Have you been out on solitary walks, yet felt that you were not alone? Spirits of Nature are all around us, in woodland, by the side of a lake or stream and in fields and gardens. They are the essence of the wild earth and all that grows on her. Learn to make contact with them and enhance your life with a special magic.
Here we examine:
IN TIMES GONE BY
In the ‘olden days’ many people took the existence of nature spirits – or fairies – for granted. Some of the stories can be scary – for instance travellers might stray into fairyland through an opening in a barrow mound and find that they’d been gone a hundred years when they thought it was only a night. Or the spirits could fill you with panic, steal your belongings and lead you into bogs or off cliff-tops. These tales are a way of saying that nature is to be respected. There is a mystery here that we don’t fully understand with our conscious minds, however much we exploit the earth and the animals that live on her.
MODERN BELIEFS
Cultures such as the Native Americans still honour the spirits of the land. Are such beliefs superstition? Modern pagans and nature worshippers say not at all. There really are spirits of lake and forest, flower and field, tending the earth and giving it vibrancy. In fact one way to understand them is that they are the essence of the life around us, and that there is more to it all than biology and botany.
Nature spirits are by no means necessarily the decorative creatures you see in children’s story-books. They may take many forms, and they aren’t always pretty. Fairies and nature spirits are creatures of another dimension, connected to ours but not part of it. To experience them you need to put your analytical mind to one side, open your heart and your intuition and be entranced.
BECOMING ENCHANTED
‘Enchantment’ literally means ‘being inside a song.’ It isn’t about wishful thinking or illusion – it is an attitude of mind that perceives the world as beautiful with an underlying mystery and magic that can never be explained, but which always inspires. To be ‘enchanted’ is to see love and loveliness everywhere. If you are enchanted you are creative, positive, loving, joyful and up-beat – enchantment is an antidote to depression and isolation. Nature spirits can do more than any pill to lift you.
SOME FAIRY MAGIC
Certain nature spirits have traditionally proved supportive to humans, so don’t hesitate to ask for what you need. If you come with a true heart and sincere intention to harm no living being, the wisdom and power of the fairies can walk with you. Simply sitting with your back to a tree and asking the tree spirit for help can be very soothing. Write a wish on some biodegradable paper and hang it on a tree, asking the fairies to grant it. For healing, bring your worries to a stream, place your hands in the current and ask the water fairies to take away the problem. If you need inspiration, climb a hill and ask the air spirits, as you feel them playing with your hair, to open your mind and show you the way. For material wealth, gather and handful of stones and hold them. Close your eyes and ask the earth spirits to provide.
Say thank you to the fairies for all their help, even if you haven’t had your specific request granted as yet. Cultivate plants or patches of land, show respect for the earth and leave an offering of crumbs and drink to pour out onto the land after each meal. For you are part of the earth and all the bounty can be yours if you affirm that connection.
HOW WE CAN HELP
Nature spirits can uplift you and make everything in life seem more beautiful. We’ve looked at times gone by, modern beliefs, becoming enchanted, making contact and fairy magic. But if you feel very low it may be hard to get into that state of mind where you are open to them. Take that first step on your journey to comfort and enchantment by contacting one of our intuitive Readers who can show you how to open your heart and feel consoled and uplifted.
PUBLISHED: 30 August 2017