Magnolia virginiana

In my experience, few flowers in the world smell better than this beauty.

 It was picked yesterday before the high winds and rain blew through Springs. It is one of my very favorite flowers in the world. Magnolia virginia, also known as sweet bay magnolia, swamp magnolia or laurel magnolia. It is an evergreen and can grow up to 100 feet tall. The terrain in which it grows expands from the East coast to the Deep South. It may be deciduous as well as an evergreen and grows as far South as Cuba. The flowers are an elegant cream color and can grow to be quite large. I have seen them almost as wide as a foot. The flowers are fleeting, they turn brown and begin to decay almost immediately after being cut from the tree. 

Several years ago, a dear patient gifted me one from a magnificent tree that grows outside this persons home. The flower was enormous and fragrant beyond words. It was through the photograph of that enormous magnolia image, that I was introduced to another  magnificent person. Each time this beautiful magnolia blooms I am reminded of two very kind, generous and heart centered people in my life. 

         As this beautiful tree grows taller and fuller each year, there are more flower buds, and promises of its perfume. For years, I have tried to identify it in other plants or in perfume absolutes and oils. Nothing has ever come close to the magnificence of this scent. If one ever has the chance to smell one of these flowers, I highly recommend it, what a delight. It can be smelled from may feet away. It transports the imagination to an aromatic verdant oasis. 

The mature fruit are bright red and can be seen from far away because the color is so bright and alluring. When I taught my second botanical art class, I brought the cone and the fruit to the class to share with my students. It was such a beautiful specimen. I love the flowers as much as I love the cones and crimson red fruits. 

A Conversation on Acupuncture and the Mind-Body Connection Between Christine Menna, LCSW Founder and Clinical Director, Sōhum Therapy and Dr. Maria Bowling

 In Conversation: Dr. Maria Bowling on Somatic Foundations

In her private practice in East Hampton, Dr. Bowling works to access more fluid flow of energy through the meridians, organs, and nervous system. Her goal is to facilitate internal physiological regulation and coherence by working with the sympathetic and parasympathetic states. Her approach draws from over two decades of study in Traditional Chinese Medicine and trauma resolution.

Q:

A lot of wellness advice today can feel incredibly complicated and overwhelming. If we strip everything away and go 'back to basics,' what is the fundamental thing Acupuncture does to help the body return to its natural, self-healing baseline?

A:

With an appropriate treatment strategy, Acupuncture has the capacity to regulate the body's natural flows of vitality, also known as Qi and Blood. A skilled practitioner will assess what the patient's needs by reading the pulses (found on both wrists), read the terrain of the tongue and do a full intake. We work within a Five Element system, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water and Wood. We establish where there may be excesses or deficiencies and work from there to establish the best treatment protocol to support homeostasis. Acupuncture helps us to drop into a parasympathetic state of the nervous system, in this state, we have more access to the spaciousness of healing and repair.

Q:

In the simplest terms, how does a physical needle in one part of the body actually signal the nervous system to let go of an emotion or a stressor held elsewhere?

A:

Needles activate Acupuncture points which are located on meridians or pathways. They are often referred to as energy centers or vortices. Each point may have many functions. Sometimes a point in the lower leg may be used to treat lets say, the upper chest or the head because there are several potential pathways that move Qi from one area of the body to another. Needle insertions also influence the fascia, or connective tissue which is enervated by nerves. When the body feels safe, it will begin to unwind or reorganize itself and find more space for the emotions to come forward or to be realized. Long standing emotional blockages may be bound in the tissues or in the internal organs. My private practice focuses on this kind of somatic exploration. Sometimes, we need a little time, space, attention and good treatment to finally move or soften what has been bound in a long term holding pattern.

Q:

We often hear that 'the body keeps the score.' From your perspective, where does an emotion go when it's not processed, and how does acupuncture help the body finally 'speak' that tension out?

A:

Our bodies are in a constant state of flux throughout the day. We all have our unique patterns that emerge through life, and they can be bound in emotional states. Each organ system has its own emotional association. For example the Liver and Gallbladder fall under the domain of the Wood element. The emotions associated with a dysregulated Liver or Gallbladder may be frustration, anger and difficulty in making life decisions. If there is ease and flow in this terrain, we may feel at peace, creative and decisive. When the flow of the organs is restricted, deficient or in excess, emotions may emerge in a treatment. As a practitioner, I would look at the organ system that is associated with the presenting unprocessed emotional states and treat those organs and Elements directly.

Q:

When a person feels 'stuck' mentally or creatively, what is usually happening physically? Is there a literal baseline of flow that we lose touch with?

A:

Very often feeling 'stuck' in the way that you are describing is a bi-product of stagnation or deficiency. Both states can create a feeling of being bound and unable to move forward. Pulse diagnosis is an excellent way to identify what may be happening in the body, and where the main issue is located in deeper terrains. Pulse reading is truly an art form. Since our bodies are so dynamic and can change from moment to moment, if we are able to navigate adversity, tension, joy, expansion and contraction in a cyclical fashion, then my felt sense is that we are in flow. The capacity to stay present with what is before us and regulate accordingly is what may be the baseline and the indicator of a healthy nervous system.

Sōhum Therapy https://sohumtherapy.com/ https://christinemenna.com

Pulcherrima Solum ex Labore (Beauty Only Through Hard Work)

   Last June I graduated from the Botanical Art and Illustration program at the New York Botanical Gardens in the Bronx, New York. Many hours were spent back at the drawing board completing my final project. I painted plants that grow in this zone that are used in Chinese herbal medicine. The final project consisted of images of persimmon, Asian pear, aconite and gingko. A fifth image was painted with elements from each plant. The idea for the project began many years ago when I completed the foundational work at the NYBG. When I decided to finally finish my certificate, I enlisted the support for the approval from gifted teachers and mentors. 

      The very first drawing was sketched on a little sheet of 3x5 paper (shown below). The four principle plants were roughly drawn with graphite and colour pencils. Once the concept was established and the project was approved by the director at NYBG, I proceeded to do the five graphite drawings on vellum tracing paper. I am including one of the images in this post, the Gingko. Another round of approval was needed to then proceed to the final painting process for the five images.  The final images were watercolour and color pencil. Once the images were completed they were presented to a jury. After I was passed by the jury, I was then eligible for graduation. 

The day after graduation, there was a small and wonderful miracle that happened. I saw a beautiful botanical image by an artist in Europe. Her piece had been granted an award. When I read about her, I learned that she had just graduated from a program based in England through the Society of Botanical Artists. (SBA). Their website is soc-botanical-artists.org. The moment that I saw the quality of the work of their graduates, I knew that I needed to apply. And so I did, and I was accepted. 

During the period between my graduation from NYBG and my new program in England, I spent many hours drawing and taking pictures from my garden and the East End of Long Island. I also slowly amassed a substantial watercolour paint collection. I have been collecting paints for almost two years, trying the best ones and generously giving each brand and style a chance in my botanical journal.

  

     In January, I had the good fortune of meeting my tutors and cohort in London. I saw them demonstrate their beautiful work. They shared their techniques, gave us guidance on how to proceed with assignments and lent us their sincere encouragement. 

   My first assignments have been shipped to England, and so the new journey for the next 27 months begins. I now draw and paint on average of 2-3 hours a day in addition to attending to my private practice. It will be a big journey but I am delighted to in the company of such skilled professionals and serious botanical artists. 

   

   The moto for the program is 'Pulcherrima Solum ex Labore'. This translates as 'Beauty only through hard work'. This motto is one that I personally live by myself. It is through time, patience and persistence that meaningful and true beauty emerge, and we are rewarded with excellence and inspiration. 

Transitions Toward the Energetics of Spring and New Beginnings

 The days are growing longer and the quality of the light is rapidly changing as we enter the energetic time of early Springtime. While the air has been deeply cold, crisp and brittle in the Northeast, our skin may be drier, our lungs may be feeling irritated, accompanied by a little dry cough, we are at the end of the coldest days. The afternoons are growing brighter as we are entering more Yang and fluid days. We are transitioning from the deep freezes of Water to more buoyant and expansive time of Wood in the Chinese medicine calendar. Buds are beginning to swell and widen, as the earth slowly begins to thaw. It s a delight to see the shockingly beautiful greys, blues and yellows in the refections of the snow and ice.  

   We are entering the time where the body begins to slowly move from the density of the Winter cold  and constriction to the softening of the Wood element. We are simultaneously shedding the year of the Snake and leaning into the year of the Fire Horse. The last remaining shedding is happening now...
and the opening to the newness of the year ahead is palpable. 

   As we turn our attention towards the return to longer days and the excitement of the energy of the Fire Horse, I invite everyone to visit my instagram feed Prettymedicine_press, and Prettymedicine.com where I will be featuring new printed journals, didactic materials and my latest botanical art. 

This past month I began a new botanical art program based in England. It is a twenty seven month program rich with many layers of botanical art, research and assignments that will require dedication and commitment to drawing and painting.  New relationships will be forged with tutors that are steeped in excellence and incredible craftsmanship. 

Please join me as I begin this special new journey and share my botanical art, Chinese medicine, botany and healing while exploring the relationships that tie all of these these beautiful systems together. 

An Exploration of Heart Shock

It has been quite a full week. Tragedy in Manhattan, a powerful earthquake and tsunami in Pacific Ocean and on the West coast,  and countless other ripples of confusion and trauma though out the globe. We are all navigating so many meaningful and often confusing shifts simultaneously. In my practice, this week, I noticed palpable and universal shifts in my patients' pulses. There were several  common threads, the presence of constriction and Heart shock energy. 

 I have been reading the pulses for over thirty years and slowly built a practice that began in my mid-twenties. While studying privately with one of my very first teachers, she exposed me to this beautiful art form. I fell in love with the process. I became enamoured with the possibility of hearing messages from the bones, internal organs and blood vessels. Learning that the body could express what it might need a practitioner to know, felt magical. I now listen deeply with my fingertips. I am still learning how to refine my skills. I love to learn about how other practitioners practice and interpret pulses, especially in this current fast paced world. 

When my teacher told me that many senior Chinese medicine practitioners could identify long term deep blockages and traumatic injuries from early childhood or birth and prenatal traumas, I immediately wanted to learn and master this skill. I am by no means at mastery level, I have many years to go, but I am always curious. Given the allostatic loads that many of us are carrying right now, and the turmoil of the external world, I noticed that the majority of the pulses in my patients were suspended, along with the breath. When I write 'suspended', I mean tight and contracted. The pulses often feel tender, fearful and sometimes carrying shock, especially in the Heart position. This 'Cun  position' is on the left side upper burner position. When I read one pulse quality in particular, I realised that this had been the pattern, and that I should sit with this information to study this dynamic more closely.

I am revisiting my favourite Chinese medicine texts, while tracking the clinical experiences of this week. When we endure a shock, either physical, or emotional the Qi draws itself inwards and contracts. The purpose of doing this is so that the internal resources may be protected. Qi, Blood and Yin will be drawn deep into inwards by the Heart. The Heart, being the Emperor, goes into compensation mode and does its' best to regulate the body. If it is unable to do so, Yin and Yang may separate and lead to circulatory dysregulation. The Yin of the Blood may not be able to anchor itself and the Yang rises. When the circulatory role of the Heart is impeded, we can see issues develop in the tissues and bones. Healing may be slow, sleep may be distrupted, pain may become chronic and moods can shift and become irregular. 

  Yang Shen, otherwise known as resilience, vitality and longevity can be interrupted by untreated Heart shock. When trauma and shock go untreated in the body, Dampness, Qi stagnation, Heat, and Blood deficiency can ensue creating long term volatility and a sense of not belonging or depression. I am always looking for ways to support the gentle circulation of Qi through the multiple layers of the body, from the level of the bone to skin, after there has been a global shock to the system. 

Whether we are aware of it or not, I believe that we are always absorbing Qi, distributing, and regulating Qi and Blood. Good quality food, proper rest, social engagement, appropriate self care, movement, and lymphatic massage are often helpful in bringing us back into more coherence and regulation. 

Movement is one of the most important mitigators of held shock in the body. Resourcing, coupled with gentle and soft micro movements can activate harmonious dialogues of Yin and Yang and support the free flow of Qi.

Insights of a Senior Acupuncturist by Miriam Lee

The damp heat has been so heavy and thick that it has kept me inside a bit more the past fews days. During this second intense heat wave of the Summer, I have been staying cool and revisiting one of my favourite treasures. Miraim Lee, a legend in the Acupuncture and Chinese medicine world wrote a beautiful synopsis of treatment strategies and case studies in the book Insights of a Senior Acupuncturist. Published by Blue Poppy Press. 

This book has been with me for years and has called me many times when there is a little gem to be revealed. This week, I asked the book to extend a gift and I was guided  to page 100 and extracted a luminous pearl. 

"At any stage, Zu San Li (St 36), He Gu (LI 4), Qu Chi (LI 11), and Lie Que (Lu 7) will help calm the patient and restore balance to the internal organs so that the heart can again house the spirit."

With this extreme heat, the Heart, the Emperor is sometimes overwhelmed and harassed by extreme temperatures. It can feel heavy, shaky, overextended and feel as though it is energetically spinning out of its natural placement and express as being off center. As we are all navigating so many external changes and challenges, it is sometimes difficult to integrate the messaging of the immediate needs of the Heart. When this happens in my own world, I do my best to slow down and sometimes stop what I am doing and rest. Lie on the cool floor, place my legs up a wall, or find a space to be still. The more I can practice this process the more I try to hold the field for my patients in sessions.

As I read through the system that Miriam used in her practice, I just came across this sentiment...

"To prevent disease and establish vitality, both the acupuncturist and the patient must use the whole universe wisely." pg 36

And so we try. I could sit with this sentiment for hours, it is such a rich and layered proposition. 

I created this image with sunflowers, echinacea and a little peeper frog layered with a watercolour that I painted imagining the image as a metaphor for the medicine.  So many nuances of beauty and stillness gently intertwined with one another, layers of Summer colors over texture and elements.

Return of the Hummingbirds

In the blink of an eye, three ruby throated hummingbirds have appeared in the garden. Two males and one female. The quince flowers are in bloom, the tulips have opened, the daffodils are beginning to fade and the osprey are flying overhead with fish hanging from their talons. When the hummingbirds arrive, in my heart, it is officially Spring. Just today the leaves on many trees popped and the Japanese maple opened. The hummingbirds seem to be attracted to their colour and the delicate branches. 

Yesterday, I sat with my camera and took a series of images that captured the last afternoon light sparkling on the eyes of the male hummingbirds. This beauty used the tips of the persimmon tree branches to perch and guard the feeders. The fine tips of the new branches are always their favourite perching spots between feedings. The background colour in this hummingbird picture is the red of the Japanese maple leaves. The maple creates a stunning contrast to the emerald green of the male's feathers. 

I recently completed a class on painting hummingbirds that was offered by the New York Botanical Gardens. The class was taught by Dorie Petrochko. We explored the structure of hummingbirds, how to paint the feathers, add iridescent colours and relate the anatomy to the beak. It was surprisingly challenging because there are so many elements to pay attention to while conveying movement and form simultaneously. It was my first attempt at painting hummingbirds. With time, this skill will improve, and I will post my paintings. In the meanwhile, I sit and wait patiently while they re-acquaint themselves with the garden and establish their terrains. 

 

The Healing Presence of Hummingbirds

 I am delighted to participate in a conversation tomorrow night as a part of the Port Jefferson Documentary Series. The film celebrates the work of Terry Masear, a rather magical woman who takes care of injured hummingbirds. When I received a call from the organizers of the series, I knew immediately that I needed to attend and participate. My friends Patricia Paladines and Dr. Carl Safina will also be attending. I will be sharing some of my hummingbird images taken over the years.

I feel that there is a curious symbiosis between Terry's experiences and one of my own.

During my recovery from Lyme disease, I had the most extraordinary visitor here for over five months. A rufous hummingbird found her way into my garden and wintered over. Her presence was kept quiet, outside of a few friends, neighbours, and patients. I wanted to protect her from over exposure. She was fed warm nectar during the winter months, and survived every possible weather challenge. She ate ants and caught gnats in the air while constantly drinking from several feeders that were maintained to keep her alive.

When she arrived in the garden, I was so stunned and excited to have her here. It was as if the heavens had delivered a little angel that was assisting in my personal healing. Two weeks into her stay in the autumn of 2023, I remember feeling that I really needed her presence in my world and in my life. My immune system had been compromised by tick born infections and while I was undergoing treatment, I often felt confused, overwhelmed and disoriented by what was happening in my body. The process of navigating my situation often left me feeling lost. Her healing presence gave me a novel focus and distraction from the battles of my internal terrains. 

Over the course of her stay she remained close to the front door of my office in the shelter of a large Rhododendron tree. When the wind was howling from the Northeast and the cold temperatures plummeted, she sought refuge in boxwoods. All the while I was aware that this was a once in a lifetime experience. She stayed perched, facing the sun and welcoming my patients into my healing space. We all observed in wonder, awe and delight. During my most challenging days, I felt as though a guardian angel    had descended from the heavens and offered me divine support. 

During her winter stay, I took hundreds upon hundreds of pictures of her. In this Spring collage, I am including a little image of her with witch hazel, pear flowers, one of my watercolours, a shadow, and promises of colourful flowers. She offered me a ray of hope and feeling of new possibilities and healing. I believe that she also gave my patients a sense of being in the presence of a unique and rare gift. 

When I saw the film about Terry, I found it curious that she was helping injured hummingbirds heal in Los Angeles, while in my neck of the woods on the East End of Long Island, a single hummingbird was helping me and my patients heal. My private practice focuses on nervous system regulation and trauma work. We were tending to the trauma vortex but through different perspectives and portals.

We all debated how long she would stay in Springs and what she might do when the weather warmed and flowers bloomed. One day, I began to notice her gorget begin to turn copper. My feeling was that her departure was imminent. From everything that I read, this juvenile would seek her natural breeding ground and most likely return to the West Coast. One day, she did leave. I had the felt sense that she would fly away and leave because the air was warming and the sun feeling bright. While our time together was limited, she gave me so much and I am deeply grateful. I am most thankful for the opportunity to spend hours and hours alone with her and observe her behaviour. She taught me so much about rufous hummingbirds and about how to be with her in a respectful way. 

My hope is that the more Terry's work and story is shared, the more we can respect and take care of the environments that shelter, protect and support wildlife. Please join us in this beautiful exploration of the relationship between humans and hummingbirds. 

Thank you Kelly Devine and Barbara Sverd for including me in this lovely opportunity to be in the company of like minded people and good friends. 

For the Love of Botany

   I am back to the drawing board of botanical art and all of the detailed nuances of creating in this modality. It began with a strong handmade leather bound book of beautiful hot press paper. Each week I make entries, based on what I see in the garden, on my walks or from the ocean and bay beaches. It has been a serious and committed act of self care, ritual and discipline. I began the first week of March 2024. During a long and arduous battle with Lyme disease and co-infections of Babesia and Erlichiosis, my body has craved simple and kind goodness from every facet of life. In June, it will be two years since I have been fighting the good fight. My immune system went into shock and required care and deep rest. It has been a journey. As anyone who has experienced these diseases, parts of us go into what I describe as the underworld. We are held hostage by the immediate needs or our immunity as we fight internal battles in terrain that we did not even know existed in our bodies.  

Core memories of comfort, kindness and safety have kept my internal compass orienting towards healing and recovery. My earliest memories of my life include color, in the form of pencils, paper and the smells of the beautiful colors in the forms of wax crayons and paints of all kinds. My mother was an artist, and so in my healing from two simultaneous tick bites my nervous system has craved the old, the familiar and the beauty of art. 

I have explored pen and pencil, watercolours and studied the masters. I have revisited art history books, early artwork of plants and religious art, prior botanical art classes, and the mysterious journeys of botanists who traveled the globe to document plants from far away places. 

In this post are just a few examples of the drawings and little paintings that I have been creating in the past year. I have followed and explored brilliant artists, made new friends and met new teachers. Botany has been a light in my life and each small inspired moment has doubled as a drop of healing energy. 

I am grateful to Lara for taking me on as a student again, Giacomina for her inspiration and encouragement, Bianca for helping me find just the right chair to support me during the hours of painting and drawing at my table. I am grateful for Christopher who helped me create the perfect workspace and found the perfect specimens, to Bob and Carol who always say that everything I make is beautiful, and to all of my friends and family worldwide who have been kind, supportive and generous in their sharing of information and good wishes.

I am also grateful for all of the talent that is in the world making it a better and more beautiful place. While the world churns and re-organizes on a daily basis, having botanical resources, and beauty in my surroundings have made a meaningful difference in my recovery. 

I am also so deeply grateful for the birds who winter over, the hummingbirds and the magical subtle rhythms of nature. During my hours of drawing and painting, I have surrendered to rhythms that I sometimes missed before becoming ill. I have trusted that my body will heal the ravages of Lyme disease and I do believe that with time and good healing, we can return to a new level of wholeness and wisdom.

Fire and Water

 In Chinese medicine we often see shock trauma as a separation of the elements of Fire and Water. During this distancing, the two elements we are often left feeling lost, dissociated and disconnected from our authentic selves. The ideal outcome in such an instance is to have immediate support and resources to be able to come back into regulation and for Fire and Water to become more integrated so that they may fall  into their natural rhythm. 

When this rhythm is re-established in the body, we are more inclined to find relationships with the other elements of Earth, Metal and Wood. 

The five elements create an intricate and meaningful web of ebbs and flows of energy through the organs, meridians and inner channels. There are multiple layers of information that are all reliant on the smooth flow of consistent Qi and Blood. When shock energy meets our physiology, these micro currents and reserves can be disrupted and injured. Staying cognisant of these possible disruptions is important because if we are aware that we are in a state of disregualtion, then we can lean into repair and resourcing to come back into more balance and ultimately health.

As our planet alternates between the surprising excesses and deficiencies of both Fire and Water, it feels as though the shock of the pandemic coupled with changing weather patterns are weighing on our physiologies. Sometimes I see these stresses as subtle and sometimes they are more profound and obvious. We have all experienced so much in such a short period of time. I have noticed that the allostatic load of so many changes are creating profound shifts in myself and the people that I support in my practice. We are all navigating the new terrains that the pandemic and weather changes have imprinted upon us. Many of us are living each day with some level of hyper-vigilance as we take in the ongoing reports of pockets of transitions around the planet.

I wonder what might unfold if we were able to lean into more awareness of Fire and Water within our own bodies and see what the possibilities might be as we fine tune our capacities to self regulate, and therefore find our internal compasses that illuminate our paths back to safety, balance and coherence. 

   In these moments of transition, I am acutely aware of the delicate and profound relationship between Fire and Water in my immediate world. I have been keen on photographing different colours of reds, blues and of water. I feel the juxtaposition of the heavy humid days on my skin and bright hot sunlight. Early morning outings have felt like adventurous walks through watery waves of sagging clouds and dripping damp leaves.

I am including images that I have taken in the past few months, during hot and steamy days, between dramatic rain storms filled with lightning and ground shaking thunder and news of seismic changes in the natural world. I want to witness it all, take it in and be present for the profound changes. It is not always easy to experience these shifts but my intention is to move through it all, while keeping the engagement of Fire and Water in check within my own nervous system.

The Magnificent Great Crested Fly Catchers (Myiarchus crinitus)

    The elusive fly catchers are feverishly feeding the chicks that reside in an older blue wooden bird house. The handmade structure is covered by a mature hydrangea and is tucked away in under a tall magnolia tree. Over the years there have been various residents who made this little wooden sanctuary their home, but this year, it has been a treat to see the flycatchers come and go, perch on the magnolia branches and bring back dragonflies, crickets and other insects for their clutch. The male and female work with incredible precision, elegance and have a remarkable cadence. I love their distinct calls and their chartreuse feathers. I also love that they can catch such large flying insects and bring them back to the nest in their beaks with such speed and accuracy. 

The female flies away just as the male arrives with the transparent wings peeking out of its beak. They also eat wasps, spiders, seeds and berries. The garden is filled with all of their delights.

    The colors of their feathers range from light and dark grey to subtle shades of dark and olive yellow. When they fly, they reveal a very beautiful belly that is round and fluffy. The colors of the feathers are almost tropical yet they camouflage so beautifully in this wooded environment. The first time that I saw one here, it was perched on the holly eating berries. I was curious as to its size and its song. It bounced up and down as it ate the berries and protectively gathered its bounty and flew away.

They are not typical back yard birds. They generally live near open fields and woodlands and migrate from the south, as far away as the Yucatan in Mexico. They are often found in nests off the ground, in forests and near water. They may also build a nest in a hollowed out or fallen tree near moist earth. 

The chicks must be ready to fledge very soon. I am imagining that they are well fed and just about ready to greet the garden and the deep shades of the nearby woods. 

They have been safely hidden for weeks now and as they enter the bigger world, they will blend beautifully with the safety and background of the yellow, green and brown tones of the oak forest. 

The Return of the Hummingbirds

   As the hummingbirds return, the flowers are blooming and expanding with gentleness. This gorgeous male arrived several weeks ago, gracing the garden with his presence. He is always fickle, but curious.

   In this photograph the male (affectionately named Estebanito) is pollinating the raspberries and contributing to the fruits of the season. So grateful for his elusive and colourful presence. The fly catchers are nesting, the cat birds are singing during healing sessions and the fig trees are swelling with green goodness. 

   During these very turbulent and painful times, there are small whispers of regulation and beauty nearby. I do believe that we need to embrace the tiniest kind gestures of sweetness and connection. We have so much healing ahead of us. There is a profound need for a strengthened web of support and goodness. It is my hope that Chinese medicine will deepen the mending of the chaos and inter-generational trauma. In my small corner of the world, we pray that ripples of clarity, integration, regulation and sweetness travel far and wide. I hope that each and every action towards personal and collective healing may count towards the greater good during these unprecedented times.

   Wishing everyone a peaceful and very gentle Summer. 

The Return of the Bluebirds

 With the recent cold spell, the bluebirds retuned. It has been a while since they have been here in the garden. They came for fresh water in the early morning hours of the deep freeze. They appeared each morning for several days in a row at first light. Both males and females arrived, shy and quick. They move in a blink of an eye and fly together in small groups. When one arrives, we can be sure that several will follow. When these images were taken,  they were here for several hours. It was such a thrill to see them travel together and be here for an extended period of time. Please enjoy these special photographs. It is such a rare and special gift to have them here.

          

They have the most incredible blue feathers that glow in the early morning light. Their feathers are also very beautifully photographed under a grey sky.  It felt like a magical presencet. All of these photographs were taken through a window so some of the details were lost but the proximity allowed for me to get some very sweet images of these amazing birds.

 Each and every time that I see them, I am so grateful. They make me feel so happy and full of grace as I witness the sparkle in the flicker of their feathers. It really feels like a blessing from another realm. Each time they come into my path I learn a little more about them. How they like to drink, the relationships that they have with other birds and how curious they are when we lock eyes.

As warmer weather arrives and more of nature's gifts emerge, I welcome more visits from bluebirds and the arrival of the hummingbirds. Wishing everyone a gentle and colourful Spring.

Honouring Moments of Pause

   Slowly, very slowly, I am emerging from a pause. I took time this year to deepen study in Chinese medicine, mind my private practice, read, watch, internalize and observe the changes. There are days that have felt like moments and others like eternities. While I have not written much for the blog, I did continue to take photographs and quell my curiosity of the natural world with my camera. 

   I am including a few collages with some of my favourite images that tell a story about this past year. There are so many images to share as I edit and reconfigure my writings. It occurred to me this past week that so much of my time during the past two years was invested in cultivating safety for myself and for my work. When we feel safe, we can then down regulate, be curious and find breath. There have been days where the breath has been short, shallow and brief. The work has been to find the depth of the breaths where the air can sometimes feel trapped or held. It is during these levels of activation, I have felt the importance and necessity of honouring moments of pause. Taking photographs, especially of my hummingbirds, asks for stillness and focus on slow exhales.  I never use a tripod so it is always an act of meditation to keep a still hand.

   There were moments with peeper frogs, a luna moth, mimosa flowers, and countless hours with a new generation of hummingbird visitors. As the world has turned in so many directions I am eternally grateful for the presence of the small details of shimmering beauty that reside in the woods, the air and the earth.

  

 It is my hope that some of these images will spark curiosity and deep refreshing breaths as we enter the new year. One of my favorite images was taken this autumn of a passion flower vine that grew with such vitality that it climbed up the side of my home and drooped over a doorway. It gave the garden the feeling of something very romantic and old. The vines were curled, woven, knotted, stuck and integrated with the shingles and rooftop. Each time that I walked out the door, I was reminded to stay the course, and to follow the inspirations that offer glimmers of beauty and passion. This vine has been growing for over a decade. Inside in the winter and outside in the summer. It continues to gently bloom, offering magical green and purple flowers despite the wobble of the world. 

    As I write this post, the owls are singing in the woods. I hear them morning and night, just when the light has a certain dusky tone. I am so deeply grateful for their presence. They remind me that the cycles of nature continue and that we too are part of a circular process of healing and rebirth. They also offer the reminder of a place that still holds a little bit of wildness and raw woodsy beauty. Wishing everyone a new year filed with creativity, curiosity, patience and kindness. 

Food is Medicine

 During the course of the pandemic, warm meals, carefully crafted fresh dishes, and layered soups have been creating much comfort and joy. Some days, a bowl of hot homemade vegetable soup has made a world of difference during these chaotic days. Sharing a freshly made dish with a neighbour, a friend or patient from my practice has also made me feel like I am participating in the solution. 

We can offer comfort and support through the love that we place in kitchen. I have found that cooking has been one of the most meaningful expressions of love and connection during these challenging times. I am deeply grateful for the beautiful vegetables and care that the farmers have given to their crops this past year. Sang Lee, Amber Waves and Balsam Farms are a my favourites. 

When I have had extra soup, I have packaged it and given it to friends and neighbours when they least expected the gifts. It fills my heart with goodness to share now more than ever. While we may not be able to share a meal in our homes, we can certainly share love in this gentle and nourishing exchange. 

I began a new feed on Instagram, the title of the feed is @pure_soups. In this feed, I share images of the flowers that sit on the table while eating, the herbs, the soups, the ingredients, and the intentions behind the soups. I have also included thoughts on the nutritional values of different foods through the five elements and the lens of Chinese medicine. 

I have enjoyed photographing the images of the ingredients, the color, the textures and the toppings that I have placed on the soups. At this time, I am finishing the squash and root vegetables from the winter shares of Amber Waves and Sang Lee Farms. 

The sweet potato soup has been the most frequency made soup. Enriched by garlic, onion, sesame oil, vegetable broth, hours of slow roasting and cooking, topped with beautiful elements from the last herbs in the garden.

One of my favourite ingredients has been Japanese pickled plums. I chop them finely and add them to the toppings of many soups. The sour and sweet taste offers a nice opposition to the sweet earthiness of the pureed root soups. The plums are astringent and offset the sweetness creating more of a balance in the soup.

As the days are growing longer and we gear up for warmer weather, I will be posted more of my recipes and my photography. My hope is that my posts inspire new explorations in the kitchen. Tonifying the middle Jiao is an important way to keep our immunity strong and resilient, especially during the colder days. 

As I am writing this post, I know that the farmers are enjoying the last days of rest before preparation for the next planting season. My seeds are being sorted and my new gardens designed in my dreams. 

Autumn Hummingbird Medicine

 This beauty is about to leave for warmer days and colorful flowers. It is always heartbreaking to feel them leave the garden. It has been a wonderful Summer of curiosity and observation. 

This is one of my favorite images to date. 

The sky has been hazy and turned soft pastel colours as the particles from the wildfires of the West coast are flying over our lands. The soft halo behind our elegant female hummingbird reminds me of a Byzantine painting of a female Saint. 

Just before the hummingbirds leave, they are very generous with their presence and they spend extra time feeding for their journeys South. She has been here a lot the past few days and I can feel her getting ready to fly away. To see the hummingbirds every day for many months, it is bittersweet to feel the intensity of their feeding, knowing that in a blink of an eye she may disappear. 

The last salvia are still in bloom, as well as the last cardinal vines. Little pops of color in an otherwise fading garden. The night air is cooler now and one can feel the activity of the Atlantic Ocean churning the winds and summoning crisper weather. 

Owl Medicine

Yesterday, during the early moments of blue grey daylight I heard the young owls cry from the branches of a cedar tree just outside the window. These are the owlets that I have photographed and been listening to for several weeks. One of my wonderful neighbors invited me to see them in her back yard. It has taken me a while to understand their behavior, and there is so much to learn that it may take me a very long time to completely absorb their elusive habits. 

In years past, I have only ever heard them, never saw them in the wild. It has been a wonderful and incredible experience. The first time that I saw them, they were together on a branch at the edge of the woods. They were so well camouflaged that it took my eyes a moment to refocus. 

In the blink of an eye, they were gone. Their wide and impressive wingspan took me by surprise. They are magnificent. They are elegant and have the capacity to vanish into a tree canopy as if they are performing magic. 

They have been coming out of the woods at dusk and visible at first light with the little ones. The first good image that I took  was when it appeared on a branch from what seems like thin air. 

It took my breath away, its yellow eyes and strong body.  It sat on a branch and stared directly at us. My friend sat next to me, and I said to her, 

"I can't believe what we are seeing right now."

My friend is much better at staying still than I am and we both has a silent giggle under our breath. I was so excited that I could hardly stand it, as my heart nearly jumped out of my chest. Holding a heavy camera with a long lens was very difficult, the excitement made my arms and hands shaky. I was in complete awe. It was love at first sight. 

Since that encounter, I have seen them a few times and when my hopes were the highest, they hid from me, or flew over my head in the depth of the dark woods. I have been learning a lot about these Great Horned Owls (Bubo virginianus). The greatest lesson that they have taught me is how to see in the dark. This is a literal lesson, although it might also be interpreted as a shamanic teaching, I am learning how to see the unseen. They blend into their environment so well that one has to really adjust to a new way of seeing the woods. 

The second lesson that they have taught me is how to hear differently. I have learned what their wake up call is like and how they communicate with one another. One night, I was in the woods and I heard the owlets waking up and talking with one another, it was as if they were checking in with one another to say hello and also search out one of the parents. We believe that there are four owls.

Lastly, they have taught me how to be more curious. To learn more about owls all over the world and to read about the history of owls from different resources. The owl below is young, it bobbed and danced while looking at me. The feathers are more fluffy and soft than the adults.

The author Desmon Morris has written a book, the title is Owl. 

In the introduction to his book he writes:

"When we examine the history of our relationship with owls we find that they have, indeed, frequently been a symbol of both wisdom and evil. Wise or wicked, wicked or wise, the image of the owl keeps altering. For several thouand years these two iconic values have kept swapping and changing. Another of the contradictory qualities of the much misunderstood owl."

According to Morris, there are fossil remains of owls that have existed for at far back as 60 million years. When I did a little research of my own, I found images of ancient fossils and cave paintings in Europe. 

When I look at the images that I have taken, I can hardly believe that they incredible creatures have been on the planet for so many millions of years. It is like having an encounter with a modern day dinosaur, literally from my back door and I did not have to travel half way across the world to see them in all of their glory!

These elusive creatures have been with us, woven into our psyche and our cultures for so many centuries.

The owl graced Grecian coins, were made into gold beads by the Mochica in Northern Peru and revered for their magical and healing powers by many cultures all over the world. 

The goddess Lakshmi is often depicted riding on the back of a white owl when she enters the earth plane to visit the poor and bless them with her presence. The owl accompanies her in the dark as it knows how to travel well at night with its extraordinary night vision. In Minorca owls are painted on ceramics for good luck. Amulets of owls are also worn for protection. 

There are so many interesting facts about owls in cultures from all over the world that it could take a lifetime to read about how we as humans have lived with these magical beings. Desmond Morris did a beautiful job exploring their vast and meaningful relationships with humans throughout the centuries. 

Last week, I saw one of the owls fly through the back of the property. It took my breath away, again,  as it was almost dusk, the crows were making a lot of noise chasing it away and it flew so fast, it was a brief but amazing sight. 

I hope that this is just the beginning of my time with the owls. I love them so much, their yellow and black eyes, intense stare, silent flight and curious calls. They are mysterious and generous. My neighbour has been gifted many feathers from them and they love her sanctuary where they sleep, drink water and rest in the safety of her magical realm. 

Hopefully they will visit me again soon and I will have another story and new images to share with everyone. They are year round residents and hopefully that have found their forever home here in the woods of Springs.