January 15th ~ I was just out on our land today, walking with my goats.
I go walking with them because I want them to eat wild plants and it
gets me outside. There is snow and ice covering our little farm, here
on Whidbey Island in Washington State. Sticking up through this icy
blanket are weeds. The goats eat decaying rose hips, deep red
blackberry leaves, evergreen needles and if I pick it for them, kale
from the garden. I like to watch them graze and connect with the
plants.
The quiet of this January late afternoon breathes life into me.
Staying inside my house is so easy and cozy with my warm fire and fuzzy
wool slippers. Venturing out onto the land takes me to another place.
It is the place I feel most at ease and yet I must think of a reason to
go seeking it. ‘The goats need it’ is what I think. ‘They need to eat
the wild plants and feel the sun on them everyday.’
Once outside, I feel a subtle calm come over me. It is the stillness
of the earth that whispers to me. I only slightly acknowledge it, but
when I return to my cozy house I realize the calming impact on my
spirit.
January 22nd ~ It has since warmed up now as I return to this writing a
week later. Lunar imbolc has passed and with the thaw of the earth, I
see and feel the green returning. Amongst the old blackberry leaves, I
see little cleavers emerging. Leaf buds on many of the trees are
growing plump and the alder catkins are becoming a beautiful burnt red.
Stepping outside, taking note of the transitional play between winter
and spring brings me a delicate gift. It is here on our land that I am
finding my community. I have longed and looked for a place to plant
myself for so many years. I have, at times, grown weary of finding the
right people with which to share my time. I have thought long and hard
about how to connect to others, to create community on this island
where I live.
And so I went out again with my goats for a walk. And I sat on a stump
and let the January sun burn into me. The subtle calm of the earth’s
spirit whispered again so sweetly. And I found the community I was
looking for right there on that stump.
A beautiful community on earth.
Community on Earth ~ Shamanic Exercise
You can do this in any natural setting, your garden, your yard, a park
or deep in the woods. Go outside on the Earth. Begin to notice your
breath and breathe in and out a few times with awareness. Now begin to
notice all that is around you. What do you see, hear, smell, taste,
feel. Just notice...bringing awareness back to your breath
occassionally. Do this as long as you like. When you are finished,
give thanks for all you witnessed.
May it be in Beauty.
Julie Charette Nunn. Crow’s Daughter is a shamanic herbalist living on
Whidbey Island in Washington State. She lives with her beloved
consort, Taddeusz, two goats, Scrappy and Fille Luna, the trees, and
the wild plants and weeds. She teaches wise woman ways through weekly
and residential shamanic herbal apprenticeships, classes and one to one
teachings. Julie also runs a thriving small business, Crow’s Daughter’s
Earthly Goods where she crafts and sells nourishing herbal creations.
You can visit Julie’s website www.crowsdaughter.com for information and
inspirational writing for your journey.
Julie will be offering an on-line class on Shamanic Herbalism with the
Women of Wisdom Foundation in March 2007. Visit www.womenofwisdom.org
to register.
Julie Charette Nunn, Crow's Daughter
Nourishment~Common Herbs~Wise Woman Ways
360-579-2319
julie@crowsdaughter.com
www.crowsdaughter.com
15th Annual Women of Wisdom Gathering - "Spirit in Community"
February 10th, noon to 9 pm - go to www.womenofwisdom.org for details and directions.
Special event offer: Bring a friend to the Gathering for just $50.
Can't come in person?
Please come in Spirit. We will be creating a basket of offerings: poetry, prose, photos, and also intentions for WOW in the year ahead. These will be blessed and energized. Please email Coleen@ColeenRenee.com any submissions you would like us to include. We are reaching out to our sisters throughout the world through programs such as WOW Online and WOW Connections. We'd love to have some part of you there physically as we bless each other for the coming year. Please forward your submissions by February 7, 2007 for inclusion.
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Posted by: Term Paper | March 01, 2010 at 01:08 AM