Autumn Tree Magic

Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Danu Forest, author of the new Celtic Tree Magic.

Autumn is a wonderful time to deepen our connection to the world of nature, and find new ways to work wild magic. Look around…a windy walk among falling leaves can sweep away our worries, and blow the tension of the everyday world from our auras. Let the rain and cold air detach negativity and bring in a clearer perspective. Try if you can to spend some time out in nature…a park, a forest, somewhere where the natural world has its way. Notice the berries in the hedgerow, the apples on the bough; the wild world is full of abundance at this time, supporting all living things to prepare for the winter ahead. How can you align to this rhythm in your own life? Try eating local natural produce, feel the waning sun on your skin, and spend some time each day being grateful for the gifts of the earth.

Autumn is also a time to prepare for the small deaths of winter—the end of the year. Our energies and enthusiasm can grow thin, as Samhain comes and the wheel turns, and all the world seems to sleep beneath the soil. This deep still time ahead is a chance for renewal and transformation. Without this stage in the cycle, the new growth and possibilities of spring are impossible. What do you need to release at this time? What sorrows, regrets, old patterns need to be allowed to die now, and return to the earth? Let go of the things you no longer need, and create space for your new life to grow in the coming spring. Then, when you are ready, spend some little time dreaming—what are your hopes for next year? What do you want to draw to you?

You might want to try this little woodland spell. Get yourself some spring flowering bulbs, ones that favor a woodland or shady setting (anemones or snowdrops, for example). If you are planting in the wild, be responsible and see what grows naturally and find some of those to plant. Find a tree that is losing its leaves, and spend some time tuning in to its energy, its quiet presence. Allow yourself to share your secrets, your hopes and fears…burrow a hole in the earth deep enough to plant your bulbs, and lift some of the soil and fallen leaves in your hands, pouring your worries or pain into them, turning them around and around in your hands. When you are ready, plant the bulb or bulbs in the soil, a few inches deep, and bury them in the soil and leaves. Take a deep breath, and consciously see yourself releasing these old patterns of behavior or circumstance that no longer serves your highest good. Be kind to yourself, and let them go with gratitude and blessing, that they can return to the earth and nourish the new life to come. Without these challenges you would not be who you are today, ready for a time of rest, and a vibrant future when the wheel turns once again. Be like the trees, and let the old fall away with peace, trusting that when the time is right, the spring will bring more abundance and vigor than you ever imagined. Blessed Be!

Our thanks to Danu for her guest post! For more from Danu Forest, read her article “Celtic Tree Magic: 6 Ways to Work with Sacred Trees.” You can also view her new book, Celtic Tree Magic, or visit her online at www.danuforest.co.uk.