Hello! I am Piñon. My tree is round, robust and generous. My branches support lots of critters that land on me for a brief moment or a longer stay. Being well suited to the dry climate of the Southwest, I thrive in the sandy soil that I enrich with layers of needles, pine cones and old dead branches to make a rich fertile compost that feeds my roots.
I am a mother tree, providing food for birds, mammals and humans alike. You can come to me for nurturing, delicious nuts or a little shade. I can teach you how to have compassion for yourself and others. I can help mend the parts of your body that suffer from too much worry. My needles are a joy to cradle in your hand. I am calming. Think how you feel when you inhale the sweet scent of pine after a rainfall. I am happy to serve you and adopt you as part of my family. There is much caring and love here.
I am Bindweed, Master of all. I creep along the ground and up the stems of anything in my path. I make white flowers, pink flowers, lots of them. Gardeners think I am insidious. They see me as a cancer in their garden because I have no rules, no boundaries. I climb up and across. I proliferate. I take over.
My blossoms are round pink bowls with a golden starburst attached to the lip. I am a receiver, open to anything that nourishes me and grateful for it – air, water, the light and warmth of the sun. My stems form a circle with the blossoms facing outward in every direction. My leaves are shaped like funnels to catch each drop of rainfall. I sense the vibration of life around me – the wind swishing through the grasses and leaves, the insects, birds and animals moving about, even the timbre of your machines as they pass. And I bless the air around me with my scent – sweet and welcoming.
I am bold and brash. I fill the arroyos and roadsides with my presence. I have a strong odor that some would call “stinky.” My bright orange flowers announce the change of seasons from summer to fall. They hang on for a long time. I am oblivious to those who would rather I be gone. I am not concerned with what they think of me. Once I establish my slender green stems and plentiful roots into the earth, I remain and proliferate.
I am present. I listen. I have fuzzy furry leaves that are pleasant to touch. I put a softness in your day, lighten your heart. My flowers are like little suns, coming for a day, then falling away like a flowery sunset. I am present and aware of everything going on around me. The bugs come and tickle the hairs on my leaves. The bees buzz, the beetles crawl. The sun lights up my leaves and makes them transparent.
You found me growing in the ancient red soil of the desert.
First you’ll notice my bright pink rounded petals. Between them are the dark red ones, slim, shaped like tongues of fire. I suggest fire, yet I bring you coolness. I can be found in forested areas, in meadows, beside trails and streams. I like wet places. My essence radiates peace and a feeling that all is well. I am the flower that rises from the blackened soil of a forest fire. When I show my face, you know that renewal has begun.
I am golden. I light up the forest with my bright yellow blossoms. I pour light into your heart, filling it with energy to help you fulfill your dreams. My petals hold secrets of the woodlands. They are doors that reveal secrets as I gradually open them to reveal my heart. I bring you joy and teach you how to follow your path with ease. No worries, no doubts. You are here on earth to enjoy the beauty of creation. Dream! Imagine! What is your heart’s desire? Think big and think happy. I can light the way. We are many. We grow in community. When in our company, your heart chakra expands to include more of the life around you. You don’t have to reach out and grab it. It’s already here. Relax into the beauty of creation. You are part of it.
Singing Earth Alchemy 