You can read about my first trip to Forest Row in Sussex here and why I traveled 500 miles to carry a beautiful stone from Scotland to England. http://limitlessroaroflove.weebly.com/blog/unity
One year on and I felt the call to return to this land, to continue the work, to continue the weaving, to continue the deepening, to continue to growth. I was So very happy to return to the home of an incredible woman who inspires me deeply. I am Always happy to sit and listen to my dear Brother and share ceremony with him. And I was Excited about who else was going to show up and share the space and journey.
The very first night we had a guest of honour…. As the last participant arrived in the evening, she brought the body of an Owl. The powerful medicine of the owl hit me immediately as it is a medicine that is important to me and I have worked with a lot. Each animal or spirit has a vibratory resonance with each person and I recommend not going Straight to books to look up other people’s interpretations of any symbology but diving with your Own connection and what the message or meaning might be for you.
The Beauty of death was with us as we opened the space and shared the first evening together. It felt a deep honour to be with this body and what it was bringing up for me and how I felt that in my entire body.
My journey through Mental Health recovery has been Fascinating and not plain sailing or easy and effortless. It has not been linear, it has been all over the place and often with little external support.
I have experienced Many times, particularly recently where the vibration of death has shown up in my energy system, in my mental body particularly, but also in the other bodies. Often this has not even felt personal, it has felt the collective piece, the pain and suffering of So many. It at times has moved through me. It has been Very uncomfortable. There have been battles within to realize this is Just a Thought and I can be courageous enough to take the next breath and continue.
Mental health can be invisible, so it may appear that I have looked well, I have appeared to be ok or ‘normal’ but inside, there has been Death seducing me and calling to me.
So I sat with the medicine of the owl. This messenger from the other side. The Gift of this creature was to help me let go. To let go of my grip on Death. To let go of my desire for Death. Owl was coming to let me know it was ok to let go. He knew I was not frightened about Death but his message to my heart was about LIVING.
As we laid the owl to rest under a powerful and sacred Yew tree, and gave the body back to the Mother, I let go of the desire for Death and the rains fell hard to wash it away cleanly and sweetly. I felt the gift of change and newness.
I do not feel healed and perfect and resolved but I feel a new Hunger for life that has not been there in a Long time. This feeling is tender and vulnerable and new so I gently take care of this, so very sweetly like a newborn.
The space that was left was filled with More love than my body could handle, so I surrender this up as well as it was So intense I couldn’t hold it.
I pray Such Love and Gratitude and Deep Respect to the Owl who helped me to remember to Live. I will remember you and honour your memory.
Thank you.
Aho!
(The mention of Hundred Acre Wood in the title of this piece is that the wood in Sussex inspired the Beautiful medicine of the Winnie the Pooh stories. So Thank you to Owl in those stories as well and all the other archetypes that I have known and understood. )