Nature is pure – woods are grounding. Forests and woods are symbolic because there is always regrowth, and change that comes with the seasons.
Using the sanctuary of ‘nature’ to pause for reflection, we can all build deeper self-awareness. The healing power of nature, can bring and unify people closer together.
Since I was a small child, the woodland has come to symbolise my inner sanctuary. It is a safe place to where I can retreat, under the canopy of trees, surrounded by wild flowers, trickling streams and the playful innocence of woodland creatures.
By retreating in nature, I always find peace, love and harmony. Nature restores balance, provides clarity and fresh perspective.
When I need to escape the rigours of life, I seek the solitude of the forest.
For if you listen, you can hear it whisper to you.
I always leave the forest with a smile and secret told.
Forest Whispers is a story about my journey of spiritual and personal growth with Sonia Wynn-Jones, co-author of this book, spanning over a decade.
It is a set of powerful visualisations written in the form of poetry and prose that came from a higher place of consciousness.
I belong to Sonia's weekly meditation and monthly spiritual and personal development group.
She is an incredible healer and intuitive guidance counsellor. I now practice silent meditation on a daily basis.
Through Sonia, I have come to understand my spiritual journey, which in turn has awakened my sense of purpose.
A few years ago, channelled healing came to me in the form of poetry and storytelling, writing out thoughts and feelings to paper. And I also got out the pastels, I’d inherited from my mother as a young girl, down from the loft and just drew out what I needed to express.
This gave me the opportunity to uncover the narrative and stories that were running through my mind and explore the channelled messages that were being given to me.
I felt guided to map out my own story and break it down, where I was able to surrender into my innermost emotions by becoming much more self-aware.
When I write from a flow state, I’m able to unlock the hidden cues and messages within the words I’ve written - that allows me to tap into my deeply buried unconscious mind, and raise up my intuition.
It’s always amazing to see just how much guidance surfaces up. And golden nuggets of wisdom, set in stone, so unavoidable that it’s glaringly obvious why I act or have acted, in a certain way.
This book is based on my own personal stories, development and spiritual growth, along with Sonia’s guidance. Trusting in the guidance to just go with the flow and not fight against it, even if it felt painful at the time. You know that feeling when you’re being pushed out of your comfort zone to grow into the next phase of your life.
This was it for me. A manifestation of where I was meant to head next and know intuitively what the right path is to follow.
Forest Whispers is full of the wisdom imparted to me by Sonia who helped me make sense of my life’s path. And instilled in me the belief we can break free. Liberate ourselves, find forgiveness, overcome adversity and create a ripple effect of positivity, compassion and enlightenment for ourselves and for others.
It’s all about the timing and the lessons that have to be learnt along the way before you can begin to make your dream a reality. This book is about sharing those lessons, sharing love, and hopefully helping others to get on the road to enlightenment.
When I first started seeing Sonia, my meditation teacher, mentor and co-author of Forest Whispers, for 1-1 counselling guidance, I also joined in one of Sonia’s weekly mediation groups. As a business journalist, writer, and editor, I had led a pretty busy life at that time. I’d also stumbled across some major roadblocks in my personal life.
Childhood and family issues I thought I’d dealt with, were still lurking around and catching me unawares. Or suddenly jumping out of nowhere and putting my life back into chaos, causing extreme distress and anxiety. Circumstances that I felt were out beyond my control arose, catching me off guard.
Derailing me and leading me to tailspin not knowing which way was up or down when all I’d strived for was a normal, orderly, calm, peaceful life. This wasn’t to be at that time.
Sonia has taught me how to see much more clearly – and interpret my true north. My natural intuition. Through meditation practice and stilling the monkey mind, I’ve been learning how to tap into my intuition from a deeply quietened space within myself.
Then I can access the guidance that is meant for me and know as well as understand the direction in which I’m meant to travel.
Sonia has always been there for me, making sure I stay on track and don’t wander off or drift back into playing out childhood learnt and reactive patterns of behaviour. It’s a very deep learning process. And this is why meditation is so key.
Without learning how to quieten our minds, we allow our egos to dominate and confuse our thoughts, intuition or guidance. This is why it is so important to have a teacher you trust with the utmost mutual respect for one another, because the spiritual development road is not an easy one to undertake.
Through my development with Sonia, I’ve been able to unravel what has been hindering and holding me back or prevented me from treading a new track that’s full of promise and opportunity.
However, through meditation and development, when we commit to taking action from the guidance we receive, we start the deeper level process of personal growth.
It has taken me courage, bravery, tenacity and strength to breakthrough. I have always known the alternative is to stay stuck, that causes further stress, pain and often leads back to playing out unhealthy and often, repetitive patterns of negative behaviour.
When you receive realisations that you need to change your way forward, it might feel scary, nerve-wracking, even terrifying at first. But it feels ‘right’, because there’s also an edge of excitement, awe and wonder. There’s a touch of magic and mystery in the air that you cannot ignore.
You’re feeling fired up more than you have in weeks, months or years, because you’ve been shown where to seek new adventures, come up with solutions, and how to pursue a better way forward, that’s meant just for you.
