A Stone's Advice

Many years ago, just after the death of my daughter, on a camping trip to Rathtrevor Beach, I found this stone pictured here.

We were walking on a rocky part of the beach, searching for shells and odd bits of glass that Ocean, during her furious storms, sends to the land, hiding them in the crevices of the stones and logs.

How I managed to see it I'll never know. I have poor eyesight. I recognized the power in it, however, somewhere deep inside myself. In my innocence at the time, I picked it up and took it with me. I know better now. I leave items I find on the beach or elsewhere where they are, unless I hear from my guides that they are expressly for me.

Rocks and Stones have their own personalities. It is said that Shamans of old used to hide their souls in Rock, and not all the souls are good, gentle ones.

I was protected the day I picked up this particular stone. I felt I had found a treasure, this stone with its deep crevasse. I brought it home and placed it in my garden; when I moved, Graham reminded me of the stone and we took it with us to our new home.

I did not immed- iately place the stone under Grand- father Tree. Nothing was land- scaped in the backyard, and I placed it in the front yard, beside a hydrangea bush. But when I built the Medicine Wheel around Grandfather Tree, it was a natural place for it to be...Stone belonged there. Grandfather Tree has been hit by lightning twice; it is apparent where the strikes landed on the Tree. It is a place of incredible power, easily felt.

I have never explored the crevasse carved into Stone by the water and sand, wind and waves. It is not an area I should be. It is very deep, however, perhaps almost to the bottom wall of the Stone.

Before I placed Stone under Grandfather Tree, the crevasse sometimes dried out. But since it has been placed as part of the Medicine Wheel, there is now always water in the hole.

It is a mystery to me why. I water by hand, carefully directing the stream to the plant's roots, definitely not watering Stone. And it has been a long, dry summer, with very little rain.

Yet this Stone captures water, and keeps it, even through the hottest, driest weeks.

It sits under Grandfather Tree; his branches are very full, keeping the soil beneath extremely dry. Even so, Stone wicks water; his gift to the Medicine Wheel. His crevasse is an eternal well; he shows me the urgency of continuing to express my feelings...to not, as is my wont, keep them bottled up inside. To give my words and feelings, during meditation, to Stone, allows me to let go and accept.

In my research, I find sites describing Stones with holes. As fascinating as they are, my Stone's hole does not go all the way through. I don't know his history...all I know is, Stone and Grandfather Tree send vibrations of Energy through me whenever I pass by. And also to others, who stand quietly, not realizing what they are sensing, but feeling peaceful nonetheless.

Stone takes my words and emotions; he cleanses and balances them and sends them back to me...for use in a more healthy way. He looks innocuous...but he's not. His power is hidden in a mantle of innocence. And any advice he gives me is understood and listened to.

A wondrous Ally, indeed.