Lisa's blog
Oh Great Spirit, The winds and the subtle shifting of the Earth have brought us a new sun once again. Spring is emerging with the return of the singing birds and the plants and trees are bravely bearing their first shoots, leaves and buds. The water is rushing and it is nearly impossible not to see new life arriving from all directions. This is the time of year when the animals, human and non-human, began the work of foraging for the small, but nourishing first foods of the season. It is time for the harvest of Nettles, Leeks, Burdock, Dandelion and all of the roots. The Marsh Marigolds are getting ready to bloom and the Violets have opened their bright green leaves for all to see. This is also a great time to remind ourselves about the ways in which we can harvest in an ethical manner that is sustainable and reverent to the plants and other living beings that depend on the balance of their ecosystem for survival. As modern people, we have not participated in a culture that teaches the importance of seeing ourselves as a part of a greater vision of life and how our interactions with the whole of nature has numerous effects upon the future of all species and the entire Earth. When the values that have been prescribed involve unchecked consumption, growth, and conquest, it requires of us constant awareness and reminders to consider only taking what we need. This also means that we might have to completely refrain from harvesting certain medicinal plants, such as American Ginseng, because even taking a small amount would have a huge impact on the overall population. Below are some steadfast guidelines for ethical harvesting that I have developed from my many teachers and many years of wildcrafting. When I was first taught these ethics I truly thought that I was above the temptation to overharvest and couldn’t believe that anyone would who loved the plants and nature would ever have a problem with this, but as I went forward in my journey and found myself in the woods with my shovel, clippers and gathering basket, I discovered myself wanting to take as much as I could. I was so exuberant and usually so excited to find the plant that I had been searching for that I wanted to make sure I had good stock for the future. Also, my livelihood often depends on how much I can gather; thousands of years of imperialism doesn’t die easy. I have, fortunately, always been able to evoke enough presence to stop, realize and trust that the universe is ultimately abundant and that in humbly honoring whatever amount was offered I was invoking the true spirit of healing.
The Ethical Harvesting of Wild Plants
I always cross-reference with at least two sources and if you have access to a local herbalist or knowledgeable plant person it is always best to check with them. It is also great to have a friend to gather with so there can be a consensus about identification.
~Niawen(Thank-you/Mohawk) Sources: Original guidelines were taught to me by direct transmission from Kate Gilday Necomb's guide to wildflowers Peterson's Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs The National Audobon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers |
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Upcoming Classes Spring 2012
Spring is upon us in Central New York which is highly unusual for mid-March. Normally, we are still buried beneath the snow and still stoking the woodstove only dreaming of the first sight of green. But, because of some strange weather pattern, we have been experiencing sunshine and 70 degree temperatures. The songbirds have returned in full chorus and leaves are beginning to bud on the trees. Today is the first Spring equinox that I ever remember feeling like Spring and I am ever-grateful for every drop of sunlight that comes my way. |
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The term "adaptogen" is used widely in traditional western herbalism and, adaptogens themselves are important medicines to integrate into almost any herbal formula or used as simples. In fact, I believe that these herbal allies are an imperative component of modern life. Adaptogens refer to a variety of plants and fungi, and the word adaptogen indicates exactly what these herbs do; they help us to adapt. When searching for the etymology of the word adapt(one of my favorite pastimes), I found that its Latin roots are from ad-, to and aptare-, join; to join. Also, from the Latin apere meaning to attach or bind. These meanings indicate an adjustment between two things. The current use of the word is defined by the free online dictionary as: to adjust (someone or something, esp oneself) to different conditions, a new environment, etc and to fit, change, or modify to suit a new or different purpose. Because I prefer to view life and the world from a cooperative perspective, I have inferred from these definitions that the concept of adapting or adapation is an interaction that occurs when two forces form a relationship and, in order to do so, both must be flexible and mutable enough to remain vital,alive and sovereign in the circumstances they have created in this bonding process. I do not however, subscribe to the Darwinian interpretation of adapting which perceives nature as inherently competitive and, if a species has the capacity or genetic predisposition to adapt, they will out-survive those that do not. I know that this is one bent on the truth, but not the only lens with which nature can be viewed. My direct experience with the natural world has taught me that we adapt by being in communication either within ourselves, with each other, with other species or even with disease patterns. In this dialogue, we learn what is needed in order for the whole of life to evolve and remain creative and, by hearing the message of the other, we can understand what is necessary, pertinent and life serving. Yes, sometimes this requires sacrifice, perhaps discipline and some degree of surrender, but in this consensual symbiosis there may become a glorious dance. |
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