A guest post by Barbara Rose
If you go down to the woods today you’ll sure have a big surprise…. little did I know the reality of this nursery rhyme would miraculously spring to life during, and following, a quite ordinary family day out.
It began with a picnic lunch (well the title nursery rhyme is ‘The teddy bears picnic’!) in the pouring rain crouched under an inadequate umbrella in the gardens of National Trust site Wallington, in the north east of England. Two forlorn little spaniels vied for space under the table, leads wrapped around the legs (as well as ours), waiting for any stray crumbs to land at their feet; after all anything within reach of dog belongs to dog, does it not?
The first miracle of the day was that Jonty (he’s the brown and white one) kept reasonably quiet while we ate – normally he makes no bones about making his presence felt, and having a particularly well developed throat chakra, you are left in no doubt as to how he feels!
The second miracle was that shortly after eating the sun appeared, as if by magic, from behind the clouds. But then maybe that was not quite so miraculous as we were in England after all; here the natural elements follow a more diurnal variation, alternating within moments between downpours and heat waves! The rest of the day really was quite ordinary. We walked, we laughed, and we played – with the dogs that is.
Only it wasn’t really ‘quite ordinary’. All the while as we walked, and talked, I was aware of a presence. It wasn’t anything I needed to stop and tune into, or even to make the others aware of, but nevertheless it was there. It was the spirit of the wood; very tangible, almost begging to be noticed, to be acknowledged. Yet it was noticed and it was acknowledged. Not by my actually ‘doing’ anything, but by simply merging with its presence – embracing it as a very welcome friend, as we walked on in ‘ordinariness.’
As the dogs splashed around in the stream, I turned about, suddenly aware of a change in the vibration of the ‘presence’. It felt very light and joyful, fairy like – I was transported to another realm where time ceased to exist; a single moment filled with an ethereal quality of eternity. It awakened a child-like wonder as I stood mesmerised, although my physical eyes perceived ‘only’ the wood. I took a photo, nothing special – just a simple snapshot, and returned to my family.
Fairy Glen
Towards the end of the day I took some time out to sit quietly and simply ‘be’ with the ‘Spirit of the Wood’. External sounds – children laughing, adults chatting and dogs barking – faded to nothing. I became the inner silence, merging with the quiet stillness that slowly enveloped me, and allowed my gaze to softly settle upon a small copse of trees several yards ahead.
Outwardly it was nothing special, there was no dramatic inpouring of light to ignite the awakening spirit, no stirring of excitement within, and yet there was ‘something’. Something so intangible it was almost visible. I could feel it deep in my heart.
Nothing Special?!
I let go, sat for a few moments, and then took another ‘snapshot’ before taking my leave. I bowed in reverent appreciation for the great gift that had been bestowed – though I had no idea as to the nature of this gift. I knew I had been touched by ‘something’ quite special, something that had awakened the extra-ordinary in the ordinary.
And so our quite ‘ordinary’ family day out came to a close. I returned home and after a few days began playing with the photos I had taken, particularly those featured above (not the dogs!!!). I used a technique similar to that used by Jason when he creates healing nature mandalas and before long a magical transformation had taken place where the ‘being’ I had sensed in the copse ‘appeared’ from nowhere; joy, humility, privilege, resonance, recognition, appreciation – all these feelings bubbled silently within as I gazed upon this wise and benevolent being.
Each of these words were considered when it came to naming the ‘vision’ yet in the end there was only one title that felt fitting for the whole experience – ‘Wallington Wood’ – couldn’t be anything else really, could it? As to the qualities it embodies, its essential essence? ‘SURPRISE!’ – Naturally!
'Wallington Wood' embodying essence of Surprise
Inspiration for this blog post came from the following quote: “We do not see nature with our eyes, but with our understandings and our hearts” William Hazlitt
These few words encapsulate not only the extra-ordinary day out, but the essence of how I engage with our natural world. Nature, for me, is something I am rather than something I do, but then the ‘apparent’ doing is an essential part of that relating. The magical qualities embedded within this journey arose through my embracing all that unfolded before my eyes; I had no agenda and did not seek to make myself separate in order to have some grand ‘mystical’ experience. A single breath carried me forward from family to fairy glen, to copse, to dashing dogs, to PC – culminating in the magnificence that is ‘Wallington Wood’.
Wallington Wood is one in a pack of 48 contemplation cards – ‘Nature’s Way’ by Barbara Rose – intended to instill wholeness and well-being through the marriage of nature beings and sacred geometry.
Available now for immediate despatch at the special introductory price of £9.95 (RRP £12.99), including p&p to UK mainland (offer valid until 30th September 2011).
Click on the ‘Nature’s Way’ image now to order your set of Nature’s Way contemplation cards.
Barbara Rose is an award-winning author, visionary artist and researcher of Truth. Her creative journey has flowed as a river through her life, winding its way through the outer forms, to emerge into the unique works of art they are today. She offers the wisdom of her experience, together with her inspirational creations, in service to others; facilitating ease of transformation through talks, workshops and contemplation groups. She lives in Preston, UK with one cosmic cat, Gentle Jess, and Jonty Sunbeam Spirit-Walker; a canine Sirian who graces even the most dismal wintry days with sun-kissed perfection!
Website: www.visionsofreality.co.uk
Blog: http://visionsoreality.blogspot.com/
Email: barbara@visionsofreality.co.uk
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