I opened up spiritually in so many ways, this visit. I think that being around two open people who resonated closely with me made me so much more aware, and gave me so much faith. If I felt something, usually they felt it too; if I spoke about spiritual things they took a profound interest. I'd never experienced that before (the visit with Aurilion was similar but ze shared a lot more than I did, as I was kinda overwhelmed and used to being the listener) and it helped me to feel comfortable exploring spiritual things. My heart really opened up (and my heart is where I feel my tree-connection to be).

I also, by divine design, was reading "The Secret Life of Plants" and realizing that so much of what I have sensed spiritually is scientifically provable. Plants have sensation. They not only respond when someone harms them, they respond to thoughts, as well as to the experiences of plants near them. One scientist had bonded with zir plants and left them hooked up to electronic reading devices while off on vacation; from 80 miles away zir plants reacted excitedly when ze made love to zir partner (ze checked the time, and the time on the printouts once ze returned). Also, plants respond to intoxicants & anesthesia -- when fed alcohol they sway drunkenly, pass out, and revive with signs of a hangover; when chloroform is blown over them they go into deep sleep and revive with fresh air (a large tree was transplanted with no ill effects thanks to the narcotic vapor -- the transplantation would have killed it without). Another plant was tortured by one person and cared for kindly by another; when hooked up to electrodes they found that the plant reacted violently to the torturer and when that person left and the caretaker came in, the plant immediately calmed down. (the instruments used to measure these things are an interesting tale of their own, starting with a lie detector and growing more sophisticated as time went on) This book is FILLED with amazing stories like that, from so many different researchers. I'm only halfway through the book now and it has wildly changed my life. (and I have become even more convinced that eventually science and spirit will harmonize) Why was I ordered to poke around in dead pig fetuses and cut up live frogs (both of which I refused to do, to the chagrin of my lab partner) rather than learning this incredibly vital truth about our world? This book has been around for over three decades! And yet I have NEVER heard ANYONE discuss the FACT that plants do feel -- and react to thoughts and feelings of humans (and the feelings, at least, of animals and plants)!

Thanks to that book, my logic is rejoicing that at last it can dance in harmony with my spirit. And I have so much more faith that if I feel something as true in my spirit, I will find the facts to match it.

I also met several trees in Scotland that I connected with in beautiful ways. One was a black willow (one of my favorite trees) near Hannah's apartment -- it was so large and strong, it fairly glowed with health. In Anstruther, there were three sugar maples in a cemetery that radiated the most amazing energy -- we were walking by and before I even saw them, my heart leaped! I looked up to see what was so wonderful (we were passing by on a lower level street with a wall between) and felt such kinship when I laid eyes on them. All three were loving but the one that I connected with the most was the center one, which was shaped like a less-exaggerated version of the Hercules tree I dreamed about. Also in Anstruther, there was a many-trunked tree (a type which I have not been able to identify) -- upon seeing it I immediately darted over and hugged and kissed it! It had such a sense of joy and wildness about it. And I also met the stump of a tree that had been cut down for disease -- but it was growing new shoots! it did not die! I really loved sitting/standing on it and being in the space where it had stood. There were two others in the Botanic Gardens but I'll save those for a post on that day.



--- (photos by me unless otherwise noted) ---


me with the black willow (taken by Hannah)

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the black willow arches over me (taken by Hannah)

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the three sugar maples in the graveyard (Hercules in the center)

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love ♥

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alight with peace and strength
(that may be a lens flare but it really looks as if my third eye is glowing)

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beautiful pathway to the heavens
(that's my favorite looking-up-at-tree-branches photo I've ever seen -- and I took it! *beams proudly*)

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swirly spring green! and deep lime in the background!

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posing on the stump-that-did-not-die (taken by Nick)

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dancing on the stump-that-did-not-die (taken by Nick)

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feeling tree-tall and tree-strong! (taken by Nick)

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happy :D (taken by Nick)

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the unknown tree in the courtyard in Anstruther

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another view of this so-friendly tree!

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very bad photo taken for identification purposes (perhaps one of you is secretly a tree expert?)
edit: FINALLY found the name! Willowleaf Cotoneaster ;-) (technically a shrub, pah)

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sky shining through leaves

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climbing (taken by Hannah)

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smiling up! (taken by Hannah)

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joyful connection (taken by Hannah)

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*glows*

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*giggles at self*

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in harmony

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I also loooooved the violet flowers near that tree

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