Pruning a blackberry bush is not simply cutting limbs – oh no! You have to follow what looks like a dead branch back to its origin to see if any of the offshoot branches actually have fruit or flowers on them; even though that origin may be tucked away within a mob of thorns and other branches. With this assurance, you may then cut the thick part of the branch where it originally meets the main branch.
So as I started early in the morning, the thorns caught my hair or clothes or hand several times so as to say ‘HEY you’re cutting me and not even acknowledging that I am here’. I got angry, yelling at the plant to let me go! I yelled at it – I am just trying to help clean you up so you have more space and feel healthier.
Then… I realized how ridiculous it was that I was yelling this at the plant and how I would feel if someone talked to me with that tone and energy – well of course I would stick them more with my thorns!
So what else was left but to apologize to the blackberry bush and explain that I am still learning to understand myself and the world around me. I then began a dialogue with the plant and asked why it has thorns – what purpose do they serve? I got a funny feeling in my stomach at the moment sensing that the plant was replying tauntingly – ‘well of course to teach impatient people like you how to deal with difficult situations in this world’. HA! Seriously??
I went about my work pruning the plant with a big smile on my face and with much more patience and imagine what happened – I didn’t get caught on the thorns anymore and instead felt like the plant was truly grateful for shedding the excess material that was preventing it from focusing its energy and resources on being radiant.
So what did I learn from this experience? First I learned – as I have several times working in the garden – that nature is the wisest master I have encountered and when I spend time there no matter what I am doing I learn deep lessons. Secondly, I learned that when I walk around with thorns on the inside or outside and someone comes along and brushes up against me in a less than friendly way I tend to lash out and try to prick them. If I begin to clean out the wounds and thorns within and create SPACE for things to just BE, I am able to react with a totally different attitude.
So as I started early in the morning, the thorns caught my hair or clothes or hand several times so as to say ‘HEY you’re cutting me and not even acknowledging that I am here’. I got angry, yelling at the plant to let me go! I yelled at it – I am just trying to help clean you up so you have more space and feel healthier.
Then… I realized how ridiculous it was that I was yelling this at the plant and how I would feel if someone talked to me with that tone and energy – well of course I would stick them more with my thorns!
So what else was left but to apologize to the blackberry bush and explain that I am still learning to understand myself and the world around me. I then began a dialogue with the plant and asked why it has thorns – what purpose do they serve? I got a funny feeling in my stomach at the moment sensing that the plant was replying tauntingly – ‘well of course to teach impatient people like you how to deal with difficult situations in this world’. HA! Seriously??
I went about my work pruning the plant with a big smile on my face and with much more patience and imagine what happened – I didn’t get caught on the thorns anymore and instead felt like the plant was truly grateful for shedding the excess material that was preventing it from focusing its energy and resources on being radiant.
So what did I learn from this experience? First I learned – as I have several times working in the garden – that nature is the wisest master I have encountered and when I spend time there no matter what I am doing I learn deep lessons. Secondly, I learned that when I walk around with thorns on the inside or outside and someone comes along and brushes up against me in a less than friendly way I tend to lash out and try to prick them. If I begin to clean out the wounds and thorns within and create SPACE for things to just BE, I am able to react with a totally different attitude.
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