Oak
by Blayze

Sink your awareness down into the earth. Become aware of your breathing. Enter a trance state (using usual breathing techniques…)

You find yourself standing at the foot of a large hill - all around you is darkness pierced only by the brilliant light of the stars… twinkling like jewels embroidered into the velvet cloak of the night sky above you.

By the light of the stars you can see that a path winds in a spiral about the hill. You move to the left and begin to walk along the path - ever twisting and spiralling to the left. You begin to feel the ground slope beneath your feet as you slowly walk the spiral path. Your awareness shifts with each turn as you sink deeper and deeper into trance.

You are aware moonlight growing brighter as you near the summit of the hill and you realise that the moon is rising to hang just above the hill itself. 

Bathed in the moonlight is a tall, ancient stone that stands in the centre of a flat plateau. The spiral path winds ever towards the stone in the centre, one half of which is in shadow, the other illuminated by the silver light of the moon.

Gradually you find yourself walking in a ever tightening spiral as you move closer and closer to the stone… always and ever moving to the left. At last you come face to face to with the towering and ancient weathered rock. By the light of the moon you see that there is an image carved upon its surface… A straight line runs from an inverted V at the base to the top of the stone. Halfway up the line you see two horizontal lines extending to the left. This is the Ogham Duir - the Oak carved into the single upthrust spur of living rock.

You feel the power awakening in the stone and sigil as the moon continues to rise. The Ogham stave glows and you run your hand along its length. You feel the energy tingle through you from the tips of your fingers to your feet upon the earth. Suddenly everything shifts and you find that you have passed through the stone into another realm. Mist envelopes you and you experience a moment of disorientation, but you can now feel the stone standing at your back. 

Slowly you begin to walk forwards into the mists. As you do so the mist begins to writhe and shred away to reveal a path at your feet. You begin to walk forward and realise that you are standing in a very large meadow of grasses. Ahead of you you see a curve of  medium sized oak trees and you move towards them.

You can see the tops of larger trees in the distance forming a curved line of green. You approach the first line of trees and you realise that they have been planted in a large circle. Walk into this outer ring of Oak trees and you see that there is a curved path that moves both to the left and to the right of where you stand. In front of you is another curved row of trees that are much bigger and with dense foliage that will not allow you to pass. The two larger trees directly in front of you are carved with an equal armed cross within a circle - a symbol of protection placed there by unknown foresters of old.

Begin to walk to your right along the path between the two rows of trees. You see that each tree is evenly spaced and scattered around their bases are many acorns. Collect  an acorn from the base of each tree in the outer row. 

Continue moving around the path between the two rows of trees, collecting acorns as you go. Evenutally you will have walked a full circle and will arrived back at the two trees with the crossed circle markings.

On the ground between the two marked trees there now lies a leather bag, tanned with the bark of an oak and marked all over with designs of oak leaves and acorns in oak gall ink. Pick up the bag and open it. Place your gathered acorns within it. Remove all of  your clothes and then hang the bag around your neck so that the bag of acorns rests against your solar plexus - your centre.

Your way through to the next ring of oaks is barred by the marked oaks before you. They are the guardians of your inner strength, your inner soverignty and endurance.

Think about your own strengths and weaknesses - in what areas do you excel and where can you improve. Think about your own endurance. Be honest with yourself. You stand naked before the trees. Offer these inner observations to the two trees, and be honest with them too.

You will find that the bag of acorns begins to become heavier with each insight that you gain. Tell the trees that you are willing to endure the weight of responsibility and leadership that comes with carrying the acorns. New growth gained from strength, endurance and leadership.

Ask the two trees for permission to enter their grove. If permission is given, place each hand on one of the crossed circle markings and the trees will allow you to pass between them.

You now stand within a grove circled by much larger and older oak trees. The middle of the grove is shrouded in mist but you can feel power coming from there.  You  note that the two guardian trees have the same crossed circle marking carved on this side of the tree ring as well.

Once again you walk around the border of trees.  Move to the right around the circle. Look for a wand length of fallen branch from beneath the trees, grey bark covered in oak moss. When you find your branch complete your journey around the circle of trees.

Now move towards the centre of the grove, holding your wand before you. When you have done so you see that the mist has cleared away completely. In the centre of the grove there stands an ancient and huge solitary oak. Still holding the wand, walk towards the ancient oak.

Lay your wand before the tree and move under the shelter of the King Oak's branches. Young oak protected by the old. You see that there is a hollow in the King oak near where a branch and the trunk join. This hollow is filled with rain water. Using your cupped hands take a drink from the rain-filled hollow. You feel all of the infused qualities of the oak  fill your being. Thank the tree then anoint yourself with the water, on the soles of your feet, over your heart and at your third eye. 

As you anoint your third eye you become aware that something has changed within the grove. Move out of the shelter of the King Oak picking up your wand as you go. A little way in front of you you see a large flat stone embedded in the earth where you did not see it before. Go and stand upon the Stone. This is the Lia Fiall and it infers Sovereignty, but you must be worthy to stand upon it. Standing with legs spread apart and rooted to the stone, you feel strength awaken within you. Hold aloft your wand branch to the sky and find and connect with your own strength, a link between Earth and Sky. Feel your inner strength awaken. Think of the times that you have sheltered beneath another's strength, those who have protected and guided you. Think about how you can use your own strengths to protect and guide others. Feel this awaken within you and take on a form that you can work with but never lose. The strength that will endure. Connect with the Stone and the Wand. 

When you are ready, lower the Wand and step off the stone. You feel the bag of acorns at your neck beginning to grow warm as they share your strength and protection.

Walk back to the two marked trees at the border of the grove. Place your hands upon the crossed circles and move back into the outer ring of trees. Retrieve your clothing and put it on. Taking your wand and the bag of acorns with you, walk out between the outer ring of trees. 

You will now begin to plant your acorns in another outer ring. Slowly dig small holes with your wand and plant each acorn with reverence and offer them your strength and protection.

When you have completed planting all of your acorns. Leave the leather bag and the wand at the entrance to your ring.

Now walk across the meadow to the Standing Stone.It will now bear a spiral marking. Begin to trace the spiral as it twists to the right. You become aware of mist forming around you once more and again a feeling of disorientation. 

As the mist begins to clear you find that you are once again standing upon the hillside under the fading light of the setting moon. By the light of the stars you begin to walk the spiral path out from the centre, ever moving to the right. You begin to feel the path sloping downwards as you tread the spiral path around the hill. As you walk you feel yourself becoming heavier and heavier, you begin to be aware of other sounds…. Slowly you reach the bottom of the hill and sit at its base. You become aware of the feel of your body, the shape of your skin and your breath. You feel the blood flowing through your veins . You become aware of the sounds around you… 

When you are back… open your eyes.