Connecting to Nature’s Medicine
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On this episode of Whispers of the Soul, we speak to the wonderful Fay Johnstone, an experienced shamanic practitioner who assists others to expand into the highest and best version of themselves so they can be an active lightworker, holding a high frequency for New Earth. She offers training, healing and mentorship to help people rise up beyond their limited perception of themselves, and connect with – and live in – the magic and truth of who they are. Fay uses many different modalities including intuitive energy healing, creative shamanism, elemental Qi Gong and plant medicine. As well as seeing clients online, Fay also runs healing retreats from her magical garden in Scotland.
CONNECTING TO NATURE’S MEDICINE
Fay begins by describing walking the path of shamanism as walking with ‘one foot in this world and one foot in another reality’ and explains that animism is a big part of shamanism – where everything is made of energy including the rocks, plants etc. She says that once you open yourself up to it, it never goes away. Fay’s own journey began with an experience with a shaman in Ecuador at the age of the 20, which involved attending a shamanic ceremony which she says opened up her world.
Through shamanism and reiki, she felt called to working with plants, and began making potions, foraging, celebrating nature - all ‘in the closet’ whilst working at her day job. One day whilst working in Paris and appearing to lead this successful, desirable life, Fay realised that in fact she was deeply sad. This was a turning point for Fay, one which led her and her partner to take a huge leap and move to Canada to run a flower and herb farm. Not only did she experience an immense feeling of freedom, but Fay began to speak and listen to the plants she was working with. After 5 years in Canada they moved to Scotland, where Fay and her husband found a beautiful place to live where she feels a magnetic connection to the plants around her.
Fay shares how she realised she could ask nature for guidance and reminds us of the importance of asking for help from guides, plant spirits, fairy folk – we don’t have to do this alone. We all agree that plants know exactly who they are, and they don’t want to be anything else! They are aligned with their unique essence, hence the more time we spend in nature the more we are infused with this frequency. In comparison with other spiritual connections we may have, when it comes to plants we get a full sense of them through our senses because they are all around us. We also have their medicine and the opportunity to sit with and share breath with nature – we must remember that we are part of nature not separate from it, therefore we know innately how to communicate with nature. It’s important to change the story of separation that we have been telling ourselves.
Fay describes how whatever you do, you can bring plants into your space simply by having a pot plant, and aromatherapy spray, a vase of flowers or even pictures of plants and nature. On her journey, she found whilst giving her clients treatments that the plants were getting involved, and people were then opening to the connection, so she began to bring plants into the space by communicating with them to see which of them might be able to help through touch, aroma or other ways. Fay believes that the more conscious we are about inviting plants in, the greater the connection we feel.
Sibby asks about the concept of the web of life, which Fay describes as these little nexus points which in turn are connected to nodes, such as in sacred geometry like the Flower of Life, for example. This is how we are all connected. For example, your breath connects you to the green world, your DNA connects you to your family line etc. She explains the Shamanic journey as a place where our consciousness expands. This allows us to connect with the universal consciousness which is the web of life – and we realise we are not alone but connected to something so much greater. Fay tells us that in Shamanic practice there is room for everyone and for all aspects of self, and it shines the light on all of us and makes space for everything to be seen with compassion. The web includes everyone and everything.
Sally asks about how nature connection can help with mental health issues, and Fay says it can be as simple as leaning against a tree while you have your coffee or going for a walk outside. She believes we are listening to the story our heads are telling us, but we are so much more than that. We are only listening to one part of our being, but it can help us if we check in with ourselves by asking: how am I in my body, and what do I need? This allows us to try and meet those needs, starting with the basics. If our bodies are comfortable and safe, that can lead to us feeling better and more able to help others, which in turn allows us to connect to our higher purpose. Deep within herself Fay knows that the natural world supports her, as it does all of us.
Sally and Sibby talk about their experiences visiting sacred sites in Derbyshire, where they felt really connected to nature through walking and being outside all day. Fay agrees that simple things such as connecting with a tree in a local park or a river or lake can give us that connection. Remembering such connections is part of the Shamanic path because it honours the spirit of all things. We can honour the spirit of the land where we are by expressing gratitude for life and the nature beings that are working in the unseen realms. Fay believes gratitude can be the key to opening the connection with the beauty around us and rekindling this relationship with nature that we have forgotten. Her mission is to help people connect with the land where they live, so that we can spread this high frequency across the world.
If you would like to work with Fay, you can find her on www.fayjohnstone.com where you can learn about her different offerings including her books, her Substack community and a chance to join Fay’s monthly online sacred circle space. She is also on Instagram as @plantsthatspeak, and on YouTube where she shares lots of helpful content about connecting with plant spirit healing.
*Exciting announcement *
If you would like to join Sally, Sibby and the wonderful Suzanne Gamache on a Sacred Sites retreat in the beautiful Derbyshire Dales on Saturday 17th May to experience the power of the land and connect with our ancestors, click here to find out more.