Forest Yurt Retreat Day Two: Listening and Creating Ceremony

After sleeping to the orchestra sounds of croaking frogs all night, I woke up feeling refreshed.

Around mid-morning, I headed out for a meditation walk. Walking meditation is slower than regular walking.  And after all, I had nowhere to be, and was in no hurry to get anywhere.

grand forest @2013 kimcrayton

I found some lichen, and slowly walked amongst the swordferns, cedars, and mossy big leaf maples.

lichen in hand @2013 kmcrayton

I went back to the yurt for lunch. After lunch, I went over to the Grand Forest and hiked around (That is what it’s called. Seriously. It’s truly Grand.) It was kind of a surprise. I had not heard of this forest, and I just happened upon this amazing treasure.

the tall ones @2013 kimcrayton

While in the forest, I listened to the sounds of the forest floor, the earth and creatures slowly churning and growing. The forest floor is rich with diversity and complexity, it’s where nutrients that sustain the forest are created, so it is very nourishing. In every sound, texture, color and movement, the world at the roots of every tree is teeming with a quiet activity. The spirit of the forest is both exciting, mysterious, and soothing all at once.

After my walk in the forest, I went back to my yurt with the intention to create a ceremony.  I wanted to create a personal ceremony to release old identities, energies, and beliefs that were not serving me, and to welcome the emergence and expansion of my present-time divine being. I also wanted to mark my dedication to my spiritual path; the path of the mystic. (The second card in my tarot reading for Day Two of this retreat was “Nine of Arrows: Dedication.”)

I gathered some small treasures to add to the altar I had set up with the tarot cards on a small table. All the earth and elemental energies, guides and ancestors were called upon to witness and assit with the ceremony. I used the book “Sacred Ceremony” by Steven Farmer to help with creation of the ceremony.

After the ceremony, I ate some maple smoked salmon, and then fell asleep to the sweet songs of the croaking frog orchestra.

When I Am Among the Trees

When I Am Among the Trees 

among the trees ©2012 kimcrayton

– by Mary Oliver

When I am among the trees,
Especially the willows and the honey locust,
Equally the beech, the oaks and the pines,
They give off such hints of gladness.
I would almost say that they save me, and daily.

I am so distant from the hope of myself,
In which I have goodness, and discernment,
And never hurry through the world
but walk slowly, and bow often.

Around me the trees stir in their leaves
And call out, “Stay awhile.”
The light flows from their branches.

And they call again, “It’s simple,” they say,
“and you too have come
into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled
with light, and to shine.”

 

With Soulful Intent

When I started “to the forest,” I began a formal journey of intention to explore the lush life behind things unseen, unknown,dark and misunderstood.

I am still on this journey. This journey is a healing journey.

The tree people have been so generous with their wisdom.  When I become quiet and receptive, they have a lot to say.

Last time I walked through the forest, I felt a song emerge from my roots and soared out of my mouth.

As a gift of gratitude to the tree people, I offered a song.

I offered a song, and light from the heart.

Messages from the Old Roots

“Whenever I have found myself stuck in the ways I relate to things, I return to nature. It is my principal teacher, and I try to open my whole being to what it has to say.”

Wynn Bullock

Dreaming in the Forest

The forest is a rich place full of dream shadows and windows of light.  There is a fertile soil in darkness, and the shadow world is very much alive on and below the forest floor.  Once the life inside this darkness is revealed by light, we can appreciate the rich life in the shadows.  The shadow space is always working within us, and it is up to us to have the courage to delve in and shed light into the wisdom of the shadow.

With love, light and shadows, I honor the dance between my fertile shadow dreams and my radiant light body.

This is the dance of existence. The cosmic dance indeed includes light and shadow.

This is what I learn from the forest.

Tea with Trees: Pu Erh

This is a lovely ripe pu erh block I bought from Phoenix Teas in Burien WA.

It is delicious.

Pu erh teas are super healthy tea due to the microbial fermentation process and healthy bacterias that forms inside the cake during the fermentation process.   This cake is rich and dark, and when brewed, earthy and a bit malty, yet very smooth to drink.

It’s really a perfect tea to drink outside on a cool fall morning.  The smell of the tea compliments the fragrance of the forest. I can’t wait to take this tea with me on some autumn hikes.

Glow Trees

glow trees ©2012 kim crayton

 

Sit Spot

Barefoot with Red Cedar

barefoot on red cedar ©2012 kim crayton

Self Portrait

self portrait ©2012 kim crayton