Respect for the Forest

Report from my meditations over the recent cross quarter holiday…. from 2012.

Looking back through old writings to see where I have been and how I got here. Although time doesn't exist as a separate entity but all at once, here is the message from the forest which was one of mutual respect. That makes sense, for the harvest season, the amazing beginning of the autumn, which peaks on autumn equinox that we just experienced in 2017. SO there is a stretchy 5 year period here, that measures some passage of time and development of perfumes and gardens. Although philosophy remains much the same.


2012: Aug 5th~

Here is my rambling missive from the other day: Happy Llamas Day…..cross quarter holiday (six weeks between summer solstice and autumn equinox) for those who follow the solstices and equinoxes. I don’t like the W label. In fact, I don’t like any label. I am in the redwoods, this holiday, which I am thrilled about. The days and nights seamlessly spiral into the next, highlighted with insects, birds, new orange tabby kittens, and the nature’s intelligence of the plant neural network.



In my steep hikes, up into the redwoods, I have been meditating on the thick undergrowth around the edges of the forest, as a protection, to the deeper mysteries. I have had some time to tune in with, communicate, with, and receive some downloads from certain plants….all are talking but not all get respect.


Yes, we are talking poison oak. There are a couple of other plants I want to include here, because they are in season, and so my LLAMAS DAY missive is going to be a message from the plant kingdom, which I am privy to be ensconced by, in the middle of this beautiful stand, of redwoods, along the SLOW COAST, above SANTA CRUZ, in a mini town, with a bakery, a post office, a store that sells peanuts, beer and chips, milk…and a burrito station. DAVENPORT. Home to the famous scientists, who are on the cutting edge of biology, ocean saving ideology, and some slow surfer locals, a goodly size group of private wealthy, who have carved out niche gardens and homes up in the small private windy roads, and then the transient tourist buses that meander up and down the coast, citing whales and surf waves all season long.



Back to my crescent to full moon communiqué with the poison oaks and the thistle plants, there are several varieties. I am also chatting with the redwoods: majestic….



Let me start by saying I am highly allergic to poison oak, poison ivy…..having walked through some burning poison ivy one day when I was about 8 years old, and getting covered head to toe, with huge scabs. My mother was treating me for mumps, at first, until she realized I had a bad case of the poison ivy. Since then, I have held a fear of these plants. So, anyway, back in December, I was here in Davenport and caught a mild case of poison oak, from sheets that I slept in. So, it was a secondary thing. I carefully watched it for seven months, since then on the top of my foot, as it wanes, then gets worse, then wanes. It has been so interesting. It’s been a relation with mutual respect, and me getting over my fear. I have treated it with Technu and some other moisturizing oils, and as long as I wear socks in my boots, I am fine. I am grateful for the opportunity to get to know the plant, and its gentle protection of the forest, and the animals that live within its walls, thickets, and impenetrable mass.



So, to the missive from the plants: POISON OAK…..I found out that the role it is playing is very protective for all the wild animals. It is in a mutual respect relations with all forms of animals. Helping to hide, and protect them, offer the brush, thickets a way to grow thicker, along with the other thistles, and ferns. Thistles seem to be a favorite perch of the birds, although farmers and rancher disdain the thistle, and in May, of this year I mowed down a field, that was cornered w incoming thistle. If you don’t take them down before the flowers seed, it becomes a bigger issue for ranchers the next year. These relationships with the plants are integral to country living.



Mutual respect is a key theme that has been able to keep people from being too crowding in these redwoods, and to keep the animal kingdom away and protected from encroachment from mankind. I am keen to explore more with these plants. The male fern is poisonous, to taste, but it is metaphysically very protective. I love these ferns……So, the theme opens up the season of harvest, with a question…for us all: how can we walk our paths, while having mutual respect, allowing others their mysterious private kingdoms, and not following them too closely up into their privacy, and personal business. Being enthusiastic, open, and on a threshold, of mutual respect, is the stride, that most healthy people here in a small town uphold. It is interesting that it is JUST this message that the forest shares with me on this special harvest time……let us pray: I am every so grateful for the widening circle of friends, family and clients, who walk the path, with me, and on their own individual paths. May we all be wise, in our communications, as mercury finishes his second retro of the year, over the next four days. Be gentle, as the stag that I saw gracefully bounce up into the woods….this morning.



Here is what I wish for us: gratitude for a process of becoming wiser, clearer, and focused, on our goals. May we know the mutual respect, and honour and the protection that these plants from the kingdom can bring to our lives.

For magickal work, we call on the three plants listed: poison oak, for ultimate protection, thistle for the slow march of protection of the meadow lands, which translated to human emotions…is the place on the edge of our deepest mysteries within, the place that people view and our places of ourselves where we share our outer vulnerabilities…..a place where we can be nourishment for birds that land on our flower heads, who come to share their essence. And for the ferns, who shade the undergrowth of toads, and magickal insects, of life on the forest floor…..our own subconscious.

The poison oak feels like it is a mutual respect in our outer community….if someone penetrates our edge of the wood, they get to see our vulnerability, and we become a better person….able to be authentic, not afraid, to be who we are, faults, and all. In a sense authentic beauty is that which contains all our flaws, as perfection. This was the missive, which became crystal clear, through the blessings, of some dear friends, who have been skyping with me, in the little cabin in the forest……through the full moon. Last night, it was way high above the antenna of the redwoods…..I have been sending up my intentional thoughts, prayers, and thoughts as complete gratitude, and those of friends, family and clients who have emailed me theirs.

I continue…as we leave the venus retro shadow tomorrow on the 5th of August, and then Mercury goes stationary direct on the 7th….we will still have 3 more weeks of shadow with mercury but things should begin to move forward. So, for the next few days, is the time for this meditation, over the re-grouping, re-organizing, and re-thinking, before we move ahead. Use the time wisely. All my love, from the forest…..xoxoxoxo Libby


 2017

I would just add that 5 years into my dance in this community I am loving the people, place and perfume from the #SCENTGARDEN that has been created. xo I share my forages with clients. If you would like to book an experience with me please click this link:
http://www.libbypatterson.com/experience

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