This week’s blog comes from one of the world’s most beautiful areas of natural beauty – the Lake District National Park. I’m here in Cumbria for a few days to hide away and enjoy all the things I love most about Springtime in the British countryside. Mother Nature displays her raw beauty in the wild coastal paths, surrounded by rugged mountain peaks and bleak moorland passes, contrasting the gentleness and delicacy in all the lanes filled with golden daffodils (as well as all the other wonderful ‘flora and fauna’ ). So many favourite sights. One of the cutest, funniest and uplifting sights is the leaping, frolicking and tiny bleating sounds of new-born lambs in the lowlands as we drive through the valleys. I love to stop and watch them turn to look at me, as I’m leaning over the gate to take pictures, and hear the deep call of the mother sheep in response to her babies call. This visit I’m amused by seeing some tiny lambs in ‘plastic’ raincoats. I guess it must be for the tiniest and most vulnerable. What bemuses me is that for some reason we believe sheep to be fairly stupid. Yet these ewes are totally aware of the presence of a stranger. Every mother in the field stands and stares, then slowly moves her babies out of harms way, across the pen, or the field. That protective ‘Mother’s instinct’ is demonstrated so clearly. Not so stupid.
Some of us believe that our Earth is a Divine feminine presence. The Mother of all life. Would she too not wish to protect and defend her creation? I’m only muting this point because if we believe, as I understand the Essenes certainly did, that Gaia is our Earthly Mother and that we are to protect and nurture her in return for all she provides … then why on earth do we treat her so badly?
There are so very many examples of lack of regard for our planet. (I don’t need to labour the point about nuclear missile testing in the Pacific ocean, and fracking). What I’m saying is that because like you I do care I think I’ll try to do one extra thing each week (or each day if possible) into showing my love for her. I’m sure everyone reading this already does everything in their power to live in an eco-friendly way because we are all trying to become more conscious, more aware of our actions.
But I pause in the misty mountains here and reflect – I feel I could be doing more. When my children were small I would (to their embarrassment) take a carrier-bag and collect litter as we walked to school. For some reason I have stopped doing this but now I think I’ll start again when we walk our dog. I enjoy planting tubs and pots but I’m going to put in a few extra flowers in the garden to feed the bees, and make sure I never forget to fill up the bird feeder for the garden birds. Being just a little more consciously aware of our use of electricity and water makes so much difference too. I’m trying to encourage the grandchildren to turn off the tap when they are brushing their teeth – not just because I’m on a water meter- but because it makes sense! I am shocked by a recent report that indicates less and less people are ‘bothering’ to recycle as it is simply too much trouble. Oh no! That’s so sad. What happened? (I actually enjoy my trips to the bottle bank. There is something therapeutic and strangely satisfying about the sound of breaking glass).
As I sit in my lodge in Cumbria looking about at the budding trees, watching chaffinches hopping about, listening to the crows circling as they build their nests I’m struck by a deep sense of emotion that I can’t quite name.
The Essenes worked with the earth energies and called them angels. They honoured and worshipped the Angel of Earth as they tilled the soil, blessed the Angel of Water in gratitude as they bathed and honoured the ‘never ending streams’ that irrigated their crops. They gave thanks as they ate in silence and honoured all work as a blessing of joy. Life must have been so very different for the Essenes of Nazareth and in the mountains of Qumran by the Dead Sea. But I’m so sure that as I look out over the vast swathes of green fields and hillsides that many of the local farmers around have a similar relationship with their animals and land.
Those of us who love and work with the angels are not just called to heal our selves and one another, we are also here to be mindful – as a society – of the small and important ways to show our gratitude for life … for our work, our planet. Have a wonderful weekend! With love.
