Hedgewitch – The Cauldron Goddess

How to Connect With Plant and Animal Allies

On the animistic path, we forge relationships with our non-human kin. This includes plants of all kinds, the land and elements, crystals, rocks, insects and of course, the animals. We may also cultivate relationships with our ancestors, spirit guides and other light beings and deities in the spirit world.

Like any relationship we would have with a human friend or loved one, these relationships require some energy, time and willingness to cultivate. Part of the challenge in doing this is that we are conditioned to take these beings for granted or see them as beings that don’t have the same capacity for relationship as a human. Or we may just not be sure how to foster this relationship, because it isn’t something we think we know or remember how to do. We’re afraid of ‘doing it wrong’. We may feel intimidated by the spirit world or think we need some special psychic powers to do this.

The truth is, all we need to do is remember what it was like to be a child, when we felt connected to everything. Kids naturally connect with nature kin and the spirit world very easily! We read fairy tales and watch shows of mythical beings as children and some of us still do as adults, because we know they aren’t silly, but hold truth. We are taught to un-learn our natural connection to the spirits of land and spirit, separating us from our original soul family.

We simply need to remember when we felt the ladybug was our friend, the tree was a wise grandfather, and the wind was whispering to us things we needed to hear. We need to remember to trust the feeling of awe, mystery and magick that lies in the world around us. That remembering of not being alone and that there is a world of loving, sentient beings that we can connect with any time we think we’re alone.

Animism reminds us that we are all connected- to all other beings, whether they have an earthly body or not. We are one and just because their energy is a bit different than ours, doesn’t mean they are less powerful. On the contrary, these beings often carry a purer connection to Source because they don’t have the same ego/mind that humans contend with.

Much of the spiritual path is remembering things we already knew innately as children (and perhaps past lives) and releasing many of the things we were taught at school, at home and in the world.

Beginning a Relationship With our Non-Human Kin:

So how do we start? In my opinion, there’s a lot of old Christian/Patriarchal beliefs that have tainted our innate connection to the spirit world with power hierarchies and rank, bringing issues of worthiness and self-trust to individuals on the seeking path.

We feel we need tons of special training, the permission from an ‘expert’ or high priest/ess, elder, shaman, etc to access our innate heart connection to spirit, but that’s not true.

Any spiritual leader worthy of learning from will remind you that you have the power and innate ability to do this, and believe in your innate connection. It may take some practice. Support can be helpful, of course, but not necessary.

The secret to cultivating these relationships is this:

How would you begin or maintain a relationship with a human? Or a pet? How would you wish to be treated? Our heart connects us to other humans and non-human beings, so let it lead the way. The heart feels and knows more than our mind.

Start simple-Meet a neighborhood tree:

Take a moment to center and ground yourself. Tune into your childlike heart and mind. Be open, curious, and hold a loving, good will within.

Take a walk around your neighborhood and let your heart lead you to a tree. Greet it like you would anyone else you haven’t met before:

‘Hi, I’m (name), nice to meet you. Can I come and sit down?’ (or you can stand if sitting isn’t accessible). Listen to their answer energetically, through the heart. Does it feel like a ‘yes, come and sit down’? or a ‘no/maybe not right now’? Trust your instincts.

Usually, trees are more welcoming than humans you first meet and are often happy to let you lean on or sit up against them early in the relationship! Your heart will likely guide you to a tree that is happy to connect with someone and is doing well. However, if you are guided to a tree that seems sickly or unwell, you can ask them what they need. You may be drawn to them to offer some love or learn from them. It’s important to be in listening mode, rather than talking mode when you first meet a tree or any other being, really. Trees, just like people, love being recognized and appreciated.

It’s common for the adult mind to feel silly or worried about what other people might think when we start talking to trees. The adult mind is conditioned to shame this part of ourselves. But with practice, it gets easier. From what I’ve noticed in here Toronto, more people are connecting with the trees around in personal ways and it’s becoming less of a ‘weird hippy’ thing to do and just something we need to do!

The great thing about being with a tree is that we don’t have to make small talk, plaster on a fake smile, or act or perform in any way. We can just be real, and the tree feels what’s real. We listen with our heart and speak from the heart. We can speak out loud or silently. They hear us just the same.

How to Connect With Them:

You can spend as long as you like with the tree. You can begin a powerful connection just by feeling into their energy and merging your own energy with them. You can temporarily let yourself ‘become’ the tree. This is an intro to shapeshifting and is a form of listening and honoring. It helps us to connect with their energy and remember this aspect of our own beingness- because we are all connected.

Does the energy feel it has a gender resonance? Is it soft, gentle, firm, strong? Does it feel young, middle aged or older? If they were a human, how would they look or act? What is their personality like? How do they make you feel? These questions can help us foster a connection.

Once you’ve felt their energy, you may want to have a conversation with them. This can be during your first meeting or after several times just feeling their energy and personality.

When conversing with a tree, just speak intuitively, from the heart. You can ask them questions about themselves or about life, or what they sense about you or something you are struggling with. You may feel the replies in your heart and it will feel like talking with a friend. It takes practice to let go of the ‘am I doing this right? Is this all in my head?’, and to just trust what you feel. But practice is key to noticing the difference. If it feels right, it likely is.

There doesn’t even have to be any words exchanged, really. When we connect with the tree’s energy, we might feel a part of ourselves awaken and receive information through the tree, into this part of us, which then gives us information we can use in our life and feel more whole. We don’t need to let things get too much in our heads. Sometimes the less we think the better the connection is.

Connecting With an Animal Ally:

Connecting with animal spirits and shapeshifting are ancient practices our ancestors all over the globe practiced. It isn’t only special cultures or people that can do this- we all can. Granted, there are different traditions, practices and lineages of practice, which all deserve their due respect. However, the original, pure connection we have with animals is innate, just like with trees and other beings.

When you were a child, was there an animal you felt a strong connection to? Did you have a pet? Is there an animal you feel drawn to these days or keeps showing up in your dreams or in your daily life? If you were an animal, which one would you be?

Animals can show up in real life, however because only some are visible in our local environment and many prefer to stay away from humans, they may choose to show themselves through media, in our dreams, in our environment, on a billboard or ad, on someone’s shirt, etc. They may not necessarily show themselves in real life while we walk down the street. Some animals come from lands far away that want our attention, and some are just less common in our environment. That’s ok! You don’t have to see or interact with a literal tiger to connect with the tiger’s spirit. If it comes with a feeling- like ‘I think this animal wants my attention’- it’s worth checking out!

How to connect with an animal ally: Try my recorded guided meditation journey to find your animal ally here:

This is the meditation we do at my in-person circles and part of my Nourish Your Spirit program.

Cultivating a relationship with an animal ally is similar to one with a beloved human. You may wish to honor them with photos in your space, learning about them and their likes and dislikes, their habits and routines, what they eat, how they survive, what makes them special and how they experience the world. You can connect with them in your imagination, in your heart, through photos, memory, or literal physical connection.

Sometimes having a part of the animal’s body- such as a naturally shed antler, claw, skin, or fur can help you connect. I like to find or make figurines of the animal and have them on my altar.

With animals, it can be easier to feel that they are an aspect of ourselves. We can move our body and make sounds like they do- again, we did this as kids all the time, playing pretend!

One way to get closer to our animal is to merge with them and become them. If you did the meditation above, you may have experienced that. You can also go a step further, and put on some music and dance as your animal. Bringing their energy into your body and into the world is something they appreciate. It is a form of honoring them.

Also, you can honor animals through donating to causes that support their habitat, safety and existence. You can honor them through expressing their energy or your love for them through art, writing, or simply walking in the world in the way they do. By adopting some of their habits or ways of being in the world, you will start to notice how deeply you are connected and how this energy supports your wellbeing and your life.

Offerings:

I feel an important part of my relationship with spirit allies is giving thanks and appreciation. This comes naturally of course when you connect from your heart rather than your head. It’s not that we ‘have to’ give an offering to get into their good books or make a deal or other manipulative give-and-take actions. We don’t need to give our blood or sacrifice ourselves to be in relationship. I don’t feel that we need to prove our worthiness or anything to speak with a tree, animal or other non-human kin. To me, that is hierarchical relational nonsense. It’s our natural reaction to genuine heartfelt connection to want to give thanks and appreciation. When you genuinely care, you show respect. If you aren’t genuine, you need to find that first before starting a relationship.

To show thanks, you can honor your plant ally by:

Taking care of them physically in the world, such as watering a tree or cleaning up garbage around them.
Feeding the earth or the squirrels/birds that live in or near them.
Giving them a genuine hug, kiss, share a song or words of gratitude.
Offer herbs, or other natural gifts, especially those you’ve cultivated or created yourself
Simply offer your love, placing your hand on the plant, tree, rock, etc.

You can honor your animal ally by:

Taking care of this animal in its physical form if accessible or offer money or time to an organization that supports them.
Honoring them through merging, or dancing.
Creating something in their honor.
Having a dedicated space to them in your home or on your altar, having a photo of them where you always see it, candles, etc.

Maintaining a Relationship:

Our non-human kin relationships are like our human ones. Some allies are with us very closely for a period of time and then we may go months or years without much contact, only to reconnect again in a new or similar way. Sometimes we may not really connect much with them again. Some allies are very close with us our entire lifetimes, and everything in between. If we are in a genuine connection with our ally, we will know if it is time to have some space or not. We can ask them directly and let our heart receive the answer.

It’s ok if some allies are a bit further from us for a while. Another may step in to help us learn something, or we may just need time to integrate what the relationship brought us. Sometimes, if they’ve been helping us with something, they give us the chance to see what we can do on our own.

If you haven’t felt a connection in a while, it doesn’t mean they’ve abandoned you, it just may mean you either may need to put forth some effort to reconnect, or trust that there is a reason for the distance. Follow your heart in this relationship. Sometimes they simply wait for us to make the first move to show we want to connect and they are happy when we do!

I hope that helps to give you a sense of what having a relationship with our spirit allies can entail. The same suggestions apply to other beings or guides in Spirit you may be working with or getting to know.

If you have any questions about this or wish to journey deeper into the process, you may be interested in my Nourish Your Spirit program, a 12 week journey where we connect with 5 allies- An animal, tree, crystal, herb and element. It also includes a Tarot Reading. Contact me if you’re interested! Sessions can be online or in-person.

If you’re in the Toronto area, you may wish to join us for our Spring Equinox Circle: Connecting with our Animal Allies– where we will do the meditation in-person together and connect with our animal allies that are coming through for us during this next season and beyond!

Blessings of beautiful connections on your path,

Serena

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Letting Go of Spiritual Boxes & Embracing Your Unique Path

Life is full of ideals and expectations about who we should be- and this also goes for who we should be as a Witch, a spiritual person, or a follower of a certain tradition. Sometimes these come from the current culture and trends, other times they are passed down through generations or through long-held traditions. Often we internalize them.

While sometimes ideals and expectations help us grow, other times they hold us back and become a stifling box that we struggle to fit into or get stuck in over time.

Social media floods us with specific ideas about what being a Pagan, Witch or having a spiritual practice should look like or be like. These days there are pressures to fit your spirituality into an existing aesthetic, to create an entire brand around it and spend many hours a day making inspirational yet illusory content to gain followers which now includes a lot of AI generated stuff.

This isn’t to say that everyone making spiritual content is expressing something inauthentic, fake, or is stuck in a box (myself included here!) just that this is an expectation that social media puts puts on us. This can lead to some unrealistic ideals as to what a witchy life really is and what it actually looks like. It really is time consuming as well, and I’d rather be doing my spiritual practice than trying to fit it into social media’s tiny boxes for consumption.

Glamour and Illusions

Seven of Cups- Not all is as it seems, choose wisely

Most of the images we see in media can be deeply inspiring but not necessarily a reflection of our daily reality. Images of women in hooded shawls meditating with ancient standing stones, dancing in white dresses in misty forests, or drawing handmade Tarot cards by candlelight are beautiful and inspiring, but can set an impossible ideal of the ‘magical life’ that folks may feel they need to attain to be a ‘real witch’.

While my own practice includes rituals of card-pulling, nature walks, yoga , meditation, chanting or journeying, it’s not necessarily aesthetically pretty, upholding an ideal nor something I feel is meant to be shared.

Sometimes my practice looks like lying in my pj’s journaling a disturbing dream, ugly-crying through old emotional pain the shower or breathing a quick and desperate prayer on my way to sleep after a stressful day.

My practice also looks like vacuuming, washing dishes or cooking a meal with intention. Sometimes it’s just doing nothing, taking a nap or cuddling my cats. It’s also asking existential questions while I look blankly into my fridge for the answers, or tuning in to my inner wisdom while standing in line at the grocery store or sitting on the subway.

I hope to remind us all, whether a newbie or experienced on the path- that magic is everywhere, all the time, including within us.

Your spiritual or witchy practice can be anything you do that brings meaning into your daily life. Mindfulness and intention are what can make a seemingly routine or mundane action, like eating breakfast, magickal.

For example, you can eat your breakfast with gratitude to the Earth Mother and connect with your food’s origins. As you eat, you can give thanks to your body and appreciate it. You can recite a daily affirmation, receiving the positive energy of the words as nourishment with your food.

Living a spiritual life can be as simple as integrating meaning and perspective into your daily existence.

Magickal practice is called such because it is like working a muscle, a repeated remembering of our wholeness and power, which can be called upon in times of stress or suffering.

It’s also about being true to you and honest with yourself. Your practice may fit into an existing tradition or current trend just fine. Until maybe it doesn’t. Then it’s ok to step out of the box!

Some examples of trying to fit into a spiritual box:

Eight of Swords- Free your mind, free yourself

Portraying your spirituality on social media to please an algorithm, gain popularity or fit into an aesthetic: You don’t need to conform to these expectations or share everything. Some spiritual experiences are meant just for you and not others.

Conforming within a spiritual group or tradition that conflicts with your true values: Perhaps you’re attracted to something within this group or path but there are things that make you feel uneasy or like you have to put away or hide an important part of yourself or your beliefs/values to follow it. This will eventually make it really hard to stay or move forward.

Sticking to a ritual, practice, tradition or path because you feel you should, even if it isn’t resonating with you anymore: Perhaps you’ve always done something one way and it used to support you but now it feels meaningless or like you’ve outgrown it. It’s ok to evolve out of something! Commitment and repetition can be strengthening and supportive, until it’s not and you need to change it up somehow.

Following spiritual trends to be trendy: Is this helping you grow spiritually or is it stemming out of ego, or a need to belong and be accepted? Or, is it just not truly resonating with you?

Following a teacher that isn’t really helping you grow: Maybe this teacher is highly recommended, or popular with others. But if they don’t resonate with you, your values, or they raise red flags- you don’t need to stick with them.

Engaging in a spiritual practice because it helps you avoid reality: Spiritual bypassing is a common trap on the path. It may feel good at first, but ultimately asks you to not love or accept your whole self- light and shadow. While we all need some time out from the heaviness and negativity of this world, I feel the purpose of spiritual practice is to help us live our earthly life with more presence, meaning, and faith, rather than avoidance.

One thing I have learned over the years is that I need my spiritual path to allow me to be who I already am, as well as who I want to be. In my light and my darkness. In my bliss and in my daily responsibilities.

It does however, take some time and experimentation to figure things out. So, don’t feel bad or beat yourself up if you’re stuck in a box. These lessons are part of the path! They make us wiser.

Following Traditions vs Forging Your Own Path

Eight of Cups: It’s ok to leave it behind and follow the call to a new horizon

I’ve often felt like something was wrong with me for not feeling 100% devoted to one path, one tradition, one deity or pantheon in my life. I wondered, was I too weak, lazy or not committed enough to keep going in that one direction? Why was I failing? Why did I always feel I was hitting a wall and unable to keep going? Why couldn’t I just find ‘the one’ path for me?

My Spirit would only lead me so far down an existing path before guiding me elsewhere. My mind would get confused by this. I didn’t want to be someone who just dabbled, or took spirituality lightly. Truthfully I wasn’t someone like that. But what my Spirit was showing me, was that I didn’t need to be more committed to an existing path, I needed to learn to commit to my own unique path and my own intuition, rather than the path I was immersed in at the time.

I often spend years immersed in one tradition before I move onto another one and do the same, like a serial monogamist. But these days, different aspects of my many paths (which are all under the Pagan umbrella) come and go as needed into my daily practice, and they’ve kind of formed their own beautiful tapestry where I can easily access an entire thread if need be.

I appreciate and respect wisdom traditions, teachers and the roots of spiritual practices. I respect those who’ve forged paths before me. But I am here to forge my own path. I let my intuition guide me, which comes in the form of a strong internal pull coupled with signs in my life pointing in that direction.

As we get older, I think most of us understand that life is too short to waste our precious time and energy squishing into stifling boxes, or pretending to be someone we are not. We also learn to embrace the limits of our energy and the curveballs thrown into our path.

Spiritual growth is never linear for me, and so my commitment is to my own process of becoming wiser rather than to a fixed set of beliefs or teachings.

Quieting the Inner Critic & Letting Go of Control

The Hanged Man: New perspective is gained from surrender and letting go

As August brings with it a reflective vibe (and Mercury retrograde), I have been assessing my ‘progress’ on my dreams and goals I made at Imbolc and have been hard on myself for where I’ve fallen short.

I started scolding myself for not having met a creative goal I made at Imbolc. In fact, I haven’t even started the project. Instead, my body and soul called for some deep healing, cleansing and rest. I’ve learned to listen to this call when it comes.

So, I spent the last month focusing on healing with a liver and diet cleanse, as well as some shamanic and energy healing with my healers, which brought up some past life pain and emotions. I am just coming out of this process and am a bit exhausted, but also much lighter and freer, energetically.

Another Imbolc goal I had was to gain more herbal knowledge, but instead of intentional study, I have been spending hours with my indoor plants dealing with bug infestations and out in my garden trying to save my Mugwort and other plants from hungry rabbits.

I learned through months of trial and error that nemetodes are a decent remedy for fungus gnats, and rabbits are very sneaky. I suppose this has furthered my knowledge in a certain way, just not in the way I’d intended!

At Lughnasadh/Lammas, I didn’t do any traditional baking of bread, nor did I hold a circle, because I needed a break. I celebrated Lammas in a more internal, reflective way this year, but criticized myself for ‘not doing enough’ anyway.

Conditioning runs deep!

Just because we have a tradition of baking bread at Lammas doesn’t mean we have to do that. Just because we had a beautiful plan or goal, doesn’t mean circumstances and timing support it. We may like to think we can manifest things we want, but sometimes the universe has another (better) plan.

Many folks are drawn to witchcraft because they want to feel more in control of life or circumstances. They want to have the power to manifest their desires. Yet, I’ve learned all we can really control is ourselves and how we respond to what life puts in front of us. Our inner work is really where it’s at.

Over the years, my practice has moved away from manifestation and spell work and towards my inner work- healing and shadow work, as well as surrender, and embracing the Mystery. This is where my path has taken me and it has helped me grow.

It doesn’t mean we are any less of a witch or spiritual person if we do things differently than someone else or how culture dictates it to us. You don’t need to do spells, grow herbs, chant, worship deity or wear shawls at dusk in the forest, to be a ‘real’ witch. Witches come in all forms, and magick does too.

A Full Moon Calling for Freedom

The Star: Aquarius, pouring the waters of inspiration on Earth.

I am writing this as we head into a Full Moon in Aquarius on August 19th- the sign of liberation from outmoded boxes, traditions and expectations. This full moon is brimming with the energy of freedom, inspiring a change in perspective and the release of chains that we may have wrapped around ourselves or boxes we are ready to climb out of-mentally, emotionally, physically or spiritually.

It may feel tense or unsettling, like we are being pushed out of our comfort zone and there may be some resistance. Know that we don’t need to overthrow our whole life, of course. Even a small adjustment to an existing container can have profound effects.

This is a great Full Moon for bringing our awareness to where we can release some tension or stagnancy- a massage would be great, or softening some mental knots and listening to the unique song that is only ours within our heart.

It can be helpful to journal, move, exercise, dance or process your feelings in expressive ways. Listen to your inner voice and remember that you are the creator/creatrix of your own life. Release any chains or old stories that hold you back.

Reflection questions: These can apply on the mental, emotional, spiritual or physical level.

Where might I need to loosen up a bit?

Where am I forcing myself into a box that just doesn’t fit?

Am I clinging to any outmoded ideas about myself, my life or my spiritual practice that are no longer serving me?

What structures or containers are supporting my growth and which are not?

What small adjustment can I make now to allow more space to be myself, to move, flow or grow?

I hope that whatever path or practices you embrace, they nourish you deeply and give you the spaciousness, support and freedom you desire.

Can you think of a time you felt stuck in a box- a spiritual or mental expectation or ideal that was holding you back? How did you free yourself? Please feel free to share in the comments!

Serena

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Healing Allies for Transitions, Grief & Sensitive Souls

I am one of those people who feels grief in the spring, like many do in the fall. My introverted, sensitive soul likes her winter cave of darkness, reflection and inner work. The call of spring to sprout, grow, move upward and outward sometimes blares overwhelmingly like a morning alarm clock, bringing up resistance, grief and also hope within me, all blending into an overwhelmingly emotional breakfast smoothie.

This year’s 28 C weather in mid April (normal high 10 C), has been a tad jarring, thrusting us from a thundering snow storm into full-on summer mode. The city heat came in pounding with traffic, noise and chaos whilst new leaves bud on the trees and birds sang their sweet praises to the awakening Earth. The city has been a cacophony of new life in both lovely and stressful forms.

Although we are soon to get cold weather again, the process of changing seasons can be volatile and challenging to our body and mind.

On the first hot day, I instinctively went for a walk in the nearby cemetery to soothe my dark witchy soul amongst all the new light, heat and noise. I traded my black boots for light walking shoes and went out to greet the sun in one of the only reliable anchors of peace in an urban landscape.

Cemeteries are those rare places reserved for sanctuary, reflection and rest. A place where we can tap into the inward season of Samhain any time of year, giving space to our grief for what’s passing away while new life begins.

Growth and grief always flow together, and yet our patriarchal, capitalistic culture only values the ‘growth’ aspect of life.

The spring season sometimes triggers the feminine wound within me, around the cultural binary that associates growth, light, extroversion, productivity, logic, masculine and yang energy as preferable and superior; Whilst release, darkness, introversion, rest, receptivity, feminine, intuitive and yin energy are considered bad or inferior. Yet one always lies within the other, and beauty is found within both.

I tend to lean towards the Dark Goddess as a Witch, as I work with Cerridwen and resonate with Crone/Wise Woman energy. I was born in deep winter during a waning moon, and a heavy dose of Scorpio energy in my astrology chart. We carry the energies of the moon phase and season we were born in. For me, transformation, release, and darkness feel like home, even though they can also be difficult and painful.

While transition and loss are painful, when I speak of darkness, it is not equated with evil in my mind. To me, darkness is equated with the Great Mystery, the Sacred Womb, the Source of Life. It is peace, surrender, the quiet void of death and the nascent beginning of life. It is the metaphorical Cauldron that holds us safe as we shed old skins and grow into new ways of being. It holds great beauty, power and solace. It’s essence, to me, is the Dark Goddess. The unknowable void of darkness brings up fear, which is why we don’t like it. But it’s only through moving through our fears that we grow. Like spring seeds sprouting through the ground to greet the sun for the first time, our growth processes may have us feeling tender, exposed and vulnerable.

Even if the old reality we are letting go of was toxic, stunting our growth, or holding us back from our potential- it likely still comes with grief- which is simply a reflection of our capacity to love and live with passion. So this dance we feel during seasons of transition can be emotional and complex, as growth and grief dance together.

As anyone who’s had a baby knows, you can feel intense loss and overwhelm along with the excitement new life. You may also feel a sense of pride, excitement and intense grief as they grow up and become adults.

It’s ok to grieve as you sprout, or sprout as you grieve!

As we are now entering eclipse season, it may feel we are crossing a threshold. Emotions may be close to the surface as we feel something is ending as something else begins. We are in a ‘Cauldron Time’, as I call it, a crucible of death and rebirth.

Perhaps some new beginnings are emerging in your life that ask for you to let go of an old way of being in order to grow. Are you ready to take the plunge? Or are you overwhelmed and paralysed with fear? A bit of both?

We can navigate these times of transition without losing our soul in the process. We can nourish our resilience and support our sensitivity, too. In times like these, we call upon the healing allies in the natural world- trees, elements, herbs and crystals that can help. Simply by being with them in nature, connecting with them through medicines we can move through change with greater ease.

Here are some healing allies I have worked with over the years that can help us navigate times of change, vulnerability and loss. Let me know your experiences with them or feel free to share some of your own!

Trees: Black Willow, Weeping Willow, Pine, Cedar

Trees are beings dear to my heart. I think of each and every one of them as a friend, with their unique personality and energy. You can connect with a tree ally by visiting one in person and giving it an offering, such as an herb, animal-safe food, cleaning up any garbage around it, or simply your loving words and energy. Ask it for permission to be with it, sit against it or lean against it. Become open and receptive to its energy. Ask it for it’s advice.

Willows are my favourite allies for helping us to feel our emotions. Ruled by the moon and most often growing near water, the Willow reminds us that it’s ok to feel what we feel. They hold us in a gentle embrace of unconditional acceptance and love.

Weeping willow is an especially tender ally that can bring tears out to release what we’ve been holding back in our hearts, bringing lightness and clarity. They comfort us in their embrace and soften the rough edges that developed from holding our armor on too tight for too long.

Black Willow looks a bit different- they have very textured, darker bark, more gnarly branches and they do not droop quite like the Weeping variety. They hold more of a Crone/Grandmother energy that offers us a soft shoulder to cry on, along with a bit of extra strength, honesty and down to earth wisdom to keep us grounded. These are native to this land and I hold a special place in my heart for this wise ally.

Pine is thankfully abundant and native here as well, offering us a strong yet soft, cleansing energy to support us through dark times. The refreshing smell of Pine sap offers a new perspective and breath of fresh air. Burning Pine needles is a powerful smoke cleanser. Leaning against a Pine tree and asking it to help transmute heavy energies we are carrying can bring strength and help us to clear old baggage. The Bach Flower Remedy Pine is helpful for releasing guilt, which can come with loss.

Cedar is of course native to this land as well and is one of the 4 sacred medicines of Indigenous communities. Cedar to me, feels like ‘home’, more than any other tree. Perhaps, because this is where I call home. It also harkens to my ancestors who relied on this tree for medicine and shelter. When we are feeling uprooted, out of touch with our body, or our sense of home, this can be a helpful ally. It also has strong protective and cleansing properties. Cedar tea is supportive to the immune system, and its leaves are very protective. Cedar wood is extremely resilient and repels bugs. Sitting, leaning against or hugging a Cedar can bring grounding and protection to the sensitive soul.

Bach Flower Remedies: Walnut, Olive, Rescue Remedy, Olive, Rock Water, Water Violet

I am a huge fan of the Bach Flower Remedies! These are excellent for sensitive souls. They are vibrational medicines created from plants in the tradition of Dr Edward Bach, a British physician and homeopath who developed them in the 1930s.

Each remedy carries the energy of the plant it is made with, which is associated with healing a specific emotional state. They are designed to bring us into balance. I’ve been using them for about 15 years and took a Bach Flower course to understand them better. They are available at many herbal shops and health food stores.

Walnut is my number 1 go-to for sensitive souls in times of transition, such as moving, pregnancy, menopause, relationship breakups, seasonal changes, new job or lifestyle situation. It brings a protective shield of safety when we are feeling vulnerable, when we are sensitive to the energies in the environment and opinions of other people.

Rescue Remedy is a combo of remedies that supports us through trauma and shock. This is a remedy for when the change is too much for our nervous system to process and we are struggling to cope. It is great for sudden accidents, illness/diagnosis of serious illness, sudden loss, coping with changes that have us rattled and shaken, or any situation that has us stressed or anxious. It brings comfort and stability.

Olive is for exhaustion. Whether we’ve been caregiving for others or ill ourself, this is the remedy for the weary soul who can’t seem to get the rest and restoration needed to bring one’s energy level back up. Olive feels energising and protective, bringing more resilience.

Rock Water is made from water flowing over rocks. It is a remedy for those of us who deal with stress by getting overly rigid and perfectionistic. Rock Water helps us to soften our need for a certain state of perfection and embrace the messy processes of life. It smooths our rough, idealistic edges, and lets us relax into the flow.

Water Violet is one of the remedies that help those who get very withdrawn and pull away from other people. It helps to open us up to connecting with others and allows grief to process.

Willow helps when we are feeling vicitmised by our circumstances, having suffered bad luck or problems, making us feel bitter or resentful. It helps us to forgive ourselves and others, and take responsibility for what is ours.

Crystals: Black Tourmaline, Jet, Smokey Quartz, Selenite

Crystals hold powerful vibrations that can help transform and/or protect our energy when placed on the body, worn, placed under our pillow or in our environment.

Black Tourmaline is a strong grounding and protective black crystal, excellent for empaths and spongy-sensitive types who pick up other’s emotions and environmental energies. It’s a good one to wear on one’s person if you are out and about a lot or in contact with people regularly.

Jet is also a black crystal but with a very different energy. It is a type of coal, derived from wood that was changed under extreme pressure. It is soft and can easily absorb excess negative energies such as anger, grief, sadness or fear. It was historically worn as jewelry to funerals. I have often used it to help alleviate physical pain such as headaches and menstrual cramps as well. It requires regular cleansing because of its absorbant nature- you can bury it in the earth, run it under water or smoke cleanse it.

Smokey Quartz is one of my favourite protectors for sensitive souls! Like clear quartz, but a smokey grey-black colour, it helps us to focus and organise our thoughts while warding off negativity beautifully. It is great to wear on your person or carry or have in the environment, like in windowsills or other places you wish to ward off outside vibes.

Selenite is a type of gypsum. It is soft, white and looks like moonlight, named after the Greek moon goddess, Selene. Selenite is one of those crystals that cleanses other crystals that are near it. Unlike Jet, it doesn’t hold onto the energy, but helps it flow, like a stream of cleansing moonlight. When your life or energy feels stagnant, stuck or heavy, place a piece of Selenite on your heart centre, under your pillow or beside your bed. I find it helps protect against heavy and negative energies by transmuting them.

The Elements: Water, Earth, Fire and Air

The beautiful thing about the elements is that they are always around us! All we need to do is pay attention and connect! Whether we take a moment in our busy day to just lean against a tree, splash water on our face, or breathe the air more consciously, the gifts of the Earth Mother are here for us, waiting to connect. Once we begin a relationship with an element, we start to notice it everywhere. Like with trees, you can give thanks by leaving an offering of your energy and gratitude, an herbal offering or animal safe food.

Water helps our emotions to flow and release. Drinking more water, taking baths/showers or simply stepping into a stream or lake can help us flow through the changes upon us with great ease and acceptance.

Earth grounds us and calms the nervous system, helping us to feel safe while things are changing. Anxiety pulls our energy upward, which requires a downward flow for balance. Walking barefoot, massaging our feet or holding a squatting position helps to pull energy downward again. You may also find increasing your protein and iron intake helpful as well.

Fire warms and energises. If the changes we’ve been undergoing have depleted our hope, our spirit or lust for life, the simple act of lighting a candle and receiving its light into your heart can bring a shift in how you feel.

Air brings lightness and can help clear our mind. Using a bird feather to sweep away the negative thoughts or herbal smoke to cleanse your energy and space can bring some peace when chaos is swirling around you.

What remedies or healing allies do you find support you during times of transition? Please share in the comments!

The Earth Mother offers Her healing abundance to us as we navigate stressful times. We simply need to take the first step and connect, remembering we are worthy of support, and that acts of self-care are not selfish, but necessary.

Thank-you for reading,

Serena

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