Venetia Nevill – Multi-sensory and experiential art work

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‘Never lose hope, my dear heart; miracles swell

‘Never lose hope, my dear heart; miracles swell in the invisible.’ Rumi Gorse essence is for those who have given up hope and belief. Dr Bach suggested it as a remedy for uncertainty - it can flood the heart and soul with golden light allowing us to see things differently. According to Hindu legend, the ‘Rishi’ stars (also known as the Big Dipper) were once great sages. They are closest to the Earth around September 9-15th when their light is said to possess special healing powers that transform all water into a healing nectar. The medicine is to collect and bathe in waters during this time and the water in our own bodies can also be ‘blessed’ and purified by star gazing and bathing. I took my sprig of gorse to the sea for a few days immersing it and myself in the healing waters of sea and sacred spring. The gorse relates to fire and I sense it enjoyed the cooling as much as I did. Giving thanks to these precious waters with blessings and ritual. Unexpectedly meeting a dear friend on the beach we invited flow to integrate creativity and healing, hope and despair, imbuing the stones with our breath and releasing weariness and dreams into the ocean. Sleeplessness reveals new layers of grief. This time is always poignant as the anniversary of my baby son’s death many years ago, and connecting to the rishi stars and the waters I feel comforted and closer to him and other old friends. There were a few wonderful gorse flowers tantalisingly out of reach at the edge of the cliff and I discovered a single flower on the gorse bush at home - a beacon of hope! I am probably not alone in craving certainty during these uncertain times but it doesn’t leave much room for the unexpected gifts of faith. #rishistars #surrender #gorse #essence #hope #forgiveness #atonement #ritual #sacred #wearewater #medicine #healing #presence #neptune

The 17th ogham ‘tree’ is the wonderfully resil

The 17th ogham ‘tree’ is the wonderfully resilient gorse (Ohn -O) which is all about hope,sweetness and abundance. It stays in bloom almost continuously, starting in January with its yellow flowers offering little harbingers of sunshine. But this year it has looked troubled with brown ‘burnt’ spikey foliage and very few flowers here in the south-east. They say that “When gorse is out of bloom, kissing is out of season". Maybe it was trying to protect us from covid infections. At last it’s greening up but sadly no flowers right now, though as ever there is so much treasure in the inbetween times that I get to enjoy. Gorse is connected to the honey bee and the magpie. Apparently the Magpie reminds us that obsession with the material world will not nurture our spiritual path. It’s wisdom is to reflect on our visions, priorities and allow ourselves to be all that we can be. ! How can we express thankfulness whatever the situation and be little beacons of hope and inspiration for others. Gorse connects the inner and outer worlds. Glennie Kindred writes about giving thanks for ‘the inner rewards harvested in a period of internal synthesis’ and persisting with faith. Gratitude is an action and practice, not so much a feeling. Like the magpie and bee we can collect treasure from different sources to nourish ourselves and others. Honey is linked to wisdom in celtic lore. I am still limited by how much I can walk and my sleep has been disturbed, so I made a homage to a sprig of gorse on the new moon letting go of old ideas and perceptions - the way I think I would like things to be - and inviting in the sweetness, vision and hope of the precious Gorse. #gorse #ogham #hope #abundance #perspective #portal #magpie #treasure #spirit #ritual #devotion #beingness #presence

‘The pine tree seems to listen, the fir tree to

‘The pine tree seems to listen, the fir tree to wait: and both without impatience.' Nietzsche The fir trees certainly seem to be teaching me patience! I was walking to a magical still fir wood, considering making a decision about having an exhibition when I fell in a hole spraining my foot. Maybe I have been looking up too much! The Latin name for Fir, Abies means “rising one.” encouraging us to rise to the occasion’, meet challenges and stand in our power and truth like the magnificent fir tree. But it’s guidance is also to reflect, ground our ideas and prepare to step forward with practical action. Am having to pause right now but committing to taking better care of myself, meditating more and setting gentle boundaries in me like a big tree hug. Apparently the ankle is linked to kidney energy which is about fear. Recognising that indecision can paralyse and is part of an unconscious pattern to try to keep safer by being unseen. Pine needle tea can bring healing, protection and clarity and loved creating a little goodbye spell on this Virgo new moon before moving onto the Gorse. I would need a year to honour all the extraordinary fir trees near me that have loved me back this month. They always reveal the bigger picture which is to celebrate nature in every moment whether I can walk far or not. Scots Pines connect us to the heavens and were kept as ancient way-markers and burial places of warriors, often appearing on ley lines . In japan pines are seen as ladders used by gods to ascend to heaven. And Matsu relates to “waiting for the soul of a god to descend from heaven”. Am in awe of the beauty and qualities of the Fir and Pine, these beacons of hope and faith always calling us home to now ! #fir #pine #ogham #devotion #healing #newmoon #sacred #faith #connection #gaia #ritual #innerlistening #stillness #heartwisdom

Welcome to the world of the Noble Fir and Scots Pi

Welcome to the world of the Noble Fir and Scots Pine - home to some wonderful beings! The Noble Fir (A-Ailm)feels special because it was the tree that beckoned me to go on this ogham healing journey. I love stroking the ‘calligraphic’ markings beneath the skin of the bark - sensing messages from the ancestors in the ‘bones’ of the tree. The Fir tree relates to the shadow side and is ruled by Mars (in the sign of Aries). My astrological moon is in intense firey Aries which was in the skies this week. Apparently the moon represents your internal, self-nurturing system, how your mother showed love and more importantly how you perceived and reacted to it. Listening to ‘The Fir-tree’ by Hans Christian Anderson brought tears of recognition - part of me still yearns to ‘grow up’ and shine like a Christmas tree, which separates me from enjoying this present moment while chasing an illusion. Cocreating with nature heals a restless spirit and focusing on precious details broadens my perspective. Painting with fir cones and moulding clay on the gorgeous burls transmits its healing balm. I took the pine essence, held by the clay”s secrets, as a peace offering to a magical cluster of Scots pines where a badger had disturbed a wasp nest. Discovering a dear dead bee (probably stung by the wasps) I made a blessing for the warrior bee, the sacred messenger of the Divine ‘born of the tears of the Sun’. So many precious messages from the animal spirits to soothe the troubled Soul. Wasp comes to those struggling with change, badger energy provides sanctuary reminding us to never give up and Bee is connected to miracles and abundance! #scotspine #ogham #fir #goddessbee #gaia #healing #ariesmoon #shadow #compassion #mandala #cocreation #reciprocity #sanctuary #surrender

‘If you were never a musician come with us and

‘If you were never a musician
come with us
and you will find your voice…
In our gathering one candle lights hundreds,
we will light your path and give you courage....” Rumi The Aquarius full moon today is all about facing the truth, letting the moon illuminate what hides in the shadows. Like the far sighted pine tree it can activate our desire for greater freedom, and encourage us to to do things differently and see life with a new perspective. Know your truth and let it flow. Ultimately the truth is within us, as us. A little mouse joined me under the Pine tree reminding me to look at the bigger picture, but also as ever, to value the precious details in this present moment - there is nowhere to get to! Uranus has just gone retrograde stirring things up and is encouraging us to release control and go with the flow. But I’m loving this expansive Jupiter energy ! Apparently the wisdom is to ‘stay anchored to bring our visions down to earth’ and embody them. Creating rituals and honouring nature always grounds me. I made tea from the healing Scots pine, burnt its resin and created a mandala with beech and pine energy to welcome this potent full moon. Pine needles help purify a space and banish any lurking negativity. There can be so much beauty in nature decaying. It lets go so effortlessly! The pine trees often die from the inside out and at an ego level so are many of us. A dear friend helped reframed emotional ‘pain’ as purification. I love that Pine flower essence encourages freedom from self-inflicted limitations and emotional stuckness. It helps us to spread those wings, let go of control and allow the Aquarius air energy to fly us, trusting that we will be held. #aquarius #fullmoon #truth #sovereignty #pine #ogham #sacred #letgo #mouse #wisdom #presence #natureheals #shineyourlight #freedom

Are you hurting dear child? Come, sit with me Bre

Are you hurting dear child? Come, sit with me
Breathe deep my healing balm
Let me support and strengthen your tender backbone
While you unwind and relax
Give your troubles to the sacred earth
Let’s climb to where the ravens perch
Open your eyes to see a wider view
I am the ‘Master of Light’
I will hold you in my radiance
You are my sunbeam The 16th ogham tree, fir tree (ailm) is all about seeing from a higher perspective. Becoming aware of the blocks - where we can’t see the wood for the trees. This is balsam fir (also known as blister pine) - its resin was used to treat injuries in the civil war and its essential oils are known to restore self worth. It generates negative ions which clean up the atmosphere bringing joy and calm. The fir is associated with the spine and it is a powerful symbol of growth and resurrection. When the sliver of the new moon appears in the sky and I hear the call of four ravens dancing in the sky I know it is time to meet the next tree. Wonderful treasure to discover - a precious little elder nestled under the Fir and this sweet fox spirit stick. (Sadly I also discovered a dead fox nearby.) Foxes represent quiet observation, listening, patience and calculated risk taking. When I am hurting and need to tend to old wounds, creating a gentle mandala is the sweetest medicine. After wrestling with indecision, hurt and fear in the night, spreading the healing lavender and ferns on Freya’s Day was transformative, I was given the guidance to ask what would love do and apparently pine wisdom includes this prayer, acknowledging the courage it takes to follow love. The fir can help us develop insight and see others points of views. The advice is to let our wiser future selves guide and inspire us, rather than living in the ‘wreckage of our future’ based on past beliefs and hurts. I am hoping to gain clarity and perspective this month and like the Firs grow and stretch towards the light #fir #pine #ogham #perspective #healing #hurt #balm #blessings #mandala #freyasday #sacred #ravenspirit #fox #spirit #sharlynhidalgo

‘The heart is a thousand-stringed instrument Tha

‘The heart is a
thousand-stringed instrument
That can only be tuned with
Love.’ Hafiz Time to dance, sing and love more deeply. This heart centred New Moon in fiery Leo today combined with the 8.8 lionsgate portal offers us new frequencies, positivity and courage to allow our dreams to come into reality. Apparently Fairies love music. I created a beautiful drum from deerskin on the Medicineways shamanic course, weaving in the magic of the land, the energy of the Deer spirit and the elements. It was a great teacher, when a thread broke I discovered the strongest healing sounds came from damaged weakest link. It felt right to make the drumstick from the precious elder. She is such a sonic tree with her hollow stems, often used for flutes. The name elder comes from 'aeld', meaning fire, and the hollow stems were used as bellows. Looking for a large elder to hug, I discovered a magical group above some sacred stones. Sitting under one, I was blown away to hear the most extraordinary rumbling vibrations seemingly coming from deep down in the Earth but I tracked them to the trunk. The elder is a tree of deep listening and the one growing under the fallen oak attracts many mesmerizing grasshoppers. They teach us to trust our instincts, let go of doubts and jump, knowing we will be supported by the divine. Seeing grasshopper can confirm that we are in perfect alignment with our paths however confusing things may appear right now. And that path can be calling us to be still right now. #elder #love #lionsgate #portal #weaving #sonic #shamanic #sacredearth #grasshopper #trust #weareinstruments #divine #openheart

Elders are said to be the most popular trees with

Elders are said to be the most popular trees with fairies and nature spirits. (Love that the old French word faerie, means “enchantment”.) The spirit of the Elder mother is held in the trees and many beings live within her magical realm. I felt drawn to make some ‘dream catchers’ for her, playing with materials collected on my ritual daily visits - ivy, feathers, lichen, pine needles and dock leaves. I sealed the web with clay from the ash spring and shells found in my coat pockets - weaving it together felt transformative. When I hung them on the tree, catching the light they seemed to shape shift into slightly alarming characters. I discovered the dock is known as ‘the Herb of Understanding.’ It helps us to flush out old stagnant emotions, trauma and stories held in the unconscious mind. A dear insightful friend (@ladyinberkshires )said that they look like a harvest of souls, a Dream catcher of all that is currently dreamed in the world, the endings and beginnings, the ‘bad deals’ are caught and held secure as we step into a new world. Elders seem happy to transmute Geopathic stress in the land. Today’s festival of Lammas celebrates the first harvest and nature’s bounty uniting Sun and Earth. It was lovely to cocreate a Mandala with @klinegreg52 inviting in a new way of being and trusting. The creative heart energy can feed and nourish those precious seeds that havent flourished yet. But there is also an element of sacrifice in Lammas and the Elder. Like the sun, the grain must ‘die’ sustaining us through the winter. Christ’s cross was said to be made of elder and Judas was supposed to have hung himself on an elder. As a tree of protection and magic it can bring good fortune and protect a home from ‘evil spirits’ but it can also call for a sacrifice in return - making space to honour and listen to the divine and the unseen can be the path or reveal the pathway. The Green man wisdom is ‘From sacrifice comes restoration’. #elder #ogham #fairies #celticwheel #enchantment #magic #dreamcatcher #alchemy #spirit #sacred #lammas #mandala #healing #trust #surrender

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