“Sit, be still, and listen.” Rumi Stillness is the absence of motion, inactivity, or inaction. For some, it is nearly an insurmountable state of being. To be still with our whole body takes effort – settling our physical self, suspending our thoughts, and slowing our breath. When we practice stillness in nature, it nourishes ourContinue reading “Synthesizing in Stillness”
Tag Archives: outside
The Soothsayer of Silence
“Listen to the silence. It has so much to say.” Rumi This essay is an updated copy of an essay that I posted here a few years ago. Within the sacred sphere of the fairy ring, silence, stillness, and solitude are the outward ways of being that connect our whole bodies, our breath and ourContinue reading “The Soothsayer of Silence”
Cultivating Connection: The Fairy Circle Model
“The Universe is a communion of subjects, not a collection of objects.” Brian Swimme and Thomas Berry, The Universe Story A fairy circle, or fairy ring, is a scientifically sound structure, but magical, nonetheless. Just the presence of the colorful caps of mushrooms supported by sturdy stalks scattered across the dark forest floor, creating aContinue reading “Cultivating Connection: The Fairy Circle Model”
Rosemary
“Nostalgia is a file that removes the rough edges from the good old days.” Doug Larson Rosemary is the final plant in the series Pondering the Plants of the Winter Solstice. Rosemary is an easily recognizable, pungent herb often infused into our seasonal savory dishes. Its aromatic aura aids in memory and recall. It rousesContinue reading “Rosemary”
Birch
..”When in that quiet aisle my feet have trod I have found peace among the silver trees,…” Andrew Greeley Although not all birch bark is white, in the winter season we often see the bark from the white or silver birch species wired into wreaths. The bark is perceptible as thin, papery plates of peelingContinue reading “Birch”
Oak
“This oak tree and I , we’re made of the same stuff.” Carl Sagan As part of the Pondering the Plants of the Winter Solstice, I am reposting this essay that I wrote in 2021. It is published here on my blog page and in the Plants and Poetry Journal anthology, Plant People: An AnthologyContinue reading “Oak”
Holly
“Of all the trees that are in the wood, the holly bears the crown.” From The Holly and the Ivy , a song by Andrew Peterson If conifers represent the peace and beauty of the winter season, then holly heralds as the protector. It is the sanctioned species of plant in the time of lesseningContinue reading “Holly”
Pondering the Plants of the Winter Solstice
The pine stays green in winter…wisdom in hardship. Norman Douglas The time between the Fall Equinox and the Winter Solstice is my favorite time of the year. The days decrease in their duration of darkness until we celebrate the return of the Sun and the stretching of solar seconds, lengthening our lot of light. MyContinue reading “Pondering the Plants of the Winter Solstice”