Hello, Prairiewoods friends!
Last Saturday I was out at Palisades-Kepler State Park. It is a place I feel at home with, a land of love, wisdom and magic. The Spring Beauty wildflowers are in bloom, carpeting the land in utter delight. They are so abundant, so joyful in their dancing, that I could not help but laugh. As I laughed, I felt them laughing too. I sensed their cheerful aliveness, gleeful with my delight of them, unconditional in their love. I fell madly in love. The more-than-human world loves us unconditionally, offering radical hospitality. Come, sit, play, be, just as you are—all are welcome. I have always loved flowers but this past week I have fallen even more in love, thinking about them every day. They inspired this blog post, an invitation into the loving realm of flowers. I hope you find some flowers to visit with.
Here are some pictures and imaginal messages from my visit with the flowers:
Spring Beauty
Laugh with me, let us delight together.
Red Trillium
Show me your heart. What do my three prominent leaves remind you of?
Jack-in-the-Pulpit
Why, hello there. Listen to me. Who are you listening to?
Garlic Mustard
(Disliked by many people and often considered an invasive plant, meaning that it can take over and crowd out other species. Sound familiar?) What stories do you tell yourself and your people about what is considered good and what is considered bad? What stories are worth preserving? What stories are worth restoring? What new stories shall we create together?
May Apple
Shelter in place. Check out this realm beneath us.
I recently came across the album The Code of the Flowers by Ayla Nereo. Here is one of her songs, “Wild Burn.”
“Do the blooms know their righteous power, the beauty of being seen?”
From my heart to yours,
—Emelia Sautter, Prairiewoods ecospirituality coordinator