Living Dream-Wise

Living Dream-Wise - photo by Jane

Until three weeks ago, we thought we would be living in San Mateo, California by now. Now we find ourselves firmly rooted on Vashon, with the intention of staying here for good (universe willing!). I write that, but I also know that anything might happen at anytime -- all we or anyone can do is "follow the signs", and proceed the best we can with what we see before us.

A week ago I browsed a shelf in Bookshop Santa Cruz, in California, and came upon a book entitled The Art Of The Possible. I have no idea what the book is about, but at the time I thought to myself "There's a book I don't need to read. We know all about living the Art Of The Possible." At the time, we had no idea where we would end up living, but had several possibilities, all very different from one another, but each of which would be ... fine. It was rather dizzying for me at times! All we could do was step forward the best we could with some sort of plan for the possible, and wait for a GO signal from God. We got one, finally. It turned out that the expensive but bearable costs of fixing up our house to sell, had turned into a revelation of extensive failure throughout the entire structure of the house. The house had not been constructed with materials intended to last, and to attempt to bring the house into structural soundness was going to involve a huge price tag.

At that point we realized that we could actually take down the house, reuse the materials that were sound (like the double-paned windows we'd installed over the ten years we'd lived here), and build the smaller earthship-inspired sensibly constructed sustainable home that we'd been dreaming of these past few years. In short, we had what amounted to us as a written invitation from God to realize this dream in a place that has been otherwise a dream to live in for ten years.

Returning to our island home, realizing that we were choosing to live here for good, I felt a huge sense of gratitude for the forest, farm, and field -- the natural world that is right here. I realized just how deeply this ecology has become myself. How much each of these plants, trees, animals are my allies, and that our relationship will only deepen in the coming years, decades, as we root soundly into this good earth, this place we now truly call home.

The dreams I've carried for "wise village", fully-woven community, a rewoven culture, a deepening into the heart of our nature as part of nature, of knowing myself and my family and my people as members of a more-than-human community is all available right here, is already something that I live and know at the root of my soul. It is a place that welcomes me, my family as we truly are, just as ourselves, and invites us to grow more deeply into our unique natures, our unique expressions of being in the world at this time in the dream of the earth. I knew this to be true, but for numerous reasons we had to walk a labyrinth path to our beginnings, to the foundation of our beings, and discover that it all needed to be reconstructed from the ground up, to more fully reflect the light of our hearts, who we've become after ten years in this, for us, blessing place. I for one had to learn how to say good by to some old dreams, and, in the process, to discover them to be completely rewoven--and so much easier to live, because I'm living them already--right here, on our home ground.

It's wild to live dream-wise: it takes courage to follow your heart into shadowed territory, into the heart of the green, even when it looks like you're heading into a place without soul, to give yourself to a path because that's all you can see before you, and you have no other information to guide you differently. You go forward step after step, and then that one thing you need to know appears, and you know exactly what to do. It's never what you expect.

That's how it is to live dream-wise -- you just do the best you can with what you know to be true for you, and know that there is far more going on than what you perceive. And you trust: in your instincts and ability to take action when the time ripens, and to correct your course as new understandings are revealed, and in the strength and honesty of your own compassionate heart. Even more, you place your faith in the generous, surprising nature of the Mystery that wraps around us, through us, beyond us, is us, and -- is both not and so very, very much more.

Graces,
Jane

Peace Tea Meditation

Welcome To The Peace Garden!
Imagine yourself in a lush meadow surrounded by a forest of red cedar, fir, and alder, with shrubs of Indian plum and trailing blackberry vines. The meadow itself is an herb garden, and as you walk the paths your feet step on a ground cover of wild thyme. The tangy scent spikes the air. Your hand brushes against the silver stalks of lavender, and this gentle fragrance interlaces with that of the thyme, of mint, and even with that of the cedar and fir growing nearby. This is a place where both forest and garden mingle, where both can be at peace with each other.

The forest and the garden speak to you. The great cedar, just at the garden's edge, invites you to gather a handful of its newest needles, the light green fronds. The fir tree asks you to gather some of its needles, and a few of those brown buds at the base of the needles. You place them in a pot of water you carry. Now the lavender whispers to you, and the new leaves of the wild rose. You gather these leaves, as well as a stalk of mint (for mint will not be ignored). Nearby, a small fire burns in a cleared area lined with stones. You place the pot on the stones, and settle yourself on a mossy rock. You notice a gently bubbling stream. at the edges, and a stump with already cracked nuts on its surface (you can decorate with them or eat them!). The sun warms the air with garden and forest fragrances, even as the water in the pot begins to simmer. Time drapes like a gauze veil, sleepy around your shoulders. But eventually the tea is ready, and you notice a ladle and teacup by the fire circle.

Have they always been there? The wind trembles a melody through the forest branches. The music - and its message - is there for you to enjoy as you sip your forest-garden tea, your Peace Tea.

Peace Tea watercolor art by Jane

Create Your Own Peace Tea.
Pluck a loosely packed cupful of some of any or one of these herbs (see below) -- they are all edible, but make sure that the plants are pesticide and chemical-free, not alongside a road, and are healthy and have plenty of leaves and blossoms to spare. Newer leaves are best, releasing their flavor more readily. If you have allergies, I suggest that you do some research before making tea with flowers.

Before you pick, you might want make your intention known to the plant and "ask" if its all right to take some of its leaves or petals. Then listen with your heart. If you feel some sort of discord or tension, then leave the plant alone. If you feel an openness, then go ahead and gently pick. Be sure to thank the plant for the gift of itself! You might want to offer a gift to it in return, such as a song, or water for its roots, or corn meal (an ancient offering). My 6-year-old daughter Gwynne suggests: "If you really want to share things with yourself and your plant friends, give a few drips of your tea to the plant."

fir or pine needles
cedar needles
apple, rose, lavender, mint, blackberry strawberry, or raspberry blossoms and/or young leaves
a simple good wish for yourself and the world, like "harmony", "kindness", "beauty, or "peace"

Place the leaves & petals in a quart of water. Bring just below boiling, then turn it down and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes. Placing your hands around your teapot or cup, take a moment (short or long) to infuse the tea with your wish. Now, taste your tea! Add honey if you wish. Remember those plants who shared themselves as you enjoy their essence! Offer your tea back to the plants from which it came, or to other plants you know and love!