A Wild Woman takes us to the brooding wilds of South Wales, United Kingdom, in her tales and invites us to embrace Nature's Mindfulness.
There are always a handful of bluebell shoots that emerge early from the winter mulch in January. Tucked away in my favourite hiding spot underneath the grove of trees. It is easy to see why they are so encouraged to penetrate the cold surface and greet the sanctuary they'll call home.
The grove itself is situated at the bottom of a hilly field, shielded from human intervention and the often violent, high winds. Composed mostly of oak, hawthorn, and hazel, the trees nestle closely together to create a defensive canopy, sheltering the shoots from the harshest of elements. Even in winter when the branches are primarily bare but for the stray stems of trailing ivy, there is a sense of communal safeguarding. A disgruntled squirrel often patrols the parameters and it's not uncommon for a feisty Wren to ruffle up his feathers and call out angrily at the first sign of an intruder.
I find great joy in monitoring the deep understory of this secluded space. Scanning the layers of decaying leaves, broken twigs, and soft damp Earth, which continues to provide a warm bed for the budding bluebells to thrive.
The first bluebell shoots of the year are always cause for small celebration, as their arrival gives rise to the first glimmer of springtime stories and energies. My favourite season, full of hope and promise, and so I often step in to offer the shoots a helping hand by removing any barriers that might hinder the flower's potential.
It is a nature mindfulness activity that has presented many different meanings to me over the years, but on this occasion, I see it as a representation of my current day-to-day life; tending to the smaller things and removing any obstacles that might impede my future path.
After a year of working within the wider community, building up mutual trust and acceptance, I have never been more aware of how it is through the small and unimposing gestures that we make the biggest impact on the world. It might mean the little acts of kindness and compassion that we emanate towards others. Taking the time to hold space and build connections, often achieving this, simply by "being". Never underestimate how effectual the act of being your authentic self can be. When people observe you standing confidently and unapologetically in your wholeness - warts and all - it creates an infectious exchange of warmth and openness that is most inspiring.
But to get to this point of self-acceptance takes years of journeying inward and nurturing yourself in quiet solitude. Cultivating the parts of our lives that on the surface might seem unimportant to others. Such as the lull between breaths, the hush before a storm, the quiet moments of perceived nothingness is where the wise tend to the foundations of their ideas and personal growth - and this is where I find myself at this current time. Reticent, yet privately abundant in the disciplines of my gifts and artistry.
A Mindful Invitation…
For the remainder of this month and through into February, I invite you to venture outside and look to the first sightings of the Bluebells, as well as any other spring plants and flowers that have arrived in haste.
See how many different varieties you can find, and, if needs be, offer them a help in hand by moving aside any debris obstructing their stem growth. Talk to them, offer gentle words of encouragement, becoming ever mindful of this wholesome experience.
Looking within, ask yourself, how does it make me feel to be so attentive to nature's blessings? Can you begin to feel a sense of calm as you momentarily forget about life's demands and anxieties?
Might you find peace in these small, yet influential actions as you privately cultivate the natural world, and can you bring the same modest approach to your own life as you slowly create the type of future in which you are able to thrive?
There will be plenty of opportunity for exhibiting decisiveness and bold action in the coming of Spring and Summer, but for now I encourage that you retreat into your own sacred spaces in quietude, and tend to your blossoming awareness and the emerging bluebell shoots.
Nature connection with love
From my heart to yours,
Jemma x
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