I really heard your voice in this piece, and felt your heart. Especially in the ways you are bringing attention to the actual livingness of our non-human kin. I appreciate your conversation about naming and categorizing versus entering into presence and relationship. While I think the two can possibly abide together, presence and relationship feel preeminent to me, and the foundation upon which I would want to do any naming in the first place. I have felt occasionally frustrated recently, when the official or even folk name for a certain plant seems to create distance between me and them, rather than the deeper understanding and connection I seek. I am on a personal project to allow a name to arise after having solidly established an actual feeling relationship (if a name arises at all even, I am open to the process). St. Johns wort, which some people call St. Joans wort, or hypericum...to me deserves a different name more akin to itself. Alas there are many like that. And I know the conversation really isn't about proper naming, but actually becoming more aware and in-relationship.
I can see you leading others through the forest, in ways that would be a much different kind of teaching. Out of head and into the body feeling of things.
That birthday eve sunset, and the lily blooms! Gifts, as you know. I appreciate each poem you have written to these sweet nature-creatures. Thank you for sharing your heart for the wild, and for the hope to bring others there too.
just beautiful....
Happiest Birthday Markael!
I really heard your voice in this piece, and felt your heart. Especially in the ways you are bringing attention to the actual livingness of our non-human kin. I appreciate your conversation about naming and categorizing versus entering into presence and relationship. While I think the two can possibly abide together, presence and relationship feel preeminent to me, and the foundation upon which I would want to do any naming in the first place. I have felt occasionally frustrated recently, when the official or even folk name for a certain plant seems to create distance between me and them, rather than the deeper understanding and connection I seek. I am on a personal project to allow a name to arise after having solidly established an actual feeling relationship (if a name arises at all even, I am open to the process). St. Johns wort, which some people call St. Joans wort, or hypericum...to me deserves a different name more akin to itself. Alas there are many like that. And I know the conversation really isn't about proper naming, but actually becoming more aware and in-relationship.
I can see you leading others through the forest, in ways that would be a much different kind of teaching. Out of head and into the body feeling of things.
Thank you for this.
That birthday eve sunset, and the lily blooms! Gifts, as you know. I appreciate each poem you have written to these sweet nature-creatures. Thank you for sharing your heart for the wild, and for the hope to bring others there too.
A chain of wonders! That's life ...