I was delighted to speak at the FEECA conference at the Elphinstone Institute, University of Aberdeen, Scotland, last weekend. Elphinstone was established in 1995 as a centre for the research and study of the culture of the North and northeast of Scotland. It was quite evident at the weekend that its scholars are fulfilling this remit. There was a wonderful workshop on weaving with different grasses and I will certainly take a closer look at the many distinct types of grasses that grow on my doorstep in the future. Our ancestors really wasted nothing and used the materials on hand to make beautiful and functional items. They understood how important it was to work with nature, and utilize the materials nature gave them, and by doing this they incorporated a wellness cycle into their lives.
It is only by recognising the wheel of the year that we can really create healing in our lives, by following the seasons we become aware that we are just one species among others and that we are dependent on our environment. We learn to notice the passage of each month by the flowers that bloom, the waxing and waning of the moon each month, and the ebb and flow of the tide every day. We open our eyes and breathe in the energy of our natural home.
In my year-long course, The Irish Healing Year, we discuss how the different rituals, pilgrimages, and plants contribute to our health and wellness. More importantly, it shows the partakers how to slow down and view the world differently.
