Tanekaha
I set out driving towards the other end of the island yesterday. I needed to find a Tanekaha tree to harvest from to make a remedy. Tanekaha came to me in my dream time last week. I heard the call to connect. So here I was, driving, not knowing exactly where I was heading.
I called out to spirit of Tanekaha..."Where are you? Please show yourself to me?" It didn't take long and I sighted one on the side of the road. I pulled over, got out and connected with the tree. Hmmm I wasn't feeling like this was the right tree. "Great spririt, is this the best tree for me to harvest from for my remedy?" No was the answer I received. So I said goodbye and jumped back in the car.
Driving on I asked Great Spirit to guide me to the best tree for my remedy. Before long I was guided to pull over on the right hand side of the road. Perfect, it looked like there was a walking track there. I gathered my things and got out of the car to read the sign. 'Pioneer Settlers Graveyard'. A short walk down a track and I came to the grave site.
I couldn't believe my eyes. There must have been a hundred Tanekaha trees! Tanekaha is very special in that it assists us in connecting to the support of our ancestors. And here I was amongst these incredible trees that are literally growing from the earth which lie the Waiheke Pioneer Settlers.
I thanked Great Spirit for guiding me there and greeted the trees. Tears welled in my eyes as I sat with the greatest humility of the magic of Spirit connection.
I gently lay myself down on top of the golden leaf litter and prepared to journey. Setting intention to receive the medicine of Tanekaha and asking Piwakawaka (my bird spirit ally) to guide me, I soon dropped into a journey.
I felt an embodied feeling of self love. My loins swelled and I felt deep love inside my body. It was a feeling of love, pleasure and gratitude for myself. I soon moved into a feeling of being hollow and likened it to what is described as the 'hollow bone'.
As I continued to lie in the soft foliage I had a felt sense of being watched. Resisting the impulse to open my eyes I soon had a minds eye vision of people standing all around me....loving me, holding me, supporting me. The ancestors were showing themselves to me.
Coming back into my body I slowly opened my eyes, looking straight up beyond the trees, beneath the blue of the sky was a hawk. It circled above me once and flew away. A reminder to always look at the bigger picture.
My eyes were then drawn to what I could see was the Tanekaha tree I needed to harvest from for my remedy. With so much humility and love I harvested what I needed, expressed my gratitude and said my goodbyes.
I love my work.
