I have just come back from visiting the place where I used to live in Austria. While I was there I had the chance to roam the fields I once worked and see the developing results that were coming into being because of changes I made years ago.
I used to live in a house along a millstream, and beyond the millstream is a second field that I worked. At the furthest edge of that field there is a river. Over ten years ago large parts of the river embankment were empty of any trees. At this time the ground along the embankment was dominated by Butterbur (Petasites hybridus), Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria), Lungwort (Pulminaria officinalis), a small amount of Nettle (Urtica dioica, within the shadow of a few established trees)....and a few other plants.
Over ten years ago, as our main source of heating was wood, I thought to the future and began to introduce young trees in this space, along the embankment, in an attempt to supplement our requirements for fuel. I also saw them as a natural source of nutrients for the surrounding fields ( our source of hay) as they enrich the soil through their falling leaves. Although not fully mature, the trees I planted all those years ago are now of a significant size that they begin to dominate and influence their surrounding environment. The growing shade and changing soil has brought about a shift in the balance of dominating plants. The Nettles have expanded their domain and now, firmly established, I noticed this year an explosion of their partner, the Cliver. This development is in keeping with the observations I made about these plants in a previous blog.
These developments, along the embankment, over the last 10 years or so can also give us an insight into the workings of health and disease in our own body, since we too are subjected to the laws of nature. It tells us that change comes over years...and it is brought about, in part, by a change in environment. Bacteria and viruses cannot take root in our body so easily unless we provide them with the environment they need to survive and thrive. Likewise, health can take hold when we become aware of the environment we are creating in our body through the foods we eat, the way we think and the lifestyle we live. This is great news because it offers us empowerment over our health through awareness and change. It is possible for you to begin to lay the foundation for a healthy environment in your own body, the kind of environment where the seeds of disease cannot take hold.
There are many lessons to be learned about ourselves by observing nature.....The Green Man is calling you back to the source of this knowledge....Open the door....Step outside.....and Change your life.
Health and Happiness
The Green Man
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