I am reminded of a post that seems so long ago now in which I told you how I found my old beech staff, or rather, how I came across the staff in a magical moment where I asked for one to appear and moments later I came across the perfect branch for the job. In honour of this synchronistic and serendipitous gift I left the staff wholly unaltered and natural. It has served me well on my travels over the past few years, but recently I have not taken it with me for some reason. It felt “light”, or “lightweight”. I felt I had outgrown it in some way. I have left it propped under my apple tree all Winter, and have mysteriously forgotten to take it with me on any walks our outings recently.
This weekend I walked along the Whitegate Way – a well-prepared straight trail following a dis-used railway track in Cheshire. The trail forms part of the Gritstone Trail, I think. The track is lined by many birch trees, and I was delighted to reacquaint myself with this beautiful tree, and it made my heart rise in the depths of Winter, and I longed for the first signs of the new year’s growth, but appreciated the silver glow of the birch’s bark as I walked a circuitous route in and around the Whitegate Way. I had no druidic work in mind, and yet something found me.
Last week I discussed with Kal how I was still at the Yew Stage, and that this year should be about renewing the vigour with which I approached the study that this druidic stage entails: reputedly death, rebirth and transformation. I say “reputedly” because reputedly the Yew tree is symbolic of death and rebirth, and yet we found that it was a pacifying presence, and this alone was the reason for its presence at graveyards, or rather, people came to be buried at places close to yew trees because of the yew’s calming effect upon human death energies. Anyway, the Yew Stage for me is identified by one becoming two – one energy stream has become a twin pair of energy streams.
Ash Trash
As I came to the end of what was frankly a pretty dull walk I was uplifted by veering away from Newchurch Common and getting back in amongst some pine trees. Feeling their enclosed warmth and comforting carpet of needles with their delightful scent invigorated me. I woke up a little and began to appreciate the languishing willow trees sucking on the juices of small ponds; the stubbornly green undergrowth; the row of upcoming birch trees that indicated we were back onto the Whitegate Way and nearly back at the car park.
As the path passed a barrier I noticed there was a smaller path undulating alongside the main straight and flat prepared path. I walked towards it then suddenly stopped dead: at my feet was a perfect length of tree branch, already topped and tailed with neat cuts and a curious y-shaped end. Wow! Although something had run it over scratching its upper bark clean and leaving a scarred bare side I could see the beauty of the wood beneath and I picked it up. It felt good – balanced, weighty, solid, strong. I walked with it on the undulating path – it was a perfect height for me, and walked well. I determined to take it home. The forked end seemed to resonate with me as a perfect symbol of this coming year’s work.
I identified the branch as ash, and when writing this account up I scoured the ‘Net to look up the significance of the Ash tree. This quote from the OBOD site made my eyebrows raise, especially after I had just written the previous statement about this year’s work being related to getting back on track with death, rebirth and transformation:
“The Ash tree has always been given mystical import and character, frequently being associated with healing and enchantment. In Celtic literature, there are many references to the Ash tree, but in particular as associated with the Welsh Magician-God Gwyddion, who bears an Ash staff/wand, a symbol of healing and especially transformation and empowerment in matters of destiny.” [link: OBOD article by Tanequil]
On this path I have chosen to walk, whenever I am walking in the right direction and sticking to The Way, I am given gifts from divine providence to help me. It sounds so corny that I wouldn’t expect anyone to believe it. I can barely believe it myself. Yet always these gifts appear at the right time, just when I need them, and with traditional associations that are perfectly in line with my intentions. Again, another perfect example. The Ash Staff for transformation and empowerment in matters of destiny. The walk continues, now with a new ally.
There is another coincidental element to contend with. A month ago I was reading Oonagh’s Worlds blog (the lovely Oonagh is so talented – see the front page of HD for a link to her blog). She had posted an article about how she had carved a delightful ash staff for a friend, called The Norseman’s Staff. I was so envious! I contented myself with my natural “beech” staff that I have been carrying for over a year, but I couldn’t help admire her work and I commented as much on her blog. You will see what I mean about her amazing carving if you take a look at her post and pictures – it’s truly beautiful. Now my secret wish has been granted! How wonderful. I smiled the whole way home knowing what I was going to do with the staff once I could work on it. The very next morning I went to buy what I needed from the DIY shop.
I spent a couple of hours taking the staff through a process of stripping the bark, smoothing the scratches and sanding the staff completely, and then waxing it with beeswax (natural colour). I am now completely satisfied with its look and feel.
In conversation with Kal it turns out that the two of us were both discovering new wooden tools to take with us on our travels this year – one the same day and at the same time but in two different locations. He was busy finding and learning about how he could employ a beech wand this year. Well, there’s a phrase I also thought I would never write! I told him how I might carve some symbols into the damaged and scratched areas on one side of the staff. He then told me how he was planning to do the same with the wand. We seem to have begun the year in complete synchrony. These things tend to happen when you follow The Way.
Gwas
