Harvesting Tulsi: Memories of a Friend

I started my morning by harvesting tops of Tulsi or Sacred Basil.  I immediately knew that this would be a wonderful experience, for this patch of Tulsi surrounds a Rose bush and I was being washed by the scents of Rose and Tulsi while being sung to by the Bees visiting Rose.  This was an intoxicating, heady, and beautiful undertaking.  My Heart was filling with gratitude for these two amazing Plants and for the gift of starting the day with them.

Soon thoughts of my dear friend Kaitlin O'Shea started coming forward.  Kate Loves Tulsi!  Early this Summer, when it became clear that Kate was leaving this world, I bought her a Tulsi plant.  Unable to buy only one, I bought several others.  I took a Plant to Kate, I potted another one work with the Music of the Plants device, and I planted the others.  These are the Plants that I was harvesting this morning, so it is only natural that Katie would be on my mind.

Quicker than it took for you to read the last paragraph, the thoughts became tears.  Despite what you may think, these were not tears of sadness at the loss of my friend, but tears of gratitude that my Heart was blessed by her.  After experiencing deep, deep grief with the death of my brother, I came to realize that grief is another expression of Love.  We often try to suppress our grief for many reasons:  not wanting to be vulnerable, fear of our feelings, thinking it is selfish, because our religion says we should be rejoicing, etc.  I have too often seen the effects of repressed grief returning in the form of serious illness.  I want to say to everyone who I see doing this, it's okay, grieve.  When you allow yourself to grieve, you allow the trauma (severe or mild) of your loss to move through you, which is better than it festering inside of you.  As you express the grief, your Heart opens wide, this often is very painful; however, what is happening, is that you are realizing the depth of Love that you have for this person and most likely that they had for you.  You become flooded with Love.  Once your Heart is expanded, it is very hard for it to return to a smaller size.  This is good!  For your expanded Heart is able to receive more Love and you are more able to see the many ways in which you are Loved.

I have grieved Kate and I will continue to miss her.  I will most likely go to pick up the phone or send her an email when I'm wanting to share about some trying experience, only to remember she won't be there.  I will wish that I could hear her beautiful voice teach me a new song again.  However, mostly I am so grateful that I had all these experiences while she was alive.  I am grateful that my life was blessed with the friendship of such a beautiful Soul.  I am grateful for the many lessons that we shared together.  With this gratitude in my Heart, I continued to harvest the Tulsi.

It was not lost on me that while I was thinking (and missing) my dear friend, I was with two incredible Heart Plants, especially Rose.  Rose is the Plant who helped to put me back together after my brother's death.  Normally, I would credit this to the remarkable Plant Spirits/ Plant World, saying that the Plants show up when we need them most.  However, in this particular situation, I think Katie was at play.  See Kate's remarkable gift (and challenge) was to always put others first.  Even as she was dying, she wanted to know what she could do for us.  It would be just like Kate to be sure that I would receive the healing and Love I needed whenever I was missing her.  (And yes, Kate really did think like that.  She took care of every last detail, being sure that everything was perfect.)  All the more reason for the tears of gratitude for Kaitlin O'Shea.

My wish for you is that your life be filled with Kaitlin O'Sheas, those people who surround you with Beauty, Love and Joy; who forever touch your Heart, even if you only spent a short time with them.   And may we all follow her example and bring more Light and Love into this World.

Healing Water

Most days I look around me and see beauty every where.  I am grateful for the gift of Life in a human body.  For the chance to explore this gorgeous world.  I see people who pour their Hearts out and offer themselves in service to creating a better World.  I see the Plants shining and calling us back Home to ourselves.  I am soothed by the sounds of the birds and insects and wind and water.  Oh, my Heart is open and I am grateful.

Then there are those days, when I am overwhelmed with the Pain and Destruction.  When I think there is no Hope.  When I want to say, “Let’s just call this Human thing a failed experiment and let Nature return to her wholeness without us before we ravage more of her beauty and purity.”

I see this as a reflection of the state of our World.  Depending on where you are and what you are looking at, you could see the Hope and Beauty or you could see the devastation and destruction.  (Of course, many people see none of this, choosing to keep their heads in the sand.)  It is not clear what the future is for humanity, which makes this time oh, so important.  What we do or don’t do now could determine if we will move into a co-creative relationship with Nature and continue or if we will further destroy this world, killing more species, possibly including the Humans.

I have been oscillating even more between these 2 ever since I saw those heartbreaking photos of the Animas River in Colorado turned orange by toxic waste.  I keep wanting to believe that this world is filled with amazing people and she is returning to health.  Yet, I start weeping as I see these images.  Wondering, how can she be clean again?  And I think of all the other Waters who have been poisoned by our ignorance and lack of reverence.   

I finally allowed myself to read an article about this.  Of course, there was the classic question, “Who will be responsible for cleaning this?”  And I think, aren’t we all?  Isn’t this Water part of all of us?  Yes, we may not be the owner of the mine company, we may not have family who worked in that mine.  However, we may have benefited from it.  Is there anyone (at least in the US) who has never bought or used something that has been mined before?   

This is of course, only one way that Water becomes polluted.  There are countless ways that this happens every day.  I live in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, a farming community.  There has been an enormous campaign here by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation because farming practices that created run-off including manure and pesticides/herbicides were poisoning the Bay, which is hours from but downstream of where I live.  Then there’s oil spills, fracking, chemicals from industries, ... the list can continue.

No matter what causes the pollution at a specific area, we are all involved and connected.  We continue to feed the paradigm that allows our Mother to be abused and ravaged and poisoned.  What I struggle with so much, is how is it not understood that when we do this to the Earth, we do this to ourselves, our children, our grandchildren?  When I see an orange River, I feel my body constricting, my functions closing, my Heart weeping.  Even though I have never seen that River, I am her, and she is me.  I realize that most people prevent themselves (mostly unconsciously) from having such a personal relationship with the Earth.  However, can we not understand that toxic means deadly?  When we dump poisons and toxins in the Earth, they resurface somewhere in some form.  Since the food we eat, the water we drink, the air we breathe all are from this Earth, we and our children and generations forward will be consuming these toxins in one form or another.  If we cannot open our Hearts to Love this amazing place that we call Home which gives us absolutely everything that our Life depends on and way more, can’t we at least protect our children and find a way to co-habit here along with the other marvelous Beings without poisoning everyone?

I know that it is possible to heal Water.  In her book, Medicine for the Earth, Sandra Ingerman discusses how we can transmute the toxins in our environment and shares her own experiences with healing Water.  There are other methods too, including bioremediation and the more scientific approaches.  While these latter methods may help to remove the toxins, I believe Water can only truly heal when we re-member her.  That is when, we honor the wonderful gift of her, return these gifts with our Love and Gratitude and Reverence.  Love and Gratitude raise the vibrations, these can help Water remember who she is; help her return to her high vibrancy.  There are many wonderful people who are working to bring Healing to our Earth, including the Waters.  We need more.  Really, this is a job for all of us. 

This can seem like a giant task and it is easy to be overwhelmed.  I suggest starting small.  A great place to begin is by thanking Water.  Thank the Water that you drink every day, thank the Ocean that you swim in, thank the Rivers, thank the Dew, thank the Rain.  Another way would be to place some Water in a special glass or bowl and speak and blow your prayers into her.  Let these be prayers of Gratitude, as well as requests for forgiveness.  Speak your Love for her, your Hopes for her running free and pure again, filled with Life and Vibrancy.  Then pour this blessed Water into a Water source.  The Organization of Nature Evolutionaries filmed a Gratitude Circle that they held for Water after a River in West Virginia was polluted.  You can see the Video here to help you create your own Gratitude Circle.

And of course, the best way to heal Water is to prevent her being poisoned in the first place. 

The Summer of Love: Opening the Heart

I know that we’ve already had the Summer of Love.  However, with the Supreme Court decision on Marriage and now Venus in retrograde, I feel that this is a very appropriate name for Summer 2015.

As I was working in the garden the other day, I was thinking how much I Love Plants.  I spend copious amounts of time with them and yet, I always look forward to spending more time and I’m always learning and deepening my relationship with them.  As I was focusing on my Love and gratitude for Plants, I realized that this is how relationships are meant to be.

I have long been frustrated with the relationship stereotypes in the media, particularly those focused on marriage.  You know the ones that show the woman crushing the man’s soul or the man cheating on his wife or both people being absolutely miserable.  When the Supreme Court gave their historic decision on Marriage Equality, I was filled with hope!  I thought here are people who know the sacredness of marriage, they have had to fight for this gift, maybe they can remind the rest of us.  What I saw was that this debate highlighted the value of Love and the innate desire to Love and be Loved (even when it is not safe to do so).

Getting back to the Garden, what my Plants were showing me that day is that if we are fortunate enough to find someone to Love and be Loved by, rather than following the expected norm of living parallel lives, running out of things to say, getting annoyed with the little things our partner does, drifting apart, etc, we should be falling more in Love every day.  Think about your closest friend(s), the ones that you’ve known for years and years.  Do you like them less now than when you first met?  I know for myself, the more time I spend with my friends, the more I Love them.  Yes, I discover there weaknesses, their growth opportunities, their hurts, these allow me to appreciate them even more.  Sure they push my buttons and I push theirs and we all know that at the very core, we Love each other to the end.  If we can do this with our friends, why wouldn’t we do this with our partner, the one person we have chosen to share our most intimate moments with?

Please understand, I’m not looking at relationships with rosy glasses.  I understand that they are challenging, that’s actually the point.  They are supposed to be challenging, for these are one of the greatest opportunities to grow, if you choose to that is.  Through our relationships we have a chance to have our fears and limitations challenged, to look at ourselves with a magnifying glass, to let go of the baggage that we drag behind us.  These can be really painful and difficult times and if we can understand that this is an opportunity and if we have a partner who also understands this and can support us while we are being challenged, well, there’s no telling how much healing and growth can occur.  Through this process we let go of the dross, allowing our Light to shine more fully, allowing our True Essential Selves to be seen and known.

What stops most of us from doing this is fear.  This fear can have many names, “I’m not good enough”, “He’ll leave me if he ever knows the true me”, “She will break my heart” and others.  So we satisfy ourselves by living a partial life, not opening our Heart fully for fear of the inevitable heart-break, living one of these stereotypical roles, or moving in and out of relationships never staying long enough to really be seen or open the Heart.  I wonder why would we settle for this?  Why not go all in and experience all that Love has to offer - the heartbreaks and the Bliss?  When you wake up every morning and see your partner next to you, would you rather be filled with Joy and excitement at another day with this Lovely person or annoyed that he’s on your side of the bed and she just keeps nagging?  (I do recognize that sometimes relationships need to end, especially if they are unhealthy or abusive and we also can outgrow our relationships.)

The Plants reminded me of 2 important tools to help keep the magic alive.  The first is Gratitude (one of my favorites!).  After all these years of working with Plants, I continue to be grateful for the gifts and medicines that they share with me.  We can feel the same way about our partners, being grateful for the many ways that they fill your life with Beauty (and of course sharing these with them).  The other is continually learning more.  There is always more to learn about your partner.  The minute you think you know everything there is to know about him, is the minute the magic is lost, which begins the downward spiral.

With Venus in retrograde, this is a good time to look at relationships and Love (you may find yourself doing this whether you want to or not).  This does not simply refer to romantic relationships.  I invite you to look at the role Love plays in your life.  Do you have any fears that prevent you from expressing or receiving Love?  Do you have blockages?  Are there limiting beliefs?  Are you living a life where Love is the central force?  Does everyone around you know how much you Love them?  Do you tell them this?  And a really big part of this reflection has to do with Love for self.  Do you Love yourself, Love every part of you?  Of course, if you find something, know that this can be changed, cleared, transmuted, healed.

I truly believe that Love is the guiding and strongest force in the Universe.  I believe that we are created from Love.  To not Love ourselves or to block ourselves from Love is to prevent us from being the magnanimous Beings we are meant to be.

We so often do this to prevent our Hearts from breaking.  This is foolish, for this only causes more constriction and pain.  I know that heartbreak is painful; however, it is actually healing.  Heartbreak allows the Heart to expand, if you work with the heartbreak, expressing the pain and grief, your Heart opens to another level of Love, more able to receive and express Love.  When we do not allow the grieving, when we shut the Heart down, we block this energy and prevent the Heart from expressing her true beauty.  This is when we experience true, constant pain which often leads to physical ailments not to mention a duller life.

The Plants are wonderful teachers helping us to open our Hearts, to heal, and to be Love/d.  They help us overcome the conditioning that has taught us that we are unlovable or not enough or whatever else, your "itty bitty shitty committee" creates.  At a recent workshop, after a woman spent time with a Plant, she said in utter awe, “She [the Plant] loves me!”  Yes!  If you want a reminder of this, look at a Dandelion pushing her way through the layers of cement to say, I’m here!  She keeps showing up, until we are ready to receive her healing gifts.  Or simply sit in Nature and allow yourself to be held and Loved.

There is so much to say about Love and living a life that is Heart-centered and filled with Love.  This is the life that we are meant to live, this is how we experience healing and our fullness.  This is also completely possible and is what we are being asked to do.  And again, we have allies, when we work with Plants, our Hearts naturally open.

So Love, Love often, and Love Deeply!

Gift of Monsanto

We live in a world of fragmentation.  This is the basis of our dimension.  What appears to be good (organic farming) and evil (Monsanto) in another dimension are the same, they are brothers, they are loved ones cut from the same cloth.  When we can realize this, we can be grateful for the so called bad or evil and the lessons that they provide.  

In truth, I find it difficult to say that I am grateful for Monsanto.  However, when I can allow myself to be centered and in my Heart space, when I can be in that place of wide vision and fuller perspective, I can see that Monsanto has provided a lot of good in this world.  Because of their GMO campaign, more and more people are reawakening to the importance of our Seeds, to protecting them, saving them, recognizing the Sacred in them.  Companies and organizations like Organic India are created to help re-build communities and return dignity to farmers who were decimated by the lure of pesticides.  Thanks to Monsanto, we can recognize and celebrate in the light of individuals like Vandana Shiva.  While she rallies against Monsanto and GMO, she brings our awareness to other issues such as gender equality all the while bringing more Light and hope into this world.  If it was not for Monsanto, she may not have been given as big of a stage to do this.  Now with the latest Monsanto effort referred to as the “Dark Act”, this is bringing more awareness to the importance of knowing what is in your food and where your food comes from.  I can foresee the consequences of this may be more people growing their own food or getting to know the people who grow it, which again has the benefit of creating community.  

You won’t find me in the street carrying signs saying “I love Monsanto” nor will I be buying Monsanto owned products - which reminds me of another gift of Monsanto.  They have helped me be even more aware of who owns the foods that I buy.  I had no idea that Monsanto owned so many companies.  I admit I have supported them before through my purchases, now I am even more vigilant.  And best of all, my son is too!

I live in an incredible area rich in farmland.  I could very easily source all of my food locally, but I don’t.  I do know the people who grow my vegetables, most of my fruit, and my meat and dairy.  I still buy some items (bananas, avocados, nuts) that do not grow here.  And I am occasionally seduced by the labels of packaged foods - coconut ice cream, chocolate, almond milk.  However, thanks to Monsanto I am renewing my passion for eating local, for growing my own food, and for talking to the other people who grow or make my food.  I don’t need labels on my food if I know where it comes from and the values of the people who grow it.  If I can visit the farm and talk with the farmers about the seeds that they are using, no label is necessary.  Thank you for reminding me of the Sacredness of Seeds and Food and helping me to reconnect with my community.

We may want to think that Monsanto is evil; however, they and their actions are only necessary because we have forgotten.  If we remembered the Sacred gift of Seeds and Sacred act of planting, harvesting, and saving them; if we remembered the preciousness of community and remembered the importance of farmers, giving them their proper recognition; if we remembered how to work with Nature to grow our food and medicine; if we remembered the Sacredness of Nature including the Weeds and Insects, we would not need an entity like Monsanto to remind us.  

Thank you Monsanto for reminding me.