Today at our family plant walk we discussed the resilient power of nature and how to see that with many examples such as the plants that were sticking out of the sidewalk in the poison ivy that was again taking over the area. We put on our psychic future sunglasses and we allowed ourselves to see what would occur in the hundreds of years and 10,000 years, and that the same very tip of the poison ivy vine called the meristem, would lead the way in the return to nature as the children of the world change their perceptions and become adults.
We talked of some other plants including mugwort and broadleaf dock, and talked of the magic healing of sassafras with a beautiful root to deepen our medicine senses. We then headed into the forest.
The first friend we saw there was a stand of big beautiful black birch trees in which we smelled deeply and everybody used as a toothbrush, we talked of the alchemy of making roots beer with the families as rituals, and envisioned how these ancient beverages were made. dental hygiene for children is easy when you play in nature and chew on sticks .
From there I climbed a tree barefoot to try to get at some of the younger twigs to share with everyone, in which I showed them my new favorite yoga position: raccoonasana – from there when I asked the children what they wanted to do all of them answered that they wanted to climb trees too. We then took a careful moment to assess the area and find a wonderful group of trees to play with.
We spent the next hour climbing trees barefoot and smiling. It was truly a joy to watch the innate ability of children to just climb up and down trees so gracefully, perhaps it is our adult doubts that get in our way.
From there we all ended up in the middle of the trail, discussing the power of homeschooling, nature play, making Mandalas, and any questions the parents wanted to ask. The kids were joyously like a busy bees collecting and digging sassafras roots so they can all take them home and drink the secret medicine that has been drink on this land for perhaps millions of years.
As we enjoyed each other’s company, spontaneously several children and I began to deeply touch and work with the soil. Moving it back and fourth between our hands and Feeling the coolness and it’s familiarity, I then reminded them that they were indeed playing with Stardust. I asked one child why she felt called to touch the soil she exclaimed, “because it feels great”.
From there the children joyously began to rub it all over their feet and their legs and we let them. We let them rub and rub the soil of the earth upon their legs and their feet and they began to turn brown; they are the Earth children and they knew it.
After we all caked up with the power of the earth, I shared with them the significance that indeed this ancient ritual would have been repeated every time our tribe would go out and hunt and stalk animals. They realized how important it was to take away their sheen which the animals watch for if they were in a hunting scenario.
They were camouflaging naturally. Preparing for what work lies ahead. Warriors of the earth, every single one of them.
Plant medicine blessings ,
Dandelion
I’ll be posting a video of us playing in the soil in this magic moment mentioned on my Instagram: returntonature which will also end up on the Rtn fb page at www.facebook.com/returntonatureskills
To donate to the return to nature teaching mission and outreach please PayPal to Dan@ReturntoNature.us – all donations go to further spreading nature education to children and adults.
