by Nancy Robbins
Merlin – The Magic of Knowing
The Merlin – as in “The Merlin of Britain” is a title of lineage of spiritual masters, mystics, and healers that began in 753 BCE in England. The Merlin we are most familiar with from legend was born in 540 CE. This Merlin was known as Merlinus Ambrosius. As a Druid wizard his Welsh name was Myrrdin Emrys. He is known as a wizard – a master of inner alchemy and Earth magic, as well as a prophet, bard, teacher, and advisor. He is also a symbol of spiritual protection and guidance, strength, courage, and personal growth. He comes to those who have a sincere desire to learn spiritual secrets of alchemy, divine magic, and manifesting skills to use for the greater good. He bridges the natural world with the supernatural world.
Merlin is a keeper of mystery and serves as an intermediary to help us receive information in connection with other beings of the natural world – the seen and unseen spirits of trees, plants, the elements, animals, and nature spirits. The focus for this article and meditation is his ability to perceive with heightened senses and greater awareness in order to create connection and communication with other beings of the natural world. Today, Merlin will serve as a doorway into a world we rarely take the time to perceive. Merlin will help us to understand another being as they become teachers of their own way of being, by learning to see its nature by observing, listening, sensing and entering into relationship with that being. Communication doesn’t always arrive through human speech. When you make a connection you move into a relationship through your heart, learn about that being’s nature, which expands your understanding of yourself, and the network of Oneness that connects all. This is where you find the magic of knowing.
For many people today, Merlin is more than a figure of ancient legend. He is experienced as a continuing spiritual presence—a guide, a wise archetype, who can be called upon for wisdom, magic, connection with nature, and the ability to see beyond ordinary perception. Merlin teaches us that magic begins when we stop assuming that humans are the only ones with something to say. Animals have ways of being. Trees have ways of being. Water has ways of being. The seasons have ways of being. Nature speaks through pattern, movement, instinct, cycles, sensation, beauty and mystery. When we learn about these beings, we can see life through their perspective, we can “walk in their shoes.” Whether we understand that communication spiritually, symbolically, energetically, archetypally—or some combination of these—the invitation is to listen, and open our sensual awareness to connect and communicate, and discover what that particular encounter means to ourselves personally. It allows for mystery and magic to appear as we learn a different way of perceiving reality, discerning what we learn, and using our sovereignty to discover our own inner magic and participate in our own transformation.
Here is a meditation for you Walking with Merlin, as he takes you through an autumn forest and guides you to open your senses, open your awareness, make connection and communication, and expand your awareness.
Walking with Merlin Meditation
To prepare for this meditation sit in a relaxed position where you will not be disturbed. Quiet your mind of mental chatter. Quiet your emotions of noise. Take a few deep breaths, allowing tension to melt away. You are in the perfect place at the perfect time right now. Allow yourself to settle into stillness now at this time.
Imagine that you are walking through an autumn woods in the late afternoon and the sun’s rays reach down into the woods of deep orange, gold, crimson, and bright yellow leaves. You can hear the crunch of the leaves beneath your feet, and the gentle birdsong break the hush of the woods around you as you walk into its splendor admiring the beauty around you.
You suddenly come upon a man dressed in long deep crimson robes holding a staff lit like a torch. He has been expecting you. As you approach, he introduces himself in his deep voice as Merlinus Ambrosius who has been waiting to guide you. With a twinkle in his eye and a nod of his head he indicates for you to walk with him deeper into the woods. As you walk with him, he explains further that the forest is already speaking to them. Your first task is simply to listen. He tells you to quiet your inner self and imagine all of your senses of smell, touch, vision, hearing, taste, and knowing to expand outwards like invisible sensory vibrations that will receive information for you. Open your awareness to any beings – visible or seemingly invisible, watch how it moves, and ask yourself these questions: Does it sense your presence? Does it make a sound? What quality does it embody? What happens inside you as you perceive it? What does this being or spirit awaken within you? You pause to quiet yourself further, and imagine extending your senses outward like feelers.
You resume following Merlin as he leads you into a grouping of birch trees with their golden foliage brightening the way. You look up into the radiant yellow canopy and trace the white bark of the trees down their tall trunks to the ground. It takes a moment, but you soon notice you are being observed by a fox quietly sitting amongst the base of the trees and ground vegetation. The beautiful fox stands as still as a statue as you pass by. You look back and notice surprisingly that the fox had disappeared without a sound, not even a crunch of a leaf.
In contrast to the radiance of the birch trees, Merlin leads you deeper into the woods where it has grown darker and the foliage turns to a deep burnt orange. You hear slight shuffling sounds, almost a melody of some kind. You follow along next to Merlin scrutinizing the woods. You stop suddenly as you watch a gnome busying with the soil around the base of a tree poking at it with his stick as he examines it and mumbles to himself in some language. He is placing a few choice minerals around the base. His sidewards glance tells you he has seen you with Merlin and is not concerned. He stands upright and pivots to gaze at you. He clearly is a caretaker of the forest. He gives you a quick nod of acknowledgement and wanders off busy with his work. You pause for a moment taking in the sensations of what he has awakened within you. Merlin watches you attentively, smiles, and continues forward when you are ready to continue.
As you peruse your surroundings following in Merlin’s wake you get the sense you are being watched. You hear a gentle breeze flow amongst the trees stirring the leaves casting a few leaves fluttering like confetti about you. You hear distant sounds of birds and water trickling. You sense a camaraderie with the trees which have been aware of your presence. You smell the rich scent of soil and dry leaves. You walk more slowly to capture what you have been missing. Then with a wry smile you notice the fox was camouflaged in the shadow of the trees, rooted into a pile of dry leaves, almost invisible. He is watching you closely. This is starting to feel like a game of hide and seek.
Merlin stops at one of the grand trees and asks you to place your hand onto the trunk of the tree. He advises you to just be present and connect to the tree from your heart, and listen and feel from your heart the living intelligence of the tree. Feel how deep the roots move into the earth, feel the age of the tree, the movement of the sap, the sounds of the tree as the wind moves through the branches above. He advises that some forms of communication are not words. You look up into the golden-orange leafy branches overhead and open your senses to the tree’s presence. Take a moment to be with the tree, commune, and share with its deep intelligence. (pause)
Your deep connection with the tree is stirred by a gust of wind that releases its leaves from the branches. You follow their trajectory as they flutter to the ground and notice wispy air elementals – sylphs – are playing with the falling leaves as they float to the earth. Their barely visible streamlined forms dart amongst the leaves stirring them into little vortices. Such delicate nature spirits with so much power and ethereal presence leave you in awe. Take a moment to commune with the sylphs. (pause)
Merlin chuckles at the merry sport the sylphs have presented. He beckons you to continue and as you move along the distant trickling sound becomes more prevalent, and you come upon a rushing stream. Sitting on the bank of the stream you discover your fox “playmate” who is entranced with a vision. You follow his gaze to see fairies playing in the near twilight. Each small feminine form is encased in a bubble of luminous light. Merlin studies them with wonder and tells you that they bring love and joy with the divine light to earth, and place it within plants and living forms. Their luminous forms touch your heart with their mighty yet delicate task. No wonder the fox is equally intrigued. You take a moment to receive from the fairies and commune further with the fox. (pause)
You move closer to the stream watching as it cascades down multiple levels. The water flows amongst the rocks finding its path of least resistance, and over time clearing its own path. The sun reaches through the tree canopy to shine down on the water. You are fascinated watching it sparkle and glisten with the light as you listen to the hypnotic flow of the water. You feel yourself relaxing deeply. You listen to the water carefully as it speaks to you. The water is replenishing you with its beauty and music. (pause)
You move closer to the rushing stream fascinated by the sparkling water in the sunlight. You look deep into the sparkle and notice tiny water sprites. Merlin notices your gaze, and answers your silent question – the sprites are creating the sparkle themselves as they bring higher light into the water to raise its quality. You take some time to reach out to these water sprites and connect to them with your heart. Feel them communicate with you. (pause) Merlin gestures for you to continue adding that dusk is soon approaching.
You move away from the stream and deeper into the woods as the last rays of sunlight finger into the growing darkness. The colorful leaves flutter down around you as you crunch on the leaves beneath you. The glow of Merlin’s torch casts shadows as you move steadily into the darkness of the woods. You heighten your senses to feel into the night growing around you.
The moon rises in the distance as a glow seems to cast through the trees illuminating a pair of deer standing like statues alert to your presence. Their delicate features and gentle presence touch your heart and you stop to commune with them from your heart before they startle and run off. You watch their noses and ears twitch alert to every sound. You take a few moments to communicate with them now. Their gentleness reaches into you. (pause)
You wonder what they are hearing and extend your own senses. You did not notice this earlier but above them in a high branch an owl was sitting – and watching observantly. You take in the silent communication from the owl, who it seems has only begun to share with you this night. The owl’s keen eyes follow the movement of Merlin as he moves towards the glow, and you follow him.
Merlin motions towards a small campfire that he had created for you earlier to give you a place of meditation. He stands with you for a moment as you sit beside the fire to feel its warmth as the chill of the evening grows. He tells you that he will depart now to prepare some supper for you both. You will be shown the way to his cottage. Before you can pull your gaze from the flames to speak with him you realize he is already gone and you are left alone in the woods. You cautiously gaze around you and then back to the flames.
The flickering colors of yellow, gold, and orange-red dance before you. You look deeply into the flames as you listen to the fire crackle and pop, and smell the scent of burning wood and smoke. You squint into the flames and notice with wonder that there are spirits dancing in the flames – fire elementals. They shift, as they clear away old brush and dance in a transformation, always reaching up to extend their arms and fingers taking in new air. You watch in fascination and listen to the voices of the fire elementals as you watch their dance. (pause) You poke the fire a few times to keep it burning, but slowly it wanes. You wonder how you are meant to find Merlin’s cottage in the dark. You take a remaining branch to serve as a torch and stand up. You hear a flutter of wings around you, and the hoot of an owl.
You look up and see the owl circling you overhead and moving off into the woods. You realize the owl’s sharp vision sees in the dark with ease, and probably through illusions as well. You feel the connection with the owl more keenly, and a pull to follow him into the dark woods. You quicken your pace to catch up as your hearing in the darkness sharpens. You follow the flutter of wings and hoots in the distance. You are thankful for the companionship of the owl. Your small torch burns low not giving you much aid. You feel the presence of the wind as it rustles your hair, you hear the water in the distance, the light of the moon offering you glimpses through the dense trees of a possible path. You feel the companionship of the trees. You know somewhere a fox is observing you. The deer are listening. The owl hoots further ahead and you move in that direction.
You hear the owl hooting ahead of you and see a soft golden glow filtering through the trees. You finally break through the dense woods and come upon a clearing with a cottage cheerfully lit, with smoke rising from its chimney. It is a welcoming site. You see the owl perched upon the crest of the thatched roof of the cottage, mission accomplished. You stand there for a moment reflecting on the welcoming warmth ahead, and the welcoming companionship of the forest that you just experienced. You silently thank your new companions and knock on Merlin’s cottage door.
This will soon be a guided meditation on my YouTube Channel: Nancy Robbins – Elements Design Collection. Look for it: https://www.youtube.com/@ElementsDesignCollection
For further exploration with Merlin – check out these articles:
Two Visualizations With Merlin to Look Into Your Future
https://elementsdesigncollection.com/two-visualizations-from-merlin-to-look-into-your-future/
Merlin – A Spirit Guide to Divine Magic
https://elementsdesigncollection.com/merlin-a-spirit-guide-to-divine-magic/
Merlinite – Stone of Inner Magic
https://elementsdesigncollection.com/merlinite-stone-of-inner-magic/