Small Dog Wisdom and Foraging For Joy
My forager garden, joy in small things - dealing with shame, anxiety and finding freedom in it all when it seems overwhelming.
Dear Hearts
This week the Wild Wisdom of my best friend Bella and my Forager Garden. This is the Wild Wisdom of Others, joy in small things - dealing with shame, anxiety and finding freedom in it all when it seems overwhelming.
So, this week on Facebook in a local public ‘freecycle’ group I was named and shamed for not picking up half a tin of masonry paint at teatime. (Ok, but what does this have to do with nature I hear you asking ... read on and it will make sense). It was my fault and I apologised profusely on the public post next day. I had a bad fibro flare, completely forgot about the paint (even though I had written myself a note) and went to lie down. Had I realised I would not have been able to make it to the pick up I would have messaged to say so. Although I can manage the fibro reasonably well there are times when one just has to listen to ones’ body (OK, I have to listen to MY body, let’s own this). In other words, if the car won’t start, then it won’t start. Accept it or fight it the moment is still the same anyway.
You’re here because you signed up via: the Ancient and Sacred Trees groups OR Dragon group (on Facebook) OR the Ancient and Sacred Trees website OR via my personal Jack In The Green Website OR Wild Spirit Woods. Hail and Welcome!
This online moment left me feeling upset that I’d not collected the paint and also facing up to the reality (once again) of dealing with the fibromyalgia. I felt tired and frustrated at my inability to have the boundless energy of ‘normal folks’ and it led me to feeling weighed down by my own perceived limitations. I was so disappointed because I’d wanted the paint for Wild Spirit Woods. I’ve just loaned the project some money to get decking for our Sun Lodge so it can be used as a safe haven of respite for those who need it who are ill, as a cosy space in winter, and as a volunteer hub/brew station. The paint was to be put to use towards that. Below is a glimpse of it on the edge of the woods, a glass fronted cabin with a porch/brew area-in-progress. It will be the perfect place for those who are ill to watch nature in peace, for us to gather in Winter and as a hub/brew station for volunteers. Just needs the decking finished to make it safe to enter.
I caught myself sinking and realised I needed to get outside and take Bella for a walk. It’s all about perspective because in the grand scheme of things, while it wasn’t great forgetting, someone else was gifted the paint and I got the rest I needed. So, I got my coat on, put a lead in my pocket and took her out. She chose what direction she wanted to go in and off we went. She stopped and sniffed and dawdled and then did a wee. Next she turned around and skipped a few steps before turning around and gave me an “are you coming?” look. “Come on Bella! Let’s go for a walk, we’ve hardly gone anywhere.” I said to her, but she was adamant that she wanted to go no further. So, I followed her back home. It’s funny that I had this idea in my head about how long constituted a ‘walk’ that I thought Bella needed and was trying to persuade her to go further. Yet she knew exactly what she wanted.
Bella is such a good teacher because she is exactly herself in any given moment without pressurising herself to be, or to want, something different. It’s funny how these ideas of what or who we are seep into every moment telling us what we should and ought to be doing. I suspect, that although we all have these challenges, that perhaps the neurodiverse among us (Autistic, ADHD to be very specific) perhaps might find these more pernicious than general. I suspect that those of us with disabilities (perhaps especially with hidden ones) also can find this more challenging. There was me with my thoughts trying to persuade Bella to go on a walk when she is perfectly capable of knowing what she wants to do. There are days when she’s excited and wants to go for walks and adventures and others when she just wants to chill. Are we humans so different?
Not really, but we are different in the sense of ignoring the natural cycle of things and pushing against the nature of ‘what is’ at any given moment. Sometimes of course we have to because hey, that’s life and we can’t aways get what we want, sometimes it might lead to a breakthrough of some kind if we’re in resistance mode but, mostly? … We are just pushing ourselves because of some social programming induced by the words ‘should’ and ‘ought’ instead of being like Bella.
I am not saying other beings don’t suffer (because they most certainly do and most especially at our insane hands) but I think we humans certainly add to our own (suffering) with the thoughts that arise around situations. We forget all the time, but by the same token the chance to remember all the time is there too in the world around us. Our teachers are our friends from other species, our animal and plant friends, and in the rocks and water and sky. That is the magic of the world around us and we are a part of this. (I was going to write ‘that’ then realised it was a ‘departing’ description whereas ‘this’ puts us right here).
No one is perfect, it is part and parcel of being human. Healing is an ongoing process with each new day. The wisdom is all around us in nature.
Anyway, as well as taking my own Oak Tree Spirit Essence connecting with Oak, part of my magic this week has been my back garden and forager veg patch. I have not ventured out beyond because I have friends and supporters right here and it feels good. Below is a sample of some of the plants I collected for my salad and the berries for my dessert.
![Edibles in my garden](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_720,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F04fba630-6720-4165-ae3f-559d6ce9bbc4_4032x3024.jpeg)
![Edibles in my garden](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_720,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe90236d1-b826-4f49-b74b-0311947d1c04_4032x3024.jpeg)
![Edibles in my garden](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_720,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F12ed2a0d-4270-49c1-8d28-557f17747935_4032x3024.jpeg)
![Edibles in my garden](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_720,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb6c04154-edf1-4cf6-bfdb-25cb93088024_4032x3024.jpeg)
As well as my forager salad I discovered some raspberry treasures. Small, intense and sweet. A tiny dessert with an equally tiny glass of red wine. The definition of mindful consumption.
This is what my monthly Gatherings In The Green are all about at our on-the-ground-home at Wild Spirit Woods here in South Cheshire, England, UK. Gratitude in every mouthful. The next one is a Midsummer Oak Tea Ceremony with Oak tea, my special Litha cake (made by me with some wild ingredients), solstice fire, sound bath and a drumming/percussion circle to finish among other things. (Feel free to bring your instruments or I’ve got loads you can play with). There’s the option to stay over too for a small donation.
On the Sunday is a volunteer DIY and conservation day or just drop in and chill. There will be a campfire for volunteers later with drumming/percussion circle and I’ll be making some Elderflower treats to share too. This event is free.
I am so passionate about wellbeing and nature connection and I love the small seed that is sprouting this year on the land for our community after so many years of me having to run my workshops all over everywhere and watching our communiTree grow online. Finally, I, we, have come home.
See some of you at the camp fire!
Meanwhile here is a little glimpse of what happened at our last Gathering In The Green and drop-in weekend in May. You might have to turn your sound up a little bit for the lovely guitar playing and birdsong. I hope you enjoy it.
Thank you as ever for reading and for all your comments and messages. I love reading them and I endeavour to write back to all of you as soon as I can.
Wild wishes and blessings
Amanda Claire x
PS If you’d like to help for the decking use the buy me a coffee link below in the footer of this letter and add a note. Everyone that helps on this project will have their name added to the building.
I have never heard such a riotous bird chorus! Your gatherings look lovely. Disappointing about the paint (and about being called out), I hope another opportunity comes around soon.