I share my expertise of visiting Routin Brig waterfall in Scotland and think about whether or not this traditionally important and long-revered website, may need performed a component in a robust nature meditation I loved there.
Previous to a current journey to Scotland, I zoomed in on the native space utilizing Google Maps and noticed a waterfall not far-off, making a observe of the title and tough location.
The place Outdated Water and Cluden Water converge, slightly below a moss-covered stone bridge, we discover Routin Brig waterfall, positioned within the parish of Irongray in Dumfries and Galloway and solely a mile or so from the place we stayed.
We frolicked strolling by way of the gorgeous woodland absorbing the ambiance. In late April we noticed the remnants of huge carpets of Bluebells, and beside them, a burbling stream, widening as soon as joined by Cairn Water.
Earlier than returning to spend a while beside the waterfall, we continued on by way of Dalquhairn Woods, exploring stone ruins and pebble seashores, all with the intoxicating scent of newly-flowered wild garlic hanging within the air.
How I meditate in nature
The whole lot I do and observe is intuitively led. This implies the phrases I take advantage of for sure issues is probably not the identical as these you is likely to be aware of, nor could they be the conventionally held phrases or practices. I’m a powerful believer in doing no matter works for you – while being culturally as delicate as attainable – so hopefully you’ll nonetheless get some perception into how my nature meditation observe works.
As we walked I observed a small variety of posies near the waterfall, intentionally positioned right here and there. Pagan tributes my mind routinely determined, and I made a psychological observe to seek out out extra after I bought house.
Simply tuning into the power of the place, I discovered a flat rock completely positioned beside, and barely above the waterfall, offering the proper vantage level over the cascading water, and a really perfect spot for some meditation.
Meditation is akin to shifting right into a hypotonic state, I tune down sure elements of my mind and dial up others. I’m now not considering 12 duties forward, I’m absolutely current and I’m gloriously rooted within the second.
Reaching that state will sometimes elude me, typically it might probably take many minutes and failed makes an attempt, however on uncommon events, It could occur instantly, with out the necessity for the generally prolonged preamble.
In the correct place, nevertheless (and solely ever open air) I can will myself straight right into a meditative state and it effortlessly occurs. Observe makes good in fact, and doing this as typically as attainable actually has been the important thing to me having the ability to (generally) enter this state so rapidly and easily.
Routin Brig waterfall was one such place. I sat, closed my eyes and held my intention to tune into the power of the place shut. A few deep breathes later, unexpectedly my senses have been overwhelmed by the sound of the dashing of water, the contemporary, woody scent within the air, the comforting barely heat really feel of tree bark and moss beneath one hand and the cooler sensation of unyielding stone beneath the fingertips of my different hand.
I felt an prompt jolt, what I check with as a figuring out.
To elaborate, it is a sturdy, intuitive feeling or perception introduced into my
acutely aware consciousness that I do know with none doubt in any respect, to be true,
right or proper.
Sat beside the waterfall a figuring out got here to me.
It’s as if part of myself, smart and as soon as dormant, awakens and whispers to me, like I absolutely tune into the power embedded in a spot.
Relying in your particular person perspective, you would possibly regard this as a easy perception ensuing from the act of being nonetheless and considering clearly with out distraction.
It’s value explaining nevertheless that these knowings don’t happen to me after acutely aware, deliberate contemplation. That is in stark distinction to the method of logical reasoning which is extra sometimes the results of deliberate cost-benefit evaluation.
I can establish intuitive figuring out with ease. They’re by no means the results of acutely aware, logical problem-solving efforts. They spontaneously occur, seemingly out of nowhere, completely when I’m in a clean (meditative) state and virtually completely, when I’m in that state open air, surrounded by nature.
I would lose a few of you right here however I’m OK with that; as a result of in that prompt, my figuring out whispered to me, however I used to be listening and so it felt like a shout:
You might be water! You swim, you float, you crave and join with water since you share the qualities of water. Water is delicate, it gives life, it cocoons, nurtures and it protects. The female, gentle facet. Water is relentless, more durable than rock, harmful. The masculine, darkish facet. But water is effortlessly each. It doesn’t change between the 2, it’s all of these issues on the similar time, as are you. These seemingly reverse traits, embodied in water are embodied and balanced in you.
Then, my acutely aware thoughts sparked, a smile shaped on my lips.
The nonsense of patriarchal gender narratives
Like water, we’re all completely balanced, simply as we needs to be. A mixture of totally different energies. These energies have historically been labelled and gendered, purely to manage us, to disgrace us, scare us, to maintain us in our bins.
Though I’m a Cis feminine, I’ve confronted my very own lifelong struggles with gender id. Not feeling female sufficient to be a girl, extra comfy being regarded as a tomboy after I was younger or ‘one of many lads’ as an grownup with few feminine buddies, agonising endlessly over why my mind felt extra male than feminine, discovering extra consolation within the more durable, more durable facets of my being, while actively repressing the softer, extra emotional and nurturing facet of myself. In the end, concerning one set of traits as sturdy, the opposite as weak.
Succumbing to the well-worn patriarchal narrative that female traits and ladies are much less. Much less invaluable in society. Much less helpful. Much less highly effective. Much less succesful – when in actual fact in fact, nothing could possibly be farther from the reality of the ability of the divine female.
In that prompt of figuring out subsequent to the waterfall, I realised the energies I embody are completely balanced, simply as they’re in water. That the gendering of power traits is nothing however stigmatising and disempowering, and naturally that goes each methods, with the harm that the tradition of poisonous masculinity does.
Enlightened moments in nature
It took me a very long time to consciously perceive this. The conversations being had round gender and equality will hopefully assist to make sure it doesn’t take others fairly so lengthy to understand and actually consider that they’re good simply as they’re.
The next day, I posted images of the waterfall on Instagram. A commenter requested if I knew the historical past of Routin Brig, serving as a reminder for me to perform a little research on the situation.
Shortly earlier than penning this, I discovered that Routin Brig is a spot steeped in folklore and historic turmoil. Regarded as the assembly place of a coven, there are additionally quite a few accounts of witches linked to this place being condemned and killed, to not point out the persecution of covenanters, so there’s little surprise why Routin Brig crackles with power and maybe, historic knowledge whispered by way of the ages.
May it’s that this figuring out is borne of the flexibility
to tune in to the traditional data or lore embodied inside the pure power
of a spot?
Maybe it’s only a easy case of being in a extra relaxed state that enables the unconscious to work by way of a long-held speculation, presenting the acutely aware thoughts with a logic-based conclusion with none acutely aware processing.
Whatever the actual mechanism, not solely does grounding and being current in nature make me really feel happier and calmer, however moments of profound enlightenment, usually tend to happen for me throughout, or following nature meditation.
The extra energetically highly effective a spot, maybe the extra probably we’re to obtain the best presents of enlightenment if we’re simply keen and in a position to tune in?
Assets
The place to subsequent?
