Observe

Something I have heard many times from different people is the importance of observation. As a person who is pagan it is a core belief that I am part of the earth and nature and that I need to live in respect of the world around me, but how can I do this if I don't have a true connection or understanding of the way the rhythms of our planet work or interact?

Observation is a great start in forming a connection with nature. Taking time to notice the way the wind moves or how excited the wild life seems is amazing and relaxing and beautiful; observing the world around me is a wonderful form of meditation. The changing of the seasons and the passing of time can be explored with intensity just through watching.

Starhawk talks about 'earth walking' in her book Earth Path. It is a form of meditation where you get to know a certain area near you through observation and meditation with all your senses engaged. It is extremely effective and when practiced regularly it deepens the connection you have with all the energy that flows around you. It begins with the visualisation of growing rots from your feet deep down into the earth and then walking around witht his visualisation and experiencing what is around you in a concsious and open manner. I love this kind of observation, I am always amazed at how much more clearer everything seems in this state.

There are so many wonderful things to be witness to when we just open our senses to what is around us. It seems a shame to miss out on the beauty that is right in front of my nose when all I have to do is notice it.

The Magic Pumpkin

Once upon a time there was a garden. In the growing warmth of spring a woman and her friends turned the soil, fertilized it and added love to the rich earth, then the woman planted vegetables and watched them grow as the days became brighter and warmer. She delighted in witnessing the small shoots of green mature and come to life as they bore fruit.

The garden was used and visited daily, the woman began to learn about the processes of life and gained knowledge about her connection with the universe just from the relationship she developed with this garden. But too soon the days grew colder, the rain came in and along with it the slugs and snails. These little creatures were part of the earth and so the woman did not want to kill them, especially not with poisons or toxins, as she wanted the products of the garden to provide sustenance for herself and her family.

So when she started to plant winter vegetables they were quickly eaten and disappeared completely. The woman tried not to begrudge the gardens insects there meal and as it became harder for the woman to venture out into the cold and the events of her life caused her to visit the garden less and less the vegetables in that garden stopped growing and the plants that bore fruit in the warmer months died or became wild or barren.

On an unexpectedly warm day in the middle of Autumn the woman visited her neglected friend and found a vine had started growing, she was not certain of the nature of this vine but noted its resemblance to the cucumber and zucchini, and wondered if perhaps it was a plant that would grow vegetables, and as she was not actively growing vegetables at the time, the woman decided to see what would become of this plant that had spontaneously sprouted in her absence.

It was not long before it became apparent that a pumpkin vine had appeared without any effort or intention. The woman watched as a single pumpkin started to grow from the vine that had crawled up a lattice. The pumpkin that grew was raised off the ground and nestled in a patch of wild parsley. It grew bigger and bigger and the woman watched with hope as time passed. The woman left to visit a friend, she was away for two weeks, and had decided that since the pumpkin had grown without her help she should let it continue to do so for the time she was away.

Upon her return the pumpkin was a wonderful size and completely ripe. It was the only pumpkin in the patch and the rest of the vine had died back, unable to compete with the chill in the air. The woman recognized that this was a special pumpkin, a gift and a lesson, to remind her that the earth will give her sustenance and that she should trust this wisdom. She picked the pumpkin, but it was picked with reverence and respect, the earth was thanked and the pumpkin was cherished. The woman knew that she could not simply use the pumpkin in the usual manner and so she lovingly cut up the pumpkin, delighting in the contrast of its green skin and vibrant orange flesh. She added a little cumin to the chunks and roasted it, with the skin on and took it as an offering to her tribe, so that they might share in this wonderful gift and take into themselves the wisdom the earth had provided for her.

It was her Magic Pumpkin and the tribe ate together, and delighted in their ritual. They shared their love as they shared the pumpkin and the woman was happy, the garden was happy and the seeds were deposited in the compost, in the hopes that the woman would experience the pleasures of such a wonderful gift in the next year.