I am lucky enough to have been taught by a student of Eliot’s. He and his student were both profound practitioners, able to listen to the plants and the body. And to make the best flower essences for healing! Simply sitting and working with plants opens the conversation so much. It took me a moment to get over my impact on plants . Many years later I feel that they embrace transformation and actively call in our interactions. Even when that involves moving them from growing to composting! Hard for us to embody that. But more than anything I enjoy their personalities and the way they reach out and connect or remain indifferent. And exciting for you to hear the mooong call of the reishi! I have found my pressure cooker key in how I prepare this medicine whether it’s double extraction or chai concentrate.
Pigweed has been so kind to ease the earth for your beautiful eggplants and will no doubt appear again to do the same!
Also as a side note and I’m not even sure why I’m mentioning it, but it almost broke me during Covid, how my teacher and also Eliot, embraced the vaccine and were so quick to throw the majestic healing arm of plants to the wind in lieu of medicine from corrupt entities. Especially after a full year of meeting Covid successfully with mundane and effective herbal approach. It still saddens and bewilders me. How the world turns.
Thanks for reading and sharing your insights Natasha! And for the tip about the pressure cooker. I have a sturdy old blender whose blade assembly fits over a standard mason jar, which is very helpful when making tinctures, particularly with fresh plant material. I filled a quart jar full of reishi added the menstruum, 50% alcohol, and turned it on. The whole thing turned into a mass with an odd pudding-like consistency. I’m going to let it macerate for a while and see what I can squeeze out.
The plants have been great, if demanding, teachers, generous with both insight and in rewarding our labor by providing us a modest livelihood in exchange for tending them. And, yes the pigweed will definitely be back to help the soil yet again. And to give me another opportunity for reflection on my relationship with plants as I remove it.
I only know Eliot from his book, but his authorial persona is wise and kind. Lots of people made pragmatic choices during the Covid days, and divisions were introduced into our communities that we are still living with today. I hope we can heal from those divisions and move forward.
I am lucky enough to have been taught by a student of Eliot’s. He and his student were both profound practitioners, able to listen to the plants and the body. And to make the best flower essences for healing! Simply sitting and working with plants opens the conversation so much. It took me a moment to get over my impact on plants . Many years later I feel that they embrace transformation and actively call in our interactions. Even when that involves moving them from growing to composting! Hard for us to embody that. But more than anything I enjoy their personalities and the way they reach out and connect or remain indifferent. And exciting for you to hear the mooong call of the reishi! I have found my pressure cooker key in how I prepare this medicine whether it’s double extraction or chai concentrate.
Pigweed has been so kind to ease the earth for your beautiful eggplants and will no doubt appear again to do the same!
Also as a side note and I’m not even sure why I’m mentioning it, but it almost broke me during Covid, how my teacher and also Eliot, embraced the vaccine and were so quick to throw the majestic healing arm of plants to the wind in lieu of medicine from corrupt entities. Especially after a full year of meeting Covid successfully with mundane and effective herbal approach. It still saddens and bewilders me. How the world turns.
Thanks for reading and sharing your insights Natasha! And for the tip about the pressure cooker. I have a sturdy old blender whose blade assembly fits over a standard mason jar, which is very helpful when making tinctures, particularly with fresh plant material. I filled a quart jar full of reishi added the menstruum, 50% alcohol, and turned it on. The whole thing turned into a mass with an odd pudding-like consistency. I’m going to let it macerate for a while and see what I can squeeze out.
The plants have been great, if demanding, teachers, generous with both insight and in rewarding our labor by providing us a modest livelihood in exchange for tending them. And, yes the pigweed will definitely be back to help the soil yet again. And to give me another opportunity for reflection on my relationship with plants as I remove it.
I only know Eliot from his book, but his authorial persona is wise and kind. Lots of people made pragmatic choices during the Covid days, and divisions were introduced into our communities that we are still living with today. I hope we can heal from those divisions and move forward.