BLOG POSTS
Are we kind? In our private thoughts and actions? Are we kind in our thoughts about ourselves? The beloved teacher and guide, Thich Nhat Hanh recently left his physical body. His teachings have touched the Hearts of many and continue on. Perhaps the best way that we can honor him is to choose true kindness every day, being mindful of our thoughts and inner dialogue. As always, if we are struggling, the Plants are willing to help us.
One of the great gifts of humanity is curiosity. We can utilize this gift to get to know one another, listen to someone’s story or experiences and enjoy their glimpse of the multiverse. Connection, appreciation, and empathy lead us to the path of Love. This path of Love leads us back to community, to who we are meant to be, to our rightful place as part of Nature. This path of Love leads us to our beautiful future of thriving, together.
How do we process the challenges and incorporate the benefits? How do we remain true to what is in alignment with our Soul and our Heart’s desires? I wish I could give you the secret answer. The truth is this is different for each person and each situation. What I can offer is a message I received a few weeks ago.
We all have been given the incredible gift of being alive during this time of great change. We each have the capability and responsibility of creating this world that we know is possible, a world where all live is sacred and has the right to thrive. A world where we live in alignment with Nature. However, how can we create this if we do not know how to communicate with Nature?
I recently was experiencing overwhelm. I know that I’m not alone in this as I’ve heard about overwhelm from my clients, students, friends, and family. Perhaps you too have been feeling this. Overwhelm has been a presence in my life before, especially when I was younger; however the pandemic situation exacerbates it. Overwhelm is not a bad thing. It is a sign. Your body is trying to get your attention, helping you to remember to enjoy life. These are suggestions that I have found to be useful for myself and my clients for dealing with overwhelm.
As we celebrate Equinox/Mabon, my attention is focused on balance. I am grateful for the reminder as it feels like we need this more than ever. Then again, Nature always offers us solutions and reminders if we are willing to listen. For the last six months, when I have asked about the pandemic, I am told to focus on compassion, that compassion is the biggest lesson for us now. Compassion is active; it is cultivated. The truth is that it takes great courage to respond with compassion, to witness someone in their wounding, or to be willing to respond with Love when someone causes harm to you or others.
Worldwide the shifts can no longer be ignored. Unfortunately, there is a human tendency to react with fear towards change. Fortunately, this is not a necessity, but a choice and we can just as easily (well perhaps with a little conscious awareness) choose Love. Here are steps to help us act more clearly with Love.
Winter is the time of rest and reflection. The time for family and home. The time of quiet. While the days are getting longer and the Light getting stronger, we continue to be in this season of going within and resting. With this time period, comes cold and flu season. We often view illness and dis-ease as a bad thing, something to avoid. Which is understandable when we feel miserable. I wonder if we could consider that illness has a role?
As I walk the Sanctuary in gratitude during this time of year, I give even more emphasis towards the Ancestors of this Land. Today as I give my prayers of gratitude to them, I receive the message that one of the best ways in which we can honor the Ancestors of this Land and make amends for the horrors is to be good Stewards to the Land. To become worthy of the gift of living here.
The Nature Spirits of Heart Springs Sanctuary insistently highlighted an area of focus, which was counter to my desires. Over time, I realized that they were right, even when what they were asking for seemed as if it was far beyond my abilities. Through their guidance and some much needed human assistance, we completed the beginning of a large rain garden project who’s purpose is to transmute fear and anger into Love, slow the run-off from our neighbor’s field, and capture the soil and fertilizer before going into the creek.
I recently was asked how I cope among despair. I think this is a great question and I often ask others this. Since it seems that we are all faced with overwhelm and despair. My answer is that I stop. I go outside and spend time with Nature, particularly the Plants. I look around. I move around. I taste, I smell, I touch, I breathe. As my nervous system calms and my Heart rate slows, I feel a different overwhelm. This overwhelm is from Beauty and awe. While here, I listen.
I have been teaching Plant Communication for over ten years. I have learned that helping people remember how to communicate with Plants is the easy part. The difficult part is helping them to understand HOW to communicate in general. In other words, we struggle to communicate well with one another, yet alone another species!
I have discovered three guidelines for improving communication (with ALL species).
Have you ever really looked at a Flower, gazed in wonder at ki’s form or color or smell? Or held a Seed in your hand while thinking of the eventual Plant that will come from this tiny Being?
I do this often, which tends to result in tears of utter joy and amazement, as well as, an overwhelming sense of humility. The humility helps to bring back into perspective my current issue, as I realize that whatever “huge mountain” I am dealing with is really minuscule and nothing in the face of the miracles of this world. From this place, I can see that possibilities exist way beyond my imagination and that I am not alone.
What I do know is that assuming we know what is right and pulling the invaders without asking the Plants or the Land continues the domination paradigm. This is why I feel that if we want to be good stewards and really stand in our role as part of Nature, it is imperative that we learn how to communicate with Nature.
I think the real question is “What is OUR reason for existence?” Every aspect of Nature has a role, a purpose. We have learned this the hard way, by removing unwanted Beings (like Wolves) and seeing how greatly this changed the wellbeing of an ecosystem. Nature does not waste. Since we are, whether we realize it or not, part of Nature, this means that we too are here for a reason.
