Back in mid-December, I attended a class called "Rewilding Your Roots" as part of my membership to Wise Woman Witchery's Diving Deeper community. This was really unexpected as it happened just as the UK was gripped in a weather system flowing down from the Arctic circle that caused very low temperatures and some snow. But that's what winter is about - reflecting and going within, just like the majority of plants do during this season. This is the season of the Hermit, staying within the comforting warmth of home, looking within for the lessons we can learn about our own selves rather than the outer world.
This is the time when we can learn about cultivating and strengthening the relationship we have with plants without worrying about growing them or planting the seeds in the garden or pots just yet. This is the season of roots, of slowing down, being still, and going within. Life isn't always about going full speed all the time - we are called human beings and not human doings. We are meant to just be sometimes and I think we forget that because we are living in a society where we have to move from one thing to the next as quickly as possible but this means we forget to pause, rest and recharge our energetic batteries.
Something else that was interesting was the fact that different plants need different soils, just like us humans. Not everyone learns best in a formal education setting - it's not the best learning route for me, at least. We all need different "soils" to thrive, from sandy to marshy to clay. This is why being able to adapt is very important but so is making sure that you are in a place that supports you, without constrictions. Just like when plants in a pot will grow their roots to fit the container; if it's too small, the roots will take the shape of the container and stay that way even when they are taken out and placed in a bigger pot.
Roots provide structure to plants as well as nutrients that the above-ground parts of the plant need. But they also receive nutrients from the above-ground parts, showing that there is a balance of give and take present even in nature. But roots need space not just to grow because they also need oxygen within the soil so being in soil that is too compact will mean that the roots can't grow and thrive. It's just like with us humans - we need space to grow and thrive but if we don't have that, then we stagnate.
Roots also provide support and help to anchor plants so they aren't washed away with every rainfall or strong wind. But roots don't always conform to the stereotype because they can adapt and grow upwards looking for oxygen, or in a more supportive way like buttresses to support the plant/tree. This is interesting because the plant responds and reacts to its immediate environment in ways that to us humans are unexpected but the roots are protecting the above-ground parts of the plant however they need to.
Plants seem to be a reflection of us during the colder months, with the roots being a reflection of the inner world and the rest of the plant is the outer world. I think it's important to remember that there is wisdom, medicine and knowledge right under our noses if we would only be willing to look near and far. We have to trust that the earthly work we are doing is going where it needs to go.
As the class progressed, there were questions that could be used to reflect on our own journeys and I wanted to document them here. At first, I was unsure whether to use one of my decks to answer these reflections but in the end, I did choose to do so and I used my Druid Plant Oracle deck for this as it's all about plants.
How can I adapt and move forward as roots do?
With Heather being upright, it's interesting because I have wanted to work with Heather for a while now but I couldn't find anywhere that I could get some essential oil from. This is a rather hardy plant, growing on hills and mountains above the point where trees will grow. So I think I'm needing to be more hardy and weather-tested in order to move forward within my life. With Heather being associated with luck and celebration, I feel like this card is saying that I need to be more willing to share my joys and achievements with the world and share what I've learned with others. Heather is also about community and I feel like I am becoming more aware of the communities I'm blessed to be a part of but I'm also starting to become more active in some of them.
What kind of "soil" do I require to grow?
With the Celtic Bean being reversed, there's an association with the Ancestors so I feel like I may need to work with my ancestors more if I really want to grow within my path. I feel like the Celtic Bean may be referencing the fact that I have an Aquarius sun so I typically tend to go against the grain and follow my own intuition and feelings rather than going where everyone else leads. I also feel like this card may be saying I need to connect with the ancestors who lived in my area centuries/millenia ago, and this is something that would actually make sense for me because I love all things Celtic and the legends that date back to them.
I actually had a difficult time with The Banes being reversed but having sat with this card for a while (and pulling a clarifier), I feel like this card is saying that I need to be more self-aware. Almost like I need to take others into account so I don't mess up their goals while in search of my own. I feel like The Banes are saying that sometimes, I am the one who stops myself from growing so I need to be careful about the actions I take and what I say, and not just how they might affect me but how they affect others.
So I did pull a clarifier card - only the second time I've ever really done this - and it was Poppy Reversed.
I feel like this card is saying that I can't force growth, regardless of whether the soil is right for me or not. Poppy seeds don't grow as soon as they are situated in soil - they can be dormant for years before they spring into life, and I feel like this is another message Poppy has for me. If I'm not comfortable with the conditions I'm in, then I have to wait until I am comfortable before I can grow, either by waiting for the right conditions or travelling to find them hoping that I'll recognise them. I have to be patient if I truly want to be able to grow, no matter what form that growth may take. I feel like the Poppy came to me reversed to teach me patience.
What is or isn't nourishing me right now? Are there any adjustments I need to make?
With Borage being reversed, I feel like the message is confirmation that I've been doing all the right work towards dealing with my grief but also all the Shadow Work that has been a huge theme of 2022. Perhaps the only adjustment I need to make is to be more gentle with myself as I come to terms with the various difficult/challenging experiences I've had in my life. I feel like Borage is also advising me to be cautious, to avoid impulsive decisions and/or actions because they may not actually serve my highest good or that of others. Borage may also be suggesting that I need to remember how far I've come, even if I'm not where I'd most like to be, and where I have come from.
Do I need protection as I grow, and if so, what?
With Juniper being upright, I feel like the message is that I don't need protection per se but cleansing may be needed instead. Years ago, Juniper was used to cleanse homes, livestock and people in preparation for the arrival of Summer. This is really interesting because I have been taking a series of classes since the Season of the Witch 2022 virtual conference that has tied in with Spring and/or Summer of 2023 for me - I will be writing about this later in the year so don't worry about missing out on anything so far in my journey. I feel like Juniper is saying that I need to cleanse myself of something or that there's something I have yet to finish from the work I've been doing in the last 12-ish months. I have a tendency to not set clear intentions when I start something so perhaps Juniper may be suggesting that with my latest projects and any future ones, I may want to consider acting thoughtfully and purposefully while retaining my need for spontaneity.
How can I make this journey more comfortable as I grow?
Betony Reversed, Mandrake Upright
With Betony being reversed, I feel like this card is saying that I can make this journey I am on more comfortable by dealing with the root of my issues, instead of just removing a symptom without healing the cause. I feel like Betony is advising that I need to stop trying to "keep the peace" with others and instead be more willing to communicate and express my emotions and opinions. It's interesting that I did this reading on Yule 2022 because at the end of that same week was the anniversary of my mum's passing - Betony has long been used as a healing herb so for it to be reversed would indicate that I was indeed hurting in some way at the time. Perhaps I need to be more willing to face my emotions and sit with them, to truly experience them rather than push them away.
With Mandrake being upright, I feel like the message is that I can find more comfort if I am willing to alleviate the pain and suffering of others, because it may in turn help me to heal as well. This next phase of my journey may involve some kind of wealth and abundance, things that I am not so comfortable with, so I may need to find a way to allow these things to bring comfort to my life - maybe even through doing more courses that help others to heal. Perhaps Mandrake is suggesting that because I love to learn, I may need to take things slow and integrate knowledge before I try to use it to help others along their healing journeys.
How can I overcome barriers to continue my growth?
With Puffball being upright, I'm getting that perhaps I need to stop questioning everything while also expecting some kind of definite answer to my queries. I can't understand everything that happens so maybe it's time that I approach the Unknown and Inner Mysteries with reverence rather than curiosity. This aptly named mushroom is associated with the Faery folk. I would like to work more with the Fae, especially with my little balcony area and so it may be the appropriate time to learn more about them and how I can work with them rather than getting in my own way. I feel like I am the biggest barrier to my own growth and that sometimes I need to get involved with something Other in order to discover how I can achieve certain things.
How can I learn from roots about how to overcome these barriers?
With Fir Club Moss being reversed, I feel like the message is that I can learn how to approach any new project or endeavour with caution. I have to be willing to nurture any project in its early stages, even if some of them aren't meant to be fully realised. But at the same time, not all ideas or projects are meant to be realised so I have to be willing to let go and adapt to my surroundings before I can see any kind of growth. I do have a tendency to be too critical of myself and what it is that I wish to do, and I feel like this is something that I need to learn from roots - to not be too critical or my project won't amount to anything. I need to nurture and grow in the shade of others, without feeling like I'm being overshadowed.
What is the path of least resistance?
With Clover being upright, I feel like the path of least resistance may be held within my emotions. I have a tendency to fight against them due to my mental health issues and childhood experiences where I felt I couldn't display my emotions out of fear of repercussions and appearing weak. I also feel like this card is saying that the path of least resistance may be held within growing comfortable with the idea of having enough and being enough.
I feel like another aspect of this card is that I need to follow my intuition and find a sense of flow that may have been missing from my life. The path of least resistance for me may just be within being comfortable with being unique and blooming in places others might not.
What kind of container do I need?
Agrimony Upright
With Agrimony being upright, I feel like I need to be prepared for new beginnings; almost like I shouldn't worry about the kind of container I need and instead I should focus on being ready for a new start. It sort of feels like I'm only just starting a new phase of growth and I'm not needing a container just yet because my roots haven't grown big enough to need one. It's either that or I am needing to be free and wild. With Birch being pictured with Agrimony, this really confirms the feeling of having a new beginning but also that I need to find some way to purify my home, energy and self of thoughts, feelings and/or attachments that are no longer serving me because I need to be able to step forward boldly into a new phase of my life.
Well, that was completely unexpected, from the cards and their messages to the entire experience of this. But it was definitely insightful about how I can move forward and grow, both within my soul and in my day-to-day life. I feel like this has all been about how I connect and work with Nature and all the wisdom she holds that is so close if I choose to accept it and learn from it.
I hope this inspires you to think about how you connect with plants and the various parts of any given plant. Let my experience influence how you work with Nature and her bountiful wisdom.
Peace and love to all!!!
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