Dryad Children

 (I) The Dryads come with me on my journey through the Karteros Gorge as I follow the Happiness Project Year. They will help me keep my focus outward as I journey so that I don't turn inward and obsess about what I am feeling and doing, what is not working, what I can't do well, spiraling further and further down. They will each represent one of the 8 senses, and I will use the sensory input to distract from ruminating and remind myself to focus outward. Many of these reminders will be similar to the strategies from the Amnisades, except maybe more tied to this specific situation. All of these plants grow in the Karteros Gorge.

 I will also need to have some sort of big project to keep my focus outwards. I will wait until the time, but some ideas are to take a course or to help a charity. Or have a big goal needing planning, like doing the Camino. It will have to have connections to other people for sure though. 

Dryads are the spirits of trees and companions of Artemis. There are many types of tree dryads, all young women. They do have children, both girls and boys, and so these will be dryad children. I have always LOVED the flower fairies, and I am coming to understand that I don't need to be embarrassed about my child-like interests. I've even bought myself some books that I loved about fairies, ect but didn't keep. It makes me so happy to look at them!

Elici the willow-dryad.
(Cicely Mary Barker, Willow Fairy)

 Elici is another name for Helice, a willow-dryad. Helice cared for Zeus when he was an infant and later she became the constellation of Ursa Major, the Bear which is North on the wind compass. 

Willows are flexible, open to new ideas, and yet tough when they need to be. Elici will remind me that I am safe. Doing some willow weaving will be the sense of touch, and the meditation and focus of weaving will calm me down and distract me from ruminating.

(Cicely Mary Barker)

Anapseucho, meaning 'to refresh one's spirit' in Greek, is my Plane Tree dryad. The Plane Tree is tall, with far-spreading branches that give shade to every village square. It is resistant to stresses and shows where water is, as it is found at springs, wells, creeks, rivers, etc. It is considered a gift, and the Gaia Tree. 

Anapseucho will represent the sense of hearing, as music. Playing upbeat folk music will be my reminder to focus outward, and help change my mood to a more positive one. I could also try to learn a new instrument or new music, or join the community choir again. Lots of possibilities.

Wild Thyme Flower Fairy
(Cicely Mary Barker)

Andreea, meaning 'courage' in Greek, will use the sense of taste to help with outward focus. Thyme tea can help me calm, and thyme cough drops can remind me to change focus. Thyme energises and was used to bestow courage to warriors before a battle. 

Bryony Flower Fairy
(Cicely Mary Barker)

Elly (from Elpis, the goddess of hope) represents the Proprioception sense, which is coordinated movement. Cretan Bryony is from Crete, and a bit different thatn European Bryony. A fast-growing vine spread by birds eating berries, it tangles into everything around it. Elly will remind me to go for a walk or a swim or something exercisy with someone else to get the focus outward, and the endorphins going.

Acorn Fairy
(Cicely Mary Barker)

Opsi is a Kermes Oak dryad. Opsi means 'look' in Greek, as in how something looks. He represents the seeing sense, reminding me to look at the acorn and remember to not keep things hidden inside, and also to look around - I may think that I am trapped but if I turn around, there may be an open door behind me that I was missing.

(Cicely Mary Barker, Yew Fairy)

Euche (pronounced yoo-khay, and meaning 'prayer/wish' in Greek) is my Greek Cypress Tree dryad, and reminds me to say a prayer for someone else, and work to make other's wishes come true. The Greek Cypress has small cones that look like the yew berries, but are grey, and the needles are similar enough that the Yew Fairy was the closest match. He represents the sense of smell, as Cypress resin smells amazing and is used as an essential oil and as incense. The smell will get me to take notice and the prayer for others will help me focus outward. This has worked in the past to get me over some trauma feelings.

(Cicely Mary Barker)

Iso is my Chastetree dryad. Iso is short for 'isorropia', which means 'balance' in Greek. Iso means 'equal' and chastetree is used to balance the hormones of women. The plant has long blue-grey leaves and spires of purple flowers, much like the lavender plant above. She represents the Vestibular sense, which processes balance and movement. I will do balance exercises which will move my body and require lots of focus because of my CMT!

(Cicely Mary Barker)

 

Schesi, meaning 'relationship' in Greek, is going to be my Ivy dryad - it almost looks like ivy growing up the tree there. He will be the sense of interoception - internal body cues and emotional body cues, and like Ivy, he will wind his way around us all, making bonds between us. My interoception action to have my focus turn outward will be to do a body check (to define what emotions I'm having) and then have some bracelets to snap on my wrist, or something similar, to get my focus outside the body. 

So, I may change this around a bit at the time, but hopefully this will help keep me from going inside too deep during the Happiness Project, which includes lots of checklists and goals to get bogged down in.