"understanding the great mystery"

so, this spring, I double dug my first beds and planted seeds that actually sprouted and turned into beautiful plants and edible life. during that time, I developed a silent but colorful, rich, deep, earthy, loving relationship with these beings. this all might sound obvious, but it was beyond thought, it just Was... like the way it should be... that's what my core said, anyway.

I was just reading this essay by a guy named Joseph Bruchac who is Abenaki and of European descent. He just worded it so well, so I felt like sharing:

"Like the animals, the plants have spirits. Throughout North America, whenever plants are harvested, it is done with an awareness of the life and spirit of the plant. To gather medicine plants, for example, one must be in the right frame of mind.... it may be said, quite literally, that there is no difference in Native North America, between planting and prayer."

Prayer! And you kind of become the plants, or see into their spirits, but not in a defined way. Or at least, that's how I felt.

My brother is a gardener/farmer, and at one point he picked the remaining lettuce of mine saying it would be bitter at this time... but I hadn't had time to understand that its end was nigh and I got really upset, seeing it uprooted so quickly. I thought I might have been hormonal or something, but I slammed the door and stuff. I guess, since he's around plants all the time, and was in the mode of uprooting, and was in that mindset himself, it was just part of the way it was done, but for me, my heart was uprooted.

He understands this now, we talked about it not long ago. that feeling rested with me for these past months.

Oh but ONE more, the best one:

"The stewardship of human beings is not as owners but as partners with many other beings, such as the animals. The animals are recognized not only as spiritual beings, but in some ways, as being wiser than humans. Unlike humans, they do not forget the right way to behave. A bear never forgets that it is a bear, yet human beings often forget what a human must do. Humans forget to take care of their families and forget to show respect to other things. They become confused because of material possessions and power."

yay.