Meditating with The Grandmother Oak

One of the sites I had been meaning to visit has an abundance of 

Ancient, mostly pollarded Oak tree's. On the board next to one of them, they are all called the Grandfather Oaks, but I know this tree to be the Grandmother Oak

Even though I hadn't been because it felt to cold to go and meditate outside, When I saw that it had snowed, I couldn't resist going out. I put on many, many layers of clothing, three trousers, two pairs of socks, a scarf, waterproofs.. no gloves. I headed out slowly and carefully in the car for the two mile journey down snow covered roads, with more gently falling. When I arrived, the view of all the Ancient Oaks in The snow was breath taking, and I just sat in the car for a while in the warmth, taking it all in.

I eventually got out and started walking across the snow, looking at different trees and things, unfamiliar in the blanket of white. I was reasonably warm in all my layers, but the snow was getting my face wet and cold. I had read that the Oak tree was considered a doorway to other dimensions, and I had intended to visit an oak which has grown with a vast doorway opening right in the middle of its trunk. It was far too wet though, I hadn't intended to meditate with The grandmother tree as I usually find the area too open. It is possible to go inside the Grandmother tree though, so this is what I decided to do

Part of the magic of The Grandmother Oak tree is that she has been pollarded, so she is quite short and gnarled, with a big hump on one side of her thick trunk, with short, thick stubby branches emerging from it. The Grandmother oak also has a large, although awkwardly accessed hollow space inside, room enough for two people. Even though I have been In before, I still asked for permission and felt it was ok for me to enter. Thankfully it was almost completely dry inside.

Upon entering, I felt immense warmth and gratitude to be sheltering from the snow inside such a mighty oak. It was warmer, nurturing, dry.. I always feel safe and nurtured here but even more so that day. It was still cold so I set a timer to make sure I stayed for at least fifteen minutes, with a gentle gong going off every five. I decided I would focus on my Gratitude for the tree and being inside the tree, sheltered

Every time my mind wandered, I went back to the feeling of gratitude for being inside the tree. The feeling of being in the tree made me so grateful. Feeling gratitude in my heart. Getting distracted. Going back to growing the gratitude. Imagining making Art of the tree being filled with my gratitude. Radiating love for the tree and its shelter. Feeling gratitude for all the branches it has given over the many years of its long life. Sorrow for the pain it went through losing branches, growing new ones, only to be cut off again. Thinking of how my home is made mostly from wood. How I burn wood to stay warm, feeling grateful for being in the tree sheltered, all the wood in my life keeping me warm and sheltered.

I breathed up earth energies through the roots of the tree I was directly above, and down through the branches directly above me. Breathing with the tree and feeling grateful. Final gong going off. Pausing for a while longer on my breath

Deciding I would make a Mandala inside the oak to honour it, I shifted around and gathered leaves, twigs and stones from inside the tree behind me, I made what looked like an Oak leaf flower and I framed it with twigs. Interestingly a few leaves were a pale grey green, and I think they must have fallen in there when they were still growing

I thanked the tree for allowing me to shelter and meditate there, I made photos of the Mandala, and the roof of the inside of the tree, which has a stalagmite like structure, and the outside. I then walked over to see another tree I love, one that to me epitomizes the Grandfather. I was thinking harshly to myself about how I come to see these trees but rarely my own grandparents, and distractedly switched my phone back on to see when I was picking up my partner later In the day, only to discovered that during the time I was in the tree, he had sent news that his Nan had unexpectedly passed away. I missed it because I was in the grandmother tree. I decided to dedicate this experience to his Nan