New Year's Day. Ever since childhood I have always got up early on this date, no matter what time I went to bed. To me the world is a clean slate, fresh and perfect. I have only been back in the US since late on the 27th but unbelievable shamanic shifts have taken place.
I was led to the Holy tree by the Elk and since then I cannot not go there. It has become the sacred location where I commune with the forest beings. When I am there a great peace comes over me, a knowing that I need to be still to hear their voices. A place to honor my ancestors, the land-wights and the Native energies the flood out of the rocks, the trees and soil.
Some of you who read my posts may not understand the world of Elves, Faeries and Goblins but these are the woodland folk that exist in the half-light and the best time to experience them is at dawn and dusk. My Shamanic brother in England was talking about visions from Gnomes, I have to admit to him that I had never experienced them. Then two of my mystical sisters in the US told me that I must meet with them, I thought this a strange coincidence.
Then I thought of the strange Faerie beings that came in an energetic wave, whilst sitting in a ring of cedar trees, to give me comfort when my Mother had passed. Well know I know what the Gnomes are and there connection to me and the wisdom of their plant medicine. To now know what I must ingest to find the answers to my quest. This will lead me into direct communication with the forest gods.
Because I am a white-skinned European this sounds nuts but to any other indigenous peoples of the Earth it is a sacred pathway to enlightenment.
We of Western European descend must remember that we also have  tribal customs that date back to the beginnings of time. When we understood the language of the plants, the trees, the animals, even of rock beings and that same understanding still remains in our core, you just have to search.