Now that I have begun setting up my herbal business it would be hard not to notice the parallels with spring. I am in the process of opening up to the world, peeping through the soil, emerging to stand in the light, to be seen, and to touch, inspire and bring joy to others.
The unfurling new fern.
From this place of transition, moving from full-time home-educator, to part-time self-employment, it’s important to me that I establish myself in something that I love. However, sharing what I love involves some level of vulnerability and given that I’ve not run my own business before, I am also venturing into the unknown. Here I remind myself of the trees inside the Eden Project dome with their roots so weak they just fell over. It was a lack of wind that did it. We respond to challenge with growth and become stronger for it. So I step out of my comfort zone, and a whole host of feelings arise, including excitement as well as anxiety.
Anxiety often comes from fear of what might happen, comparison and overthinking. It’s all up in the head and lacks anchoring. Aimless floating thoughts, bobbing back and forth, circling, sometimes even drowning. An overload of theoretical learning also adds to this busy mind. I can’t help but reading in bursts that involve a number of books in a short space of time; I just love learning new concepts and gaining new understanding. We really are in the age of information, and it is so easy to become overloaded and lose sight of ourselves. Lose connection to our own wisdom. This is when I look to the wisdom of plants.
In the act of turning to the plants for guidance I am brought back to myself. I recognise that I have lost self-connection and grounding. This self-awareness leads me to regain access to my own inner wisdom via the plants. I can take a pause for plant meditation, to regrow my roots deep and wide, connecting with the roots of local and known trees and plants which anchor me further. Then when I feel firmly embedded I have regained my center and am reconnected to myself. I take a deep breath and enjoy the returned clarity. I can take a self-empathy check-in and ask myself how I am feeling which allows me to make conscious choices that support my needs.
Sometimes I take it further and spend a little time with a plant whose root connection felt particularly strong on my visual journey. I observe how the plant expresses itself in this world and how applying this angle could serve me in this moment. It may be a tree which has had to grow with limited space or light, or that has been damaged somehow. Look how it is still beautiful despite the limitations and harm. See how it has continued to reach the sky, branch out and flourish. Its genetic make-up defines certain characteristics, but the way it expresses itself is entirely unique to the environment it finds itself in. Think of a dense wood which has numerous species all growing interdependently showing how entwined our lives are. The resilience of dandelion or ability to access support as readily as do cleavers. How nettles protect fiercely and nourish deeply, and the grass roots which create a solid network.
Living according to a growth mindset means I’m always exploring, always questioning, always ready to open up my mind, heart and will to new concepts. As such there is often a dilemma that I’ll be mulling over and whatever it is, it is always aided by stepping out of my head and observing the plants. Somehow, everything falls into perspective. I notice that if my action reflects the way of nature, then I will receive alignment and flow, cycling just as plants do along with the seasons. I find this reassuring and settling. Sometimes I become aware that I naturally reflect the seasons in my actions and needs, and sometimes I look to the plants for guidance.
“look deep into nature and then you will understand everything better” Einstein
The Doctrine of Signatures is a concept recorded by Paracelsus in the 1500’s and is the idea that the shape, colour, pattern or texture of a plant gives indication of its use in the human body. Like walnuts resemblance to the brain and that they containing omega 3 and vitamin E which are great for nerve health. Or liver herbs that are often yellow like dandelion, yellow dock root and barberry, treating jaundice via their ability to enhance liver function. You may have come across a recent novel called ‘The Signature of All Things’, by Elizabeth Gilbert, well worth a read if you haven’t already. This story reflects everything in colonies of moss and is utterly captivating!
Whenever I have been taught something new through plant metaphor the learning runs deep and sticks. Like the permaculture eco-cycle which I have experienced as an immersive infinity walk. Begin at any point and continue around; Spark → Connect → Possibility → Risk → Emergence → Birth → Develop → Growth → Maturity → Maintain → Unravel → Decay → Death → Compost → Release → Fallow → Spark, etc… Pause anywhere that elicits strong resonance and deep feeling. Explore its meaning. Notice how acknowledging where you are on your cycle of birth-rebirth helps bring everything into perspective and offer peace of mind from knowing you’re flowing along with the natural way of things.
At the moment I am working my way slowly through a book called ‘Environmental Arts Therapy and the Tree of Life: A monthly guide for your Soul’s Journey on this beautiful Earth’, by Ian Siddons Heginworth. The author lives in Devon and uses elements of the natural world seasonally and experiential outdoors as a healing method to reconnect us to our hearts. I am thoroughly enjoying the mythical stories specific to each plant and time of year, plus the creative use of nature as an expressive medium to represent transformation and growth.
I have also just finished a book called ‘Wintering,’ by Katherine May. I love the way the author has used winter to help us accept the essential fallow period, where retreat and rest are to be honoured when needed. This book reminds me of how our western culture resists our powerful need for convalescence after illness, favouring a return to busy lives before the body has had a chance to power up and increase resilience through rest and nutrition. Always venturing back out with a deficit, only to become ill or run down soon again to the point where it’s impossible to resist rest, as the body final insists forcefully. As an alternative, look how gracefully nature surrenders to winter.
Just as Katherine May has seen her need for rest reflected in the depths of winter, we too can look to nature to understand ourselves better. One way to connect to ourselves through nature is to sit with a plant or tree and notice what feelings come up in relation to it. Perhaps anger for invading the allotment? Or joy from the association of a scent from childhood tree climbing? Maybe resentment from sharp thorns causing painful injury? Or disgust from a strong unpleasant taste? Is it really the plant causing your feelings? Or could it be allowing you to access feelings you have been suppressing? Explore. This is experiential herbalism. Immerse yourself in the wisdom of nature, let it guide you and see where it takes you!
See how this bluebell has turned towards the light and seems to have opened its 'arms' to enjoy the warmth of the sun! It made me pause my walk and have a go!
If you would like to join my mailing list to find out about upcoming walks, talks and workshops, please email me at dandelionherbs@protonmail.com.
Comments