The School of Forest Medicine

Through the Heartfilled Heart

Chelsea — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 22:12:14 +0000

Facing a tree I am consumed by its beingness in the world. The fact of the tree, regally steadfast in its stance, makes me but a pawn to its presence. My unarmed hands human me. I may touch the tree and experience its trunk on my palm but I cannot reposition its location by physical force alone. If I seek the other side, I must change my course. My moves are limited according to its habitation in the world of form. Exteriorly, the tree stands outside of myself, I outside of it; it appears as “other” to me, and I “other” than it. Conformed to the relationship of outward appearances, this ‘othering’ of ourselves limits the possibility of both our movements. I am forced to walk around, and away, and in that motion, the tree is obliged to stay along the path removed from my presence.

After weaving around endless trees truncated from the path of my longing for a true union with nature, I am moved to seek another way: through. A way through the tree in order to be united with its essence instead of away from the tree, affixed to a mind moving around its essence toward an ever aching heart. Allowing the tree to touch me inwardly as my palm reaches outwardly we begin to inform a habitus of interrelated imaginings. These imaginings taking shape as feelings, thoughts, colors, sounds, spontaneous images, and inner visions occurring within the imaginative faculties of my heart, body and mind, begin to inform a relationship between the tree and I. The I of me, in this touching, is allowed to become the eye of thee…

One sees through, toward inhabiting a simultaneous and spontaneous co-creative existence with nature where the nature of one’s self finds itself home. This home embodies within us as an ever evolving path of creative insights streaming to us from the heart of our nature: the heart of the tree rests within the heart of me, while the heart of me is inside the tree.

Initiated by the hearts longing for wholeness we burn alone until the fires of pain, alienation, aimlessness, and confusion rage long enough for us to witness a glimmer of light. Whether this light takes shape as a tree, mountain, river, or a feather fallen at our feet, it gives us pause in order to remind (or rather, reheart) and direct us again us toward the nature of ourselves. In effect, these flashing moments of truly observing nature through the heart help teach us to see through the outward appearances of life inward toward the truth of our ever renewing scared union.

The act of moving ‘through’ the tree instead of ‘around’ the tree, offers our hearts to nature as our hearts are infused with nature. James Hillman in his lovely book, “The Thought of the Heart and the Soul of the World,” writes of the simultaneous imaginative creative relationship between ourselves and nature. About allowing oneself to be touched instead of merely touching, he write:

“… ‘taking in’ means interiorizing the object into itself, into its image so that its imagination is activated (rather than ours), so that it shows its heart and reveals its soul, becoming personified and thereby lovable—lovable not only to us and because of us, but because its loveliness increases as its sense and its imagination unfold” (48).

Scott in his post, “Plant Teachers in our Own Lands,” sums it up succinctly, “…as we illuminate ourselves we cannot help but to illuminate and reawaken the beings of the forest….” In order to see through the illusions of separation and suffering we must employ our minds to touch upon the heart and illuminate the imaginings within which are ever awaiting our arrival.

Allow the touch stones of your healing to become the stones touch.

Touch and be touched enough and you’ll find trust enough to see your way through.

57. Meal Blessing Song

scott — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 00:33:48 +0000

We give thanks for this food
And the Sun and the Earth
And the Divine Force
That is in all things

Bon Appetit!

(Traditional)

56. Medicine Making Song

scott — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 00:32:57 +0000

The people need help
The people need help
Let’s make the medicine

Focus your attention
Open your awareness
The Spirit of the Forest is here

Plant Spirit Beings
We call you in this moment
The Stars, the Sun, and the Moon

Elemental Air
Fire from the South
The Water and the Earth

Dogwood and Aralia
Yarrow and Redcedar
Ashusha, Angelica

Spirits of the Forest
Guide us with your wisdom
As we make this medicine

55. The Spirits that Guide Me

scott — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 00:30:55 +0000

The spirits
That guide me
That guide me
Guide me on my path

On my path
I found my brothers
And my sisters
Of my heart

To the spirits
I offer my thanks
I offer my thanks
For everything in this life

54. From the Forest

scott — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 00:29:25 +0000

From the forest I receive
Strength to work
From the forest I have everything
Every, everything God gives me

The forest is a splendor
In the way that it is made
With love it is harmonized
And leaves the Earth satisfied

We must live on the Earth
With total satisfaction
And if we want to have life
We give thanks to our Mother

(Alfredo Gregorio de Melo)

53. I am the Forest (Alder)

scott — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 00:28:36 +0000

I am the Forest, I am the Water
I am the fluid, you are the blood

Give me your love, receive my love
Receive the forest, deep in your heart

52. Water of Life

scott — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 00:27:31 +0000

Water of Life, Water of Life
Soothe my soul, soothe my soul
Make me whole, make me whole
Make me whole

I am free, I am nourished
I am free, I am nourished
Hey, Hey, Ho, Hey, Hey Ho
Hey, Hey, Ho, Hey, Hey Ho\

(Kathryn)

51. The Truth of the Forest

scott — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 00:26:51 +0000

The truth of the Forest
Is inside of my heart
I give thanks to the Forest
For all the love I receive

Child of the Forest
Never forget who you are
Receive your strength from the Forest
And your tranquility

50. Cascara Sagrada (for clearing)

scott — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 00:25:27 +0000

A-yay-ya-wik-a-chay (x4)
A-yay, A-yay, A-yay-ya-wik-a-chay (2x)

49. Medicine of the Mountain

scott — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 00:24:32 +0000

Redroot, Tahoma
Redroot, Tahoma
Medicine of the mountain

Redroot, Wy’east
Redroot, Wy’east
Medicine of the mountain

Redroot, Tatoosh
Redroot, Tatoosh
Medicine of the mountain