Crone’s Corner
Heeding the Advise from a Tree
There is a stillness in the air in New England when we approach Samhain, the time of year for the descent to begin into the dark days, when the light leaves us to contemplate the harvest of our year that has passed. I feel the trees, which were full of life a few weeks ago, giving their final farewell in a burst of color displaying their life well lived during the turning of the wheel! The first week of November marks the last of the leaves falling gently to the ground, covering the earth in a blanket of brilliant yellow, red, and orange and the feeling to turn inward is prominent in my mind and in my walk. It is time to allow self-reflection, examine the year that has passed, and looking at the natural beauty around me, I will heed the advice of a tree as the descent into the dark days of contemplation begin.
Stand Tall and Proud: I am a strong woman, ever changing and making no excuses or apologies for that strength; yet, somehow, I often fall short of being proud of myself and standing tall in my convictions as I sometimes yielded to the deference of others. The tree, no matter the storm, bends and wavers and drops its fruit; however, once the storm subsides, the tree returns to standing tall and proud and does not yield. Should the storm snap the tree, signs of growth and new life begin to quickly emerge as she heals herself. I feel that the advice is to bend in the winds of change and return to my center. Should storms arise in my life, I may bend and yield and if I snap, there will always be a way to accept that new life, new beginnings are coming and possible. Be proud. Stand tall. Something to consider as the darkness takes over the light in the coming weeks.
Go Out on a Limb: Ah! The joys of going out on a limb, where safety and security seem precarious, at best! This is an exciting notion to me, I love to jump from planes, I love to rock scramble, and I love to do things that bring excitement and newness to my life. Somehow though, I don’t believe that this is actually the limb on which I should be going out…for me, going out on a real limb is self-exploration, examining ego, take a real risk of admitting to the self those things which require work, change, or acknowledgment. These are fears. Going out on a limb means challenging myself, bringing about my highest and best good, examining and changing that which required my attention. This year, as the wheel turns and I get closer to performing the seed work ritual, going out on a limb will mean identifying and facing fears so that positive change can happen.
Remember Your Roots: Roots are not just about people or ancestors or family and friends. Roots are also about my morals and ethics; the things that keep me grounded in a reality that is made up of kindness and compassion, for myself as well as for others. My roots have been shallow as of late and that is perfectly fine for the time being, yet comfort comes and sets in to give me a false sense of security and I know that the time is upon me to dig deeper, replant the roots, allow them to grow into the center and hold me steady and calm. Self-examination brings about deeper roots and I am working diligently for my roots to take hold and support the solid foundation upon which I am building my life.
Drink Plenty of Water: We cannot live without water. Our bodies are comprised mostly of this element and it is a requirement to sustain life. Drink plenty of water. This advice, to me, means that I must stop and take the time to nourish myself, drink of life, drink of pain, drink of happiness, laughter and love. All of it. Drink it all in, let it be the lifeline to symbolically drink in life as I make every attempt to live it well. This is an amazingly strong visualization for me as I chant during ritual “Earth my Body, Water my Blood, Air my Breath, and Fire my Spirit” Drink plenty of Water! Nourish the Soul! Be who you are.
Be Content with Your Natural Beauty: A tree makes no apologies; it lives the seasons and shows its beauty in all of them. In spring, small buds form on otherwise barren branches and limbs, awkward and bare as it transforms to summer, in full bloom, a bonnet of green and lustrous beauty, which is soon made even more beautiful as autumn approaches with a paint brush of brilliant reds, yellows, oranges, greens, and browns…the leaves gently falling to the ground as winter sets in with completely bare limbs and branches, yet somehow, the steadfast beauty of the tree remains. This is a lofty goal for a woman to reach; yet somehow, I have never felt the need to be particularly made up as I watch the seasons change and the years pass by, I am more and more content with my natural beauty and physical appearance and this is advice that I wish I had heeded during my maiden years.
Enjoy the View: No matter where I am or what I am doing, I always take a moment to find the most beautiful thing in my surroundings. I call this stopping to smell the roses. In all things, at all times, there is beauty waiting to be noticed. It may be a small act of kindness, it may be a cute baby, it may be a rock but for certain, whatever it is, it is there awaiting your eye to cross it, to acknowledge it and to be thankful in that moment that you caught a glimpse of something beautiful in your day, every day. Enjoy the view. Always.
*Shirley Lenhard has provided a beautiful Freebie this month to accompany Crone’s Corner theme. You can find it under the title This Month’s Freebie from Shirley Lenhard in the Monthly Column’s Section. Enjoy!
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About the Author:
Shirley Lenhard has been a practicing Witch and Pagan since 1983 and lives in New England with her husband. She is employed full time in the legal field and has her Masters Degree in Psychology from the University of South Florida. Shirley looks forward to living her best possible life by giving back to the Pagan Community and has created the Facebook group “Pagan Plannertarium” where she provides a safe home for fellow pagans to have discussions about their path and to get free planner stickers and layouts. The Pagan Plannertarium is a beautifully created home for FREE Pagan Themed planner stickers for anyone who answers the membership questions and gains entry into the group. The Pagan Plannertarium can be found here: Pagan Plannertarium
Shirley is a past writer for Llewellyn Publishing and The Peace Paper. She currently writes for The Crone’s Corner, for PaganPagesOrg, and provides layouts and stickers from Pagan Plannertarium in featured craft articles as well. Shirley is also a current blogger for Witchcraft & Wiccan Supplies – Earth Warrior Essentials LLC