Sun That Warms Me
God gave us the gifts of the herbs
Some of you know that my herbal book for kids was with a publisher. That is now past tense, as the project was cancelled. This is a blow, of course. At the same time, I can’t help but wonder what instead God has in mind for Paloma and Wings. I have a body of illustrations, completely redone and professionally scanned, as well as fully edited text. And I have some new perspectives - on the characters themselves and their stories.
Here is one of the new illustrations:
Paloma and Wings in Grandmother Bay Tree - Illustration by Jane Valencia
It’s tempting to dive into updating my book, and - as I did three years ago - self-publish it.
But the holiday season approaches, and for many reasons, it may be better to wait and take some time to reflect, and to pray: “Holy Spirit, guide me.”
We’ll see what the new year brings regarding this duo and their project!
In the meantime, I can’t help but muse on herbs, and the part they play in God’s mercy and design.
God’s story with the human family is a love story. Herbs are an expression in the Book of Creation of that encompassing and deeply personal love. Plants give: Air to breathe, nutrients to build the soil, food and habitat for many creatures, fiber for our clothing, materials, medicine, beauty and inspiration, opportunities for play (follow a child into a garden or down a forest path!) and even reverence. And we enjoy and love them in turn. Adam and Eve were the first gardeners, and tending to people with plant medicine has been and can be an extension of this original devotion.
I am sure that after the Fall, in addition to teaching Adam and Eve to hunt (as indicated by the animal skin clothes he gave them), that God opened their minds and hearts to working with the herbs for medicine!
Here is a poem I wrote awhile back, inspired as I continually am by St. Hildegard of Bingen, who worked with and wrote about herbs. St. Hildegard would never have considered separating her practice as an herbalist physician from her understanding of creation, life, and wellbeing as being treasures from God.
Sun That Warms Me
Sun that warms me
above around within
heart fire in every cell
Garden that is the earth of me
organs, sinew, bone
limbs, brain, blood and lymph
heart and many elements
Hildegard knew your language
I strive to learn it too:
Your wisdom expressed in the virtues
plants and their song
the seasonal orchestra of weather and soil
the anima that is
your breath in each one of us
the movement of stars and the balance of waters
How far we have come from even a recent time when
attentive folk and physicians understood
that we are gardens
and that to heal is to be a gardener in devotion
coaxing an attentive ear to the heart
the activity of rivers discerned in a pulse
the wellness of spirit expressed
in the light of one's eye
Blessed are you, I AM,
who shaped us in your image
inquisitive, intelligent, creative
and formed us to serve in
love and discipline,
compassionate skill and
listening art
May we be faithful stewards
of your healing ways
Amen.
Until next time!
Yours in Christ,
Jane