The Tree of Souls that stands at the edge of the graveyard, continually draws me in every time I visit Heysham. I often wonder why. Furthermore, my latest meditation has unexpectedly provided me with the answer, which leaves me in complete awe.
The tree of souls draws me in
To begin with, the Tree of Souls is very old and stands firmly rooted in the graveyard soil. Furthermore, its shadow looms over the graves beneath it, shrouding them in darkness.
When standing within its presence, you cannot mistake the feeling of strength, gritted determination, and the feeling of safety. I also know that I’m not the only person this tree calls too. Since before my time, plenty of people have carved their initials into this tree. Perhaps they have been doing this for decades, if not centuries.
In 2020 following lockdown, I revisited my childhood haunt. It was the first time we could escape our homes mid-pandemic. I suggested to Mark a day out to Heysham, just so that I could be here, feeling safe. Without a doubt, the Tree of Souls definitely provided me with what I was seeking.
My ancestral roots are in Heysham
My ancestral roots are in Heysham Village and it’s where my Blacow family are buried.
As you may have already gathered, I love returning here when I need to get a sense of myself. Of course, you will find me writing about Heysham a lot. This is simply because it allows me to make sense of my current state of mental health.
More importantly, it is where my childhood trauma began. However, it’s important for me to remember that I was wonderfully happy here before that happened.
Thankfully, I am presently in good shape with my mental health as I write this. During lockdown, I enjoyed gaining so much-needed peace and clarity. Above all, it most definitely put me in the right frame of mind to begin building my new, self-employed career.
Meditation and the Law of Attraction
Firstly, I am working on creating my new career of healing and becoming a professional tarot reader. Also, to be successful with my quest, I need to be feeling good. Since learning the technique of meditation, I have found my method of feeling at one with myself.
Secondly, I have recently completed my meditation teacher training and therefore, I’m putting it to good use by creating my happy place meditation.
Finally, my quest therefore, is to visit my happy place via mediation to feel wonderfully positive and happy. Of course my happy place is Heysham.
Undoubtedly, feeling good about yourself is an important aspect when manifesting your dreams. When we act and feel good, we attract good things into our lives.
Additionally, meditating can bring profound wisdom. Subsequently, this was an additional benefit of my meditation and the reason why I am creating this post. What started out as simply a visit to my happy place, I ended up gaining so much more. Above all, not only was I working on manifesting my new career, I was also discovering why the Tree of Souls is significant.
One last thing!
The Tree of Souls is my name for a tree in Heysham, so please don’t go looking for it.
Do my ancestors feed the Tree of Souls?
So, you know now that my happy place for meditating is visiting Heysham. More importantly, I like to visit a place known locally as The Barrows, which is situated above the graveyard.
My route of reaching The Barrows is walking past the graveyard and the Tree of Souls. Therefore, during my latest meditation, I am making my way there when I stop at the Tree of Souls.
Again, I’m drawn to it as I admire its amazing canopy of leaves so high up. I feel like hugging the tree as I instinctively know that it will give me comfort and stability. As a result, I can clearly see why people hug trees, but why does this tree draw me in?
Slowly I start visualising the roots of this tree, which have been growing for hundreds of years. How far deep within the earth do they go unseen?
How many bodies have fed and nurtured those roots?
Only now do I realise that maybe the bodies of my Blacow ancestors have nourished this tree?
Profound wisdom?
Is this the reason why I’m drawn to it?
My journey becomes more fascinating as I realise that this meditation is turning out to be a root chakra healing. Subsequently, I’m feeling strong and stable like the tree. I am feeling wonderfully grounded, but intrigued. My research reveals the following conclusion.
Meet Polly Blacow
As a child, my grandad told me that I was a descendant of a Pendle Hill witch. As a result, my lovely Mark has been working on my family tree to see if this is true, but sadly to no avail. However, we have been exploring my grandmother’s side of the family, the Blacow’s. The Blacow’s history is one of mainly farming.
Following my meditation, I began looking through my photograph of Blacow graves. To my surprise, buried in the grave near to the tree of souls, is Polly Blacow’s grandad!
My great, great aunt Polly Blacow is pictured above and it’s thanks to Heysham Heritage and Katherine Gregson that I’ve learned so much about her.
She is known as the last mussel gatherer of Heysham and just thinking about her life allows me to feel proud. It’s bloody cold out on the Bay and out she went, gathering mussels. You wouldn’t catch me eating them.
More importantly, are my ancestors communicating with me via the Tree of Souls by way of feeling?
Is this the answer as to why I am drawn to this tree?
I believe the answer is yes!
Clicking here will take you to the article written by Gregson that you can read. Her thoughts are below.
After writing about Polly, my thoughts are that during her life she was not recognised for her achievements in her very hard working life, but now through this knowledge, everyone will understand for future years ahead what life was like for a person like Polly
K. Gregson November 2010
I hope that you visit Heysham sometime and experience the beauty of this place. In addition, I also hope that you’re inspired to take up meditation as it’s a wonderful method of healing.