Can you hear me now?

Here we are in the middle of 2020 and I think we can collectively agree the times they are a changin’.
In 2019, some extremes occurred that should alarm us all, yet, we don’t have the memory capacity with 2020 hitting us hard in the face. Let’s have a look behind us at just a few of those extremes.
Colorado Springs airport recorded the largest wind gust in its history clocking in at 90 MPH making air travel literally seem like a toss up. In March 2019, hundreds of people had to be air lifted from a cruise ship because the seas were so rocky the boat could not reach the shore safely making travel by sea iffy as well.
The blizzard cyclone of 2019 that hit Colorado, Nebraska, South Dakota and Iowa flooded 3 out of 4 of those states with devastating results. Several factory farming operations including pig farms, chicken and cattle ranching operations ground to a halt. Many chemically grown and GMO crops were destroyed never to recover with large ice bergs covering the land as a result.
Something tells me we aren’t doing this right.
There’s a saying among herbalists that goes like this: If you listen to your body when it whispers, it won’t result in a screaming catastrophe. I would say Mother Nature has found her loud voice.
Everything I have pointed out here are symptoms of an out of balance terrain and represent some of the biggest polluters on the planet. We haven’t given the necessary attention to the obvious clues regarding the health of our planet and now we’ve got a real mess on our hands.
Currently many supplies we take for granted are out of stock. Even the grocery stores with their normally full shelves are not functioning well due to shortages. Shortages created by hoarding.
Life on planet Earth
It may seem to some that we are being punished due to our current situation, however, Nature isn’t trying to kill us. Her whole motivation is toward creating biodiversity and sustaining life. We have done a great job trying to fight against that. I’ve said time and again that anytime we declare war on Nature, weve already lost the fight. I say this for several reasons.
The industrial age has put incredible pressure on the microbiome of the Earth. When we destroy a plot of land using weed killers and herbicides, the weeds are the first to re-emerge. This is Nature’s way of re-establishing the mycelium and intelligence in the soil. The viruses, bacteria and fungi that show up are all part of life and will also come in droves to restore balance. All part of Natures solution to correct imbalance created by us.
This is why the application of herbicides time and again is a futile endeavor. Eventually, the weeds, bacteria and fungi will adapt and the cycle of life will continue resulting in what farmers refer to as “superweeds.” Nature has a rapid response mechanism at her disposal called evolution and she will win in the end.
Which way now?
We’ve lost our way with many not knowing which way to turn. In times of uncertainty, I always turn to what I know is true for me. I know that the Earth will provide everything we need to live a good healthy life, if, and only if we show respect and reciprocity. Something that has been missing from the equation in our relationship with the planet for too long. Again, we see imbalance. For this reason, I would like to introduce the concept of what’s known as the honorable harvest.
The guidelines for the Honorable Harvest are seldom written down, or even consistently spoken of. They are reinforced in small acts of daily life. Something we all have control over. If you were to list them, they would look something like this:
Know the ways of the ones who take care of you, so that you may take care of them.
Introduce yourself.
Be accountable as the one who comes asking for life
Ask permission before taking. Abide by the answer.
Never take the first. Never take the last.
Take only what you need.
Take only that which is given
Never take more than half. Leave some for others.
Harvest in a way that minimizes harm
Use it respectfully. Never waste what you have taken.
Share.
Give thanks for what you have been given.
Give a gift, in reciprocity for what you have taken.
Sustain the ones who sustain you and the earth will last forever.”
From Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer

All people whose traditions are rooted in gratitude understand honorable harvest’s unwritten rules. To begin with, gratitude has a significant role. Some cultures begin their day with a prayer of gratitude before their feet touch the ground. I personally feel it’s a great way to start the day. To show appreciation for the most important aspects in life that allow us all to live. Water, air, warmth and the Earth that gives us food and medicine. These are true essentials. Showing gratitude in turn reassures us that if we have these fundamental necessities, our basic needs are met.
When entering wild places like meadows and forests, one must enter with respect and honor the living beings around you as if you were entering someone’s home, because you are. Here I envision the massive crowds of people pushing through the doors of the big box stores on black Friday. Seems rather rude, doesn’t it? A perfect example of how not to enter wild sovereign areas.
Guidelines
Traditional people who feed their families off the land have harvest guidelines designed to help maintain the health and vitality of wildlife species; both for their own sake as well as to safeguard a sustainable supply for future generations.
If your goal is to harvest the plants that grow in the wild, the simple rule of only taking what you need is of the utmost importance. You never take the first plant you see and that will guarantee you never take the last. In between, you never harvest more than 50% of the plants you can see from where you are standing. My rules happen to be even more stringent. If the ten students I take on an herb walk practiced the 50% rule on the same patch of land, there wouldn’t be much left for anyone else. We aren’t the only ones who use the plants, consideration for those around you is essential in honorable harvest. Something we all could stand to practice not just in these times, but for all time.
In Native American cultures there are many stories passed from generation to the next that are told to help restore and maintain balance. Cautionary tales of the consequences of taking too much are ubiquitous in these cultures. I don’t recall any such stories as a child growing up which could be why the desire to over consume is ubiquitous in ours. Over consumption is as destructive to us as it is those being over consumed.
As humans, we often take the life of other beings in order to eat. How do we consume in such a way that justifies taking the life of another or show appreciation? Most people don’t give it a second thought. However, our ancestors gave this question plenty of consideration. When we rely deeply on other lives to survive, there is a necessity to protect and sustain them.
A reciprocity if you will
Studies have shown that when humans interact mindfully and tend the land they rely on, the benefits are mutual. This is a form of reciprocity. Imagine how that house plant feels when you trim the crispy dry leaves away. The same can be practiced in wild places. The trees benefit from snapping the dead lower branches off. Some practice this as fire mitigation on their properties if only to save their dwellings from wildfire.
When harvesting, take from areas where plants could use thinning due to over -crowding. for example, this may require that you delve deep into the water to reach the middle of a patch of cattails as opposed to taking from the edges where the plant needs thinning the least.
Return in the fall to spread seeds or just tilt the head of a flower in seed, bury it in the dirt and give it a drink from your water bottle.
Never wasting what you’ve taken is a form of appreciation in itself. Many plants can be rotted in water and used as fertilizer if you feel you’ve taken too much. You can pay it forward in this manner, showing benefit to other plants.
As hard as it may seem to practice self-restraint, when Grandma offers you a plate of cookies, you wouldn’t take them all. Mother Earth would ask you to extend that same courtesy to her. Each one of us can incorporate honorable harvest principles in our daily lives. There is no one path to follow, taking only what you need is easy to remember and considering the consequences of our actions is another.
I believe in the creativity and ingenuity of humans. Moving forward I think it’s time to break our patterns of overconsumption and find a path toward sustainability so everyone can benefit and hopefully find our way back to some sense of balance. If you would like to right your relationship with the Earth, one need look no further than what the indigenous people have known all along. Let Nature be your guide.
She patiently awaits our respectful return.

Mari Marques Worden is a State Certified Herbalist and owner of The Thymekeeper. For questions or more information contact: Mari at mugsyspad@aol.com or 719-439-7303. Mari is available for private consultation.