Our oracle card for August comes Denise Linn's deck, The Sacred Forest Oracle. Recently I have been working with a woman who is certified in Forest Bathing, a Japanese practice which is very akin Celtic spirituality and its connection to the wood. This deck really highlights the power and quiet majesty of the forest.

The card is Toadstools- a message of Growth. 

I had never drawn this card before, and it was really fun to think about the symbolism of the toadstool and how I feel when even a single toadstool pops up on a walk through the grass in my own backyard after a rain or in a cool, damp forest during a hike. 

The author asked us to think about all that goes on beneath the surface of the forest bed as the alchemy of soil and water mixing to create toadstool, those cute little buttons of white or brown that seem to suddenly appear out of nowhere. The miracle of growth! 

She asks us if we believe in miracles and if we know what we would like to appear when such miracles are granted to us. 

It reminds me of an old Danish poem by Piet Hein that suggests a penny toss will suddenly put us in touch with what we want our decision to be.

We are in chaotic times. A walk through the forest is a wonderful remedy, just for centering ourselves and feeling grounded once again, but to think of miracles popping up as we walk is exciting. The message to me is that being clear and nurturing what I want in life and for the world at large can create change that appears instant. But I need to know what I want and feel the agency to draw it into reality.

I have been feeling a new, exciting energy in the air recently, which in itself feels like a miracle. The chaos, negativity and heaviness of Covid 19 and its aftermath has been wearing me down. I realize that chaos is still in the air, but I strongly believe that the energies of positive intent and the rejection of hate and violence are rising and suddenly popping us like toadstools.

“The spirit of the toadstool says: Beneath the surface of your life, miraculous changes are occurring. Something that you thought was ordinary is, in fact, remarkable.You are in a time of rapid spiritual and material growth. Get ready and hang on for the ride!”

Happy August.