Requiem

breath of life 1

Upon arrival to this big green planet, we breathe in out first inspiration and when we leave, we let out our final breath. In between there is a whole lot of breathing going on! In this article we will look at some ways we can mingle intention with breath to achieve greater mental clarity, health and wellness.
Winter time is Wisdom time… time to reflect over the past year and glean the pearls of our existence; celebrate our accomplishments (breathe in), let go of that which no longer serves us (breathe out,) then become inspired for the year ahead. BREATHE! Breathing can even assist us in daily basis energetic “house(body)keeping.” Our breath tells a lot about us. Are we breathing fully and deeply? Do we take a bigger in breath than out breath? Are we feeling fear and holding our breath and breathing shallowly? Pay attention right now and check in with your breath. Do not attempt to change it in any way for now, simply observe where you are and the quality of your breathing.
I am a swimmer and regulating breathing is crucial when swimming competitively. Swimmers play with breathing patterns in practice to feel how different patterns produce different results. Learning different patterns of breathing during exercise has helped me to use it in daily life to clarify my mind, clear emotions and as a healing force.
Breathing is an amazing carrier of energy. Have you ever experienced shamanic breath work? Breathing together for a sustained time gazing into the eyes of your partner is an amazing and intimate experience as well. If you haven’t tried these ideas, you could put them on your list of things to try in 2011. Breathing is really powerful .
Breath is a carrier of the life force. It can be used for healing. I work with a massage therapist who has helped me for over 8 years. Whenever there is a sore, tight spot or energetically stuck place, I have a tendency to hold my breath and clamp down or squirm to avoid the pain. He patiently reminds me to breathe right there. “An ounce of breathin’ is worth a pound of squirmin’,” he says! You would think I’d remember that by now. When we feel pain or fear we tend to stop breathing. Nothing could be less effective since we want to get the energy flowing again!

the secret is in the soil VI final

My eyes roll when I go to sub-urban areas where there are 13 bags of leaves going to the landfill and you see the folks with expensive synthetic (harmful)soil amendments, peat moss and mulch being put back into the landscape. It speaks to how disconnected from the land our species has become and it is sad to me. Why are we poisoning our lawns and possibly tainting the groundwater for future generations when there is a simple, easy and free solution? Why are we adding what is NOT waste to our overtaxed landfill in bags that don’t breakdown in a season which contain that which does? Questions to ask.
So, whatever your favorite method of caring for your soil might be –whether you are analytical and scientific or just let things unfold and keep putting layers of manure, clippings, sawdust and organic material in a pile when you think of it…the soil will respond. The main thing is persistence and continuity, giving back to that which gives to us. Keep at it and you will be richly rewarded.
As an herbalist, I always offer something when harvesting a plant for medicine or food. It is the way of all herbalists trained in traditional ways. It is always a good gesture to act out that you are aware of the giving and receiving cycle and that you are actively participating in it. The more we set intention like this, the more the world around us responds in kind.
I remember one time I had a mudball in my hand and at first, it was just that. Dirt…mud –some external thing. I was standing next to a cedar swamp and suddenly had an amazing experience of Oneness with the entire grove of Cedars and suddenly I got the message that the mudball was the flesh of our mother the earth. Suddenly the mudball went from cold and alien to warm and intimate –it rocked me to the foundation of my being. I have never looked at dirt…soil…mud the same again. I wish you could experience that for yourself. Maybe you will -when connecting with the soil in your garden. It could end up changing you and welcoming you as a vital part of a great big unfolding creation. Dig in the dirt and get your children –or someone else’s to play along with you. Marvel over the magic in your garden and all of Nature. Thank you for caring for the soil…we need to spread that love. Grow the juiciest sexiest tomatoes and veggies in your neighborhood. Remember, the secret is in your soil.

cosmic dandelion

The secrest is in the soil V

For awhile I lived in the country and just chucked kitchen scraps in a pile in the back yard…I didn’t do much else other than add any leafy or grassy clippings I ‘d scavenge. I would sometimes put a shovelful of soil over it if company came over so it wouldn’t look so scrappy with egg shells and half lemons glaring at you. Even that somewhat neglectful form of composting made some mega soil with some monster earthworms. It was before I learned about all the technical aspects of composting and my garden had the best growth ever.
If you are persistent, you can make soil. One of my neighbors would shred newspaper in his pile, saying it added carbon. He also got everyone’s bagged leaves, shredded them and added that to his compost. He is from another country and could not believe people would throw out such a valuable soil additive! He built up his yard and gardens by a foot over 3 years.
An excellent free way to compost is to layer grass clippings with fall leaves that you’ve run over with the lawnmower so that they are shredded. Build the pile as high as you like, alternating layers. If you have access to manure from animals, layer that in too. Fall leaves contain micronutrients and trace elements that have been brought up in the tree from way down deep in the earth. They are truly golden for your garden.

The secrest is in the soil IV

Fresh green wastes increase Nitrogen (N) which is vital to plant growth. Planting cover crops over the winter such as clover, oats, and winter rye not only aerate the soil with their deep roots and prevent erosion, they make excellent “green manure” when tilled into the garden in the early spring. Manures provide nutrients as well. Horse, sheep and rabbit manure must be aged or they can burn tender roots. You can apply the manure in the fall and till it under. Chicken poop is great because you can use it directly in the garden. Some people do not like using manures because they can add unwanted “weed seeds” into the soil. Composting in hot piles can remedy this.
A hot pile is a teeming microbial farm. Fungi, bacteria and microbes are naturally present on food and yard trimmings and when these guys get to work, your pile can get up to 140 degrees –enough to burn your hand. These organisms turn waste into rich soil components. The pile needs to have a balance of air, moisture and food for it to work. The high heat kills most weeds and anything that might cause disease. You want the pile to be about a 3-4 ft square (–really, round) and pile thin layers of Greens; (high in Nitrogen) like grass clippings and more vascular plant trimmings and Browns;(high in carbon) woody trimmings, straw, shredded dry leaves. You will find the temperature will be high for several days. Once it cools it is ready for use. Lee also goes by whether there are worms in the compost…”if there aren’t any worms it isn’t done.” Good advice!

the secret is in the soil III

Wood ash is also good to use to increase pH–you’ll need double the amount of wood ash that you would of lime. I like to take the cooled white ash from my woodstove and spread a thin layer over the garden in winter and incorporate it into the soil.
With lime you want to work into the top 5” of soil 2-3 months before planting as well. If you forgot to do that, you can put a handful of soft rock phosphate mixed with a little lime in with your plants when transplanting. We do this with all the plant rescue transplants. They love it.
If you want to reduce the pH you can add Sulphur. Cedar shavings will do the trick too. You want to have your soil tested at least every 2 years. You can get your own soil testing kit or bring it to the local extension service who will test it for you for a nominal fee.

The Secret is in the Soil - part 2

All roots like oxygen, and well drained soil will grow just about anything provided it has the right pH and plenty of organic material (think peat moss and compost) also known as humus. The ratio of sand, silt and clay comprise soil texture and you want to have a proper balance of these components as well as plenty of humus.
The pH is important to keep within a certain range. Your soil should be slightly acidic with a pH range from 6.2-6.8. Your county extension office will test your soil and give you all kinds of information. You want to pay attention to the lime content. Sandy soil becomes more acidic faster than clay soils. One of the best soil amendments to increase pH is dolomitic limestone which adds both Magnesium (Mg) and Calcium (Ca)…or calcitic limestone which adds the Calcium. Your soil test ill let you know what you need.

The Secret is in the Soil - part 1

I am passionate about good soil, keeping it healthy is a process we all need to know about. Rich loose dark brown earth that you can scoop up with your fingers and inhale the yummy earthiness of it just makes my heart sing. Lee Mink, an organic farmer always says “I don’t feed the plants, I feed the soil." This wisdom is crucial because our topsoil in our country is severely depleted.

Echinacea painting

This painting of Echinacea lives in Toronto, Ontario  It is 4x5ft, done in mixed media.  The yellow background symbolizes strength.  The faeries are acting out a healing.  The girl faerie is sad, not feeling well.  The boy -with humor and grace, offers her a remedy from the plant...but she must come get it.  I believe she will!
This plant is for acute onset colds and flu and must be taken in sufficient dosage for a period of time and then discontinued.  It is a medicine plant as opposed to a food plant.  It has become endangered because, for several years the herbal market demand elicited the removal of 10,000 lbs of the dried root of this plant per week!  As you can imagine, that is alot of plants.  Echinacea once graced our plains in Montana as far as the eye could see.  If you would like to become more aware of plant populations and solutions visit http://www.plantsavers.org/

Welcome to Botanica Artista's New Blog!

We will be discussing healing, nature, and art as well as keeping you updated on the progress of the Mill Spring Ag Center. Check back soon.