To see a World in a Grain of Sand,
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| comfrey |
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the Palm of your hand,
And Eternity in an hour.
William Blake
I have often sat amongst the natural flora and fauna of my surroundings and allowed myself to become immersed in the moment of what is taking place around me. It is always a deep and thoughtful experience.
It takes me "out" of "who" I am and into the realm of being part of the whole experience of the living world. To really "look" at a flower, a stone, a handful of soil takes time and focus. It is really a type of meditation that leaves me feeling very, very connected and "rooted" into the living, natural world.
These "trips" have made me SO much more aware of my surroundings all the time. Where am I going ?, What am I doing ? How are my footsteps, my body, my energy impacting the space I am filling ?
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| horsetail |
When we are teaching and educating interns here on the farm part of the learning is becoming "aware" of yourself and how you impact the space with every move you make. Learning to walk with your eyes to the ground and being mindful of where you are stepping and what you are stepping on. Our large bodies can do a lot of damage as we mindlessly brush by plants without being conscious of them. We would never "bump" into another person without excusing ourselves and plants deserve the same good manners. Each participant is encouraged to touch, feel, smell, taste and "think about" what they are experiencing.
So many years of observing and teaching "newcomers" gives me an indication of why it is so difficult to get the masses to be more supportive and responsive to environmental concerns and issues. Most people move through their environments almost "devoid" of consciousness. The body and head are NOT connected with their physical actions. They have to get from point A to point B but not really paying attention to how they will get there in a mindful, respectful manner, with the least impact and footprint behind them.
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| tulips |
The most rewarding thing I have ever done in my life is to choose to use the farm as a "tool" to charm the uninitiated into coming here and having them discover themselves through more conscientious awareness of their surroundings and observing the Natural World. That soil and worms and bugs and plants are NOT "yucky" but important, living things that are valuable and vital to their microcosms. Look at them within the context of their environments and they are no longer those "yucky" things but beautiful in their own right.
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| fawn lillies |
Change happens through learned experiences, one person at a time. The student becomes the teacher and so it passes from one to the next. Once the "earth" has "soiled" you, there is no turning back.
That is Magical !
