I Spoke To An 18th Century Spirit in the Forest Today.
Today was another beautiful journey to the mountains. My soulmate and I have been trying to go to our rock at the top of the mountain each week in the month of October to watch the color transition.
Today we arrived at the trailhead at sunrise. It was 38 degrees and we were dressed for the low temps. The cool damp morning caused us to move a little quicker on the 8 mile round-trip journey.
The mountains were starting to pop with color. The trees at the beginning of the hike were covered with leaves of a yellowish color. As we got closer to the top the colors started popping and trees put on a show of bright red and orange leaves.
We arrived at the top, to our rock, and the view was just simply gorgeous. You could see for miles through the sunny skies. After about 30 minutes of video and picture taking, the weather shifted and a cold fall wind started to move across the mountain. We did not let it steal from our relaxing day. We bundled back up, sat in the sun under a couple of blankets and held each other while taking in the gorgeous view.
After about an hour of enjoying the mountain and the fall colors we started our trek back down to the trailhead below. I was taking my time enjoying all of the beauty of the mountains around me.
As I came to a section of dead trees that had fallen, I noticed some fungi and wanted to stop and take a picture. When I went to take the picture I could hear the forest become still and I could tell I was sensing something. I then heard a woman scream. I knew it was not my soulmate because she was farther down the trail in front of me.
I looked over into the woods and I saw a woman being led through the forest by a group of Cherokee. I have met many Cherokee spirits in this forest during my travels there.
The woman was trying to resist, not wanting to go with them. She was screaming loudly for someone, anyone to help her. I felt bad for her. But I also felt bad for the Cherokee. Their land was being taken from them by settlers and what was transpiring was a direct result of that.
I spoke back to her. I told her that she would be ok. That she should move on with the Cherokee, she would be safe with them and probably better off. It was the 1700's and women and the Indigenous peoples had one thing in common. Many of the male settlers believed neither had any rights and were beneath them.
When I spoke to her and reassured her that it was ok to move on, one of the Cherokee came to the edge of the woods to speak to me. I recognized him as one of the Cherokee I met at the stream who were moving through the forest with their families.
He began to tell me what I was witnessing. The woman and her husband were separated from the group of settlers they were with. They had been arguing and the woman's husband shoved her to the ground. The Cherokee were watching and went to help her. The man, seeing the Cherokee, got on his horse and fled taking the woman's horse with him and leaving the woman to the mercy of the Cherokee.
The woman was being taken back to the Cherokee village. She would quickly change her feelings to the Cherokee. She would eventually join them. The man speaking to me told me the woman's name was JoAnna and that she would go on to become his wife. It was her that I had met many months ago along the stream in the forest with the Cherokee man and their children.
The Cherokee man thanked me for trying to help, for encouraging her and for taking the time to listen to him once again. He turned and walked off into the woods and they all disappeared. At this point I could hear the normal sounds of the forest. I picked up on the trail where I left off, continuing on my journey while contemplating what I just experienced.
I love this forest. I love to spend time with my soulmate there. I love the beauty of nature. I love the peace and calm. I love to talk to the trees, the fungi, the flora and the animals. And, I love how alive and active it is. It's a magical place. It's a wonderful place. I'm excited to make my next journey.
Blessings.
By Michael Walters
The Ancestor's Fire
Writing the voices of the unheard
You are so fortunate . I envy the experiences that you have. I, myself love this part of North Carolina, I've always been drawn to these majestic giants . Thank you for sharing . Can't wait until next time .