This morning I feel inspired by an interview I happened upon between Susun Weed and Stephen Harrod Buhner.
A widely revered "wise woman" herbalist, Susun Weed touts the importance of connecting with the plants directly surrounding us, encouraging us to consider the possibility that the plants we need the most as food and medicine tend to grow in our daily pathways. She also suggests getting to know a small number of plants, and even cultivating particular plant allies, to help us through our lives in a healthful and nourished way. Probably one of my favorite lessons I have received from Susun's teachings is in the formulation of Nourishing Infusions. These infusions use about a handful of a very safe, gentle, nourishing herb (such as Stinging Nettle, Oatstraw, Chickweed, Red Clover, Red Raspberry Leaf, etc.) that has been infused (steeped) in a quart of just-boiled water for at least four hours. According to Susun, drinking a daily nourishing infusion such as this has the potential to nourish and gently adjust the body systems and overall health towards optimal well-being. Each herb has sdifferent properties and effects, so it is wise to research a bit more before trying them out to determine which one might be a good choice for you. However, I highly recommend Nettle as a beginning herbal infusion. It holds amazing, deep green mineral nourishment with absorbable iron and is known for establishing wellness in the kidneys. Almost everyone could benefit from adding some nettles to their life. :)
The "wise woman" tradition and corresponding topics are described in further detail in her books and in the article and forum sections of her amazingly plentiful website: www.susunweed.com. It is a simple, understandable, accessible and exciting way of viewing and experiencing our relationships with the communities in which we live. Susun has recently begun holding a talk radio show, and co-founding the Wise Woman University (webinar-based education on a wide spectrum of topics). The interview I encountered and listened to this morning was a part of these offerings. Susun interviewed Stephen Harrod Buhner in a general way, eliciting some poignant descriptions of ways we can understand and listen to plants.
Stephen Harrod Buhner is the author of many well-admired books relating to plant communication, herbal medicine, historical uses of plants through fermentation and more. His books are deeply informative and detailed, well-researched and poetically beautiful. The resonance I feel with his writing and the wisdom he offers to the world is profound, and for that reason when i saw an interview with him as a guest, I immediately went to listen.
The interview was short and concise, a great introduction and a good set of reminders. It seemed that Susun was basically making a plug for buying Stephen's books and workshop recordings at her web-based store, which is a wonderful resource. But the interview was more than a commercial; it was a real entry into a worldview that perceives nature as us and us as nature, a call to opening our lenses of perception in a way in which we can feel and believe that plants have awareness and share this world with us. We are co-inhabitors with all species on this planet, and we need to recognize this and act accordingly. Stephen spoke of learning to notice that the plants see and feel us too, perhaps from a very different place than we as humans feel and see. Nonetheless, just because a plant does not have the mobility and faculty of senses that we are familiar with as mammals, does not by any long stretch of our imaginations mean they do not perceive us and respond to us. In fact, many scientific studies have confirmed what the indigenous peoples of this planet have long known well- that plants receive and share information (through subtle movement, chemical changes and more) with each other and the environment around them. Stephen and Susun also discussed the divergence that has occurred in relatively recent human history that has shifted "knowing" from our hearts and bodies to our minds. This transition from a multi-sensory way of knowing to a brain-based way of knowing could be one of the primary reasons that so many present-day humans do not feel the aforementioned senses of connection and relationship with the nature that surrounds us all. Stephen Buhner and Susun Weed both agree that integrating a diverse array of ways of knowing might be the only way towards re-establishing partnership and wellness for all beings on our planet, including humans. Listen to the full interview here: stephen and susun interview.
What I appreciate most about these perspectives is that they so closely relate to my personal perception of the world, the plants around us and our place here as humans. As a student of herbal medicine, I have been fortunate to receive varied perspectives on relationship with plants from different herbalists. I have cultivated ally relationships with several plants (each season I seem to form a kinship with a particular plant) and learned to listen and use my intuition as well as to study from books and articles and classes. I still have so much learning to do, from the plants and the books. However, I feel humbled by what I have already received and grateful that I am not the only one who experiences and believes that the plants are alive, alert and responsive.
Here's an exercise to try if you feel compelled to explore these ideas for yourself: I invite you to take a step outside, whether you live in a city like New York where I grew up or a rural landscape in Missouri where I have spent growing seasons. Each and every one of these locations has something to offer. The plants are there and are available for being seen, cared for and listened to. One way to begin connecting with a plant is to draw it. You'll need paper and a pen or pencil, possibly paints or colors. Drawing a plant a nice way to start a relationship, because observing details and exploring the structure of a plant can tell us a lot about it. And then the plant for sure will be seen. So begin. Explore the edges, the colors, the gentle places and the abrupt ones. Draw the plant in your own way, as you see it. There is no pressure to be an outstanding artist here; this drawing is for you. While sitting there with the plant, notice your breath- inhaling and exhaling, gently and slowly. Recall that plants breathe carbon dioxide, what we exhale. Then consider the accurate reality that as you exhale CO2, the plant inhales, and as the plant exhales O2, you inhale. You are sharing breath with the plant you are drawing. Consider the intimacy of this relationship. Continue drawing. As you draw, notice if anything is different about the way you feel than before you sat down with the plant. Any sensations or relaxations in any parts of your body? This kind of awareness may appear easily, or may take some practice to cultivate. Continue drawing. As you feel a sense of completion in your drawing, put your paper and pen/paint/pencil down and just sit with the plant. You have just spent a while observing the plant intently; now it is time to let the plant observe you. Be as you are and envision the plant experiencing your presence, your energy, your form, your scent, your touch even. Be gentle. When you feel ready, thank the plant in some way (prayer, song, piece of your hair, offering of some kind, really anything that feels good to you). Then continue your day. Do you feel different now? Would you like to do this aagin some time? Feel free to cultivate a relationship with plants anywhere, anytime. They are pretty much always available.
This is also a great activity to do with kids- modified for age and attention span. They are very good at it.
I suppose I'll leave this blog entry at this. It may be a lot to digest for one sitting. But it's been a nourishing experience for me to sit down and reflect on things that bring my heart into the center of my knowing, and to share resources that may inspire others to do it too. :)
A widely revered "wise woman" herbalist, Susun Weed touts the importance of connecting with the plants directly surrounding us, encouraging us to consider the possibility that the plants we need the most as food and medicine tend to grow in our daily pathways. She also suggests getting to know a small number of plants, and even cultivating particular plant allies, to help us through our lives in a healthful and nourished way. Probably one of my favorite lessons I have received from Susun's teachings is in the formulation of Nourishing Infusions. These infusions use about a handful of a very safe, gentle, nourishing herb (such as Stinging Nettle, Oatstraw, Chickweed, Red Clover, Red Raspberry Leaf, etc.) that has been infused (steeped) in a quart of just-boiled water for at least four hours. According to Susun, drinking a daily nourishing infusion such as this has the potential to nourish and gently adjust the body systems and overall health towards optimal well-being. Each herb has sdifferent properties and effects, so it is wise to research a bit more before trying them out to determine which one might be a good choice for you. However, I highly recommend Nettle as a beginning herbal infusion. It holds amazing, deep green mineral nourishment with absorbable iron and is known for establishing wellness in the kidneys. Almost everyone could benefit from adding some nettles to their life. :)
The "wise woman" tradition and corresponding topics are described in further detail in her books and in the article and forum sections of her amazingly plentiful website: www.susunweed.com. It is a simple, understandable, accessible and exciting way of viewing and experiencing our relationships with the communities in which we live. Susun has recently begun holding a talk radio show, and co-founding the Wise Woman University (webinar-based education on a wide spectrum of topics). The interview I encountered and listened to this morning was a part of these offerings. Susun interviewed Stephen Harrod Buhner in a general way, eliciting some poignant descriptions of ways we can understand and listen to plants.
Stephen Harrod Buhner is the author of many well-admired books relating to plant communication, herbal medicine, historical uses of plants through fermentation and more. His books are deeply informative and detailed, well-researched and poetically beautiful. The resonance I feel with his writing and the wisdom he offers to the world is profound, and for that reason when i saw an interview with him as a guest, I immediately went to listen.
The interview was short and concise, a great introduction and a good set of reminders. It seemed that Susun was basically making a plug for buying Stephen's books and workshop recordings at her web-based store, which is a wonderful resource. But the interview was more than a commercial; it was a real entry into a worldview that perceives nature as us and us as nature, a call to opening our lenses of perception in a way in which we can feel and believe that plants have awareness and share this world with us. We are co-inhabitors with all species on this planet, and we need to recognize this and act accordingly. Stephen spoke of learning to notice that the plants see and feel us too, perhaps from a very different place than we as humans feel and see. Nonetheless, just because a plant does not have the mobility and faculty of senses that we are familiar with as mammals, does not by any long stretch of our imaginations mean they do not perceive us and respond to us. In fact, many scientific studies have confirmed what the indigenous peoples of this planet have long known well- that plants receive and share information (through subtle movement, chemical changes and more) with each other and the environment around them. Stephen and Susun also discussed the divergence that has occurred in relatively recent human history that has shifted "knowing" from our hearts and bodies to our minds. This transition from a multi-sensory way of knowing to a brain-based way of knowing could be one of the primary reasons that so many present-day humans do not feel the aforementioned senses of connection and relationship with the nature that surrounds us all. Stephen Buhner and Susun Weed both agree that integrating a diverse array of ways of knowing might be the only way towards re-establishing partnership and wellness for all beings on our planet, including humans. Listen to the full interview here: stephen and susun interview.
What I appreciate most about these perspectives is that they so closely relate to my personal perception of the world, the plants around us and our place here as humans. As a student of herbal medicine, I have been fortunate to receive varied perspectives on relationship with plants from different herbalists. I have cultivated ally relationships with several plants (each season I seem to form a kinship with a particular plant) and learned to listen and use my intuition as well as to study from books and articles and classes. I still have so much learning to do, from the plants and the books. However, I feel humbled by what I have already received and grateful that I am not the only one who experiences and believes that the plants are alive, alert and responsive.
Here's an exercise to try if you feel compelled to explore these ideas for yourself: I invite you to take a step outside, whether you live in a city like New York where I grew up or a rural landscape in Missouri where I have spent growing seasons. Each and every one of these locations has something to offer. The plants are there and are available for being seen, cared for and listened to. One way to begin connecting with a plant is to draw it. You'll need paper and a pen or pencil, possibly paints or colors. Drawing a plant a nice way to start a relationship, because observing details and exploring the structure of a plant can tell us a lot about it. And then the plant for sure will be seen. So begin. Explore the edges, the colors, the gentle places and the abrupt ones. Draw the plant in your own way, as you see it. There is no pressure to be an outstanding artist here; this drawing is for you. While sitting there with the plant, notice your breath- inhaling and exhaling, gently and slowly. Recall that plants breathe carbon dioxide, what we exhale. Then consider the accurate reality that as you exhale CO2, the plant inhales, and as the plant exhales O2, you inhale. You are sharing breath with the plant you are drawing. Consider the intimacy of this relationship. Continue drawing. As you draw, notice if anything is different about the way you feel than before you sat down with the plant. Any sensations or relaxations in any parts of your body? This kind of awareness may appear easily, or may take some practice to cultivate. Continue drawing. As you feel a sense of completion in your drawing, put your paper and pen/paint/pencil down and just sit with the plant. You have just spent a while observing the plant intently; now it is time to let the plant observe you. Be as you are and envision the plant experiencing your presence, your energy, your form, your scent, your touch even. Be gentle. When you feel ready, thank the plant in some way (prayer, song, piece of your hair, offering of some kind, really anything that feels good to you). Then continue your day. Do you feel different now? Would you like to do this aagin some time? Feel free to cultivate a relationship with plants anywhere, anytime. They are pretty much always available.
This is also a great activity to do with kids- modified for age and attention span. They are very good at it.
I suppose I'll leave this blog entry at this. It may be a lot to digest for one sitting. But it's been a nourishing experience for me to sit down and reflect on things that bring my heart into the center of my knowing, and to share resources that may inspire others to do it too. :)
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