About the Forest Spirit

The name for the retreat comes from the deer that come by a couple of times a day, grazing or sipping from the bird baths. And, as a lover of Studio Ghibli movies, the idea of the Great Forest Spirit as a magnificent stag seems to be right at home here.

Deer is one of my Spirit Guides. Deer medicine is all about gentleness; I love the way they leap over hurdles with grace and ease.

This is an excerpt from Jamie Sams’ Medicine Cards:
"The only true balance to power is the love and compassion of Deer. Be willing to find things to love about yourself and others, and your demons will melt away. Your fears cannot reside in the same place that love and gentleness abide. Fawn can teach you many lessons about unconditional love. ... The gentleness of Fawn is the heart-space of the Great Spirit."

A group of deer drinking from a birdbath in a forested area with trees and autumn leaves.
A deer standing in a wooded area with colorful prayer flags hanging from tree branches.
A woman wearing a blue knit hat smiles while holding a fluffy brown dog.

We’re right on the edge of the forest so other wild animals sometimes pass through, from coyote to bear, from bobcat to mountain lion. 

We also have our own animal guardian in the form of Bodhi, the golden doodle.

There are many spirits, seen and unseen, holding space here and helping out. The trees themselves are strong sentinels of cosmic energy, communicating all the time, cleansing the space, transmitting wisdom and the crystalline energies.