A forest fairytale, a magic spell
A fire burns inside a rock ring. Sparks fly into the sky, and dark trees can be seen in the close distance.
Once upon a time, it is Autumn. In the forest, leaves are golden and orange, shining in the setting sun.
In this forest, if you walk very quietly, and slowly, and pay close attention, you might see a leaf waving at you - saying hello.
This is a very special forest. In this forest, very special creatures make their home: Squirrels, Spiders, Snails, Crows, Coyotes, Trillium, Nettle, Cedar, Maple, Honey Mushroom, and many, many, many more. These are the Seen - those that human eyes can see (if you’re lucky) and human ears can hear (if you’re lucky), as they move and chatter and grow and live and die.
Then, of course, as you know, there are the Unseen Ones, the beings that move (like fog, or glinting silken thread), and chatter (in strange and whispered words), and live, and die.(Possibly. In their own way. Maybe.)
These Unseen Ones - they might be waving at you too. As we move through the forest, we hope they welcome us, or at least tolerate us. Human ears and eyes might catch a glimpse (if you’re really lucky), but your best hope is to feel them as prickles on your back and down your arms; a questionable quiet crashing in the brush; a flash just out of sight; a clench (maybe delicious, maybe painful) in your heart and belly.
This very special forest is so special because you can enter this forest with every bit of yourself.
They never ask you to leave parts of yourself outside. In fact, they welcome the gigglers, the loud talkers, the slow walkers. They welcome those that cry over the smashed slug, and those that cry for the disasters all around.
They welcome your tears and your laughter and your confusion and grief and joy and hope.
This is a very special forest, just like every forest I know.
This forest holds (and is) magic. The Unseen Ones walk alongside (and crack jokes and cry with) the Seen.
Grief and joy are very familiar companions here. Like, very familiar. Like - old news. So anything you bring in is no surprise to these Folks.
What I’ve heard (in the whispers and the rustles and the waving of the leaves) is that they want you to be here. That when you bring yourself here, your grief and pain and silliness and wonderment and boredom and hope, you are taking good care of them. This shows them you care, and shows them respect (as the Elders they are). When it seems there is no help to be found Out There (or not enough, or not the right kind), you might hear the wind through the trees (one way the forest speaks) reminding you that they’re right here.
They say (this is translated so not 100% accurate but close): “When we get to take care of you, you take good care of us. Did you forget how this works?”
Really this is such a special forest, such a magical forest, that of course, as you might imagine, magic spells do work here. Well one spell really - one that the Seen and Unseen wish more people knew (remembered).
This spell, which you can whisper in the dark, or shout at high noon; which you can speak out loud, or hold in your heart; is simple. It really is simple and anyone can use it. Anyone, anyone at all, can go into this very special forest (which is all forests, all land, everywhere) and say (with all of your heart, or as much of your heart as you can muster) to everyone there (the Seen and the Unseen) this very simple spell:
“I’m listening.”
And then, you listen.
And then, you listen some more.
And then, you keep listening.
And then, who knows? Who knows what is possible? Who knows what this very simple spell (maybe the most important spell) can do?
I think you will be the one to find out.
