I have found in my nature photography wanderings many of the nature types we hear of in folk tales and the old Celtic nature tales. There are all sorts of personalities in both trees and rocks – the buffoon, the happy go lucky, the warrior, merchant, prince….less often the greenmen and greenwomen who sponsor my woodland work…and sometimes, more rarely, the very high level beings who guard and protect all.
Here is one of these higher level beings who guard and protect – a Lady of the Forest, with her heart-shaped face, holding a just birthing baby bird.
This Lady of the Forest resides in an oak tree overlooking Lake Marmot in Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois. The Lake was named for the founder’s wife, and was a favorite place of hers. The Arboretum itself was set up to collect and preserve tree species from around the world. So it makes sense that at the natural heart of the site a Lady would manifest herself.
The Lady of the Forest is a “mythical” figure who guards and protects all the beings of the woods. She can be invoked for assistance, and if she wishes to, she will respond. The Lady is mother, warrior, priestess – loving, nurturing, spiritually supporting – and fiercely protective. These are my experiences of her-you can probably google her name for more information, but I personally just don’t want to spoil my private experience of her.
The Lady has chosen to reside inside this tree at this location, and her energy has manifested in the trunk. On other sides of the tree are other images related to her. This is common when a tree has the maturity or is selected to manifest nature spirit images.
The image at the top of this blog is of the Lady holding a baby bird. She has a small raised headdress and is wearing a cloak. Seen here is a close up of her face.. She is moving between spirit and matter and so one half of her face, with a smile, can be seen while the other half is conspicuously absent for that is the part resting in spirit.
However, from the “missing” side of the face, when looked at from the side – an image is present. It is the part of the lady present in the spirit world. This shows as an ancient crone energy. So both the mother and the crone are present.
The baby bird itself is well defined, with a small wing and a well-defined eye and beak.
To the side of the tree is one of the familiars who usually accompany a high level nature spirit – they are something like the guides and guardians always present with every human being (but who we alas too often do not acknowledge). Although smiling, the familiar as usual has a bit of a punch to his energy, for familiars are protectors. And this one definitely is tough.
Way up high in the tree is a deer head. The deer is frequently associated with spiritual speed and is the animal often associated with the Lady of the Forest.
On behalf of the nature spirits who co-exist with us on earth – I invite you to go into nature and when you find a tree with spirit manifestation, walk around it, study it, and learn more about the amazing depth and breadth of our universe.