Another mountain is being lost near my home–a mountain that has lost already 50 feet or more of elevation and is being just eaten by machines and humans behind those machines. It’s really hard to frame this any other way–I’m …
wisdom
Cultivating Resilience as a Physical and Spiritual Practice
Resilience is a term I first learned as a permaculture practitioner–resilient ecosystems are those that are able to withstand hardship, recover quickly when faced with difficulty, and had a capacity to endure. In other words, a resilient ecosystem can withstand …
Sacred Trees in the Americas: American Hazel (Corylus americana) Magic, Ecology, and Sacred Uses
For three years, I have had my eye on our American hazel bushes here at the homestead. When we first moved to the property, much of the understory was damaged with the logging the previous owners did and it took …
Sacred Tree Profile: Oak’s Medicine, Magic, Mythology, and Meanings
There is nothing quite as majestic as an oak, which is likely why ancient druids met in groves of them to perform their ceremonies. As I write this, I look at my glorious black oaks, white oaks, and burr oaks …
Sacred Tree Profile of Walnut (Juglans Nigra): Magical, Medicinal, and Edible Qualities
I remember when I first met black walnut. My Great Aunt and Uncle lived on a farm, and on that farm was a colonial-era farmhouse. Near their farmhouse sat a massive black walnut tree. I remember going there when I …
Sacred Tree Profile: American Beech (Fagus Grandiflora) – Magic, Medicine, and Qualities
When I was a child, my grandfather would often take me and my cousins into the woods to learn about plants, animals, and trees. He had a place he would take us on the edge of an old field and …