Author Archives: Catherine Audette

I find there to be beautiful synchrony that I should be writing and creating a site in honor of trees at a time in their cycle when they themselves are blooming and emerging to increased visible beauty and productivity.  They have transitioned as I prepare this page from dormancy to swelling buds, flowers and new leafy beauty.

The wind caresses their leaves with gentleness now, as I write.  It is a gentleness that we humans forget to give to our selves and others.

That same breeze now lifts my face so soft.  The new leaves of the Beech tremulously and expressively as Aspen does.  As if the wind tickles the tree in play.

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The Pine trees wave above them like Palm trees would in warmer climates, gliding across the  skyline with ease in the rustling wind.

At the time of this writing, most trees have begun to bud in the Northern climate.  Even the oak and ash in many spots have tentatively swollen their buds.  The locust and larch are still dormant.  This welcome change in season comes after a very cold and long winter in the Northeast in which we had The Abundance of snow.  During the winter days the mere miracle of a warm day seemed untenable much less imaginable.  The Maple Sap, as dependable as Spring,  ran a month later than usual.

Nevertheless, the trees have caught up, eagerly opening in this glorious sun.  The migrating birds seemed to all return in preparation of the magic of the massive leaf blooming. Their presence adds to the magic and joy of the forest.

There is a sympatico between the trees and the birds, the wind and the sky. And to live with in this balance is heaven.

The trees give the appearance of  dormancy this March/April as winter fluctuates from Spring to Winter and back again. But indeed they are actually feeding from their roots as we may well be. Drinking in deep from the waters of mother earth to nourish their souls, their souls' purpose and souls' loves.

These pursuits are likely one and the same.

Today I heard this Message from two pines on my walk:

Listen to the sound of our roots:
How you spend your time and What you draw from your roots, you dance into the sky.  Draw from the source that brings eternal hope and joy.  Drink from the waters that feed and nourish your dance of hope, of love. Listen to the sounds of Your roots.   Nourish your love, and your joy. Amen.

And after a pause I heard more: Drink from your own wellspring.

We would be best nourished from waters of our own wellspring to feed our soul’s purpose and soul's loves, that being one and the same thing.

and soul's loves, which is one and the same.

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It has been my devotion to visit the mountain nearby and listen to the wisdom there.  One winter-ends day, I sat on my cushion and listened.  My physical ears could hear a faint crinkle, seeping sound.  I realized I was hearing the already thin ice in the winter sun melting into the thawing earth.

I stayed still to listen.  Then I heard this counsel: I can let the water that is seeping into the earth itself, also nourish My roots.  This seems like vital news on this day when winter has made me thin in longing for growth, change, and visible fruit of my labor.

After sharing these thoughts with a fellow traveler, the insights multiplied to include further aspects of our being.  The insights are based on a 5 element understanding of our constitutions.  Here is the summary:

The water that is seeping through the earth to my roots, feeds them which in turn feed the wood of my being.  The wood grows, allowing the fire to burn stronger and safer,  revealing the true metal within me.

At the end of this long winter, with shiftings within ourselves, our communities and the Earth  I welcome rediscovering my own elements within.