&
Gathered By Shawn Michael Foley
A large part of my witchy practice is communing in nature. More specifically taking note of the plants, trees, & botanicals that are in season around me. As a floral artists & creative energy coach by trade I started foraging years ago to enhance my artistry. My connection between artistry & spirituality through the medium of botanicals grew and is now a staple to my spiritual growth. This past month I was on a garland kick. Wild pecans, acorns, & oak leaves were ever plentiful in my neighborhood where I walk the trails. I’ve found when it comes to sharing artistry it’s best to guide by demonstrating. My 3 Quick tips for foraging: 1- Identify before you harvest Most smartphones now have a built-in plant identification guide. Although it’s not 100% fool-proof it helps you to identify plants in your area. Make sure what you’re harvesting is not protected, endangered, toxic, or rare in your area. 2- Only take what you need Only take what you need and never more than 1/3 of what is growing. You want to leave some for others and for local wildlife that may rely on what you’re harvesting. This also ensures the plants will have enough left to repopulate themselves. Some species are very slow growing and over harvesting can end up wiping them out. 3- Gratitude Always thank the plants, earth, & nature (or any guides, deities, etc. you work with) for your harvest to honor the energy of nature’s life cycle. 13
