.....gifts

Yogis,
For the last few months we have been under a drought. Weeks with no rain at all, and then when it would arrive, a few drops later it would move along. I knew the river was extremely low but I haven’t been spending time down there with all of my daily creek visits. This week, however, I had a slow day and announced to Phoebe that we were off to the river, much to her delight.  

When we arrived, my favorite rock I sit on by the water’s edge was now yards back from shore. Whole new paths uncovered and islands which are typically unreachable without a boat, now accessible by foot. So off we went!

The next two hours flew by as we hopped from rock to rock, crawled under fallen trees and sat on the perfect seat made by the trunk of the sycamore tree which I have often photographed from afar. A young mullein plant graced my path and I found a face in a rotting log observing us as we traveled.

Phoebe often showed me the best path from island to island with her keen sense of direction. We explored, finding beautiful shells and the intricate pattern of tree roots which live in the river, but now reach only into air. Wildflowers, hidden ponds and clear evidence that the deer had been through recently. All of this on land which is almost always feet under water.

When it was time to leave and we had hiked back to shore I turned to say thank you…..but then my heart opened even more as I saw the islands ablaze in reds and golds and realized what a gift I had been given. These precious hours in this amazing place.

I looked up various definitions of ‘gift’ and the one that came closest to what I felt was – something bestowed without any particular effort by the recipient. The Universe had indeed bestowed.

This weekend I had my grandson with me. Whenever he arrives, he first wants to play fire trucks, but then his next question is when we are going to the creek. I have always taken him there and he too has fallen in love. But yesterday I convinced him to come to the river.

Another two hours…..rock throwing, getting close to the plants with the camera, becoming still to watch the small fish swim by and hearing the flocks of birds fill the tree tops. We noticed that the slower we moved, the more we noticed. Standing still in one spot we witnessed spiders, crickets, hidden flowers and the leftovers from a squirrels walnut eating lunch break.

Gifts are meant to be shared and by giving we receive back again! What joy to see the river a second time through the eyes of a 4-year-old. Two gifts in one week!

As we wrapped up our second day together, I was reminded of another gift I have received……yoga. If it weren’t for my yoga practice I don’t know that I could have gotten up and down from the floor probably 40 times, scrambled rocks, crawled under the dining room table to the ‘fire station’ and played endless games of pretend baseball in the yoga studio without injuring myself. Thank you, Universe!

We never know when gifts are going to arrive…… and often the best ones do not come in the mail.

Each moment a chance for something amazing,
SARAH

......this is not mine

Yogis,

Yesterday I led a yin workshop with the theme of letting go. In our hectic world this has become a much talked about, written about, taught about topic with courses, meditations and self-help books all available to supposedly teach us how to do it. But at it’s core, what does it really mean to let go?

Autumn is the season which shows us how letting go looks. Fall, filled with loss, clearly displays impermanence. How nothing (with one exception) remains the same. Oh, how that law of the universe makes us suffer. And there is no better role model within autumn for us to look up to, than the tree.

Imagine being a tree. Throughout the entire spring, summer and early fall it is your leaves that keep you alive. Every day these leaves work, reaching for the sun to draw in its energy and convert it to nourishment. However, once the days become shorter the tree must turn its attention inward to prepare for hibernation. Without hesitation, in a celebration bursting with color it begins to let go of those life-giving leaves. Every single leaf allowed to blow off in a breeze.

The tree doesn’t hold on to the ones that bring back memories. Nor the ones that have a high value. It doesn’t only send off those that are worn and tired or hold each one up and ask if it still brings joy. No….it allows all of them to fall.  Knowing that it is not only fine, but necessary to empty at times.

Our minds make this all a little more complicated. The list of things we cling to is long. Possessions, anger, the past, control, other people, expectations and perhaps the most challenging – thoughts and beliefs. We attach to all of them as if they define who we are. The tree knows that the leaves are not her and don’t ‘belong’ to her. She is secure in her sense of self.

This is not mine……

We arrive in this world with only the human body the encases us, and we will leave the same way. In between we will accumulate, cling to and proclaim that objects, people, property, beliefs are ‘mine’, but how silly that all truly is. They are simply spending time with us, but all are impermanent, none can be ‘owned’ and they can be swept away in a blink of the eye. Oh, how that makes us suffer.

You can only lose what you cling to   ~ Buddha

I was up at my parents last week to celebrate my father’s 85^th birthday and my mom and I had a conversation we have often. As the two of us travel through the different decades of life, we agree that we never feel any different inside. The body has changed a bit, different clothes, changes to the houses, evolving beliefs, but deep inside those same young girls live untouched. The soul that arrived at birth and will someday merge back is the one constant. The only thing worth holding as ‘mine’.

Everything else, like the leaves, should be enjoyed and loved wholeheartedly, but let go of effortlessly whenever it is time. One cannot try to let go……one needs only to let go. No book can teach us that. We must go inward, like the tree, to find this one truth.

This is not mine,
SARAH

....oh deer

Yogis,

My soul plant is Mullein. My soul color is brown. My soul animal is the deer….and this is their time of year.

As the sun begins setting earlier and the air cools, the deer reemerge in force to feed and prepare for both winter and mating season, also called rutting season.  Rutting season spans late September through November with the peak being October and fawns arriving in May and June. Suddenly deer seem to be everywhere! In the yard, in open fields and running in front of your car at dusk.

Last Friday as I walked Phoebe down our block at 5 am it looked like a deer parade. Every few steps a doe would stick her head out from behind a bush with those wide-open eyes and ears pointing skyward, acting utterly shocked that a human would be there. In one yard a doe stood with her two young ones intently watching us pass only to be startled when we literally almost bumped into them on at the curve in the street on the return. Where did you come from, they seemed to ask?  Deer me!

This week the deer parties have begun in earnest. Opening the front door first thing in the morning exposes a herd in the front yard eating acorns from our old magnificent oak. All heads rise in unison, snapping to attention, kind of like being a teenager and having your parents walk in at that inopportune moment. Oh, deer me!

Late this summer a sign was posted at our creek that for the first time, deer bow hunting by marksmen was going to occur beginning in September. As you can imagine this has generated some heated discussions online both in favor and against. Reading through them I discovered that there are the deer lovers and then the not so much group, with complaints ranging from car collisions to missing tops of plants to the general I don’t want wildlife in my yard (which is a newly evolving suburban group).

I’m clearly in the deer lover camp. To me they are the most docile, sweet, innocent, beautiful creatures who never intend harm to anyone or any other creature. How many of us can say that? Their ‘over population’ mainly has been caused by us building more and larger homes, pools, paved driveways and stores on what was their home. Then we place delicious food in the yard and are surprised when they partake. Oh deer…..

I have never battled them in the garden. The plants which I find never making it to adulthood, I replace with something else less appealing to their taste buds. I plant more herbs and medicinal plants vs the ornamentals that seem to be at the top of their menu picks. When they do munch, I remind myself that the plants aren’t ‘mine’ and that the deer and I both deserve to share in the bounty of mother earth. And surprisingly I have discovered that the haircut they give the black eyed susans each spring cause each chewed end to produce multiple stalks for an ocean of yellow come summer. 

So, I am more than fine cohabitating on this land with the deer. When they look me in the eye it is as if they can see my soul and I always give them a wave. This fall I have been telling them to stay put and not venture down to the creek. I hope they are listening…….

All are welcome,
SARAH

......a different view

Yogis,
Fall appears to finally be gracing us with her presence. My walks on the creek trails are now crunchy with fallen leaves. It’s also that time to be mindful of the black walnut balls scattered on the ground so as not to sprain an ankle, as well as those plummeting down from above with such force that I swear they could knock you out if they hit you just right.

My garden too suddenly looks fall like. The colors are changing and flower heads browning. The decline and inevitable death of this year’s plants has begun in earnest. Everything looking a bit worn and tattered.

There is an impulse that wells up to begin ‘tidying up’. To clip off the bug eaten leaves, remove the spent flowers and pull up the tired annuals. Wanting to leave only what is green, alive and vibrant. As humans we don’t tend to do well with the signs of death. Perhaps in some way it reminds us that we too will have our fall. Pulling back our own wrinkles and covering our age spots.

These last few days I have gone out to nature with my camera to look at death from a different view. To see if even in dying I can find the beauty. What I found was perfect…….. 

I walked quietly and without purpose allowing my eyes to move slowly from thing to thing, watching my mind judge and then exhaling to allow those preconceptions to fade. Seeing everything with new eyes. Seeing the world exactly as it is. It began with a leaf chewed through leaving behind an intricate design of shapes and swirls, like an artist’s stencil.

The sunflower’s petals now more like colorful streamers, her head still faces skyward. The crowd of black eyed susans clearly demonstrating how they came by their name and butterfly weed seeds carried as if on wings. A cracked open beech nut (which means a happy squirrel) like a sculpture.

Down at the creek the brown leaves lying beneath the water’s edge look like a well-planned painting. The echinacea flower appears dried and dead until you look very closely and realize that instead what you are seeing are the waiting seeds, each one holding the potential of a whole new life.

Even in the house there is beauty in the falling if you stay open to it. Red roses that had brought us such joy during teacher training began to wilt and bow their heads. I snipped them off the stems and have them in a bowl as a centerpiece on the table. Eventually their dried petals will add color and scent to my bath salts.

And by allowing the natural life cycle to occur without my intervention, the birds and small animals know they will find food and shelter in the brown of my garden. Nature doing her job well.

Life holds beauty in each and every stage…..if you take a different view.

Seeing the perfection,
SARAH

.....sunny lemon balm

Yogis,
I heard a new weather term today – ‘flash drought’. Supposedly that it was what we are in right now in the Washington DC area. It’s scientific definition is a drought that comes out of nowhere and isn’t on anyone’s radar. You really have to laugh sometimes.

The entire month of September saw only .11 inches of rain, which I can attest to by how many hours I stood in front of my garden with the hose nozzle directed at all of my plant friends.  My arm would start to ache, although I will say it did give me the chance to notice each and every one of them individually as I assessed their particular moisture needs.  But even with my tender care everyone is drying out.

Add to that the small herd of deer that has set up camp in the woods directly behind me. At night when I’m getting in bed I can hear them stirring and picture them heading right for the garden under the cover of darkness. Mornings I now find entire arms of my Mexican sunflowers missing and my poor Clary Sage took a real beating this week.

I knew I better get serious about making any final plant medicines while I had the chance! This week I was blessed to spend a couple of days with delightful lemon balm………

When anyone asks me about lemon balm my immediate response is that she is like the sun. When life is suddenly feeling a little dreary, things feel sort of stuck, and your spirits are low, that is where she shines! Her presence is like the parting of the heavy dark clouds that at times inevitably make their way through.

Lemon balm is in the mint family (remember square stems). She is a lovely light green simple looking upright clumping plant who blooms small white flowers and returns year after year with very minimal care. Her seeds will often germinate additional plants close by or at times halfway across the yard. She is even happy in a pot. In fact she always seems happy!

Throughout the summer I place her cuttings in vases throughout the house and she adds a delightful flavor to your water. This week I sat with her to make both an infused oil which I will use in salves (my first time which is exciting) and then the next day I chopped her leaves and stems to soak in brandy for a tincture. Strong, yet gentle medicine.

Simply being around her brightens my day! That’s the joy of plant medicine. Brushing my hair back from my face the aroma of lemon on my hands is intoxicating. No one can inhale her scent and not find a smile on their face.  But when life calls for a little more help she is right there. Some drops of the tincture under the tongue or in water each day can work wonders. And what I have noticed is that when I forget to take her……it means she has done her job. The sun is once again shining!

Lemon balm is also used for anxiety, stress, stomach upset and insomnia. Her influence is calming and cheerful. As the days get shorter in this often melancholy season of fall, if you decide you might like to meet or try her in a tincture, let me know. I would be happy to introduce you!

The forecast is for sunny days ahead,
SARAH

......never lonely

Yogis,

I am alone a good portion of each day. No longer in a corporate job, I have no office to go to in the morning.  As I get older, I don’t enjoy shopping much so besides a short weekly trip to the coop, my food is my CSA share with most of my other needs met by the brown boxes of Amazon and alike. My car sits idle and I am in silence.

Yet I never feel lonely……I was reminded of this while out in the garden.

If you are a gardener or spend time with plants you know what I mean when I say that each plant has a personality. Some are silly, like lemongrass, while others are more serious, like sage. Rosemary is no nonsense where mint is a free spirit. And hard to find anyone gentler and kinder than lavender. When I am with them all I am surrounded by friends. They surprise me each day.

Then there are the bugs. Of course, the butterflies fluttering around me, but the bees who bump into me in their zest to reach the goldenrod and the red beetle convention that is held annually on the dying butterfly weed. The earthworms as I dig and the occasional praying mantis who stares and uses that front arm to let me know who’s boss. I know them all.

There is the wind. Oh, the wind. When a breeze rushes through and brushes my skin, I feel hugged. At times gently and other times feeling as if I am being swept off my feet. Dancing with and leaning into the arms of wind. A gift.

The sun’s rays give me warmth while winking and daring me to try something new. To be uncomfortable. When the luminous rays of the moon shine on me, she reminds me that I am a sensual being, making me feel alive. They both make me tingle.

The frog I almost stepped on yesterday made me laugh and when the hummingbird bathed in the spray from my hose, her innocent sweetness made my heart fill with joy. They lighten my day.

Human companionship is incredible, but when it isn’t possible, or perhaps you’ve had too much, remember that all of the Universe wants to befriend you. As I wrote the above, it became clear that we are never alone……and most certainly should never feel lonely.

Under the ever watchful eye of the trees,
SARAH

......butterflies

Yogis,

You’ve probably noticed I have an affinity for butterflies……..

Picture this. A land where there is a time of year where towering trees are so thick with water filled leaves that you can’t even see beyond. Much of the ground covered with a thick lush carpet of green, soft on the toes. All around you stalks have risen from the ground, all different heights, reaching for the sun with their vibrant colored heads. The air filled with the melodies of animals sitting in the trees.

As if that wasn’t enough, nature created fairy tale creatures with wings stamped by vibrant colors, who flutter through the air with grace. Their pattern a zigzag so as to appear like a falling leave. Wow. Universe you have outdone yourself. How amazing are butterflies!

While originally creating my medicine wheel garden, I knew I wanted them to play a role. I researched which plants draw them in. Echinacea, sunflowers, black eyed susans, zinnias and one of their personal favorites, butterfly weed, all found a home in the wheel. This year I added one more, mexican sunflower, a late blooming vibrant orange floor that I grew from seed, for which they seem most grateful.

You can get a sense of the health of a local environment by its butterfly population. As pollinators, along with the bees, they are crucial in our ability to enjoy fruits and vegetables. They then feed on rotting fruit and decaying corpses, acting as a clean up crew. Being low on the food chain they also provide nourishment to others and help by eating many weedy plants. Butterflies are necessary.

The next time you refer to someone as a ‘social butterfly’, thank the butterfly, because indeed they are. Over the years I have taken hundreds of pictures and learned that if I approach with an open heart, they respond in kind. Flying close they allow me to get within a couple of inches to photograph them, even accidentally landing on my orange shirt. At this distance I can see the intricacies and injuries to their wings, of which there are plenty.

I find ones with holes, missing half a wing or the bottom frilly edges in tatters, not unlike our summer clothes by the end of the long season. If I pay close attention, I can begin to tell them apart by these unique markings.

And how can you tell a moth from a butterfly? Get close….. The antennae of a butterfly are like two straight poles with bulbs at the end. A moth’s antennae are feathery. Both drink freely of the nectar with their extendable proboscis, a site well worth observing.

And all of this before even discussing their unimaginable ability to completely transform themselves from one creature to another while held in a capsule of their own creation! Butterflies symbolize change, hope and rebirth. A representation of our soul. Reminding each of us as they flutter by that you can indeed be whatever it is that you choose to become.

I am listening……

Butterflies make life brighter,
SARAH