Growing stronger roots
It is interesting how in recent years we became obsessed with soil and what’s happening underground (is that Pluto in Aquarius- everyone gets obsessed with an underworld?). In the domain of agriculture, we heard a lot about the soil health and its vital role in carbon sequestration and food systems. Everyone is obsessed with fungi and mycelial
... See moreSo, let’s get back to why the roots are the most important part of a tree. Conceivably, this is where the tree equivalent of a brain is located. Brain? you ask. Isn’t that a bit farfetched? Possibly, but now we know that trees can learn. This means they must store experiences somewhere, and therefore, there must be some kind of a storage mechanism
... See morePeter Wohlleben • The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate—Discoveries from A Secret World (The Mysteries of Nature Book 1)
Instead of digging its roots deep and solitary into the earth, the oak tree grows its roots wide and interlocks with other oak trees in the surrounding area.
adrienne maree brown • Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds
I learned from my own life that when I am focusing on external achievement, validation, and having a glamouruos life (at least glamorous in my unverse), I end up overshooting. Gardeners know this when seedlings become to tall without the proper root and strength to survive outdoors- these seedlings that grow and strive too zealously are called
... See more“A gardener is not someone who grows flowers but one who cultivates the soil. You need to delve into the ground’s organic underworld to appreciate the soil’s potential for fostering life.So, to create something truly alive and nourishing, we must be willing to immerse ourselves in the rich, fertile soil of our own humanity — the depths of our... See more
I think that skills for growing stronger roots are:
nurturing social connections- roots are interconnected
resting- roots are inactive for some periods
collaborative & accepting- fungi and tree roots forming mycoryzal networks
connecting with the ancestors- deep roots
doing things that are self-satisfactory (for your own internal motivation rather than
“There is such urgency in the multitude of crises we face, it can make it hard to remember that in fact it is urgency thinking (urgent constant unsustainable growth) that got us to this point, and that our potential success lies in doing deep, slow, intentional work.” - adrienne maree brown
Today, I started my day with gardening work. A small harvest of potatoes that we grew in a few buckets (our small recession garden) and it felt so good and grounding to do that type of work. We work in the garden on some week nights and weekends and every time I get there and work with soil and plants for at least 15 minutes, my anxiety alleviates.
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