Initiation by Fire and Fireweed

Suddenly four months have gone by. I think most of the people reading this newsletter are in Chicago. To all of my Chicago friends, chosen family, and clients, I miss you all dearly. I think of you often and hope to connect to many of you personally soon if I haven’t already. Know that my internet access is currently poor. I’m working on improving it and scheduling time when I will be in places with good service, but if you reach out to me, I will respond, and if I don’t in a week or two, please feel free to reach out again. I think when I literally have no service, messages don’t always come through. You can also email me at rekindlingawareness@proton.me. And within this newsletter, I have several ways to connect even without shared words.

Though I miss you all, I’ve gained and learned so much from coming to Oregon! With all the down time and time where the only alarms are those of the song birds warning each other when cats are walking by, I’ve been able to integrate so much that I’ve been working on personally the past few years. Deepening realizations of my own value have been settling into me. Prioritizing myself and my needs has let some deep parts of me truly know that it is safe for them to be here. As lovely as that is, I’ve also been overwhelmed.

I grew up in various suburbs, so basically not city-smart, or country smart. Chicago taught me to move through a city. Rural Oregon is teaching me to move through the country. Despite my years of experience studying plants and foraging, I knew little about creating Fire and have until now been a jealous bystander, watching those proficient at making camp fires work magic. (Or disappointedly watching the fellow ignorant use lighter fluid to get fires going.) What I’ve learned about creating fires has taught me more than just about Fire.

During the next twelve weeks starting August 11th, I will send out a bi-weekly email with a different lesson I learned from Fire, my reflection on it, and a question for you. During this time, I’d love to hear your own answers, reflections, and experience with Fire as a teacher.

I am personally needing more support during this time, so I’m turning to a plant teacher called Fireweed. (Very on theme.) Fireweed is a circumpolar plant, meaning that she* lives basically everywhere non-tropical in the northern hemisphere including Oregon and Illinois (although she’s much rarer in Illinois).

Fireweed is so named because she loves to grow up after forest fires come through because she likes the extra nutrients from the charred ground and the extra available light. She’s also on the cleanup committee of plants who come in after clear cutting and she loves the sunlight available along roadsides.

There are many ways to receive Fireweed’s medicine. As a tincture (an herbal infusion in high proof alcohol), she helps with lymphatic function, among other things. As a flower water essence she brings phoenix energy, helping people transition and transform into ever growing beauty. Flower water essences are very subtle medicine made with water and flowers set out to make a light tea under moon and sunlight. To preserve flower water essence, you must add alcohol or some other preservative. Because I want both the help with lymphatic function and transformation, I used the alcohol tincture I made to preserve the flower water essence. Interestingly, I can find no evidence that anyone else has done such a thing on google, but it makes sense for me at this time.

I have more than enough for myself and if you would also like this medicine that I’ve made I can send you some.

Besides supporting myself with plant medicine, I find myself doing gentle movements to help myself during this transition. I plan to include several videos in these newsletters so we can all move together (even if not all at the same time).

Nothing would make me happier than if all of us transform into a fuller and more authentic version of ourselves. If you are interested in an even deeper connection and support with transformation, Rhonan and I will soon begin offering one and one retreats. (Click here for more details.)

Summary of ways to connect:

• Reading the newsletter

• Fire weed tincture/ flower water essence

• Movement videos

• Retreat

Look for my email about Fire in a couple weeks, and let me know if you would like me to send you some Fireweed!

Much Love,

Megan

*I’m using she pronouns because at the moment it feels right to me, but there is no reason not to use he, or they pronouns. I prefer to not use it personally to help myself continue to grow in more awareness of the beingness of all non-human beings.