Flaming Brightly, A World Tree
The leaf lay on the ground flaming brightly against the grass a miniature version of the world tree. There, its' red trunk, yellow branches and bedecked in colour.
A Portal To Another World
A portal to another world and as I left, the mainstream and the humdrum disappeared behind me. The mind quieted, the body motionless, and I stood gazing There was no sense of direction and purpose just beauty shining brightly. A luminescent light lit leaf.
Copper Norway Maple Tree (Acer Platanoides Schwedleri)
Here I am, stood in my back garden looking at a leaf on the lawn. No two are the same, the Copper Norway Maple tree (Acer Platanoides Schwedleri) towers in my front garden and is now casting its' leaves adrift, no two the same. It is a wonderful tree for the larger garden with bright red buds in winter, leaves dark in Summer turning to reds, oranges, yellows purples in Autumn. All telling the stories of the year, and the tree graceful in its' letting go.
Letting Go The Leaves of Our Stories
In that moment I let go all the worries and anxieties of the day, the stories and stood steeped in the beauty of the moment and the leaf lighting the way.
Meeting In Magic, Mystery and Miracle
To meet Mother Nature in all her beauty we just have to be open to receiving her, open to witnessing, to listening, to embracing and accepting. The leaf opened a door to magic and mystery and miracle.
Endings and Beginnings of the Celtic New Year
We are in the Fall, an old English word for Autumn. As we reach the end of October, and the the start of a Celtic new year, it is an ending and a beginning. It is known as Samhain and in Wales Nos Galan Gaeaf, meaning eve of the first day of Winter. For while marked with various festival the Celtic wheel of the year was split in two halves, Summer and Winter. For Christians this is Hallows Eve, while Diwali is also celebrated around this time. For all faiths it is a festival of Light.
Now we pay homage to the year and vigil to the coming changes. Leaves, seeds, fruits and nuts fall to the ground, only to start sprouting now and through the cold months to come, that life may leap up and live again come spring. Old ones dying and new ones being born. A time of honouring the ancestors and the light. This is what the trees teach us, how to let go the old stories, rest in the dark and look to the light so that new ones may begin.
Next time we will see which god or goddess appears to complement this tree teaching bringing ancient wisdom.
Blessings
Amanda
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