It is not many generations since we lived in nature and off nature, but then the Industrial Revolution came and removed many of us. Out of nature, into buildings, into cities, and suddenly concrete and asphalt were what many of us got to move on and around.
Fortunately, some people understood that we needed green lungs and established city parks. It was a very fine measure, but nothing can compare to the free nature of gods and goddesses.
Suddenly one day we no longer had to gather the food ourselves. We could go and buy it at the market and in the shops. In this way, nature became even more estranged. Today we need nothing but the internet and something to fill our account, and then we can buy everything that exists.
Artificial fertilizer, plastic … convenient words, but oh so disgusting for nature.
Many talk about climate change – I, and several others with me, are just as worried about the piles of rubbish, which keep growing, growing and growing.
We sit for hours with PC, phone and tablet – and spend a lot of time "online."
Such is our modern life, but how good it is, that I honestly do not know.
Do we need bigger potatoes, faster-growing chicken, to replace the wardrobe several times a year, a faster PC and self-development courses, or do we need more and better contact with nature? I am quite certain that we would become healthier, more harmonious and balanced if we took a "nature bath" to a far greater extent than we do today.
Shamans urge us to head out into nature, druids say the same – and about half of the witch movement focuses on nature and the beneficence of nature.
Now I must add that modern people cannot just throw together some gear and gallop off into the wilderness. Nature is giving, but it can also be a little scary for us inexperienced wanderers.
A hike across Besseggen scared the daylights out of me. It was high and it was frightening. Ten of us set out together; seven of us wanted to order a helicopter to carry us down from "halfway." Give me the easier hikes up in Rondane, on marked trails.
I also have great respect for the sea, so I make do with a Kiel cruise once in a while. The forest is more "my thing." I feel quite safe in Finnskogen and I like to spend time there. I also enjoy myself here at Nes, Ringerike – the forests are small and friendly. You actually do not need the wilderness to feel in tune with nature; a little patch of nature is enough. Even the garden can be your place for "nature bathing."
Shinrin-yoku is a Japanese term and means quite simply "forest bathing." This means, in short, that you stay in nature and breathe in "nature's spirit."
Then we come to the druids. Who is keenest to get us out into nature, the druids or the shamans, shall remain unsaid – both groups are eager children of nature, and we witches have much to learn from them.
The druids have a close relationship with trees. Every single tree is almost sacred to them, and it is not the least bit strange; you do not need much contact with trees before you understand how wonderful these "overgrown flowers" really are.
And now I finally come to the seven gifts of the druids. The introduction got a little long and I apologize :-)
How the seven-gifts concept arose I have not managed to find out, but I assume the bards (that is, those who take care of the poetic part of druidry) came together and figured out these gifts. In the spirit of the druids, they share the information with us. I think that is so good. The old druids did not write anything down. In one way that was foolish, on the other hand – perhaps it was clever? The spirits, the magic and the knowledge lie there, just waiting for us to rediscover them. And when we discover something of true value, we can share it with other seekers, can we not? Besides, there are so many skilled teachers today that we can help ourselves with quite a large spoon. There are many strange sources too, so be a little critical. False prophets have existed for as long as humanity has walked the earth – there are charlatan shamans, charlatan witches and charlatan druids, but if you bring in common sense and trust yourself, you will be well equipped to meet nature, the wisdom and the knowledge.
Then I will finally get into the gifts!
Gift number 1!
The gift of philosophy.
Really, thinking is boring. By this I mean that we take in information and pass it on without giving much thought to what we take in and give out. At least I am such a "thought-flitterer," but when we really think, the brain and reason go to work, and suddenly we are able to think more deeply and more critically.
Suddenly it dawns on us that we live on a planet that needs all our love and that life is actually sacred! Then we stop separating "spirit and matter," we stop thinking that we are going to heaven to walk on streets of gold – but instead we understand that we must embrace and celebrate this life we live here and now. After that we can embrace our fellow creatures and nature. We cannot save the planet and nature alone, but everyone can contribute something. Plant a tree, sort the rubbish, try to use as little of the earth's resources as possible, and so on, and so much more. If everyone does a little … every little bit helps and many small things add up, so – yes – we can do a little at a time, and there will be results from this effort. One can get annoyed at dog poop, but I am more exasperated by snus pouches, plastic bags and other human "calling cards" out in nature. I will survive the dog poop, but – everyone – please bring dog bags anyway. Thank you so much :-)
Gift number 2!
Let us connect with nature. Go out, be attentive, see nature. A friend of mine has a cabin in Trysil. It is lovely and it sits cheek-to-cheek with many other cabins. She loves to invite people up to the cabin. I shudder every time I feel obligated to travel up there. Then there is cabin coziness on Friday, stress with skis and snowboards and shouting yourself hoarse on the slope on Saturday, while doing après-ski in the afternoon/evening. So much fun – then you stand packed like sardines in a barrel, scream yourself hoarse to drown out all the people, or listen desperately to your neighbor's desperate attempt to say something … sensible? Funny? Or something?
On Sunday you travel home and say how good it is to be out in nature. Heaven help us.
No, give me autumn at the cabin, in the middle of the week. Then you can go out and pick berries, meet the moose and get a completely different experience of nature. Although I prefer the local forest, one must be social.
If you take the time to connect with nature, you can really see the stones lying there, silent and sturdy. Stones teach you patience. You can study plants, trees, wildlife or others moving about in nature. It is good to breathe in the landscape, it is good to feel that you belong here on the planet. City air does not give the same experience. Trust me on that; my home town is Oslo – and I am fond of the city, but it is out in the countryside that I feel I truly live and belong.
Gift number 3!
It is said that a good laugh prolongs life, and I believe this – but I believe that nature experiences also prolong our lives. Mentally, time spent in nature does us good; physically, it contributes to strengthening the body.
I believe that inner stress is so unhealthy that one ought to get it out of the body. And getting rid of stress – surely that must prolong life?
Gift number 4!
Take the time to mark "transitions" – see the transitions as part of your life journey. Someone is born, mark it. For example, you could plant a tree in honor of the newcomer. Someone becomes an adult, mark it. Someone marries, mark it. Someone dies, mark it. Mark the seasons too. They are also transitions. Take the time to delight in transitions.
Gift number 5!
Open yourself to other "realities." Sing, recite mantras, chant, drum journeys, prayer or sweat lodges. Try things out, find your thing. Personally I love making my own mantras, because it works so well for me. What works for you, you will find out :-)
Gift number 6!
Now we come to development. Gift number 6 is actually to encourage you to develop yourself, bring out your potential and use this to build yourself up. Your fellow creatures, nature and life here on the planet. Everyone has talents. What are yours? Map out everything you are good at and use it. Do not say that you are no good at anything; everyone is good at something – so do not underestimate yourself.
Gift number 7!
Open up to the magic and the inspiration. When you look at witchcraft sites, you get the feeling that witchcraft is about cleansing all sorts of things, everything from the aura to the pencil sharpener … and then you have to do spells. Many spells. Cleansing is good. Spells are good. There is much magic in spells and cleansing is sensible, but sometimes the magic lies in visiting a lonely neighbor and seeing the joy in the neighbor's eyes when you arrive. The magic can lie in a letter you write to someone, because you want to bring them joy. When witches blow salt out the door on the 1st of each month, the magic lies in remembering that there are impure thoughts, deeds and words – these you blow away. Then you blow cinnamon in, and then you remember the good – yes, you puff that in and bid it welcome. Sometimes small or large miracles happen, sometimes intuition warns us – magic, magic, magic.
There – those were the seven gifts of the druids. I like them and have adopted them into my "witch life." :-)
Just help yourself to them too.
