The Nature Attunement paper may be the requirement I most look forward too. After all, nature has been a major part of my spiritual practice pretty much my entire life. Even as a child, the one place I truly felt the touch of the divine was in the woods behind the house. I will forever be grateful to my grandpa for that.
When reading the relevant chapter in the Manual, the first thing that stands out to me is the point of getting to know the Gods and Goddesses of the forest. I realize the context of the paragraph was more of a time when there was plenty of untamed nature, but I think it is still fully relevant. After all, how can we as Druids have a truly deep practice without some sort of connection to nature deities? Even if a person thinks of it more as just the connection to the Universe or the Divine within, it is still a connection to the special otherworldliness that is found in nature.
I will say, in this day and age I feel we need to find out what nature deities call to us. Sometimes, for whatever reason, the local ones simply don't speak to us. That's not to say we shouldn't honor them, but perhaps we need to find out who does call us. Who knows? Perhaps an ancestral deity has already laid claim to us or needs us. Perhaps we made a vow to a particular deity that carried over beyond a previous life. Maybe it is something else that we can't quite understand. All I know is that I have seen time and time again that some people have some sort of tie to some deity that can't be explained, but cannot be denied.
I have long had a feeling there was a specific goddess out there who was simply waiting for the right time to call. I have had close feelings for several, and my work with them strongly leads me to believe that in previous lives I have been devoted to them. I will always have a tie, but I knew there was someone else this time around that was waiting and watching. I also knew that She was waiting for the time I was finally on the proper path of druidic studies. I can't say how I knew. I just did. I've known since I was young that I would one day end up here.
Two days ago, I finally heard the call. I was in the shower with my hands under the running water waiting for it to warm up when I felt hands cradling mine. I stood up and there I saw her. I knew nothing about her other than her name was Sulis. That is all She would say to me. I have since learned she is a Celtic Goddess of sacred springs and likely with the sun as her sacred waters in Bath are quite warm. It clicked. I have had an obsession with sacred wells and springs for years as well as the need for very warm water in order to feel the sacred connection. It finally makes sense!
I've seen a few places saying there is a connection between her and owls. Yet another sign. About a year ago, I suddenly had a light interest in them turn into a near obsession. Of course, I can look back and see signs over and over. I even have a bag of owl feathers from one that was injured and died on the steps of an old meeting hall that were gifted to me. The lady who gave them to me only said she knew I would need them. She even made me a smudging fan from the feathers. I decided not long ago that the feather would need to go on my staff and my ritual drum. Sign after sign after sign, and they all pointed to Her.
I did a massive search for her online. I found so many images that resonated on a soul-deep level. There were no more doubts. I had finally found Her! I recently joined the Naturalists Guild. The Mystic track grabbed me as soon as I read it and no matter what else I read or how much time passed between perusals, I couldn't get it out of my mind. Again, it now makes perfect sense. I can feel it will be tied into my path with Her.
I know that my journey to develop a closer relationship to nature will take time, but that's what makes it exciting. My current project is to learn the species of trees in my area. I've already discovered a few. I didn't expect to enjoy it so much. I want to learn more about the local herbs next, but I am still trying to memorize these trees and the different ways they look. It will be my next exciting project. I am happier with my life than I think I have ever been before. I KNOW that I have finally arrived where I am meant to be!
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