Now, about that "flower"...

Apr 19, 2009 15:25

We're celebrating Earth Day here in southern MD.  The kid & I are home from "town" (which is 30 minutes away), resting back at the homestead after helping Dad out with the Healing Center's booth at the local festival.  Seems like a good moment to review the first section of The Secret Teachings of Plants, in which Stephen Buhner breaks down the ( Read more... )

herbalism, plant language

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wisewomanjudith April 20 2009, 14:23:47 UTC
What a fabulous story and an interesting idea, all at once!

I often perceive plants (mostly trees but sometimes other plants) as singing.

My favourite courting story of myself and my husband is when we were walking the dogs in the woods and I said. "Listen! Do you hear that?"
"Hear what?"
"The trees are singing!"

He laughed so hard that he had to sit down (which was actually delightful because he's a kind of dour person generally) and then said,
"No, I don't hear the trees singing but I completely believe that you do."

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pilarkristine April 21 2009, 02:52:46 UTC
Oh, wow, I love that so much! What a great story. And sensation! What a nice sensation...

I dunno-- I really believe we see and hear with more than just eyes and ears. I'm really eager to develop that further, and it's nice to see that there's a science to being speshul :)

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heydaya April 20 2009, 15:11:19 UTC
Oh, this is such a beautiful story! And I have that Buhner book at home on my plant studies shelf, and have been meaning to read it. Now I'll have to, and soon.

This really just made me so giddy to read, and I cannot wait to read about the next time you do make contact, and don't get freaked out. :) I bet Beltane would be a fabulous opportunity to "dial up" your sunflower friend again...

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pilarkristine April 21 2009, 02:56:41 UTC
No doubt! I believe I will do that.

OH, shit. I was totally "called" by a bouquet of sunflowers & roses at the grocery store today. But I wasn't even thinking of the story...more like my pocketbook, and justifying the purchase to my Man. Ah now I'll have to go back and get them, and tell him it's all in the name of science ;)

As for Buhner, I really love the way he writes! I think you'll enjoy it; I really like how he ties things together, and makes "speshul" feel like the most normal thing in the world.

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caoimhghin April 21 2009, 16:56:17 UTC
About the "speshel ( ... )

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pilarkristine April 22 2009, 02:00:12 UTC
Well, yes, that attitude is *unfortunate* to put it mildly. That's too bad. On the one hand, I can understand why he would feel "frustrated", given his obvious love of the living planet, and the desire that comes from that love to gain as much knowledge and wisdom as he can to spread around, and invoke change. (That part being much needed.) However, that kind of insult is a shame. Totally unnecessary. It's not up to him, and he went far off the deep end ( ... )

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caoimhghin April 22 2009, 02:44:41 UTC
Yes, I can understand his frustration too. I grew up in the mainstream culture and came to my roots later in life. I had to find my own way (and of course we all do, even with cultural guidance) for many years.

The irony is, he seems as capable as anyone of finding his way. He has been given considerable insight. Which makes the racist remarks all the more unfortunate. I realize we all have blind spots, but that one seems to be particularly well-entrenched with alot of people. He can't see his own colonialism. Desiring a people's ways and hating those people at the same time is really sad.

Being perceptive, insightful and gifted (which he definately is in regard to plants) certainly doesn't mean being right about everything, it would seem. But that's to be expected, as frustrating as that particular position is to me.

"As for "speshul", I think the trick comes from being brought up in an environment that over-mystifies those senses, and so "owning" them becomes something of an anomaly, where it's the person, not the sense, that ( ... )

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