On the night of September 26/September 27……….I stirred from sleep and suddenly knew I had to make some essences called Crossroads Essences. I don't get called to make many essences, so when I do, I pay attention.
I puttered about through the day, and it kept lingering and coming back. I knew from the moment that I woke up with this idea, that the first essence would be made at the cemetery gates of Pine Grove Cemetery, the graveyard behind my house that I frequent. Graveyard gates are gateways and crossroads and there is powerful energy and magic there.
I set out with my trusty jet stone I have carried in my pocket for the past 17 years or so, and a bottle of Ghost Pipe Tincture lovingly made by a friend of mine and gifted to me a couple of years ago. You should always leave an offering when working with these beings. It might make a difference between a Yes or a No when you ask for permission.
As I approached the gates, I saw something behind the trees dart………as I got closer, I noticed it was a mama deer and some fawn. I couldnt see how many as they bound away too quickly. This was as I was approaching the gates, for the first essences. Ok, thats good confirmation I thought.
The second essences was of the “kin tree” as I call it. This is a very old and very large pine, that used to be two. On the second pine, or perhaps it is just a branching off the first, it is only an old stump now……however out of it grows a beautiful white birch. Symbiosis. Kinship. As I approached these trees, a squirrel scurried right from them. Ok thats another confirmation for essence 2.
As I walked to the third location, I became aware of how active the graveyard was today. Really, so much more active with animals than I think I have ever seen it, and I am there often. The third location is the grave of a veteran from WW1 upon which the fungi Dead Man’s Fingers(Xylaria polymorpha) was growing. I knew this essence required not only the Ghost Pipe offering, but also something else for the inhabitant of the grave itself. I approached a nearby hydrangea bush blooming in all it’s glory and knew that I could clip two blossoms as an offering. I placed them on the grave and then set out the essence jar with water to make an essence from Dead Man’s Fingers. As i was making this a whole flock of very nearby crows that I hadn't noticed, suddenly took off in flight. Strange how quietly they sat until I had finished setting out this jar. Confirmation number 3, not to mention the interesting relationship I have with crows (another story for another time.)
The last essence of the day, I knew immediately was the beautiful birch tree, that is imbued with lovely childlike energy. It’s roots twist and turn across the ground, stretching here and there around the graves. As I approached this, a bunch of geese trailed across another part of the cemetery hurrying off into the woods. Confirmation number 4.
I don’t know how many of these essences there will be. Maybe just 4. Maybe I’ll create more here or at another location. We shall see where I am drawn.
