have ever seen. All around you there are trees growing, blissfully dancing in the slight breeze created by your very breath – in and out, in and out. Each tree dances to its own tune, yet together they make a beautifully orchestrated ensemble, dancing as if they have danced this very dance their entire lives.

As you watch this beautiful scene before you, your eyes are drawn into the distance, where a silvery grey presence begins to glow. You know instinctively that this is who you came to see – this is the star of this performance and she is inviting you to join her tonight. You walk along the path, drawn by her graceful moves, and as you draw near you realise that the silvery being is in fact the trunk of the tallest Beech tree you have ever seen.

You hesitate for a moment, wondering what you should do, when you hear a whisper on the breeze, the breeze created by your own breath – in and out. You listen and realise that the whisper is your own voice, this is your higher self speaking to you. Listen to the secrets you hold deep inside yourself – listen to how wise you are!

As you continue to breathe in and out you realise that you are the most important part of this whole dance – you are the star and the Beech is your partner. Knowing this, you reach out your arms and embrace her as you begin to dance along to your own music – the music of life. And as you touch her, the Beech tree begins to move more freely than ever before. Her roots lift up from the ground, trailing behind her like a dancer’s gown. She spins around the forest floor, dancing to the sound of your breath and the beat of your heart. She knows your pain, your joy, your silence and your voice – she knows everything about you and she wants to create a living record of who you are, right now.

As you continue to dance you realise that it is getting dark. Suddenly you find you are no longer in the forest but inside the most beautiful hall you have ever seen. The hall is perfectly round, its ceiling created by layers upon layers of branches, all reaching towards the ground and in its very centre stands the trunk of the oldest tree you could imagine. This, your partner tells you, is the first Beech tree – the mother of all other Beech trees in our world and any other. As you continue to dance around this central pillar of love and wisdom you feel another whisper in the breeze. This whisper is unlike any you’ve ever heard before – it speaks of time itself – whispering sweet words of all the dances that ever were and ever will be. Here all wisdom, knowledge and experience is recorded, so all those who ever visit will be blessed with the whole of existence. This is where the dance of life is created and where it is kept for al eternity. And you are now a part of this.

As you begin to understand the great significance of this you realise that the hall is slowly fading and you no longer feel the powerful pull of your partner’s enchanting dance. Yet a soft whisper still lies upon your breath – it tells you that this is not the end – in fact this is merely the beginning of a beautiful dance that will continue until time itself no longer exists.

Slowly but surely become aware of your breathing once more as you slowly breathe in and out, in and out. Say a silent prayer of thanks to your partner for sharing in your dance and showing you the knowledge and power held within your very breath.

Gradually become aware of your body, first your head and then your neck, shoulders, arms, torso, legs and feet. Wriggle your toes and fingers and open your eyes.

Be blessed by the energy of the Beech.

I spent last weekend in Glastonbury, meeting with friends and sharing healing and other goodies. Because of this I am behind on this week’s work so don’t have much time to write. Therefore I am leaving you all with a selection of photos I took of the trees in Chalice Well Gardens. Enjoy!

Please excuse the dates on the photos - I was using my sister’s camera and couldn’t work out how to turn the date off or change it to the correct date!!

The seasons change and with them our natural environment too. Flowers come and go, the birds raise their chicks to fly off alone in the world, and our summertime visitors, the hedgehogs, find a warm place to settle down for the winter. The trees change too, but unlike the majority of our world they remain steadfastly standing, growing taller with each passing season, going through their changes whilst remaining strong and resilient. One of their gifts to us is the promise of stability - within which we find a lesson of growth through the changes.

I’ve recently been going through major changes in my life. Since graduating last summer I have had 2 jobs and moved 3 times and am once again looking for work. My life went from being completely planned out to completely my own - and that was the scariest thing ever! However much I longed for the freedom I hadn’t expected it to be so hard to have to make my own choices. Things seemed to get wild and I felt myself being uprooted at each stage. I was moving from one season in my life into another, just as the trees do.

Unlike the trees, however, I didn’t nurture my roots, they became weak and I swayed around in the winds that battered me from all directions. I wilted under the pressure and my branches drooped. I lost my sense of purpose.

When I left uni I couldn’t wait to leave home, in fact I feared becoming “stuck”. I didn’t understand that the strongest roots are not only solid but also flexible. However strongly rooted a tree is, its branches still sway with ease in the winds that pass them. The trees teach us of both standing firm in our beliefs and yet being open enough to acknowledge ad accept that which happens to us. I didn’t see this until I was so worn down that I had no choice other than to come home or break. And it was in coming home that once more secured my roots and gave me a sense of who I am, much to my surprise. Returning to my “roots” truly did strengthen me in ways I never dreamed of and yet I still had the freedom to create my own path!!

My life is preparing for yet a new season - just like the trees - and this time my roots are more firmly attached to Mother Earth ready to bring me nourishment, both physically and emotionally. This experience brings a whole new meaning to the name Roots That Heal and I am sure my lessons on this will continue for a long time yet.

Whenever I give Celtic Reiki I feel my roots growing deep and this is one of the most pleasureable gifts given to me, the healer, as I pass on their gift to the recipient. My thoughts become clearer and my heart steadies it’s beat. What seemed an impossible task prior to the healing session will become a possible and even pleasureable path thatI may choose to journey down.  The trees certainly gift me with  solidity and stength that I often lack during my everyday life , when I forget to root or groud myself.

How strong are your roots, in all areas of your life? Do you feel they are strong or, like me,  do you need to nurture them so that they will nurture you?

I thought it was time to post another tree meditation.

The trees not only offer us their wonderful energies but also wisdom when we connect to them. It is so simple to connect to a tree because there are so many ways to do so. You can stand beneath a tree, look at a tree, look at a picture of a tree, visualise a tree in your minds eye or hold a piece of wood from your chosen tree. You can even focus on the Ogham symbol for your favourite tree! All of these will connect you to the trees beautiful energies and bring you the healing and wisdom you desire. Although Celtic Reiki helps to channel these energies, anybody is capable of tapping into them at any time!!

I tend to find myself entering into a state of meditation whenever I connect to a trees energy - which is amazing considering I am the worlds worst meditator!! So I wanted to share with you a beautiful meditation I was shown just now.

Choosing your spot (either beneath a tree or in a quiet space) close your eyes and focus on your breathing.

Ask the energy of the tree(s) to come to you with each inbreath, see it as first white light, cleansing you and let the heaviness of thoughts and worries leave you on each outbreath. Gradually notice the white turning to a beautiful green, the shade of a canopy of leaves. Continue to breath this colour on each in breath and feel it spreading warmth and freshness throughout your being.

Feel or see yourself becoming one with the tree - let the branches and leaves spread around you until you find yourself immersed in the centre of the trunk. Feel the warmth. Smell the unique smell of wood and brak surrounding you. Feel safe and comforted. Realise that although you are nestled tightly within the tree trunk you do not feel trapped in any way - you just feel calm and protected.

Once you are settled, reach out with your mind along the tree trunk, down into the roots and up, high into the branches. Reach out and feel the breeze gently rocking the branches and, if you feel the desire to, hold your hands in the air and sway gently in the breeze.

Reach further and take note of the new growth of leaves. Bask in the gentle warmth of the spring sunshine. Feel the rejuvenation after a long, harsh winter.

Bring your awareness further down the trunk and listen to the sound of birds nestling in their nests. Feel their movements and listen to the sounds of joy coming from them as their chicks first hatch and then begin to chirp. All this new growth makes you smile. You shake off any residual feelings of hardship you carried through the “winter”.

With this joy in your heart return to your centre and focus once more on your breathing. What colour is your in and out breath? Make note of this, for the colour you see here may be a key to what you need to heal or what you have just healed. The trees pass on so much insight to us, if only we listen.

Bring your awareness slowly back to the present moment, clasp your hands together in front of your heart and say a thank you or blessing of your choice.

The reason I feel this is a beautiful meditation is that it not only aligns us to the new growth of spring and therefore bringing us closer to being one with the natural cycles of the earth, but it also helps us at any time of year when we have come through a “winter” of our own and need to release the old and nurture the new.

It reminds us that as the tree nurtures itself and begins to regenerate it also offers shelter and support for all kinds of plant and animal life. We in turn help others by first helping ourselves.

I hope you enjoyed the meditation - it would be lovely to hear what you saw oor felt during it.

With brightest blessings
Amanda xx

p.s sorry about the lack of apostrophes - my keyboard has never been the same since I spilt water over it!!

This post seems so apt after yesterday’s Tree Spotlight on the Hawthorn.

I’ve been feeling out of sorts - very headachy, dizzy and nauseous - for a couple of days now - like even when I lay down I still feel like I’m moving! I thought at first I’d eaten too much of the wrong things over the weekend. Then I thought I must have picked up a bug from work. And then I read that Meredith over on Reiki 4 Life was experiencing similar symptoms as a result of cleansing and it knocked me down - why hadn’t I thought of that at all?

I’ve been busy creating so much this weekend - busy setting up a new blog and moving my old personal blog over to a new host - all in preparation of trying to set up business when I leave my job at the nursery and return home. Returning home in itself is a scary prospect and has brought up so much of my past - it’s no wonder with all this going on things are coming up for me!

As one of my dear friends always says to me - clearing works on three levels - first it happens mentally, where you decide to make a change - then it happens emotionally, where you feel the change - and finally it happens physically where you release the physical toxins that have been stored in your body due to the tension, stress, comfort food you ate…

Right now I have years of issues clearing and it is no wonder I feel ill - and yet I completely overlooked this reason for it, even though it was only yesterday I was posting about the Hawthorn and it’s ability to release the old. Hawthorn really has been working in my life lately and the Birch has been stepping in too - to help me move things forward.

So if you have issues to clear and want to move forward then try spending some time with the Hawthorn and Birch energies. Go out and sit by these trees, find pictures of them to focus on or simply use their names as a mantra - they will help you out even if you aren’t using their energies for Reiki!

Huathe - pronounced Hoo-ah - is the Ogham symbol for the Hawthorn. The Hawthorn energy is excellent at clearing the mind, releasing the negative thoughts and creating space to move forwards. I like to think that the symbol itself depicts this by pushing the negativities and confusion out the back-door, leaving the way forwards free for Beith to step in and lead us. As my Celtic Reiki Level One manual suggests, Huathe is an excellent forerunner to the Beith energy!

The Hawthorn also helps us to learn through adversity and survive any self-sacrifice we have led ourselves into. Rather than simply pushing our confusion out the back-door, it helps us process it - taking out the bits that will benefit our growth - kind of like sifting through the recycling box to make sure all the cans are in the can section and all the paper in the paper section…

The Hawthorn tree has beautiful delicate flowers and brilliantly bright red berriesboth of which are used in herbal medicine to help with hypertension (high blood pressure) and heart problems. To me this makes perfect sense because I know that when I am confused, bogged down by negativities and stressed by it all my blood pressure rises rapidly. And I ofte find myself in this situation…

Fears pop up in my life all the time, stopping me from realising my potential and living my dream. I have no doubt that it was with the help of the Hawthorn energy that I was offered the opportunity to write this blog after asking the Universe for a way to write more. The Hawthorn has so many gifts to give us mentally, physically and emotionally and it is one of the first symbols I think of when I send Reiki to myself or others.

This is a Guest Post from my Celtic Reiki Master, Rebecca. It would be lovely to see some comments left for her!

Manifesting abundance with Celtic Reiki

Working with Oir the energy of the spindle of sweetness & delight to create abundance in your life

The Spindle tree is usually a shrub & only occasionally grows to the height of a small tree. It is a smooth leaved shrub that you will find in hedges ,copses or gardens in Britain .It has lovely autumn colours & produces small greenish-white flowers, in loose clusters, during May and June, followed by an abundance of fruits
The spindle is an energy that is used in Celtic Reiki to manifest an ideal situation. An ideal situation could relate to prosperity, career opportunities, relationships or health.
The energy of the spindle can help you to create the best outcome in a physical sense, in your earthly life so it can work at its best where money, prosperity, work or people are concerned. The ideal situation for you is complex at times & very personal to your journey & spiritual development so will focus on creating or manifesting abundance in general. Sounds simple ? Your decide what you would like in your life & bingo !
Manifesting a life that is full of abundance & opportunity can take you on a complex & enlightening journey but it is rarely simple. It will be tough, it will be frustrating, there are likely to be disappointments along the way & the odd ‘wake up call’. Know that whatever happens along the way to abundance, your journey is exactly as it should be. We are sent opportunities & challenges so that we can truly understand the meaning of life & love. Begin to view the obstacles & set backs as opportunities.
Opportunities to achieve everything you deserve & more. You will be challenged to keep moving up level in your spiritual development by raising your personal vibration if you are fortunate !

What are the obstacles to manifesting fortune & abundance in your life ?

You cannot use the energy of the spindle to force another person into anything. The fact is that even if your intentions are good another person will not be able to accept your love or healing if their heart is not open or if they have blockages that must be removed & healed first. It’s a hard lesson to learn as a healer but you cannot take away someone else’s experiences even the painful ones. Sometimes achieving the highest good for all involves standing back or letting go.

The key to making sure you are truly ready to manifest your ideal situation is in self healing.

Universal Law- Like attracts like

1.The very best way to attract abundance into your life is to raise your own vibration first. You will attract opportunities & people who either match your vibration now or who appear in your life to challenge you to address your own healing issues so that you are in a position to raise your vibration & attract more abundance. Abundance is a
Vibration, become that vibration through self healing & focusing on your own personal development & opportunities will begin to draw closer.

2. Opening your heart to abundance

If the door to your heart is locked you will never be able to truly love & accept yourself exactly as you are right now. How will you ever attract the best for yourself if you do not feel you deserve the best ? You will always attract less than you deserve unless you address this. Opening your heart allows you to love yourself & others unconditionally You will not only be in a position to choose the best for yourself but you will never need to force anything onto others. You will love unconditionally which will allow you to let others follow their own path with or without you .

3. Conquer self sabotaging behaviour

If we can all use the energy of the spindle or cosmic ordering to manifest everything we desire why do so many of us fail ? You can tell yourself you deserve good fortune, you can be as determined as you mind allows to manifest opportunities but if there are blockages hidden away they will always undermine your will to manifest the best for yourself. They are like gremlins in the system. Again the key to successful manifestation is self healing.

4. Clarify what your ideal situation really is

Here it is necessary to assess your values & beliefs .Is your ideal situation based on social conditioning, fear of lack, fear of failure, low self esteem, the desires of others ? If so you will be manifesting less than you deserve & your higher self may not allow it.

Once you have done the healing work you will be ready to make the best use of the energy of the spindle & Celtic Reiki to manifest abundance in your life.

A treatment plan for manifesting abundance using Celtic Reiki & the energy of Oir, the spindle

Oir the symbol of the spindle helps you to create the energy you will need to produce the best outcome. It is up to you what you do with that energy or opportunity. Oir, the spindle is creating the environment that will be contusive to manifestation.
By beginning a healing session with Nuin (ash) & Duir (oak) you are connecting to Celtic Reiki energy
Opening doors to manifestation & protection

Draw or visualise the symbols in gold in your third eye or over your charkas. The heart & solar plexus charkas will play an important role in manifestation. The solar plexus will give you the personal power to manifest.

In-tone the name of the symbol for Oir say U-eh, feel the sound in your solar plexus/tummy area

Channel the first two symbols to your head/crown area. Use the next symbol such as Oir for a few minutes over the crown, heart, solar plexus & hara /dantien ( point below belly button).This brings the energy of the universe (spiritual) to the earth (physical)

Always allow yourself to be intuitively guided during healing, allow your inner guide/voice to steer you in the right direction.

Calmer Life Therapies

Rebecca Donaldson
Calmer life Therapies
calmerlife@aol.com

Each day I have to climb aboard a bus and travel for up to an hour simply to get to the other side of my town to work. I’d rather walk or cycle - as this has always been the way I have done it - but it is just a bit too far! But commuting has it’s advantages…

The bus route I travel on goes around the housing estates and then emerges alongside the river bank where there is much greenery. In recent months it has been quite bare but suddenly life is springing forth. I always notice the trees - whether they are in full bloom or completely naked. This winter, due to my shift patterns, I have been priviledged enough to get up and leave the house as the sun was beginning to rise and see the colours of the sky gradually changing through the empty branches of the trees surrounding me. There is something very beautiful about this. Unlike the creatures of this world (including ourselves) who wrap up to defend ourselves agaist the harshest of weathers in the winter - the trees (unless they are evergreens) lay themselves bare. As we are beginning to wake up and shake off the excesses of winter the trees begin to glow in new growth - signalling that Spring really is here.

The cycle of a tree over the year is a fascinating one to watch. From the bare trees of winter through to the blossoms of spring, the magnificence of full bloom in the summer and the glorious colours of autumn there is always a beauty to them. And the cycle repeats itself, without fail, each year - the trees’ natural rhythms working perfectly.

I cannot help but be inspired by looking at a tree, whatever the season or time of day. Each glimpse I get fills me with emotion or thoughts which spur me forwards in my own life. You do not need to practise something like Celtic Reiki to experience the magic of trees and I hope this is something which this blog is helping to show. I love the extra connection I feel Celtic Reiki makes for me and the trees - I am working with them in a special way. And yet I have been working with them for years - just in a different capacity. Tree magic (or medicine) is a natural occurence which happens on a daily basis - the key is not in finding it but becoming aware that it is already there!

The second symbol that you are attuned to within Celtic Reiki is that of Beith or the Birch Tree. The Birch tree was always one of my favourites - especially the Silver Birch Tree that until recently welcomed my when I opened my curtains each morning at my parents’ house.

The symbol itself signifies to me a choice to move forwards - to take what is offered from the Earth and the Heavens and then take a step towards the unknown - reaching out for new experiences.

Birch trees are fast growing and have many uses both medicinally and habitually - the syrup from the trees has often been used in the production of certain medicines throughout the ages and the wood and bark has been used for building houses, fires that burn even when wet (due to their large amounts of oil) and for building of canoes.

They are also very important within the eco-system as this quote from Trees For Life shows:

“As pioneer species, one of the important functions which birch trees fulfil in ecosystems is that of improving soils. They are deep-rooted, and their roots draw up nutrients into their branches and leaves, which the trees use for their growth. Some of these nutrients are returned to the surface of the soil each year when the leaves fall in the autumn, thereby becoming available for other organisms in the forest community. ”

In a spiritual sense - the Birch tree has long been known to represent new growth, birth and movement forwards. And within Celtic Reiki this symbol continues to be used for this purpose, helping to clear unhealthy connections to the past to allow movement into the present and future. It is also a good energy to use for motivation - so when you are feeling fear blocking you from moving forwards, try standing next to a Birch Tree and asking her to bless you with her powers.

In the Ogham and thus in Celtic Reiki the first symbol is Ailim. I personally find this symbol very comforting and symbolic of a beginning - for it’s four points extend from the middle outwards in the four major directions of the compass or, if you follow shamanic teachings, the medicine wheel. We too begin from a place within our own centres and extend out in all directions, especially when we send healing.

Ailim, pronounced Arl-m, represents and is represented by the Silver Fir. It is one of the symbols to which a Celtic Reiki student is attuned to during his/her first degree attunement. In Celtic Reiki practise it is taught that the Silver Fir helps us to see the wisdom of our past experiences in this and other lifetimes in order to learn and grow. It is a helpful symbol to use and tree to connect to in order to gain clarity when looking towards the future, particularly in regards to topics such as life path and purpose.

But what else does the Silver Fir teach us?

In a purely botanical sense we are told that the Silver Fir is an Evergreen tree native to the mountains of Europe. Silver Fir was also used as a Christmas tree until other types such as the Norwegian Spruce became more popular*.

In itself this may not seem like much - but we can take wisdom from those two simple sentences. This tree is an Evergreen. This means that it retains a certain consistency yet is resilient enough to endure the harshest of weather changes. With the medicine or wisdom of this tree we may learn to remain grounded whilst growing ever taller, reaching for the stars and gaining extra insight whilst adapting to outer circumstances which may either nurture or challenge us. It was also used as some of the first Christmas trees - showing a great sense of celebration and beauty. Adorned with ornaments and hiding hidden treasures underneath its boughs, the Silver Fir would become a centrepiece of love and attention. In a similar way, we too are like the silver fir, beautiful souls upon which love and attention may be poured and under whose exterior hidden treasures may be found.

Throughout the ages the Silver Fir has been used within the building of houses and production of musical instruments and is also an ingredient of magic involving change. It is a staple component of our ability to create a secure and stable habitat, yet provides us with the strength, courage and wisdom to make the changes we desire.

*Information taken from Wikipedia