Peach for Peace on a Hoku Moon

This is Hoku, one of Full Moons. This is our fifth summer here in the woods, where an orchard filled with Apples, Peaches, Grapes, Cherries, Laukahi, and other Plant Beings live. Up until this summer I have picked and eaten the fruit from Peach. Check here to read and see how the Peach is more than a beautiful fruit. 

Remedies from Papa Hanaumoku (Earth) and timing based on Mahina (Moon)

Hypericum Perforatum, St. Joan or St. John's Wort growing abundantly
along the Maxwelton Watershed roadside earlier this summer.
GATHERED: Mahealani

I introduced myself, and stated my purpose.
I asked permission, and waiting for a reply.

She said yes, I said thank you.
A jar of the beautiful yellow blossoms, some stalk and stems and seeds as well went into small clean jam jars. One jar contains olive oil, the other 80 proof vodka.
That tincture (in vodka) and oil began its makings at the end of June, 2015, Mahealani.

In the meanwhile, the forests have been burning. And during the 'Ole Po phases,
this was the color of Mahina through the Tall Ones

The other day, after waiting patiently for at least 6 weeks, I strained the Hypericum, after the 'Ole Pau.
STRAINED: Huna
 

and put the beautiful red oil into a jar.
BEGAN APPLICATION: Huna, Mohala, Akua 

As our 'ohana La'au Nui (the Tall of Growth Trees) burn, the effects 'turn' me into the Masked Woman.
Like Zorro, I step out of my cave occasionally 

The practice of Kilo (observation) becomes intimate for me when I apply the knowledge of moon cycles and phases to my everyday life. This summer as the climate not just changes, but, creates what many call 'climate chaos' I note the changes that take place in my body, mind, soul and spirit.

The physical difficulties trigger crazy thinking (crisis mode), I am a young soul in an older woman's body. Perhaps that is what Hale Makua means for I am a sensitive artist, and I am easily disheartened.

But, I was born into a body with the memories and aka (cords of attachment) to a very ancient Polynesian mother. There is a deep knowing of how to survive. I tap into it. These photos and these few words tell a short story of what can happen when remedies from the Plant People like Hypericum teach. The lessons come slowly. I am meant to learn lessons slowly, changing the crisis mode approach of fast from a lifetime ago's pre-disposition.

After years of learning to count on the moon through naming and knowing her faces over a month, I slowly become Mahina. Seven years. I rub the red oil from Hypericum onto my suffering body (neck and back) and take a tincture of Hypericum mixed with other Plant People to calm my body, mind and soul from the trauma and fear.

Between writing this small story, I have gone outside to chant Ka Ala awake. E Ala E.

When the tea kettle rattles, I walked to the hot plate outside bring it back fill my mug with the boiling water and dig my favorite Ancient Tea (Wild Forest Black) harvested from the Ancestral Home places of my Father and Mother -- Viet Nam, Burma. As I lifted the kettle from the hot burner I chanted Pule Ho'ululu to welcome my Ancestors and ask them for their continued guidance; I cannot and do not want to be alone.

The Masked Woman, like Zorro, had a legacy of help. I start the day and remember that.

Salmon of aloha, recapping what is important on the 'Ole Po

See more of what happening here ... A Salmon of Aloha for Loretta, our kupuna friend who is at the tail-end of this physical life. Mahalo, dear one for showing us what a life fully lived is like!

Harvest time

Ku Pau and the Plant Food is abundant! I got a late start on my garden, but, that might be a good thing.

 What is Dumpling Woman harvesting?

Ripe Wild Huckleberries,

Peaches,

Apples

Champagne Grapes maybe tomorrow

Squash is going crazy with the rain we had earlier in the week.

Beans are up up and away, and blossoming

Yellow Bali Cat is hiding in the Bean Leaves, keeping at eye on Everything.

Beautiful clouds on a Kaloa morning

A beautiful patch of clouds and blue sky greet me as I step outside the Quonset. A shift in season may be? I love seeing clouds again. 'Ao clouds are often messengers arriving with something different, clouds are filled with Lono ... bringer of life-giving rain. I seek it out ...

Kaloa Ku Lua is a good time for fishing and planting (upright plants, like mai'a [banana], ko [sugar cane], ohe [bamboo], and wauke [mulberry]

I dreamt of my Ma last night, she was 'scolding' me. I woke very aware of her message, but, not clear about how to manage it. So I took myself through Saturn's (long-term lessons) and penciled my journey to gather clues. I turned around and looked for pieces of the journey I might have left undone; finished and forgotten lessons; guilt requiring release; amends to be made; relationships that serve or need to be severed?

'Ole Pau

 We were up early this morning. Hina peeked through the trees.

We were up before sunrise to prepare our Quonset as the remote Ho'omoku site. We have made adjustments to how and where we 'make island.' We strung the 'olelo inside our little place, set the table for our homemade ceremonies, and dialed our student who lives up island from us.

We chanted:

E ALA E to welcome the sun. She from her home overlooking the water of Penn Cove and the sunrising over the Cascades, and us from the woods in Langley

We shared:

In English The Words Before All Else The Thanksgiving Address, an allegiance to gratitude for all who are present with us.

We chanted:

Na Aumakua to welcome and invite the Ancestors to be with us.

And our haumana asked for information about E HO MAI:

I answered and then chanted E HO MAI teaching our haumana to pronounce the 'olelo with more attention and accuracy

It was a good way to wake up. 'Ole Pau is when the 'ole phase ends, or it is a time when what is happening never ends. 

The La'au Po

The dry and Tree Tear-filled skies continue.

Light clouds streak the sky

The Wild Hucklerries and Wild Blueberries are coming plump. Delicious

Yesterday while I drove into town for errands I began to chant E HO MAI. I needed help breathing, and knew there were answers La'au (the Plants) might have for me. No sooner had I finished when I spotted a stand of the brilliant herb/weed.

Most of the Fireweed in our area is long past bloom, the stalks turned to fluff. But there they were! 

"Thank you!" I said. I was excited and so grateful. I didn't have my gathering tools: scissors, gloves, jar. I need to carry them with me in the car all the time now. But the spotting gave me encouragement. Yesterday was La'au Pau, the last of the moons good for gathering medicinal herbs, plants. It wouldn't be a lot to go into town, do the shopping and errands to the post office and then go home for my gathering tools. And as well, the time between errands and gathering la'au would allow me to adjust my attitude and tune my heart and ears to listening for the Fireweed's response.*

My intuition is guiding me in this gathering. No where could I find (on the Internet) any protocol or usages tuned to applying Fireweed as a medicine for the effects of Tall Trees raging in fire. But. Fireweed is the first on the scene after stands of forest have burned. Alight with their brilliance these tall stalks with purple flowers fill the land when the ash has settled. It is that natural sequence that feeds my gathering.

Heeding the practices of the Honorable Harvest:

1. I Introduced myself.

2. I stated my intention,

3. I asked for permission to gather Fireweed.

4. I listened for their answer.

5. I heard them answer.

6. I clarified which parts I should gather.

7. I clarified how many I could gather.

8. I said, "Thank you."

9. I gathered.

10. I said, "Thank you."

A small jar of Fireweed flowers and stalk are in the last of the Vodka I bought for making tinctures. The rest of the stalk is hanging under the eaves of our Au Hale. In 6 weeks I will have a tincture of Fireweed. 

While I was finishing up my shopping in town, before I stopped to gather Fireweed I bumped into a friend. She asked, "How are you?"

I told her, "I'm having a hard time breathing."

She said, "My eyes are burning."

I said looking into the sky, "It's the Tree Tears. The forests are burning." 

She said, "IS THAT what this is! I'm so sorry you're suffering."

I said, "It's nothing compared to what they're experiencing."

She said, "Thank you for the consciousness."

On a La'au moon it was good to connect with the grief that I feel. Not so much so I wallow in it, but, so I can remember to gather the practices left behind ... on the way to where we are now. Listen to what Robin Wall Kimmerer has to say (click to link) about this. The prophecy of the Seventh Fire.