The best witching starts with pure intention, and so it was. And the best reconciliation requires for there to have been contrast and conflict. And there was that, too.
The Bitter-Sweet elements for my Reconciliation Tincture - fresh neem leaves, frangipani flowers and frangipani buds - came about in the most unlikely way.
Our old and somewhat-officious-former-teacher Thai landlady had arrived without warning. I was midway through grinding a batch of dried organic neem leaves from our Karen indigenous Organic Frontiers herbal partners. She came becasue my daughter was back form Korea, and she wanted me to agree to something we had already disagreed about several weeks prior. She intends to cut the frangipani trees at the front of the property we rent from her - because the trees are getting large (and lovely!) and their roots might damage her precious concrete.
The issue was not one of language misunderstanding, but of cultural difference. I had quietly explained that it's the concrete that needs to be removed and not the trees, and that some open pavers that allow drainage and movement were ultimately much smarter. The trees keep the house cooler and prettier and who the heck comes out to a Thai village to be entombed in concrete? She had quietly explained that her father had laid the concrete. In Thai culture the discussion ends there, because the elders may not be questioned. She had left the first time very much out of sorts because I had not smiled, agreed and complied. She is, of course, a village elder and accustomed to compliance in all things.
And so she came back for round two, assuming it was a language issue. Haha. It got a weeny bit heated and we left things at the same point, with me concurring that although it was her right to cut the trees, I would never agree or make it easy for her to destroy the natural legacy that my Thai daughter is entitled to inherit. Ploi, my daughter, was in tears when she left, fearing that we would be thrown out for my gross cultural violation. I ranted around the house for a bit, and then finally asked my daughter to call the landlady and assure her that we like and respect her as a person and village elder, but that I don't like or agree with this particular decision. And that we understood she would cut the trees and that I would not make a public scene when that happens. I wept quietly in the kitchen over the stupidity of people and at the tragedy of losing the gorgeous frangipanies.
The next day I got a phone call from the landlady, asking me in the nicest way if I would like to come over to her house that evening and cut the best leaves from her neem tree. Now I don't NEED neem leaves, having just bought a whole batch from our indigenous Karen friends and I am wanting to pay for them - that being the whole point when one is creating an income stream for people who barely have food. I was about to decline, when I felt her offer for what it was - a gesture of pure reconciliation on her part - offering me the best of what she has in her garden and thinks I need. And so I accepted graciously and over we schlepped in 41C heat (105F) after school.
Her sincerity and desire to heal a rift were almost painful. Together we cut the branches, with her pointing out the best ones that would not damage the tree.
How ironic!
I had intended to make a basic neem tincture for physical symptoms from the leaves this morning. But as I got out of the car early after the school run, I saw the wind last evening had broken one of the frangipani branches and a BIG cluster of flowers was literally hanging down in my face.
And then I FELT the offering of the tree - the sweetness of the flowers and the promise of buds which will never open as a perfect contrast to the healing bitterness of the neem.
And so I placed a layer of the chopped fresh neem leaves - the reconciliation gift from our landlady - with the whole fragrant blooms and then placed the buds on top of that, to signify the promise that reconciliation always brings. Light on the bitter layer, much heavier on the sweet and the buds for balance.
I covered it in locally made clear rice spirit and (obviously) labelled it. The flowers will wilt and by tonight all the plant material will be submerged in the alcohol.
I will allow it to infuse and burble for a full moon cycle. Interestingly the cycle is naturally begun at the powerful waxing crescent moon - a good time for growth and change.
How will I use the tincture when it is done? As a medicine for myself when I feel deeply conflicted. As an energy medicine when my daughter and I are exposed to excess bitterness or decisions in our world that we feel powerless and ineffective to oppose. And maybe (LOL) we will slip it into Ploi's father's drink next time we see him (which is pretty rare) and he's spoiling for a fight. Haha... Definitely a little will go in the next fruit punch at our Christmas gathering, so that all who enjoy our hospitality will find themselves reconciled in unexpected ways in their world. Never underestimate the power of witchy plant energy medicines and potions. Nor the power of reconciliation.
BlissednBlessed in my natural Thai world. Allowing reconciliation and wholeness to emerge, even at times when it feels like stupid destruction and ignorance wins. Planting more trees elsewhere and continuing my anti-concrete crusade.
Contributing to the @earthtribe. Cos it MATTERS.
For some reason this made me a bit teary. I love how you both came to some agreement with tenderness and thoughtfulness after much set to! And what a special potion to magically bless any occasion that might be conflicted... to set an intention of reconcilation through ritual and medicine is SUCH a lovely thing to do. And I can almost smell those frangipanis. Thanks for this beautiful post xx Hive bound xx
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I was just thinking how fortunate you were to have those lovely Fagipani trees growing in your yard, when I started reading your post, then as I read on I saw that they were to be taken down - What a shame!
I had an experience like that when we had a fellow in to do some groundwork for the garage. He had also bought in some gravel to help build up our lane for the water was flowing over it.
He said if I removed some of those large evergreen trees the sun would get in to dry the lane. I didn't agree but had left to go up to the house and when I returned He had toppled this beautiful 80 + year old evergreen and it just made me sick!
Sure could have used some of that reconciliation tincture! It sounds like a pretty fine one!
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The destruction of an 80 year old evergreen would probably have seen me taking to HIM with an axe. Damn! They are deep losses. I can only wonder what Mother Earth must feel each and every time.
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A beautiful experience!... the most beautiful has been the power of nature to heal body and soul 😊
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Yes... the integrated-wholeness that only comes from body and soul healing together is profound and beautiful.
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That is one of the most beautiful posts I have ever read. I feel the healing power of your brew over here in New York State, USA. Thank you for being so open to the magic of the world. I have tears of gratitude in my eyes.