Your Experiences with Land Spirits

[saltmachine]

First, I would like to share an intense experience I had several years ago before I turn the discussion over to you guys.

While I was in college, I had a number of opportunities to travel around and study anthropology. I believe that I had contact with a nature spirit while I was overseas for the first time. Although I was trying to push away my hidden interest in spirituality back then, within the first week, I felt a sort of earthy energy watching me. Some reason, I had a sudden and intense desire to address this energy and thank it for allowing me to stay as a guest. I didn’t have any in-depth conversations with this being because I was busy going to school and being the typical young idiot tourist, but I could sense it countless times during my six month stay. I took a lot of strolls through the woods and town parks there, and whenever the wind picked up or it began to rain, I had a strange sense that the spirit was accompanying me.

Even now, I’m not 100% sure if I can attribute it to him/her (leaning towards “him”), but it is possible he/she did little favors as well. An example: while I was sensing that presence, I made a casual remark that I was missing my cat and wanted to pet her. The following afternoon, while I was on my way to the flower market, this random, friendly kitty showed up on a busy sidewalk and came right up to me.

Everything was going smoothly until I packed up and left my dorm for the very last time. As crazy and unbelievable as it sounds, it felt as if this energy was doing everything it possibly could to keep me from getting to the airport and leaving the country: the ticket machine eating my currency, the train breaking down thus forcing us to switch to another train, people being extra nasty, the clasp holding my suitcase coming undone, sudden heavy rain as I stood outside waiting for an airport shuttle, and a dreamlike mental fog coming over me. I didn’t hear a voice, but the thought “How dare you leave me” cut through to my consciousness. I was dazed, but I remembered responding telepathically, “I’m sorry, but I have to go home.” As soon as my plane left the ground, the presence disappeared rapidly. It was so strange, because all I did was say “thank you.” It didn’t feel like a human spirit. It was too wild and volatile.

It was a chaotic and bizarre experience for me, though it did open my eyes to the possibility that entities tied to the earth can exist. A year later, I took a college course on folklore, and when I read an article that mentioned that fairies can be very emotional and temperamental towards some humans and objects, it made me think of that experience overseas.

That is the only experience I’ve had that can be described as “dramatic.” All the others have thankfully been positive and very low-key. An example: There is a large oak tree that I pass by during my hikes, and although there are plenty of other trees of its kind around, I can sense that this particular tree has a spirit attached to it. He—yes, he—is just chillin’ there being a super cool tree, happily watching people, cows, crows, and rabbits pass by. I’ve stopped to say “hi” to him a couple of times now, and I always get a very peaceful, grandfather-like vibe from him. I should get a picture the next time I’m over there.

So…what sorts of experiences have you had with land/earth spirits?