Becoming transparent

This is another "meditation" that I use, to get closer to the earth powers.  It also helps calm me after I have watched a scary movie :-P

I sit on the grass outside, and close my eyes.  I open my energy gateways, and try to let the earth energy flow up into me.  It moves up in waves, until it fills me.  I let the energy flow in and out, through me, trying not to shape it or impede it in any way.

I think of the earth's aura: the huge magnetic field that flows outward through its crust and hundeds of miles out into space.  I feel myself as a tiny speck floating in this vibrant energy.  I am at the bottom of a well of light, that flows from the heart of the earth out into space.

I feel the wind blowing past me.  I imagine that I have become transparent, offering no barrier to the wind.  I have melted into the earth's aura, the wind blows through the spot where I am sitting.  The energy of the earth flows freely through me as if I am not there.  I am a part of the earth.  I am as much a part of nature as the grass and stones.  Nothing can harm me, because the earth loves me and protects me.

I can only maintain this feeling for a few moments at a time before returning to myself, but it always leaves me feeling relaxed, calmed, and energized.

Walking in the dark

 This is a "meditation" that I started practicing a few years ago, when I had to walk across a pasture in the dark.

I have very poor night vision.  When I had to walk across a pasture in the dark, I used to try to watch my feet closely to avoid holds, sticks, etc.  But it was too dark to really see, so I was always tripping and stumbling.  The ground never seemed to be where I thought it was.  It was hard to tell where I was going, because I was afraid to look up.

So I have found another approach.  I try to relax and NOT look at my feet.  I look outward at the horizon, without really focusing or trying to see details.  Then I walk forward confidently, trusting that my feet will know where to go without my assistance.  I open myself to the earth energy, and let my awareness flow outward, and just trust that if I need to know about something (a hole, a ditch, etc) then I will know about it at the right time.  This is very difficult for me -- to let go of seeing, of planning and knowing, and just trust that I will not fall.  But the results have been amazing.  I have not tripped ONCE since I started doing this.  I can travel up and down slopes, over ditches, and my feet always seem to know where to go.

A goodbye

I am sorry to report that last Thursday morning, in the first dark of the new moon, my wife's horse passed away.

She had been fighting hard for several months, and I think that she decided that she was done and it was time to move on.  We are grieving, she was a great-hearted lady and we will all miss her greatly.  She was my wife's soul-sister, and I know she will be watching out for her and helping her in the future.

Gifts from Oak

There was a part of my last spirit journey that I had not written down.  Near the end, I looked at the tree's leaves closely, trying to determine exactly what kind of tree it was.  But the leaves flickered and changed shape as a looked, I could not pin it down.  After a moment, the tree chided me and said that the shape of the leaves doesn't really matter.  "Leaves are prayers to the Sun, but acorns are gifts of the Moon.  The morning after a full moon is an excellent time to collect newly dropped acorns.  They will be filled with both the blessings of the Moon and gifts of the tree."

Well, that night had been a full moon, in fact the largest and brightest full moon in several years.  So the next day when I was out at the barn, I remembered and looked over at the oak trees.  As soon as I looked, several acorns dropped to the ground.  I went over and collected a small handful of the freshly fallen ones.  I didn't know what to do with them, so I kept them in a bowl.

Yesterday I saw the bowl, and I immediately knew what to do with them: put them in the ground in a circle around the paddock where my wife's horse is recuperating.  I did that today, placing each one in the ground with a brief wish that they will lend her some of the Oak's gifts: strength, endurance, and the ability to weather a storm without cracking.  (she already has patience and wisdom in plenty :D)

I hope this helps her continue to improve.  Her feet are slowly healing, it is now an endurance match for her to keep strong and positive until she can get back on her feet.