By Sarah Penello
featured photo is Gardenia
all photos by Sarah Penello
There is a prevailing myth in our current cultural paradigm which tells us that we exist outside of the concept of “nature.”
That the human world somehow is separate from the ecosystems at play outside our doors.
In this myth, flora and fauna exist entirely in the realm of the other, as objects to be acted upon and utilized to serve the purposes of man- who believes that he holds dominion over all the lands and beasts of the earth.
The truth is that we exist in community with every plant, creature, insect, microbe, mycelium and amoeba that shares our physical location- from both a microscopic and macroscopic perspective.
This is true whether we acknowledge it or not.
How conscientious we want to be to our neighbors is up to us.
The Poetry of the Landscape is a practice of observing the subtle worlds around us, of paying closer attention and getting to know one’s neighbors of other species. It was first introduced to me by a wise teacher (and prolific gardener), Leslie Hanks, who studied under Dr. Vasant Lad.
We would take long ambling walks through her canopied Tallahassee neighborhood in silence, until we reached a bridge that crossed a creek. Once we turned back, we could speak again- but only to greet, by name, the plants and animals that we encountered.
I became well acquainted with the flora and fauna of that ecosystem, which made me feel intimately connected to it, and fall more deeply in love with the place where I lived.
When I traveled to other places and discovered these plant and animal beings again, the act of recognizing them and greeting them by name lit me up from within.
It felt like running into old friends in unexpected places.
I’ve carried this practice with me, and it has given me great joy and comfort wherever I have traveled in the world.
From the Oregano Brujo and Red Cedars of Cuba to the Mugwort growing wild all over New York City, I have old friends I can visit anywhere on the planet.
Now, whenever I arrive in a new place, I make a point of learning as much about the local ecosystem as I can. Just by learning to recognize and name the neighbors, I feel more connected, more grounded, and more like I belong.
Plant magic goes so much deeper than consumption.
We do not have to harvest, disturb or consume plants to receive their medicines.
There is immense healing power just in noticing them.
These days, I live in a humid subtropical climate, and it is our wet season. It is incredibly luscious, and at this time the plants aren’t fighting for sunlight or resources- everything is verdant, the trees are heavy with fruits.
Here, I have noticed that the Gardenias bloom with the Full Moon, and the fruit of the largest Mango trees ripens last.
I am so grateful to be present for this blooming and abundance, every day I walk the land and take account of the wild bounty of the earth.
Even if you live in a city, there are plants and animals all around you. Life always finds a way.
If you are reading this right now, I invite you to take a walk in your neighborhood and notice the plants that occupy the same geographic spaces as you.
How many of them can you greet by name?
Are there any that call out to you that you don’t know yet?
I invite you to seek out their names, so that the next time you meet, it will be as old friends.
As a planet, our greatest treasure is biodiversity.
By noticing and becoming acquainted with the vast multitudes of beings around us, we become more aware of the multifaceted nature of existence.
When we get to know the beings around us, we are much more likely to be sensitive to their personhood.
When we begin to understand that every plant, creature, insect, microbe, mycelium and amoeba is an individual who just wants to live– like us- then we start to move in a way that honors their sovereignty.
About the Author:
Sarah Penello’s education in plant medicine began at age 4 in her mother’s backyard garden, and it has continued ever since.
She holds a B.S. in Cultural Anthropology and Biology, with a focus on Ethnobotany.
She studied Ayurvedic Herbalism under Leslie Hanks, and became an Ayurvedic Practitioner under Dr. Naina Marballi, at Ayurveda’s World in New York City.
She is fascinated by co-evolution of plants and humans, and all of the lore, connections, symbolism and mythology that has evolved out of our relationship with plants.
She’s a forager, a wild chef, a maker of seasonal plant medicine, an author, an artist, a tarot reader, co-founder of The Church of the Cosmic Cunt, and a senior editor of Creatrix.
You can book a tarot reading or plant medicine session with her, and you can shop her plant products at Sasquatch Botanica.
