A Pause, A Poem
on the banks of gandy creek, west virginia
This past month, I was immersed in a National Radio Quiet Zone in the mountains of West Virginia. This means 13,000 square miles of land, federally protected from radio wave interference, in order to host the world's largest steerable radio telescope at the Green Bank Observatory. There was no cell service, no Wifi -- and I felt myself coming back to basics: tuning into the gentle presence that resides at each of our cores. It’s that place where a butterfly may come to land in the palm of your open hand.
I allowed myself to arrive here even when, at first, my mind still seemed to residually crave access to texting, social media, or at least Google Maps. For $10, I purchased a paper map of West Virginia, placed my phone in the glove compartment of my car, and let go. It felt as if I'd pressed the reset button of my awareness, and I share this with you to say: even if you cannot afford a trip to a quiet zone, a Reset Button will soon present itself through the cosmos.
Every 28 days, we are graced with a New Moon. This is a period of dark when the Sun conjuncts the Moon and all possibilities are placed on the table. We may question old behaviors and habits as we make way for new ideas and inspirations. About every 6 months, this period of the New Moon is accelerated by a Solar Eclipse, when the Sun and the Moon are in perfect alignment with the Earth so that the Moon covers the Sun. On July 2nd - this upcoming Tuesday - there will be a New Moon & Total Solar Eclipse at 3:16pm (EDT).
Although we won’t be able to see this celestial event in the US, its energy will still be palpable and important. I invite you to open up a moment in the next day or so to sit, take a deep breath, and draw inward. Ask yourself, “What isn’t working for me?” and alternatively, “What lights me up?". Your intuitive knowing will be heightened at this time, and the Eclipse energy can bring up shadows from the past that are blocking you from shining, expanding, and being present. Access a sense of clarity around what you aim to shed and cultivate as this Eclipse opens a portal, presses reset, and launches you into your next chapter.
And here's a poem from the plants during my recent moment of pause:
birds as butterflies
hills of red columbine
pedicularis creekside
footpaths lined with
achillea, clover, and arctium -
standing tall as guardians
as i sit amidst budding
hemlock tips and sip
wild elderberry wine
basket of pedicularis from a bountiful, creekside patch near seneca rock, west virginia. pedicularis is a beautiful anti-spasmodic & anxiolytic herb.
Solar Eclipse Medicine
July 2nd is the first total solar eclipse to occur since the one in August 2017 that was visible to us in the United States. This stone & flower essence was made during that astrological event-- a time when the moon shadows the sun; encouraging us to peer inward and work with our own shadows.
This vibrational remedy specifically allows us to heal through the power of our dreams. It contains the essences of Queen Anne's Lace, Mugwort, Moldavite, Herkimer Diamond, and a unique song. With Queen Anne's lace, we gain more clarity and lucidity in our dreamworld. After all, Queen Anne's Lace is Wild Carrot-- and carrots strengthen our eyes and our ability to see clearly. Mugwort, aka Cronewort, encourages more vivid dreams, and specifically, brings forth into our dreamscapes our 'shadows'-- that which we need to heal to transform our lives. The creation of this essence came with a powerful song, printed on the back of the bottle, which you can read to affirm the energy of the essence before taking it:
The Queen will you help me see clearly in my dreams
The Crone will you show me what I need to know
to heal my body, my bones, and my soul