The spirit of plants is all around us, pulsing with life, waiting patiently and whispering to you
Spring is the perfect time to venture outside where the landscape is turning green and coming alive with the sound of birds and bright spring flowers in bloom.
As you marvel at the beauty of nature springing to life around you, consider that each part of the natural landscape is conscious and in constant communication with the outside world.
As a creature of nature, you carry within you the ability to understand the complex and subtle ways that nature communicates. Just like your ancestors before you, who lived more closely to the land, you too have the ability to perceive the language of nature and communicate back. We sense this connection with plants and the natural world through our physical senses and most of all through the gateway of our heart. It’s a case of feeling our way to navigate the language of the natural world, rather than thinking our way with logic and reason.
Science can inform us of the many ways that being in nature positively affects our body and physiology, lifts our mood, lowers our blood pressure, releases endorphins and so forth, but do we really need science to inform us of what our body and soul know innately? When we start listening and opening our hearts, we instinctively feel the depth of nature’s touch.
Awakening to the spirit of plants was a gradual process for me, it started with buying some house plants one day to cheer up myself and my city apartment. As I tended them on my balcony, I began a healing process and travelled into the depths my heart. It was as if the plants jumped into those dark places within and took root, filling my soul with love where I was unable to give it and bringing those sad places within me back to life with their radiance, beauty and vitality.
I let the spirit of the plants into my heart and over the years they took me on an enchanting journey of remembering, revealing their medicine and bringing me closer to the truth of who I am and what it is to be human.
Most of us live in urban environments, absorbed in screen time rather than the great outdoors and yet, more of us than ever are suffering from feelings of loneliness, depression, anxiety or disconnection. In our vacuum packed, plastic wrapped lives many of us long for the wild beauty of nature. I believe it is more important than ever before for us to seek out the stillness and the vitality of the natural world to bring ourselves back into alignment with the pulse of nature than runs through us and our planet. When we consciously take the time to connect to the trees, the landscapes and the natural elements that surround us we start to remember our sacred connections with the natural world, the language that we share and the vital forces that connect us.
Opening up to the spirit of the plants does not necessarily entail leaving the city and heading for the countryside. We can take simple daily steps of reverence to marvel at the beauty of the natural world to welcome the spirit of the plants into our hearts and rekindle our ancient connections. For some this might mean a slow walk through the park or a lunch break to sit by a favourite tree. For others it might mean walking barefoot to feel close to the earth, growing your own vegetables or learning about home herbal remedies. Or you might only be able to manage a short sit down with a cup of tea, gifting a bunch of flowers to a friend to brighten their day or simply remembering to water those office plants! The spirit of plants is all around us, pulsing with life, waiting patiently and whispering to you. The more your let it in and open your heart to its wisdom and beauty, the more it will grow on you and move through you in wild and magical ways.
Fay Johnstone is a Shamanic Herbalist, Usui Reiki Master and the author of Plants that Speak Souls that Sing: transform your life with the spirit of plants. Available for purchase now through Cygnus!
Following a beautiful awakening to the spirit of plants while running a flower farm, Fay’s work helps clients discover how to heal with Reiki and Plant medicine and connect with nature as a spiritual ally to feel confident and connected on their path. Fay’s work combines Reiki healing, Shamanic techniques and the alchemy of nature to helps us reawaken our ancient wisdom, restore our sacred relationship with the Earth and reclaim our power to become fully aligned with the truth of who we are. Fay offers training and coaching across the UK, online and from her home in Scotland. Learn more about Fay at www.fayjohnstone.com.
You can also contribute to the Cygnus blog! Click here to learn more about how you can share your experiences with the Cygnus Community just like Fay!
