You don’t have to be an energy worker, healer, psychic or have a fancy title to connect to sacred land. After all, we are the land, we are made from the earth; she is our ultimate Mother. Even with all our flaws and mistakes, all the harm we cause one another and even the earth herself, still she loves us unconditionally. Remember this Truth, let it sink deep into your bones and awaken the ancient wisdom that you belong to the earth and she to you.. it can be no other way.

Most of us growing up didn’t have elders to teach us ways of connecting to the earth or practices to remember our innate belonging to the land. When I say ‘land’ I’m referring to the energies beneath our feet, the energies all around us; trees, plants, flowers and animals, and the more often unseen protectors of the earth like devas, elementals, fairies, celestials, angels, and spiritual guardians. Even though I didn’t have great-grandparents or grandparents to pass down ancestral practices I was very lucky. I grew up in a home that was considered super spiritual - according to 90’s Ireland! My Mother, Vivienne, has always loved angels and our home was filled with them - angel ornaments lined across every ledge in the house, angels in picture frames, the many angel - oracle decks, and of course, our home was filled with angels themselves!

People would come for readings and group healing sessions as my Mam ‘channeled the Light’ and I snuck into as many as I could! I had readings from visiting mediums and psychics, Reiki sessions and from some of the most profound, transcendental experiences that I’ve ever had. From 12 years old I was working with angels intensely and my clairvoyance was blown open. Even though angelic energy is incredibly safe and loving, I wasn’t so comfortable seeing. Since my teen years, I’ve learned boundaries with the spiritual realm and have chosen to use my inner sight rather than seeing the energy in front of me physically. I don’t have to see angels to believe they’re with me. In fact, I rely mostly on my other spiritual gifts like my claircognizance and clairsentience to relate to subtle energies. It’s about finding ways to connect that work for you.

So, I believed in angels but, vortexes? goddesses? devas? the Otherworld? Working with the land and the subtle energies of nature was a whole new world for me to uncover. I was used to hanging out in the ethers, preferring to live from my 6th and 7th chakras rather than come back to earth and into my body. It’s thanks to my teacher, Kenneth Jover, that I have been able to come back into my body and reconnect with the earth and more personally, with the land of Ireland. I completed Ken’s Immersion Program and trained in transformative energy work which further opened my spiritual gifts while supporting me to stay grounded and embodied. It was after this course that a whole new world opened up to me or should say, I opened up to a whole new world! In my opinion, the best teachers are the ones that bring you home to yourself, never imposing their will or beliefs onto you. Skillful teachers lead us back to our own inner wisdom while offerings us the tools to build our own authentic relationship with the subtle. Although I’ve learned so much, I’m still learning, growing and evolving and I’m grateful this gets to be lifelong work. If you want to work with the energies of a sacred site and offer work similar to what I offer, I recommend finding the right training for you. This work, should we choose it, is a big responsibility that implores our devotion.

If you feel called to visit sacred sites and form a deeper connection to the land around you, even a tree in your local park, than this post will help. In my opinion, to connect to the land all we need is curiosity. So often, when we go into nature we don’t recognize the power and beauty around us, often we ignore or objectify nature. We’re usually extractive when it comes to nature - there is no reciprocity or honorable harvesting humans usually take, take take and the land knows it. The land expects us to ignore, objectify and extract because for so long in most parts of the worl this has become the norm. But what if instead we acknowledged nature, said hello to a tree, witnessed plants growing around you, blessed the animals you passed by, if you left gifts and offerings? How would the land respond if we made offerings, offered support and listened? What if we asked permission to receive rather than take whatever we want? When we show up for the land in this way, with an aura of respect, gratitude and love, usually the land opens up to us in a big way! This makes perfect sense when you understand that earth is a living being. Think about how most humans treat the earth and imagine you applied this way of being to your closest relationships. Imagine if, everyday, you ignored your friend or partner, always told them what to do, always taking whatever you wanted from them and imposed your will even if it caused harm. What kind of relationship would you have?

It seems impossible to imagine this kind of behaviour in our closest relationships, we’d consider it abuse! And yet, we’re conditioned to believe that how we treat the earth is normal, we’ve even numbed ourselves to the fact that we are harming the earth and through that harm, we are harming ourselves. When we show up for the land with gratitude, love and respect, we’re no longer denying where we come from and we begin to rebuild our sense of belonging and place.

“Action on behalf of life transforms. Because the relationship between self and the world is reciprocal, it is not a question of first getting enlightened or saved and then acting. As we work to heal the earth, the earth heals us.”
― Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass

Most of us are moving through life feeling empty searching desperately for a purpose, community and a sense of belonging. Through reconnecting to the land and learning how to relate to the subtle energies of nature, we find our way home. This work has had a beautiful ripple effect throughout my life, transforming my relationships, my confidence and self-esteem, my joy and how I view the world and my contribution to it.

I’ve outlined some steps to support you in connecting to the land around you and in particular, sacred sites. Take what resonates and leave the rest. This is your journey!

Where Do You Feel Guided?

Is there a particular tree on your daily walk that you feel drawn to or a sacred site that you can’t stop thinking about? The first step is listening to these intuitive ques so you can choose where to begin this practice. For me, what began as intuitive nudges now feel like a flashing direct message from the Universe! It’s incredible how strong your intuition becomes the more you practice listening and trusting. My advice, as always, is to stay curious. Your vaster self, the land or ancestors may guide you to a particular place so you can receive teachings, blessings, healings or downloads to support your blood lineage or your own authentic path.

The Difference Between Nature & Sacred Sites

It’s important to distinguish the difference between nature and a sacred site. It’s easy to appreciate nature’s beauty when out on a walk. When I’m strolling around Trim Castle, passing my favourite tree, listening to the birds around me and the sound of the wind bristling through the leaves, I can’t help but feel peaceful. Whereas, visiting a sacred site our whole being is engaged. Walking onto sacred land feels like walking into a bubble of energy that’s already established it has it’s own purpose, healing properties, energy structures and a whole host of spiritual and elemental guardians who live play and protect these powerful sites. All of these subtle energies create a feeling tone and if we’re unwilling to match that feeling tone we’ll be vibrated out. Just like when we visit a friend who is sad or crying, and if if we’re unwilling to meet them in their sadness and instead we just keep smiling or laughing, it’ll cause a major disconnect and they’ll probably ask us to leave. When you visit a sacred site first try to feel into the ‘feeling tone’ of the land and ask how do I feel, what emotions are present, what chakras / energy centers in my own body are lighting up, what energies can I sense near and far, do I feel like staying or leaving?

“The land asks us to leave our ambition at the gate, along with our shoes, before walking on sacred land”
- Vicky Flanagan

Regardless of our presence, a sacred site will always fulfill its purpose. That’s why some people who visit sacred sites can’t stop crying; they’re receiving a heart healing. This reminds me of my first visit to the Hill of Tara, since returning to Ireland in 2021. I went with my Mam and my 80 year old Grandmother who spent the entire time being playful; laughing, joking and even running up the fairy hills! The sacred site of Hill of Tara is full of devic and fairy energy and you can’t deny how giddy and playful you feel just being on the land.

Making offerings at Seefin Passage Tomb, Co. Wicklow

Introduce Yourself

Say hello! It’s important when we engage with a sacred site we don’t ignore or bypass the guardians, they’re our first point of contact and their commitment to protecting the land is invaluable and should be recognised. You can introduce yourself aloud or in your own head; say your name, where you’re from, what your hopes and dreams are and even what your intentions are - why you’re there. Maybe you share that you felt called to visit and you are open to any teachings and becoming an ally.

Even if you’re not psychic or consider yourself intuitive, I recommend being curious and asking questions. Ask the land what it needs and wants, and how you can support it. Wait for an answer and even journal answers if that helps bring information through. Always follow through with requests (if you can) and if you can’t, contact a skilled energy worker that can support. You can contact me anytime!

Making Offerings

It all begins with a gift! Reciprocity; the practice of giving and receiving, is at the heart of this practice. Because humans have hurt the earth so much, most sacred sites are heavily guarded so collaborating with these energies can be difficult. We first need to build rapport with the land through making offerings. Just like when you visit dear friend, maybe one you haven’t seen in a while, you bring a gift - something you think they’ll love! When we practice being in right relationship with the land i.e. first showing up for the land offering our support for whatever it needs and then, and only then, do we ask permission to receive.

When making offerings its always a good idea to bring gifts you feel the land and the guardians would appreciate and its always good practice to check in and ask what they need or want. Of course, your offerings will differ for each site and if you visit in-person or in meditation. Again, trust your intuition and say yes.

Types of Offerings

Energetic offerings - this is the way we honour the land during meditation and in our online sacred sessions. You can offer a particular colour or frequency and imagine it washing over the land, you can offer a whole ocean of gratitude or even a sky full of flowers. I love to use flattery as a way to honour the land, telling the land how vast and immense she is, how important and loved she is.

Commitment - The land may ask for a commitment from you which requires you to show up more regularly, or simply pick up rubbish thrown around the site! Offering space can be an example of a gift, if you sense a land is heavily guarded and wants you to leave or give more space then you can respect this request with the gift of space. You can introduce yourself and leave offerings at a distance or leave if that feels appropriate.

Physical offerings - sacred tobacco, alcohol, raw crystals, holy well water or blessed water, wild flowers harvested yourself. It’s important to be sustainable with your offerings and remember that everything we can physically offer comes from the earth. We can also offer songs, music, poetry, and dancing.

For places that are heavily guarded I recommend visiting multiple times before asking to receive. When you show up and make offerings without any agenda or goal, the land will open up to you and even look forward to your visits. When you’ve built rapport and trust, then ask permission to receive.

The Art of Listening

When we’re relating to the subtle energies of nature it’s important to understand that we’re not communicating telepathically, rather, we’re relating to a ‘feeling tone’ so listen to your body and the different sensations that are happening. Notice what energy centers or parts of the body are lighting up, expanding or constricting. Notice if you feel called to stay longer, to sing, dance, pray or if you feel called to leave. At the beginning, this practice won’t feel the most comfortable for our conscious mind so do your best to allow the mind to rest and you listen to your body’s cues for a meaningful exchange.

When You Hear ‘No’….

When asking permission receive or collaborate with the energies of a sacred site we might hear ‘no’. If you hear no or you are asked to leave / feel called to leave, then please leave. During my visit to the Hill of Ward, also called Hill of Tlacghta, I was disappointed to learn that this sacred site is private farmland which meant I couldn’t enter the gate or walk on sacred ground. I connected from afar at the side of the road leaving offerings at the gate and asking what the land needed so I could offer energy work. The land asked for rest. I could tell the land was tired and unable to fulfill it’s purpose as it was already being worked for crops. I felt such sadness for the land and for us in our modern society we’re over-worked, over-burdened and over-tired from all of our to-do’s and tasks unrelated to our purpose or authentic path. I offered the land energy healing and I left. I didn’t ask for teachings or healings in return, I didn’t even ask for insights into the land’s sacred purpose or healing properties, any request would feel like extraction. I will return to the Hill of Tlachtga when the time is right and for now I’ll respect the no and continue to support from afar.

I’m grateful to share this practice of connecting with you which was shared with me by my teacher, Ken, and by Éire herself. In fact, it was during my first intentional visit to the sacred site of Newgrange that I received an entire transmission showing me a step-by-step guide of how to bridge people with the healing energies of Newgrange’s vortex! Before this download I had no clue how to collaborate with vortexes, let alone facilitate a session for others. Allow yourself to get excited about visiting your nature relatives, be thoughtful about your offerings, sourcing good quality gifts, spend time listening and building rapport. The more you practice reciprocity and being in right relationship, the more this way of being will ripple out and into all areas of your life, transforming your relationships, how you feel about yourself, and your time here on this earth.

Its my hope that you take this practice and make it your own, so you too, can find your way home.

Connect to Sacred Land - A ‘How To’ Guide