Comments on: Introduce yourself to a plant this spring. http://crabappleherbs.com/blog/2008/04/09/introduce-yourself-to-a-plant-this-spring/ Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:10:55 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: pelin http://crabappleherbs.com/blog/2008/04/09/introduce-yourself-to-a-plant-this-spring/comment-page-1/#comment-27942 pelin Wed, 02 Jul 2008 22:43:14 +0000 http://crabappleherbs.com/blog/2008/04/09/introduce-yourself-to-a-plant-this-spring/#comment-27942 I used to teach Creative Writing and this is exactly the kind of exercise I'd use if I were to teach it again! wonderful way to experience the world-- I will try it out soon. thank you! I used to teach Creative Writing and this is exactly the kind of exercise I’d use if I were to teach it again! wonderful way to experience the world– I will try it out soon. thank you!

]]> By: Katrina http://crabappleherbs.com/blog/2008/04/09/introduce-yourself-to-a-plant-this-spring/comment-page-1/#comment-21665 Katrina Wed, 16 Apr 2008 05:18:59 +0000 http://crabappleherbs.com/blog/2008/04/09/introduce-yourself-to-a-plant-this-spring/#comment-21665 I worked with flowers for a lot of years and getting to know them was exactly what you outlined. And it took some time. I could teach and pass on facts but the knowing was another thing all together. Great post. Thank you. I worked with flowers for a lot of years and getting to know them was exactly what you outlined. And it took some time. I could teach and pass on facts but the knowing was another thing all together. Great post. Thank you.

]]> By: Jan S. http://crabappleherbs.com/blog/2008/04/09/introduce-yourself-to-a-plant-this-spring/comment-page-1/#comment-21418 Jan S. Sun, 13 Apr 2008 17:18:32 +0000 http://crabappleherbs.com/blog/2008/04/09/introduce-yourself-to-a-plant-this-spring/#comment-21418 I think this is a particularly wonderful post becuase it shows how good you are at getting past that false science/spirit dichotomy. I like the Elder Mother story too. I can't help recalling an experience I had about a year ago when I was in a group that was asked to go outside and have a conversation with a tree. My conversation was with an ancient maple. The tree caught my attention because of the way the trunk leaned. I remember first thinking of that "lean" as a flaw, an imperfection. As I spent time with the tree and listened/paid attention, it suddenly struck me of how wrong my perception was - how the the angle at which the trunk was growing was part of it's perfection - not a flaw at all and how that angle was part of phototropism at work- the tree moving toward the light of a long vanished clearing. That angle was the result of the tree working at getting its needs met, which allowed it to thrive to such a venerable age. The "conversation" went on like that for quite a while like that- me seeing things differently as a result of giving the tree my quiet attention. By the end of the time, I started to see many of what I had considered my own "flaws" as merely me being who I was at that time- no less perfect than that tree. My struggles to get my own needs met, as awkward and clumsy as they seem at times are just me trying to "grow toward the light". The Universe is not finished with either of us yet, so we are both perfect as we are right now. We just have to keep paying attention and growing. So, I agree. Plants, from weeds to Elder Mothers (and perhaps Maple mothers) have a lot to teach. As soon as this snow receeds a little further and exposes some new plants, I plant to spend some quality time with one. Sorry for the long post. Jan I think this is a particularly wonderful post becuase it shows how good you are at getting past that false science/spirit dichotomy. I like the Elder Mother story too.

I can’t help recalling an experience I had about a year ago when I was in a group that was asked to go outside and have a conversation with a tree. My conversation was with an ancient maple. The tree caught my attention because of the way the trunk leaned. I remember first thinking of that “lean” as a flaw, an imperfection. As I spent time with the tree and listened/paid attention, it suddenly struck me of how wrong my perception was – how the the angle at which the trunk was growing was part of it’s perfection – not a flaw at all and how that angle was part of phototropism at work- the tree moving toward the light of a long vanished clearing. That angle was the result of the tree working at getting its needs met, which allowed it to thrive to such a venerable age. The “conversation” went on like that for quite a while like that- me seeing things differently as a result of giving the tree my quiet attention. By the end of the time, I started to see many of what I had considered my own “flaws” as merely me being who I was at that time- no less perfect than that tree. My struggles to get my own needs met, as awkward and clumsy as they seem at times are just me trying to “grow toward the light”. The Universe is not finished with either of us yet, so we are both perfect as we are right now. We just have to keep paying attention and growing.

So, I agree. Plants, from weeds to Elder Mothers (and perhaps Maple mothers) have a lot to teach. As soon as this snow receeds a little further and exposes some new plants, I plant to spend some quality time with one.

Sorry for the long post.

Jan

]]> By: hedgewitch http://crabappleherbs.com/blog/2008/04/09/introduce-yourself-to-a-plant-this-spring/comment-page-1/#comment-21318 hedgewitch Sat, 12 Apr 2008 08:08:01 +0000 http://crabappleherbs.com/blog/2008/04/09/introduce-yourself-to-a-plant-this-spring/#comment-21318 So glad I found your wonderful blog.. what a great post! I have always felt like I 'get to know' my herbs by growing them .. they all have distinct personalities and by growing them myself I get familiar with them at all the stages of their life .. their smell, texture, taste, colour, tendencies, everything. I like reading about herbs and finding out their histories, but I generally only use herbs I have 'got to know' personally! Each year I get 1 or 2 new ones to learn which is exciting .. then I try to collect seed and grow them myself the next year. As it happens, I picked up a new plant yesterday .. I am trying Southernwood this year. So glad I found your wonderful blog.. what a great post!

I have always felt like I ‘get to know’ my herbs by growing them .. they all have distinct personalities and by growing them myself I get familiar with them at all the stages of their life .. their smell, texture, taste, colour, tendencies, everything.

I like reading about herbs and finding out their histories, but I generally only use herbs I have ‘got to know’ personally!

Each year I get 1 or 2 new ones to learn which is exciting .. then I try to collect seed and grow them myself the next year. As it happens, I picked up a new plant yesterday .. I am trying Southernwood this year.

]]> By: crabappleherbs http://crabappleherbs.com/blog/2008/04/09/introduce-yourself-to-a-plant-this-spring/comment-page-1/#comment-21272 crabappleherbs Fri, 11 Apr 2008 19:15:52 +0000 http://crabappleherbs.com/blog/2008/04/09/introduce-yourself-to-a-plant-this-spring/#comment-21272 Sue Bette -- Thanks! Here's what you can tell your "modern scientific conditioning:" this method is in essence very scientific. You are using all your senses to learn empirically. You don't have to believe in "plant spirits" or any such thing to get to know a plant. Taylor -- Thanks! You might take a look around your yard and see if anyone new has moved in. You never know! Finspot -- Thanks! Vocabulary is everything, it seems. I try not to use words like "consciousness" or "spirit" because people can get stuck on them. The point is that you can get to know plants regardless of your metaphysical inclinations. Sue Bette — Thanks! Here’s what you can tell your “modern scientific conditioning:” this method is in essence very scientific. You are using all your senses to learn empirically. You don’t have to believe in “plant spirits” or any such thing to get to know a plant.

Taylor — Thanks! You might take a look around your yard and see if anyone new has moved in. You never know!

Finspot — Thanks! Vocabulary is everything, it seems. I try not to use words like “consciousness” or “spirit” because people can get stuck on them. The point is that you can get to know plants regardless of your metaphysical inclinations.

]]> By: Finspot http://crabappleherbs.com/blog/2008/04/09/introduce-yourself-to-a-plant-this-spring/comment-page-1/#comment-21234 Finspot Fri, 11 Apr 2008 05:55:44 +0000 http://crabappleherbs.com/blog/2008/04/09/introduce-yourself-to-a-plant-this-spring/#comment-21234 This post reminds me of meeting the mother of my first friend in college. She told me how she had once assumed the consciousness of a plant, and being eighteen and stupid, I thought that was pretty funny. Many years later I finally understood what she meant—and I'm still best friends with her son. Really enjoying yr blog! This post reminds me of meeting the mother of my first friend in college. She told me how she had once assumed the consciousness of a plant, and being eighteen and stupid, I thought that was pretty funny. Many years later I finally understood what she meant—and I’m still best friends with her son.

Really enjoying yr blog!

]]> By: Taylor http://crabappleherbs.com/blog/2008/04/09/introduce-yourself-to-a-plant-this-spring/comment-page-1/#comment-21209 Taylor Thu, 10 Apr 2008 19:06:48 +0000 http://crabappleherbs.com/blog/2008/04/09/introduce-yourself-to-a-plant-this-spring/#comment-21209 This is wonderful and something I don't seem to do as often as I used to - I guess I have gotten to know a lot of the folks in my yard! Thanks for the reminder. I'm going to link to this from my blog. Peace, Taylor This is wonderful and something I don’t seem to do as often as I used to – I guess I have gotten to know a lot of the folks in my yard! Thanks for the reminder. I’m going to link to this from my blog.

Peace,
Taylor

]]> By: sue bette http://crabappleherbs.com/blog/2008/04/09/introduce-yourself-to-a-plant-this-spring/comment-page-1/#comment-21193 sue bette Thu, 10 Apr 2008 15:15:38 +0000 http://crabappleherbs.com/blog/2008/04/09/introduce-yourself-to-a-plant-this-spring/#comment-21193 Great post! I have to admit that I was once a bit of a skeptic and would think an exercise like this was a bit of hooey (there is a lot of modern scientific conditioning going on there) - but after spending more and more time working and building relationships with herbs I have learned that an exercise like this is an important part of my growth. Thanks for the reminder! Great post! I have to admit that I was once a bit of a skeptic and would think an exercise like this was a bit of hooey (there is a lot of modern scientific conditioning going on there) – but after spending more and more time working and building relationships with herbs I have learned that an exercise like this is an important part of my growth. Thanks for the reminder!

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