Once upon a Time

I once frequented a place of power.

A sacred grove in the Moon Valley.

Surrounded by what would once have been an ellipse of granite and white quartz Rocks aligned East- West, two thick Beech trunks grew from the same thick root, twisting upwards supporting the other trunk, and the branches, like gentle hands and fingers made it look like an embrace between lovers.

One of the roots had formed itself to become a fountain that collected Water from the rain, as if it offered its passer bys a drink, an almost mythical gesture.

On the other side, where the trunks split into two there almost always was a wet spot from the mix of Sap and Water and snails and beetles would gather to munch on the sweetness.

I used to heed that as a prosperous omen, that relationships in my life were still fertile and alive.

But when the spot was dried out, I would be sure to pass through a time of pause or void.

I would often make an offering in the fountain of Water- perhaps a small special pebble found on a special shore. A flower. A strand of hair. Or just a Prayer - the most potent of all things in this realm.

The Tree grew on top of a mound. When I first came there a warm May afternoon a long time ago before it all unfolded, I had a vision of women dancing there. Perhaps it was only my imagination, and I'm still not entirely sure where the border between the two lies, but I soon read in a book written by those with square minds, that a King was buried there. I understood that the women dancing I had seen may not have been human.

Following the alignment of Rocks out East at the bottom of the mound and then a bit, I'd walk straight into a Beech Tree. I discovered a Heart in the tree bark, placed directly in alignment with mine if I'd lean into the embrace it offered me.

When I finally did, acknowledging I had now become one of those mad Tree-huggers, I felt an otherworldly sensation of peace standing there Heart to Heart with this giant in the woods.

An inner conversation with 'it' soon happened.

This Tree was a She being. A White Lady keeper of the Sacred Grove. She told me that if I'd come regularly She'd teach me Her wisdom. All I ever had to pay for it were my tears.

A strange message and a strange exchange, perhaps, but such is friendships with other entities of this realm. Strange.

In what came to be a 7-year cycle of regular visits to this place, my place of power, at cross quarter days, Solstices, birthdays, Moon days, Eclipses, I saw, experienced and was taught strange and contradictory things to what I had previously been taught.

It challenged my perception of many things and broadened my awareness.

I know I have stories to tell of my time in the Moon Valley that would fill volumes.

This is one.

Over time, I did come to give her all my tears. And moving through that time, a Heart opening one, a final breakthrough, there were many to give. But She was my greatest Mother, her hugs so healing, her embrace a secure and safe space to surrender them to.

In exchange She shared Her wisdom with me. As promised.

When our time together was ending, and I didn't want to accept it, not wanting to let go, say goodbye, be without, the Deva of the forest intervened.

One beautiful May morning, come to mind it might have been the same date as when I first came there, on my way to my Tree friend, I 'accidentally' startled a doe with her fawn by passing too close to them.

I apologized and walked on, but soon heard the sound of steps behind me, turned and saw the doe chasing me.

An angry mom is not to be messed with, especially when she's a big animal, and she was determined to kick my a** out of her territory. She chased me all the way past the sacred grove and only when I reached the main path she stopped. Right in front of 'my place'.

Being a thick and somewhat self absorbed human who is guilty of too often thinking that Nature is made for me, it took me a while to decipher the obvious symbolism of the incident.

I did come back to say goodbye.

But She was silent.

There's no felt interaction or exchange of energy in the ellipse of rocks any longer. The lover's Tree is for someone else to discover.

Cleansed from sorrow and infinite sadness from my previous life, I sometimes pass by the place and send a grateful nod.

But I don't come there anymore.

I once frequented a place of power in the woods.

It changed my life.