ChaperOneByCE

…The mist gathers around me. I become gradually aware of each droplet of moisture touching my skin, and slowly my eyes focus on the drifting mist, surrounding me like a cloud of gentle steam.

I take a tentative step forward and am conscious of a sound coming to me through the enveloping quiet, faintly at first, then assuming its proper place in my perceptions. Sweet birdsong, lark and thrush and sparrow, twittering beyond the mist.

I take another step, and the mist thins. Almost imperceptibly my senses shift to focus on the scent of warm, moist earth, the rich aroma of forest greenery. I realise my feet are bare and I can feel the pulsing beat of the living earth beneath them. I feel part of the living earth. There is moss underfoot, and soil between my toes, moist, yielding, and ever so slightly cool.

Another step and the mist around me brightens. I feel a little warmer.

Onward, and the mists begin to part. I step out into bright sunshine and standing there before me is an ancient gate of weatherbeaten wood, with just a latch to keep it closed, which I slowly lift. There is a slight creak as the gate opens and I pass through onto the forest path. I can smell wayside flowers and hear the hum of bees, the chattering of crickets, as I move forward. The sunlight is warm, hot even, as it caresses my skin. I move into the cooler shade of the trees.

It is immediately darker, twilight.

The ground is rougher now, I feel small twigs pricking my toes, and the mossy soil feels thicker, damper, richer somehow. I am surrounded by every kind of deciduous tree in the British Isles: oak, ash, beech, thorn, even the venerable yew. As I walk slowly forward, a tinkling sound broadens into the song of a stream and I walk towards the sound.

Above me, the sun struggles to pass the leafy canopy, flickers of light dapple my vision. Around me all is dim yet I can see clearly. Each spot of sunlight is briefly warm on my skin, soon to be replaced by the cool, twilight breeze of this magical place.

I pass a huge oak tree on my left, a grove of beeches on my right. And the stream is before me, diagonally crossing my path. An ancient yew tree graces its banks, old, learned. This is a place of worship for there are old rags and other charms tied to the reaching branches, and the remains of offerings can still be seen between the gnarled roots as they too reach out toward the clear water. The brook chatters over a bed of bright pebbles, colours of the rainbow. A place of great beauty.

To reach the water's edge I must step onto one of the tree's huge roots. I stop and tear a strip from the hem of my dress to leave as my offering. I gently tie it to a branch of the old tree and give thanks to the spirit of the place. Only then do I step onto the root. It is solid and alive, I can feel the life within it under my feet. It is rough, and a little bit lumpy, with a slight warmth.

I climb down to the edge of the stream and bend to let my fingers trail in the ice cold crystal waters.

I turn to look at the yew again, realising I know not the deity enshrined here. I experience an overwhelming feeling: it does not matter, I am welcome anyway. Nothing matters, for this is my place, to come whenever I choose. All is familiar, like an old friend. The birdsong is as a symphony around me in the very air,

I can rest here. I find a comfortable gap between two roots, settle into it, stretch out my legs, allow my feet to trail in the water. I am tired. The excitement of curiosity fades a little and I lean back, wishing to rest. The tree has moved, altered shape to fit snugly against the contours of my body as support while I relax.

I feel loved, cared for, fundamentally nurtured.

I can smell the rich greenery of the forest, and the cool freshness of the brook all around. Birdsong trills gently from up above. The water tickles my toes, the tree holds me and protects me. I feel safe.

I breathe in and out, deeply, regularly. The forest air is so refreshing, it has an exquisite sweetness as I inhale. The water tugs at my toes. As I exhale I feel the tension drain out of me from my head, to my shoulders, down my back, through my pelvis, down both legs, to be carried away in the moving water.

I inhale the sweet, sweet air of the living forest; I exhale my troubles and they are carried off downstream.

I feel emptied.

I do it again.

And again, until I know that I have freed myself from all my anxieties. There is an all-encompassing sense of contentment. I can barely feel my limbs. I can barely feel the tree at my back, the stream at my feet. The flickers of light in the leafy canopy above are a blur. I feel as if I am floating.

This is a beautiful, magical place, and if I stay too long It may be hard to go back to my other life. If I leave now, I will be able to return at will, at any time, I withdraw my feet slowly from the water, they are now quite cold. I see a pink rock in the bed of the stream, and reach into the cold water to pluck it out. I dry it on my skirt and place it in my pocket, as a symbol of all the good things I can take from this place. I thank the tree, by placing my arms around it and becoming aware of the beat of the strong life force within it, then the woody texture of the root is beneath my feet again. I step onto the path and feel again the twigs and furry moss underfoot as I slowly walk back the way I came. The dappled warmth of the sun reaches to me from beyond that overhead canopy of so many, many leaves. I can feel the earth, warm now, full of life beneath my feet.

I stand still.

I breathe in deeply and feel the life of the earth spread into my feet and up my legs. It flows into my limbs and fills me with strength and joy. As I breathe out with a gasp of pure delight, the connection is cut and the flow stops, but I can feel the life of the earth flowing in my veins.

I feel bigger, stronger; I stand straighter, taller. I can feel the love of the forest surround me like that of a loving family, brothers, sisters, I am part of the forest as it surrounds me. I am surrounded by feelings of love and great joy. I am brim full of feelings of love and great joy! In the centre of me there is a cool feeling of peace and tranquillity, of quiet. Trills of delicate birdsong drift toward me from every treetop. What a wondrous place!

Full of this feeling, I slowly approach the sphere of light at the edge of the trees. They are thinning, but still the ancient broadleaves are around me, a May in bloom with delicious scent, staid sycamore with its falling wings, horse chestnut with wide flat leaves like eager hands waiting to caress. It is warmer, the sunlight breaking through the foliage to stroke my skin. It is bright at the end of this leafy tunnel, the ancient gate becomes visible as I approach. My pace increases, and I burst forth into the heat of the sun, incredibly bright, enveloping me with its warm glow. The ground under my feet is drier now, the moss like velvet underfoot.

I step slowly towards the old wooden gate, and it creaks as I pass.

Another step over the warm, mossy earth.

And another.

Wisps of mist cross my vision as I step forward into the encompassing cloud, and all about me dims. The cool moisture of the mist seeps into the pores of my warm skin, bringing with it a slight chill. The musical birdsong begins to fade. The ground beneath my feet becomes less tangible, and my sight fades into nothingness. I am as one sleeping, yet awake, for a brief moment only.

Then the everyday scents of my house, my front room, my reality, enter my awareness. I begin to hear the normal sounds of everyday life. I realise I am stretched out on my comfortable sofa, with soft music playing in the background.

I slowly open my eyes.

I am back at home.

I believe I have been to one of my many places of retreat in the world of Other.

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By and large, people tend not to notice much around them. Me too - I'm half asleep when I take the kids to school, tetchy because I'm not really awake yet and I'd rather be abed. Trees, animals, human beings, on the whole I miss most of it. Or I did for a long time. After all, I'm only human! You'll hear that coming from me quite a lot as we progress, it raises a chuckle on behalf of the shortcomings of our race, and it keeps my feet on the ground.

To be a witch does not mean keeping a list of spells you've cast; a cupboard full of potions; living in a dim and dingy house which is the subject of ridicule and double-daring for the local children; nor even the pointy hat and black cat! Of course, in practice there can be some or all of those things if you desire. The essence of any wise woman, however, and I hark back to the times before the historical surmises began as I search for my roots, is the ability to see the non-ordinary in the plain ordinary. How else to make those wishes come true, those potions have effect, but to see them in one's mind's eye as a reality? How to sustain the illusion which so intrigues the children without the ability to see beyond their jibes and to thoroughly enjoy their enjoyment? A pointy hat is just that, until one believes it to be more. And, I confess, it takes more wisdom than I will ever possess to make a black cat do one's will.

Spells and accessories are not important to create the magic, however, they help us to concentrate and focus our inner selves. Building a deep love for every scrap of life around you (even spiders, eek!) creates a magic that will change the way you live every day, almost imperceptibly. Once you begin to alter that awareness of what is ordinary, and begin to focus on the non-ordinary around you, even on the saddest days you will see that one ray of sunshine and it will make you smile. On joyous days, that joy will be an all-consuming fire in the heart, a feeling you can hold onto forever.

That is the real magic, turning every day into an adventure of the senses and being able to truly live your life. Come, let me show you…

The forest in my visualisation is the place I would like to escape to when things are tough (or should I say one of the places). When the 'phone never stops ringing, the kids are screaming, work seems like a waste of time as usual. Most of us rarely, or never, get to visit the places we dream of. Rather we continue to dream, then wish, then feel dissatisfied with our lot. If we do get to these special places, they are often overrun with tourists of the worst kind, with children who scream louder than our own, loud foreign visitors and the like. The dream is destroyed, and can never be recaptured. I was lucky - I managed to get to some of the places I wanted to go to, only to realise that there would always be somewhere else to go next, and I would be forever wishing. The grass is always greener…

I entered a place where it was possible to recreate the qualities of my favourite places in vivid detail, unsullied by passing brats and flashing cameras. It is well known that most Pagan paths, from Asatru to Wicca, often use some form of visualisation technique for inner focus, to heal, connect with the Divine, or especially to connect with themselves. I say you need not follow any specific path in order to cross into the mysterious other world and be healed.

Across the great divides of all Traditions are one or two generally accepted views about this kind of travelling, whether you heed the advice is up to you, but many things become part of tradition because they are useful.

The mist and the gate of my forest dream represent the oft-documented "doors of perception" - a barrier or landmark between that other place and our physical world. How else can we tell for sure where one ends and the other begins? Another symbolic idea I've tried is walking down a staircase to get to my destination. I've noted the number of steps and, on my return have focused on my feet as I counted my way back up again. By making myself view every step, I was Back in my lounge in no time!

There has been a lot of talk about the meeting of spiritual guides, totem animals and the like while dreaming like this. To benefit from the relaxation brought by dreaming in this way, it is not necessary to even think about things like that. If you feel that it would work for you, then by all means go for it! It's your dream, it can serve any purpose you desire. Tradition does state that any visitors of any kind (even animals) who appear in your dream should be questioned three times as to their identity and intentions. By the third time you will have arrived at the truth of the matter, and if you do not like what you hear then you can tell the visitor that they are not welcome in your special place and you want them to leave. You can then turn your back and walk back the way you came. Questioning focuses your mind and intent, thereby creating a visualisation rather than a common dream, by manipulation of your perception of the events. It is worth remembering that Spirit (read: non-gender specific Divinity or life energy) always allows us to have a choice as to how we proceed, so even if you think your particular dream holds a message for you, you do have the choice to take no notice and walk away.

It's not a bad idea to retrace your steps as accurately as possible on your return, to not rush things, so you are not totally disorientated when you get back. Each moment in that other world is precious, enjoy taking your time.

From bitter experience I also recommend quiet surroundings. This may sound ludicrous to people who have encountered all this before, but so many people just DO NOT KNOW. It's worth waiting till the house is quiet before you begin, because an unsolicited interruption is worse than being woken from deep sleep by a loud alarm clock. Try also the sign on the door saying, "DO NOT DISTURB ON PAIN OF POKE IN THE EYE!" Anything equally odd should suffice!

I realise that many readers have heard it all before. I can hear the cries of "Yes! Yes! We know, now get on with it!" Of course I'm waffling, author's prerogative. But how can people who are new to this way of thinking possibly know about traditions without being told? I only found out because a witch told me, and that was an accidental stroke of luck anyway. As a midwife of souls, my business is to equip my travellers with the maps and tools to begin the journey for themselves, in an easy-to-understand format so they feel safe to explore. So, will those in the know just bear with me please! It is important to explain about grounding.

Upon returning from your delightful dream, where hopefully you've recharged your batteries and had a well-earned rest, the chances are you will feel drifty, floaty, not quite "with it". This can be minimised by slowly retracing your steps as you return. Remember the brain is not used to being able to wander, so to stop it panicking at the unusual activity it needs to be gently integrated back into this reality. Grounding gets your head out of the clouds and your feet firmly on the ground. Easy methods are eating and drinking (if you prepared something earlier!) The brain focuses on the bodily functions and moves into synchronicity with the body and its reality as a result. Other suggestions work better for me, such as curling the toes in the carpet and imagining roots going down to hold you to the ground. If you're good with energy you know how "open" you are at these times, so to harness your energy and draw it inwards, place one hand on the crown of your head (crown chakra) and the other on your stomach, just below the navel (sacral chakra). This balances the energy flowing out of your body following the opening of your perception, and basically puts a lid on it to keep it inside. The watchword is TIME. You will always have enough of it to do the job properly, you owe it to yourself to look after the inside of your head as well as the outside. Not being grounded is hard work if it goes on for long periods, and it gradually becomes harder to reconnect to this reality - not very convenient if you want to look sane! In order to tell you all this, you must appreciate that my hair has become a birds' nest and when people talk to me they get, for a response, inarticulate gruntings and bemused looks. Sure, I'm focused, just not on them! Every time I put my writing down I make sure to ground myself properly, or the kids would starve and I dare say I'd end up being carted off to the funny farm. This change in perception is a choice, not necessarily a life takeover bid. In the end, a return to the ordinary is of paramount importance.

So my excuse for drinking lots of cocoa is to keep myself in my own reality, rather than yours, as you read my otherworldly ramblings!

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This is all very well, you may say, but I can only manage all of that as an occasional treat for myself. What about all these wild ideas of everyday witchiness? You promised more than the usual witches' handbook!

Yes, yes, my eager ones.

Tomorrow, when you head out to work, to do the school run, the shopping trip, say "hello" and smile broadly at the first person you meet, however tired and crabby you may be. Keep your attention on them for the next brief moment, and watch the combination of expressions on their face. Let's face it, how many of us really look at one another, study another person? The only time we bother is if we are in love, then we often watch our lover intently, able to remember each tiny detail about them. Look at the first person you see - don't stare, just make the effort to notice more than you normally would. Their expression will be: shock; confusion; disbelief; alarm; fear; a combination of all these. Then the dawning of a realisation that that lovely smile is meant for them. The burgeoning look of happiness that flits across a face at this point is beautiful enough to almost move me to tears. This will usually metamorphose into a genuine smile in return, meant especially for you.

Feel your heart lift. Don't dismiss it as an ordinary occurrence, but remember that you approached the situation with extraordinary perception. People don't greet each other like that any more - to look and make every effort to see, when normally most people do not bother, allows you to see with the beginnings of a perception which with practice can become non-ordinary. Look around you. We all share a common bond, that of the species: we are all human! This non-ordinary approach will let you see things you have never noticed, and will brighten up your morning!

Look at the friendly resident cat or dog. Instead of seeing it, registering the fact, then ignoring it, actually look at it. What colour is it? Is it fat or thin? Is it beautiful, cute, ugly, well-groomed, or a bit rough-looking? Actually stop and ask yourself these questions, it takes but a few seconds. This is a living being, albeit with different habits, views, goals, to our own. Really, truly, see it, then you can move on. You have a common bond: you both live on the earth, and have lives to lead.

Did you seriously think that I would help you get glimpses into other realms, without first showing you how to see this one? There are horrors enough here, and we seldom notice or comprehend things right before our eyes. How can we possibly hope to comprehend the mysteries of different realities when we are virtually incapable of even seeing our world properly? You see what I'm getting at…

See that tree across the road? Go over and look at it. You don't have to touch it (yet!), think of the neighbours seeing you as having become a New Age guru overnight! So to save face at first, just look. See the furrows in its bark, or the sheen if it's a smooth trunk. How thick is it? When we were young we were all told, weren't we, that the number of rings in the cross-section of a tree trunk could tell you the trees age. I don't know how true that is but it's unimportant, just hazard a guess. Stop long enough to consider a wild stab at an answer. Look up at it's leaves (or naked branches if it's winter). See how they move. What sort of sound do they make? This tree is alive, it lives, it grows strong on the earth as you do. A common bond. And to think you walked on by every day and never noticed any of these things!

No-one expects anyone to be able to do this all the time. I manage it most of the time, as it happens. Or I try every day. Nowadays I feel such love for the common things around me just by virtue of having altered my perception of my surroundings in this seemingly small way. I look, I see, I do not automatically dismiss. And my stress levels are lower because every time I move my attention from the stresses within to the things I can view without, my brain switches off to those worries for a brief spell and the mind gets "time out". As the mind returns to the worries it has gained strength from the wonders of the world outside and consequently performs and copes better. My perception has shifted ever so slightly, but with that shift my enjoyment of every day has increased tenfold. This, together with my methods of dreaming, allows me to see my reality from a completely different perspective.

I want you to be able to share that amazing feeling with me.

Let me tell you some tales, and I will show you how I got to the place I am in now. A life story, if you will, of events that shaped my attitudes, my thinking, and brought me along this road. I think you'll agree that it is a story representative of the times in which we live, in fact in some ways so very ordinary. But at least that means that there is a familiarity for everyone in some of the ways in which my life and learning have progressed.

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Chapter Two

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