It’s good to connect with you again…
For the past month or so, I have been writing exclusively about my experiences along the Jatbula Trail. In this, my last post for now focussing on this walk, I thought it apt to conclude these sharings with the answer to a question that I asked on the very last full day of walking.
Whilst walking in Northern Australia we were constantly in awe and wonder at the harmony and balance and interconnectedness of this land and its people. One example was we were shown a plant called the ‘Yellow Kapok’ or ‘Pamjon’. You will notice (from the pictures below) that this plant goes through stages of incredibly beautiful yellow flowers, then new edible fruit, then as the fruit matures it releases a fibrous material (with a similar consistency to cotton) that bursts from within.
The entire plant can be used for a purpose: the flower is beautiful; the taproot, flower petals and fruit can be eaten and; the hairs of the seeds are used for body decorations and filling for pillows.
But moreover, this plant tells an important story to the inhabitants of This Land. When the flower appears, it indicates to the Jawoyn people that the freshwater crocodiles and turtles are carrying eggs. Then when the Pamjon bears fruit (during the Junkalk season), it signifies that it’s time to dig up the eggs of the crocodiles and turtles to use as food. And then finally, as the fruit cracks open to reveal the fibres within, it signals that the eggs of these animals have also cracked (hatched) open.
As we were about to emerge from our secluded walk and re-enter “society”, this amazing natural balance lived by the Jawoyn people contrasted so starkly with our city environment. We wanted to know how we could possibly maintain connection with this “balance” in our crazy city lives.
And so I asked the question:
Calling on the ancestors of the people of This Land: tell me how we can live in balance when we are surrounded by so little sensitivity to nature – including our own nature?
This was the answer that came:
It’s a heavy burden you carry to see this; to recognise how far you are from our natural way. It is hard to find balance within unbalanced environments and we acknowledge this and give thanks to this awareness that you carry.
We are held by The Land and simultaneously, we hold The Land. The Earth, the Land, is our Mother; our source of being… held and nurtured and cared for. And we have to give care and respect to our Earth to find balance. This is the starting place.
So stop and give thanks to the Earth often; feel her nurturing you, feel her loving you. She is our Mother; the giver of Life, the bringer in physical form. Remember her, no matter how out of balance “all” is…remember her. She is always here.
Then carry this knowing with you, no matter what. Carry this balance with you, both the connection to heaven (spirit) and all that is, and the connection to Earth and all she brings.
This is balance and “all” flows from this.
May we remember our connection to Earth, to our Mother, and allow ourselves to be deeply nourished by her.
Until we meet again…
In love
Shari