Tis the Season for the days of Gratitude! We never question much that we should give gratitude at this special time of year – even on the crazy world of facebook people lay out their gratitudes each day for 30 days. And its a wonderful practice to include at this season. But it also seems that practicing gratitude is even more important during the rest of the year. I can tell you from my own experience- that finding the gratitudes for even the tinest things in your day to day life- be it during times of stress, heartache or just mundane day to day – is so important to our basic state of mind, and to improving our lives. Shifting perspective from what we lack, what we have lost, what we wish was different, to blessing and being grateful for the abundance and magic that is present in our lives already- inevitably attracts more of the same.
I know how hard it is for me to be grateful at times, when my heart is hurting so much I can barely breathe, when it feels like resources have run out, when you are so tired you can barely lift your head from the desk- but its absolutely true that in THESE moments is when gratitude serves us the most. It can shift our focus and our minds eye from creating more of what we dont want into honoring, recognizing and more importantly gratefully accepting with willingness the blessings in front of us. Recently a friend did a tarot reading for me- during a week of a lot of communication problems and upheaval – and one of the major players was that card where someone cries at the 4 spilled cups in front of them, while ignoring the beautiful vessel behind them being filled eternally from the abundance of the earth, and spirit. It was a reminder to me….what am I denying or refusing to allow into my life by not offering gratitude, and focusing on the spilled cups.
So yes, practice your gratitude now, especially for the many blessings of abundance we experience at this holiday season. And I urge you to join me in the following practice which I started several years ago, let go, and am finding I really need to reinstate. I seem to have found myself focusing on my sadness and loss this holiday season- and to turn around the frown- each day- in a little journal dedicated to this- I write down three things I am honestly and truly grateful for. Even the small things….today- that I planned, purchased and executed a beautiful home cooked breakfast for my family, that I received several new pairs of cozy fuzzy warm socks for the winter months, and that I have the space in my life to create work that I love, beauty in what I do each day, and the opportunity to cultivate more self love and acceptance.
As I do so, I think about plant medicines and energies that can help us cultivate this sense of
gratitude, of accepting abundance into our lives, and a sense of focusing on the gifts rather than the loss and lack. One plant essence that I love for welcoming in the flow of abundance and gratitude is Desert Willow. A few drops of this in my water each day helps me to find the flow of abundance and gratitude.
Cacao is also a wonderful plant ally for abundance and richness. It was traditionally used as a ceremonial beverage for “royalty” in mayan and aztec cultures, and was also used as currency because it was considered so valuable. It pairs with vanilla orchids- another rich and special plant that brings in the elements of softness, lushness and the peace of having more than enough. I often carry around a few cacao beans as a talisman to remind me to notice the abundance and be grateful in my day.
Acorns have also always reflected this attitude of gratitude and receiving what is coming to me freely- I have been known to create money mojo bags with a few coins, a dollar bill, or a check, with several acorns placed in it- they represent the immense potential and possibility of a tiny seed that becomes a massive tree. This can be placed on an altar, carried in a pouch around your neck, or even buried in the earth or burned in a ceremonial fire, but rarely has this trick not helped me to create the oppurtunties to create and receive abundance.
Corn- a traditional food plant of the harvest season, often finds its way to our holiday tables in some form or another, and one of the biggest lessons I have received from working with Corn as an ally- has been a deep recognition of the sacredness all around us, all the time, and the abundance we have as a community. Corn is a community food and medicine- used as a sacred ally and a staple food by cultures across the Americas for thousands of years. Make some corn bread- and break it with prayers of gratitude and thanks with your community this holiday.
What other plant allies bring you into alignment with gratitude and abundance?
You can comment below or feel free to join the discussion on Facebook about Plant allies for gratitude and abundance here!
In great gratitude for you, and all you do to support my little business of bringing you the best of herbal medicines and remedies crafted with love and magic from the Southwest, and to create and connect each of us deeper and more closely with the sacredness of plant medicine all around us – I’m offering you a 20% off discount at Blue Turtle Botanicals this week! Just use the code “gratitude20” at your check out for a 20% discount on your entire order.
This sale is good between Wednesday evening until Monday evening- Dec 2.
SHAMANA FLORA 