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Soil…
September 1st. That means all my pre-written posts from a couple weeks ago are all finished being published automatically and I have to (gasp!) get back to writing new things in this space. I’m still kind of apprehensive about the whole endeavor though. As I said recently regarding my new job, the me that stands in the sun all day pruning plants and the me who sat here writing about conspiracies, etc are having some trouble coordinating on a new creative direction. For the most part, it has to do with self-image. I spent so much time building myself up as this person fueled by and chasing after wild ideas that I’m not sure how to transcend that to the next level - whatever that may be. It’s like, when I’m hauling huge buckets of yard waste to dump off in our truck, it’s pretty much irrelevant what kind of strange things may be coursing through my head. And that, honestly is kind of a relief. As is coming home and being just too physically tired to concern myself with a lot of the worries and odd curiosities I’ve recently held onto.
More than anything though, what I think has been happening is that whatever it is about me that makes me who I am has been becoming gradually more substantial, solid. Less flighty and airy. I’m going to plant some seeds in my backyard today. Vegetables mostly. I’m looking forward to it for its own sake, but also because I feel like it reflects what’s happening with me right now internally. Tiny packets of life are being allowed to germinate in the darkness. It’s difficult to see ahead of time just how this miraculous transformation is going to pull itself off, but there’s an element of simply trusting in the mysteries of life for right now.
In the meantime, I do have a few smaller-scale ideas and posts I have been sitting on for a while now. And I’m sure going back through the comments left by people over the past week or two with a fine tooth comb will yield me some good conversational ideas. Until it all gets sorted out though, I’m going to try and not beat myself up too hard over not abiding strictly to past images and expectations I have constructed of and for myself. It’s kind of a tough thing to do though sometimes: just let things be how they are for now.
PS. I’m still having extremely vivid and consistent dreams about plants. Does anybody know of some good plant-based shamanism resources for me to chew on?
- Replanting your tree
- The Divine Spark
- X-Files A Distraction?
- The Probability of Being Scared
- Tilling the soil
- Prev: CSI For Kids
- Next: Ash…
September 1st, 2006 at 7:33 pm
lots of plants are good to chew on
the medicinal plants and the major psychoactives get all the attention, of course, when discussing shamanism and ethnobotany, but there’s also a bunch of really interesting tonic and adaptogen plants which are great to develop relationships with. rather than targeting specific illnesses and conditions or blowing your consciousness wide open, they subtly work over time to improve the body’s reactions to stress and environmental factors, bring your systems into harmony, strengthen the body, improve the functioning of the brain, etc. Ayurvedic and Chinese systems are full of these types of plants, and there are also a few of interest originating from Siberia, Africa, and the Americas.
locally, i would definitely suggest getting to know the friendly and knowledgeable folks at Tenzing Momo (in the Pike Place Market.) also, be sure not to miss the University of Washington’s absolutely incredible Medicinal Herb Garden! bring a notebook along for the walk, and you’ll leave with a great list of plants to investigate further.
September 1st, 2006 at 8:38 pm
Yeah I’ve been to Tenzing Momo and that’s a great suggestion. Had no idea about that herb garden. Thanks! Sounds awesome.
I also just found a cool quote from Carlos Castaneda that I wanted to save for later:
Gonna do a separate post on the don Juan books which I recently started as well..
September 2nd, 2006 at 7:01 am
Two good shaman resources that I know of, but don’t recall about plants, are Hank
Wesselman who also teaches shaman courses and then a book called Secrets of Shamanism: Tapping the Spirit Power Within You by Jose Stevens and Lena S. Stevens.
Hank W has a book on the basics of shamanism that has a drumming CD attached * Journey to the Sacred Garden. I think it can be found for a few bucks online.
September 4th, 2006 at 9:51 am
Welcome to the gardeners fold of manual labor and silent yet active observation!
Start here:)
The Concept of Plants as Teachers Among Four Mestizo Shamans of Iquitos by Luis Eduardo Luna