Awen ~ The Spirit of Nature’s Wisdom – By Steve Tallamy (Ultimate Nature Lover, Writer, Brit & All Around Good Guy!)
I’ll explain all about Awen and what it means to me later, but in the meantime ….
When you interact with Nature and give your thoughts the freedom to go wherever they desire you are connecting to the knowledge of those ancestors who travelled this way before you. Their love is there too, but you must show respect and give thanks for it by opening your heart and allowing it to touch your soul before it is revealed. Natures’ knowledge and love combine to give you wisdom which is a precious gift not always recognized or used for its true and pure purpose. That purpose is for it to be shared unconditionally without expecting praise or reward and must at all costs be kept separate from ego. It is the lifeblood of every living being. Wisdom is the act of using knowledge for the best interest of all and used with love and compassion it will nurture and heal all it touches and how we use it dictates who and what we are and what we will become.
How many of you have felt that shiver of connection when in an ancient place; woodland, heath, secluded beach, sacred space or even an old building? Don’t be afraid of it, that shiver is the spirit of ancestors known and unknown touching your soul and willing you to open up to all that they learnt before you, that shiver is their call for you to connect in openness of heart and mind. When in this state you will be amazed at the clarity that flows through your thoughts, a clarity that permits you into the realm of love. Many people I come into contact with have that love and it oozes from them like a breath of fresh air, it flows in and around them, they use it with wisdom and purity. Unfortunately there are still far too many of us who use it as a tool for self-service and self-gratification but once you yourself are connected to the spirit these people are easy to see and where necessary avoid.
To receive wisdom and to use it as it is meant to be used brings a calmness and inner peace, creativity and intuition, love and harmony. In Druidry and ancient Celtic beliefs this wisdom was (and still is) known as Awen. It is a Welsh word for ‘sacred inspiration’ which in spiritual terms means ‘flowing spirit – the essence of life.’ Awen is the energy that flows through babbling brooks, the tides, the breath of the wind and rain, the seasons and human passion. It is the energy in every living thing, it surrounds us in all that we see, touch, smell , hear and taste but we must appreciate it, respect it and share our love with it before we are allowed to connect fully to it’s wisdom. This connection can happen instantly or be something we strive for all of our lives, it is up to each individual to open up to it in their own way(s) and that way is what is termed today as ritual, a way of honoring the wisdom awaiting us. My ritual is to go into Nature and give thanks for all I have, ask permission to seek answers, show respect and often read (share/offer) some creativity that Awen has given to me (this article for example, or a poem that has inspired me) and in return I am given more of the knowledge which I hope I share with you in wisdom.
Steve Tallamy.com
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