DUNDREGGAN FOREST, Scotland - The energy of vision

The Dundreggan estate in the Highlands of Scotland is slowly weaving itself into me. It’s funny how places do that to us, isn’t it? Maybe it’s a signature of the Scottish way. This forest first came to my knowledge in 2019 when I searched online for an organisation where I could donate or plant trees – specifically, I wanted to add beauty to our planet. Trees for Life, which offers the opportunity to create ongoing ‘groves of trees’, planted for our future in a stunning location, was perfect. I was in.

The estate was purchased by the charity in 2008 (in large part due to a hefty donation) and covers 10,000 acres near to Loch Ness. It truly is spectacular. The vast barren mountain range which the Highlands is recognised for was not always like this though. After the glaciers melted (approx.14,000 years ago) most of Scotland became forest. The mountains and hills were covered in woodland and abundant wildlife. Now, just 1% of the ancient native forests remain (and about 4% of native woodland in total). Trees for Life’s mission is to restore the native woodlands of the Caledonian forest and this is their flagship project. To do this, they enrol the help of volunteers; and last week I became one, along with 9 other individuals.

The volunteering week was exceptional. We began our days with nature connection, earthing barefoot, listening into and noticing our natural surroundings in new ways. Information was fed into us – gently and with curiosity – along with an abundance of health-giving food. We were handed our own individual experience whilst communing as a group, led by compassionate and aware guides. Nothing was rushed, and nothing was omitted – nature was moving through the fabric of the people, their personalities and the potential we had become part of for 7 days. Physical work settled us. Planting enlivened us. Days in the nursery harmonised us. Wild swimming in the lochen, night-time walks (without torches) to the ancient Fairy Oak tree with the Milky Way as night-scape…we were beginning to breathe like the awakening landscape.

My instinct is always to connect with the energy – to sense the underlying voice. At first, I struggled to get into the energy of the land of the Highlands but soon realised it is what it is. I had to meet it where I was, and where it was. On the surface. Compared to Dorset, or London, it doesn’t seem to offer as much depth energetically as the nature down south…in the way I’m used to. But I soon realised that this is its beauty, that it’s more so the elements and weather which make the energetic landscape, integral to the matter of it.  

In the south, people disappear into the energetic landscape. In London, we can be lost within it. Here, one is part of the landscape in a different way. The character and personality of the people shine - there is space for expression and softness. A twinkle in the eye, a humour of smile and grounded stance…a confidence of spirit and place. There is joy in the land, an underlying peacefulness; a soil which can feel, and is soaking up, the energy of the people planting in it.

And this got me thinking…and appreciating the beauty of the people and ethos. Inspired by the TED Talk of the founder Alan Watson Featherstone, I could feel the vision which was transforming this landscape – a vision which includes the land; and which the land and its protective spirits were responding to. Most businesses or projects exclude the land itself. Even with a new home we can tend to focus on the buildings or ‘gardens’, ignoring the fundamental connection which enables the whole of life (connecting to the land and understanding its’ needs is something I address with clients in my land energy work). The vision, generosity, non-judgemental inclusion and transparency of this project – and hence of the energetic land of Dundreggan – had enough space within it for everyone to make it their own: to create and vision our own connection and contribution; one we can enjoy in situ, or take home with us. And, though this is something we can each do in our own small way, in our own areas of life or business, it is rare to experience.

There is so much to share about my stay at Dundreggan, I don’t know where to start. The 100,000 trees they grow from seed each year and their passion around this; the nearly two million trees they have planted; the energies of ‘adding to’ and ‘removing from’ of the land; the clarity and quality of the drinking water, which I still keep thinking about... And maybe it’s not necessary. My biggest take-home, even more so than all this, is the collective energy of the people enabling a landscape which, though wounded in areas undergoing early stages of regeneration, is deeply thriving in pockets and now spreading naturally. “Every tree matters” is a saying which was shared; every person does too, at Dundreggan.

As the 600-900 year-old Fairy Oak – a ‘tree of wisdom’ – said to me, during our night-time visit:

‘…we breathe the same air as you, we live upon the same ground as you, we share the same space as you…we understand you/humanity need to cut us down…we understand. And we also need humans to survive…’

It really is a co-creative force. It relies on generous and vast vision, upon action. And importantly, a vision which includes the land. We can all do this, in our own small ways, can’t we?

Love,

Delilah

At the time of writing this, there are 230 trees in my Trees for Beauty grove – many kindly donated by friends and clients. Following my visit to Dundreggan I am inspired to aim for 1000 trees. If you would like to add a little beauty and love to our planet in this way, I would love you to do so. Trees are £5 + vat. And you never know, we might all get to go together one day :)

More images and details of my trip are posted on Instagram @delilahsullivanenergy

[visited: 7th-14th October 2023]