Week 31: The Three Kindred: Nature Spirits

I work with the nature spirits far more than the other Kindred. It is actually my connection to the nature spirits that lead me to Druidry to begin with. The magical side of Wicca never quite seemed to fit but the connection to stones, plants, animals, and nature have always been where I have felt true sense of belonging and spiritual connection. As a child, I would spend hours reading novels while sitting perched in trees, I am an avid hiker and pause often to admire the complexity of a fern, or a flower or watch salamanders and snails for long periods of time. Nature has always felt, quiet, and perfect and no matter how stressful my every day modern life is, I can step outside and lose myself in the elements (no matter what they are; rain, snow, wind, heat, etc). I spent my childhood living in the country on a farm, refusing to wear shoes so I can feel the grass and soil between my toes, growing my own food in a garden I tended, and I always felt...a presence there. 

I've thought for years that there is magic in nature, not magic as in spells, but magic as in energies. Each element of nature, each plant, each animal, has a spiritual connection to me. I talk to trees, I talk to animals, and I talk to the wind all the time as if they are standing beside me in human form. I feel their spirits swirling around me and through me. I feel my place among them as a child of the earth, another animal on this planet, connected to this spiritual web of life. 

As a child I have always talked to faeries/Sidhe even though they have never been seen by me. When something is missing, when I get silly urges to do cartwheels or dance or sing in nature I do so for the natural spirits around me and to entertain the Sidhe. When I make offerings through ADF rituals I generally smile as I give them something that I know will entertain them. I have always felt a relationship to the creative, Noble Ones and felt they have both protected me as well as tested me. 

I have never felt a specific animal guide calling me. I feel animal energies all the time and each one has a unique meaning to me. I pause to watch snails and feel they teach me to slow down and notice everything. I pause to watch spiders and feel they teach me both creativity, wisdom and patience. I pause to watch birds and feel they teach me freedom and song. I pause to watch fish swim and feel they teach me fluidity, flexibility and tranquility. I pause to be inspired by colorful animals. I pause to feel strength from big animals. I pause to feel power and determination from predators. I pause to feel each creature and take a different message from each one. 

My relationship with them of reverence, respect and friendship. I leave them offerings, physical and spiritual, and they acknowledge my presence and give me those messages as listed above. 

Often my offerings are vocal praise, water, offerings and building little shrines out of sticks and stones while focusing loving energy around me. I have also offered songs, dance, and food to the nature spirits or to the soil. I try and learn the names of plants so that I can get to know them. I learn their leaf shapes and do my best to help them grow and thrive.

In my natural spot I have seen the seasons change, and even seen snow this year! (as well as floods). The landscape has changed as the seasons have with the trees losing their leaves and growing flowers. and with the soil being frost covered  to it dry and cracking under my feet. I do feel a connection to the land and often times I will pause to take a moment to connect with both the nature around me, taking in all the sounds and smells with my eyes closed, feeling the wind and just BEING present. Often times when I do this I finish with a modified Two Powers meditation that further connects me to the Earth power and the Sky power.