Pathwork the Greenwood *

Imagine you are walking along a well-defined trackway toward a rich, deep green forest. As you enter the welcoming cool of the trees, you see a large ancient oak in a small clearing further along the forest path. You approach the knotty, friendly giant with a sense of safety and comfort.

At the base of the tree stands a lone foliate figure, The Ancestor. (Some people prefer to use The Shaman at the beginning but any familiar archetype that you feel comfortable with is acceptable.) The figure welcomes you and indicates the small doorway in the trunk of the tree. You open this doorway and enter into the heart of the dark hollow trunk. The Ancestor may invite you to look up through the hollow and see the sky. You will feel the need to reach your fingers up toward the high branches and you may feel the soles of your feet in contact with the roots, as they pierce deep into the rich, moist soil. Soon you will feel part of the tree, you will feel the leaves breathe and the roots drink. You will hear the wind laughing and feel the rich sap rising through your inner being

Soon The Ancestor will invite you, after some time, to walk through the forest and you will step from the tree, leaving your human body safe and at one with the oak. The Ancestor walks deeper into the forest and The Star stays bright in the constant sky, for this is the pole star around which all others rotate. It is a reassuring talisman. You may become aware of forest animals nearby, maybe catching a glimpse of a stoat, a fox or a hare. An adder may rustle underfoot. Soon you will become aware of an Archer moving stealthily through the trees, almost hidden from view in the thickly entwined leaves. Without hesitation she knocks an arrow to the string and looses it high into the air. You may become aware of the sensation of travelling with the arrow, feeling the rush and seeing the forest below. You may watch the arrow arc through the sky and yet be connected to its flight as you watch it return to Earth. The Archer smiles at you. She may offer you an arrow as a gift of luck for your journey.

Then you will notice, not far away, the antlered figure that has been watching you quietly. Justice will stand unmoving and serene. No words will be spoken, there is no need. Only personal secret acknowledgement is required.

Now it's time to wander on and soon within a small lush verdant copse, you come across The Lovers. Their warmth is all-pervasive and their emotional magnetism sets your heart glowing. Their very bodies are alive with energy, harmony and fertility. You may recognise either or both of The Lovers, or you may feel something familiar and profound pass between you. But their joy is unbounded and secure and your soul will be warmed in their presence.

Behind The Lovers, you may see entwined red and white serpents rising from the nearby lake. The air is filled with fiery energy sparking between them and yet they remain balanced and vital. The air is filled with power and you breathe in the glowing energy and feel it renewing your spirit.

The Archer beckons you deeper into the forest and you may hear music and laughter a little further on. Passing a gateway of entwined leaves and stout branches, you enter a large meadow. As you clear the trees you see a great table laden with all manner of forest fruit. Sitting together at the centre of the feast are The Greenman and The Greenwoman, laughing and singing. All manner of forest denizens dance and eat their fill and the air is filled with joy. Woodpeckers flit from tree to tree and a proud hawk soars overhead. A deer eats the rich grass and young lynx wrestle playfully in the sunshine. The royal couple's laughter rings through the glade and you feel yourself smiling and tapping your foot to a drumbeat that sounds like the heartbeat of the world itself. You are offered food, drink and friendship, and the welcome is genuine and overwhelming. You may stay a while and feel relaxed and at home, but soon you will know it is time to travel on. As you bid farewell to the court of the forest the tune rings in your ears and the laughter echoes in your soul's memory.

Then a blinding flash of summer lightning scorches the sky and you see the flaming form of The Blasted Oak and the fiery body of The Hanged Man. His hair is blazing with flame, his skin jets fire but his expression is calm and patient and his stance is controlled and stoical.

Then you hear the low, quiet roar of a powerful, mature creature in the distance and notice a figure clad in lionskin holding a spear. This is Strength. The roar does not come from the figure but from the depths of the earth. It seems to pervade the very air and reverberate within your chest. The presence of Strength is monumental and you feel the hidden power behind the steady gaze.

As you wander on, the sky turns the colour of an angry sea in which dark purple clouds move restlessly. Soon you behold the forest lake and rising from the lake is the serpentine figure of Reflection. She bids you step into the boat which is tethered to the shore and you drift with the current towards the island. There you see the cloak of Fate hanging on the loom, rich with colour and texture. This cloak is for you, take it and put it on. Then return to the shoreline, thank Reflection for her kindness and travel on.

Then you may be surprised by a daunting figure leaping from the bushes or dropping, with a flourish, from a tree! Do not panic! This remarkable shape-shifter is The Guardian. There is no need to fear him, he means no harm, for he is also a wise, if enigmatic, guardian of your journey. He may point out, with a sardonic smile, the raven watching from afar or the white bones and flesh of carrion. He may challenge you playfully with riddles or test your resolve with dark jests, but keep your nerve. Look for the light that glows gently in the darkness a little way down the path and up a small hill and soon you will see The Hermit. Bid The Guardian farewell and walk steadily toward The Hermit's lamp.

The fleeting shadow of a wolf may flicker through the trees and a goldcrest may dart into the high branches, but as you approach the dim yellow lamplight you will feel the eyes of a great white bear watching you from a small burial mound some way off. Take a moment to meet Judgement's piercing gaze and pay silent respect to the sleepers in that quiet earth. Then you will realize you are back at The Great Oak and The Hermit is showing you the way back into the hollow trunk of The World Tree.

Within the cave sit a Shaman and a Seer. Both may be silent. You may ask questions of both of them if you wish and they may answer or you may sit silently and they will show you the timeless mysteries of The Moon rising or The Sun setting. Your relationship with The Shaman and The Seer is very personal and needs to be nurtured to become intimate. Take some time here to contemplate and be still.

Then you will reach up once more into the high branches of The World Tree and feel the wind brushing through the leaves and the small birds making their homes within the entwined limbs. The soles of your feet become one with the deep dark roots that burrow into the heart of the universe.

Now it is time to return. Give a salute of thanks to your guide, whoever it may have been, and acknowledge the changes that may have taken place or the insights you may have glimpsed. Take a look inside your pouch or bag and see if your problem or question still needs to be asked of the cards, for you may find that you already have the answer.

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* - Excerpted from pages 114 & ff from "The Greenwood Tarot."