Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Sharlyn Hidalgo, author of The Healing Power of Trees and the new Celtic Tree Rituals. I just got back from a three-week visit to Ireland on a pilgrimage of sorts to connect with the spirits of the land. We were a small group that traveled with local guides so that we could visit out of the way places strong in spirit. The greatest reward for traveling there was understanding that Ireland is the birthplace of the ogham, or tree alphabet. It originated in Ireland and then moved east to the rest of the rest of the British Isles. So, in a way it was like going home. I also met quite a few people who are as passionate about the ogham as I am.

Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Sharlyn Hidalgo, author of The Healing Power of Trees. November marks the New Year in the Celtic Tree Calendar; its tree is the Beith Birch. The Birch teaches us to establish new beginnings, so this is the month to clear it all away and push the restart button. Look at what you have accomplished and pat yourself on the back. Take the time to evaluate the year and make new plans based on who you are in this moment.  Look at what never got done; perhaps this is the time to let go of that plan (there is no need to feel guilty). This is a great time to clean your closets and let go of things and clothes that no longer reflect who you are in this