Full Wedding Moon

Today, I did some magic in the garden. My intention was for all the deep connections that we make in this place, and the work we do for the good of our planet, to spread out into the world.

It is my hope that Westacre will become a place of deep connection with the spirits of place. By 'spirits of place' I mean all the life forms that contribute to the individual character of this place. It includes the apple trees from the old orchard, the ash trees on the boundary, the primroses, the bees and flies, and the people who live and visit here. All of those are expressions of the endless creativity of Divine Spirit, and have their own wisdom to impart. All we have to do is listen.

My work here is to create a wide network of connections with these spirits, and with a growing community beyond. In my daily practice, I listen deeply to everything that lives here. Beyond, I hope to make connections of friendship and goodwill with anyone who helps us with the project, from people on the internet who share our stories, delivery men who bring materials, and friends who come to pitch in.

My vision is that all those connections will form a network of blessing that reaches far out into the world. Hopefully, our relationship with this place will inspire people to make more meaningful connection with their own land, and with the living Earth.

With this vision in mind, I made a journey to my helping spirits a week ago. I asked them how I could make Westacre into the centre of such a web of blessing. The spirits gave me a ritual that I enacted today, and I'd like to share it with you here.

At the heart of the Westacre garden stands an old apple tree. Its hollow trunk sends out long branches that are now just about to burst into leaf. It is not long for this world, but it is has been here a long time, and has become one of the guardian spirits of this place. This apple tree was the centre and main witness of my ritual.

I started by calling upon the seven directions to be with me and bless my rite. I thanked the apple tree for helping me. Using white sage, I smudged its trunk and all the way along each main branch, honouring its energy and cleansing it for the next part.

A small semi-precious stone became the carrier of connection. With it, I walked to each of the four corners of the property, once around the house, and once around the perimeter. Together, we drew a web of connection. As I walked, this prayer came to me:

To ground the energy and anchor the web of connection, I buried the stone at the foot of the apple tree.

I closed my ritual and gave thanks to all spirits who attended. But the magic isn't done yet. When the apple tree bears fruit this year, I am to cook with its fruit and share the results as far and wide as I can. If the harvest is good, there is going to be an abundance of apple chutney, sauce, pie, cake, and goodness knows what else.

And the blessing of this place will begin to flow along many lines of connection.