↞ LESSONS FROM THE GRAND OAK ↠

Last year I embarked on a humbling and transformative 8 week journey through an Intro to Elemental Earth Medicine class in Sebastopol with a wise group of women. I had the opportunity to gather with these deep, spiritual, loving and supportive group of women each Wednesday evening. I also was able to spend quality time with my step-mom each night after class. I learned many valuable lessons from my teachers and classmates on how to invoke the different elements of the Dagara tradition (Fire, Water, Earth, Mountain/Mineral, Nature/Wild), listen to nature, connect with my deep ancestral roots and work the wild and elemental beings. 
Our class was based on the teachings of Barbara Hand Clow and the Wedeme. I knew it would be interesting, but had no idea what was in store. Each week we immersed ourselves and methodically moved through each of the 7 Chakras as aligned with the 9 dimensions of consciousness that exist along the axis of the World Tree, which is grounded in the center of the Earth. It was a total mind, body and soul journey from the root up to the crown.
“According to Hand Clow, the World Tree is the cosmic creative force that creates Time and all dimensional realms. Belief in the World Tree is a global phenomenon found in different cultures by different names. In this model, the center of the Earth is the 1st dimension and the center of the galaxy is the 9th dimension.” Theresa Dintino
As part of our homework, we were encouraged to develop a relationship with a local tree as you can learn a lot about the health of the ecosystem from these magnificent giants. Living in Lafayette, we are surrounded by Oak trees. One of my self-care routines is to run the Lafayette reservoir. One afternoon I was running up the huge hill on the backside and there he was, the Grand Oak. Holding space and providing shade. Standing tall above the walkway and cleansing the air. 
I have been visiting and hugging the Grand Oak 3-4 times a week for the past 8 weeks. Wrapping my arms around him and giving him a big hug, feeling his it’s energy and listen to his words of wisdom. During that time the seasons have changed from Winter to Spring. A couple weeks ago my boundaries and immune system were down and my allergies were running high. I was using homeopathic herbal medicines along with an immune support essential oil to try to kick a cold that I could feel coming on. That week I did the same immune support routine three days in a row and went on my daily run to get fresh air. I stopped along the way each trip to root in, open my ears and heart and bask in the aura of the Grand Oak. Later that week I developed a terrible allergic reaction of contact dermatitis and my eyes, face, neck shoulder and waist all had a red swollen and somewhat itchy rash. I ran it over and over in my head; was it the herbal supplements I had been taking from Whole Foods? What it the OnGuard essential oil I had been using? The dermatologist at Kaiser asked if I had been around poison oak lately? I let her know that I had been running the reservoir but staying on the path. She said it was like I had exposed myself to a plant resin but that I wasn't spreading it and it wasn’t contagious. She put me on a three week tapering round of Prednisone to bring down the inflammation and reduce the itching. 
Over the past two weeks, my body has been releasing so much fire and inflammation and I am in my final week of recovery. It was like the plant ignited a fire has been throughout my body and soul. I have been doing my same run and now that the season has changed I can see little and very fruitful poison oak plant growing up from the Earth and intertwining around the Grand Oak. 

Grounding and Rooting: Trees root deep into the Earth providing stability and access lines to nutrients. They are strong throughout their core and have firm boundaries of protection. Their branches stretch way above their trunk reaching for the sunlight and connecting with their fellow plants, animals and surrounding community and eco-system. When healthy their energy runs up and down and their aura shines around in all directions as protection.

Boundaries and Membranes: We all have them and need them. Sometimes our barriers are up and sometimes they are down. When our barriers are down, our immune system and coping mechanism are down. Our skin is our largest sensory organ and our barrier to the outside world. We shed our skin approximately every 28 days through bathing, toweling, sweating and daily/nightly activity. When we put on lotions, creams and oils we are putting a physical protective barrier on our skin. Through movement, listening to our core and heart and speaking our truth, we can increase our protective barriers an membranes. Nature and the wild also have boundaries and understanding and honoring this relationship is important. I was so eager to form a relationship with the Grand Oak and learn from this wise tree but I had not taken the time to stop and respect its powerful space and boundaries.

Seasonal Change and Social Masks: Seasonal Change and Social Masks: Nature has social masks much like humans and sometimes what we see isn't always what is behind the outer bark. The poison oak, was there all along but couldn’t see it. I always remember the phrase~ Leaves of three, let them be. There were no leaves and no traces of the plant I could see over the winter. Now 8 weeks later Spring is in full bloom. Poison oak is in the sumac family of scrubs and vines. It is not related to the Oak Tree. The Wedeme say that poison oak doesn’t like to be called poison, so I’m just going to say that this plant produces ton of fire! 
I believe that the Grand Oak was trying to warn me that the seasons and forest were changing and to get ready and stoke the fire. I learned invaluable lessons about boundaries and membranes that I will take forth in life; building them, protecting them and keeping my aura clean. 

In Love + Gratitude

Megan