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Part I: Gathering with Gratitude
ABOVE LEFT
A sign near the entrance to Avena Botanicals apothecary
Greeting and giving gratitude to the hawthorn trees as I enter the garden
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Respect. Reciprocity. Gratitude. Humility. Love. I was a child when my grandmother whispered to me these words, directly transmitted without any explanation. After many years of living and learning, attempting to be a good human being and making repeated mistakes, I find that my grandmother Katherine’s teachings have begun to infuse my heart and hands. They guide my work as an herbalist, gardener, and teacher. I feel most grounded and humbled when my hands and fingernails are consistently stained brown from soil, when I have had enough quiet time in the garden or woods to center my soul and spirit. I was taught as a teenager to respectfully approach and address a plant before ever touching or picking the plant. If permission to gather is granted, then leaving a gift, an act of reciprocity and respect, is what follows. At the entrance to Avena Botanicals’ apothecary is a hand-painted sign that says “Reciprocity of Pollination.” It is placed intentionally to inspire visitors, students, and staff to pause and contemplate what these words point to: a world that values nature and recognizes how essential pollinators are to life. A balanced world is one rooted in generosity and reciprocity.
Connecting and Communicating with Plants Plants are living beings. They are intelligent and communicate in caring and complex ways with all who live in their ecosystem. Cultivating a sense of humility and a feeling of warmth and respect for plants is vital for creating meaningful relationships with them. My grandmother showed me that plants appreciate the effort humans make through the slow, quiet, and regular way she visited various apple trees and spring flowers year after year.
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Part I: Gathering with Gratitude
If you are new to communicating with plants, begin by sitting or standing near a plant or tree as a regular practice before touching, tasting, or gathering. Introduce yourself to the plant or tree. As awkward as this may seem at first, over time and with sincere effort, communication and connection with plants can develop and deepen. Give yourself time and space to be with plants. This is in itself a healing practice. Let the plants inspire you. Keep a journal with you. Place your hands over your heart and breathe, letting your breath help you stay focused, grounded, and curious. When your mind wanders or if doubts, criticisms, or fears slip in, let your breath bring you back again and again to the present moment. You are developing a heartcentered approach to listening and communicating with plants. When your communication feels complete, depart consciously and respectfully. I often bow and speak aloud my gratitude and farewell. When approaching plants you wish to collect for medicine, sit, kneel, or stand near them. Quiet yourself by taking some deep breaths and allow yourself time to hear and feel life pulsing under and around you. Slow down. Once you feel grounded, begin a conversation with the plants. Open your heart and sincerely ask if they are willing to share their gifts with you. Let the plants know why you have come, why their medicine is needed. Even when collecting an annual herb such as calendula several times throughout the summer, attune yourself to the spirit of the plant each time you approach. When permission is given, offer a gift, something that has genuine meaning for you—a song, a prayer, a poem, a piece of your hair, a small bit of food you have made. If permission is not given, trust the mystery of this moment. Remember, you are not alone as you gather herbs. Birds, butterflies, insects, other animals, and elemental beings may be nearby, sometimes
Before every harvest, each gardener places a little bit of pearly everlasting at the base of the plant as an offering of gratitude.
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Part I: Gathering with Gratitude
visible and sometimes not. Nature spirits may also be present. Many Indigenous peoples around the world acknowledge the presence of elemental beings and nature spirits at work in their gardens, fields, forests, shrines, temples, sacred wells, and healing centers. We see this in places such as Ecuador, Nepal, Tibet, India, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Bali, and Japan. In Scotland, Ireland, and England, certain people perform rituals that honor elemental beings and nature spirits, the natural rhythms of the sun and the moon, and the sacredness of water and stones. In North America, some Indigenous people recognize the Little People, and most honor seasonal, solar, and lunar rhythms. Collecting herbs offers the opportunity to practice mindfulness. Bring yourself into the present moment. If you are with other people and conversations arise, keep the energy and the content positive and in service to the plants you are gathering. Singing, humming, and laughing when alone or with other people can be wonderful ways to exchange energy with plants.
BELOW
Spending a moment with a meadowsweet plant OPPOSITE
A native Maine bee pollinating one of Avena’s lavender plants. Avena is a sanctuary for pollinators.