The Woods Were Calling Her

She was a beach girl, a lover of the ocean. She desired feeling the sand beneath her feet, the ocean mist on her face, the breeze in her hair. But for two nonstop days, she had an urge, an undeniable, powerful longing to be in the woods. The woods were calling her. That had never happened to her before and she was a bit confused. She tried to push it away and grounded herself in the dirt of her yard, but it didn’t satisfy. She stopped at the ocean and inhaled deeply with her head lifted to the sky and basked in the grandmother sun’s warmth on her face. She stood in awe and in deep gratitude as she gazed upon Mother Ocean. That known welcoming sense of contentment came across her as it always does and she began to feel better. But that feeling of peace didn’t last very long and she started to sink into that spiral of unease and imbalance. The woods. She needed to be in the woods. But what did that mean? All she knew was she had this burning desire deep in her soul to be in the woods. The more she resisted it, the stronger it became and the more emotional and irritable she felt herself becoming. Short fused with no explanation one moment and uncontrollable tears the next. The woods? She lived at the beach, surrounded by water. Why the woods and where would that be anyway? Then it happened again.... that overwhelming push to be in the woods and this time she couldn’t ignore it. This time she listened. She grabbed her keys, crystals in her pocket and off she went - a woman on a mission. Suddenly, she knew exactly where to go.

She was alone and for a brief moment her ego mind warned her of potential danger but she settled into her soul and she became surrounded by the love of those who went before her as she took her first steps onto a dirt path that would take her into the woods. The solitude in nature. The sun glistening through the canopy of trees. The birds swooping past. The leaves falling from the trees onto a pond. The quiet stillness of the marshy waters. Not a single human in her presence.

She wandered without a plan and let the woods guide her. She could feel the tension evaporate the deeper into the unknown she walked. At times, she was led to stop and just take it all in and listen. This was truly being present and showing gratitude in the here and now; knowing that was all that was even real.

As the sun was fading, she felt the desire for one last turn. Not knowing why, but knowing to listen, she turned down a path which led to a wooden bridge over swamp-like waters. Before she stepped onto the bridge, she looked to her left and saw him and her body froze. It was like a bright white glowing light encompassed her being and her focus was solely on him. He was tall and majestic and absolutely stunning. They locked eyes and neither of them moved. She felt an absolute awe come over her as she watched in gratitude this mesmerizing creature. An incredible blue heron. Patience. Grace. Magnificence. Authenticity. Elegance. Confidence. Balance. Solitude.

The blue heron was calling her to the woods. She was being called to create a place in the stillness of nature to be renewed. The woods were guiding her to that necessary balance by taking time to be alone. The heron was telling her she was on the right track by being patient and sinking in to her natural way of being. She knew it was time to look within to find answers and that self reflection was the key at this time. It was time to retreat and reclaim her power as her own.

She physically walked out of the woods but, spiritually, the woods became an innate part of her soul that day. She had been barely functioning and energetically drained to the depths of her being for weeks. Her passion is her purpose and yet it became overwhelming. Spirit found a way, through nature, through the woods and the teachings of the blue heron to push her into self preservation and self care. Now, she was ready to truly refocus and remember who she was.