The Free Radical

I began having conversations with trees in 1994. That’s when I first heard about the Shining World, which subsequently was incorporated into my first book The Thousand-Petalled Lotus: The Flower of Human Consciousness. I was only beginning to grasp the very first inklings and insights into multidimensionalism way back then.

Now it’s become a way of life… and yet, I’m still no expert… rattling around in this human body. Today’s message comes from the Forest itself, speaking on behalf of laconic Juniper.

“You have sewn your unique energy patterns into the fabric of this Forest for more than twenty years now. It is astonishing that you would think that an adjustment and response to your persistent presence might not be forthcoming. The very landscape and its myriad expressions of life customize according to your needs, desires and intentions. We are calibrated to you.

“Juniper has laid deep roots in the Shining World. He is a pioneer and colonizer, a most hardy and resilient individual. He is the Advance Guard… laying siege to deep peace and abundance… haha (Forest humour, apparently). Juniper’s fruit however, reaches back into Time as an offering… a pathway. He invites you to taste of the future.

“The Living Kingdoms have always adjusted and responded to Human need. When a particular herb, or flower, or weed appears in your yard, or alongside the wild places you frequent… and persists, it is an offering to meet that need. You have always worn your deepest desires on your sleeves… and we answer.

“Juniper offers a true taste of the Shining World– a world you have glimpsed a thousand times, but whose vision you still cannot hold consistently. Feed yourself on everything which you perceive to be of ‘the higher.’ In so doing, you arrive by becoming… yet still doubting that which you are. Be appeased and reassured in the flavours of tomorrow’s sweetness… enjoy it NOW.”

I have to admit that I never thought juniper berries could taste nearly so good as they do now. I’ve always been kind of a freak for cinnamon. I am amazed that the berries I gather now along my regular route are the perfect blend of cinnamon, clove, and a spicy pepperiness in a woodsy mix with the most delightful sweetness. I’ve been tasting juniper for many years already, but something has definitely recently changed. They are no longer mere survival food reeking of gin; they are a most awesome treat… fuelling my optimism.

By my count, this is the eighth snake of the season.

I walked right up to him and he didn’t budge. Just his tongue flicked in and out of his mouth. He tasted my presence, making sure that I was the correct one to receive the first part of Snake’s message.

“The stillness and deep quiet of the last few days are indications of the ‘pause’ we are in. The New Vision has been passed off and brought down to Earth. Belly-to-the-ground practicality tests its viability as a Living Vision. I can vouch for its feasibility.

“Unseen maneuvers maintain the illusion of inactivity… but everything is moving into place. When movement becomes visible, it will be so swift as to blur the senses. Watch closely!”

And just like that Snake snapped into a coil momentarily, before moving quickly into the bushes and the long grass.

“It is often the nature of profound change to occur nearly undetected in clandestine ways until its manifestation can no longer remain hidden. Then, in the blink of an eye, the world of appearances is wholly transformed. Do not be startled by the ‘sudden’ change, for it is in truth not sudden at all. It is well-planned and intricately co-ordinated.”

A few minutes later, I met up with Hawk. She was a mature individual, rising up from her nesting site in the swamp to perch on a nearby tree. She watched me in transfixion as I began speaking to her. She answered me twice directly with the raspy screech of her characteristic voice. It was not lost on me that Snake is one of her favourite foods.

“The New Vision must harmonize with the ‘boots on the ground.’ You are the agents of (r)evolution on the surface of the Earth. There is tremendous work to be done at the surface level… because so much has recently been brought to the surface. Do not be daunted by the task ahead. You possess the keen tools of discernment to clearly see your way through.

“And once the New Vision is fully grounded into the Heart of Earth, you will turn to the skies. Frontiers await. I will instruct you further at the appropriate time.”

First, allow me to report that Richard (Turkey Vulture) was briefly seen in the distance. He merely tipped his wing in farewell. The New Vision has been passed along and anchored into the New Earth.

The late season dandelions are up. Berry season is over, so my foraging relies again more on flower gathering than anything else. Every time I eat a dandelion flower I imagine a piece of sunshine going directly into my liver… and that’s gotta be a good thing!

“Yes, feed your imagination. It is the direct connection to your soul; it bridges Heart and Intellect.

“Flowers are ostentatious displays of Beauty and Creativity. They are specifically intended to draw attention and engagement. They look to an outside agent to complete the reproductive cycle… inviting the outside world into the most intimate of relations.

“At the strictly physical level, flowers are not typically the most suitable human food. At the soul level, however, there is hardly anything more nourishing this Forest has to offer. It serves to look and to smell, but to actually eat provides a deeper intimacy.

“You are an assimilator of frequency, harmonizing with all you encounter. Choose your impressions wisely, for you are far more impressionable than you are willing to admit. It is nearly impossible to shun the ugliness of dying systems, but seeking balance with the agents of renewal– these flowers– is highly recommended. We are here for you. Do you understand? We are here for you!“

That’s inchworm standing straight up there.

“‘You are what you eat.’ Everyone understands the truth in this statement. It’s obvious. It is primarily understood however strictly from a physical perspective. I wish to draw your attention to its energetic relevance too.

“Your human perceptions still view the world as filled with discreet and separate objects. As such, you tend to straddle two distinct worlds… without really realizing it. In the One World, every individual item of your perception is enmeshed and supported within a natural energetic matrix… like myself, for instance. Although I have a unique energy signature– an interference pattern, if you will– it is embedded and fully integrated within the larger energy pattern of this forest. The whole natural world is my supporting energy structure. And everything which I consume is also harmonized with that larger pattern… and so poses little to no problem in its assimilation into my being.

“The human species, however, takes much of its nourishment from a completely different energy construct. The energy which underlies food production among your kind is anything but kind. It is tyrannical in the extreme. It is an energy of blatant domination and control. The environments in which human food is produced are some of the most obscenely repressive environments imaginable… and I am not referring merely to the practices of animal husbandry; the ways in which conventional fruits and vegetables too are raised involve the most brutal chemical warfare imaginable. The larger energy pattern behind your commonest food choices is of the lowest vibration.

“Having steeped yourselves in materialism for so long, you have virtually forgotten that energy matters. You can easily concern yourselves when it is discovered that some physical contaminant has entered your food supply. But the energetic contamination is ubiquitous and continuous. You simply must begin to make better choices.

“You must become consciously aware of the energy going into the nourishment of your beings. It matters. We appreciate the difficulty and confusion inherent in the human condition, but now is the time to consciously choose what you wish to be in alignment with. Do you wish yourselves to be in harmony with the energy of domination, control and outright cruelty? Or would you prefer to align with Nature’s balanced creativity?

“It is understood that not everyone can choose to gather only wild foods. But everyone can choose at least one food which is supported by Nature’s inherent integrity. Through intent, the body can be instructed to harmonize with that singular choice energetically, while similarly being instructed to transmute the lowest vibrations of poor food choices to something higher. Consciousness and intent are your tools.

“Any wild food will do. There are literally millions of choices, even water. You may choose to gather rainwater in order to partake of the energetic systems involved in bringing about rain. You may choose to drink from springs and streams… just do so with the intent of “I wish my energy body to entrain upon the pattern behind this sacred food or drink.” And it is done.

“Become more aware amidst the confusion. You are expected merely to take tiny steps in order to build momentum. Just please, set out in the right direction.”

Wow, talkative little guy!

‘Tis the season for breaking spider webs with my face. The trick is to not walk through the forest with my mouth open… lest I accidentally swallow a spider. Ew!

In a previous Report, I issued a missive on behalf of Spider, whom at that point I hadn’t yet met. Judging from her appetite for wasps I had concluded that she must be a rather formidable creature.

A formidable creature indeed! Those raspberry leaves, from which she has constructed this house, are fairly large leaves, measuring several inches in length each. I really like this picture because of the markings discernible on her back. I know this Spider… or at least, her predecessor.

Grandmother Spider, the architect and keeper of the Loom of Existence, has a whole chapter dedicated to her and her interaction with Martin Dexter in the second book of my Muse Trilogy, Butterfly Dreams: The Nectar of Transformation. The original Grandmother Spider was jet black with two white triangles on her back representing a separated six-pointed star. This newest version is mostly white with golden markings. Those with “the eyes to see” understand the significance of those markings and their relation to the inauguration of the Golden Age. Her message this day, and in the coming days, is rather complex and very far-reaching… so let us begin.

This is the top view of a wasp freshly cocooned in the center of her web. The wasp’s face is visible, staring up from the background of a raspberry leaf. The blurriness to either side is the nearly vertical view of the strands of the ensnaring web.

“To recap, I will remind you that there have been many schemes within schemes, wrapped up in deceptions, delivered on a platter of lies… underlying the relationships of your patriarchal controlling elite. As these old webs fall into disrepair, their advocates fall from their lofty positions to become… um… lunch. There is still much to be cleaned up, but let us turn to the New.

“Consider the spiral structure of my web. Though it is made from a single strand issued from my being– the linear unspooling of Time– its existence is surely geometric. It holds linear time in a new configuration, making many moments visible at once. There is very little point in tracing its linearity… as it functions holistically.

“You must learn to function more and more away from linearity, immersed in wholeness. Do not get too caught up in step-by-step ideologies. Yours is a role of Vision. You are to choose destinations while others work out how we all might get there. And even when your goal is not clearly defined, you must still choose a direction. In times of great change, you are required to move. Move according to your heartfelt principles.

“Let us speak now of guidance versus improvisation. What is important to remember about guidance is that a guide may only infallibly lead you to where the guide has already been. To venture into the Unknown demands your improvisations; no one has been there before.

“The Human Anthropos is a relatively new creation. You are fundamentally Wayshowers. You will lead this Creation into uncharted territory. Your journey now is assuredly one of remembrance, but all of the pieces have never been assembled before. It is a paradox for you to ponder that the restoration of all that you have been will culminate in total novelty. As such, you will choose to move ahead into the new direction of Total Universal Integration.

“We are all in this together. There is only One Life here on Earth. Ideas of oneness are not exclusively human. The unique perspective of but the tiniest of creatures must be included in any successful Total Universal Integration.

“When the world of your disenfranchised culture offers only confusion, turn to your wild siblings for proof and clarity. All is ascending together. Even when your world appears to be falling apart around you, you will find clear evidence among your animal brothers and sisters that a kinder, gentler, sweeter world is coming into manifestation. Only fear can bely this fact.

“Be daring in your improvisations… never quite knowing how anything will turn out, but trust in your own innate goodness. Don’t get caught up in the old traps; be done with them; they no longer serve. The rules change when you change them. It is Time.”

As I ponder Grandmother Spider’s words, I think of all of my friends who have taken up the ascension narrative. We want evidence. We are “told” that the Earth is already anchored in a fifth-dimensional reality… but we want proof. The only places, so far, where we can find such proof is within ourselves and in the natural world itself. All of Earth is ascending– if the narrative is to be believed; then there must be proof in Nature that this is indeed the case. Don’t wait for the tabloid headlines to read: “Juniper Berries Taste Out of This World” or “Alfalfa Blossoms Display Unprecedented Colours.” These are things you’ll have to check for yourself… to your own satisfaction.

I’m satisfied.

Wow! Momentous! What didn’t happen today?

At the first lookout, less than a half hour into my walk, I was greeted by Richard (Turkey Vulture), keeper of the New Vision. This was our closest interaction ever. He’s usually way up above spiralling out his effortless antics with a certain aloofness. This time however, he was very close to the Earth careening around the cliffs and hoodoos overlooking the river.

“The New Vision is ready for final anchoring into the Earth. Although it is a grand new storyline, the details and plot twists have yet to be worked out moment by moment. It is in your hands now. Please remember that your arms don’t grow out from your ears. No, your hands are extensions of your hearts; let your actions be thus too.”

The next fifteen minutes of my journey I spent mostly foraging flowers and rose hips by the power line. That’s the main reason I didn’t have my camera ready when I came upon my first encounter with Coyote. He was standing at the crossroads apparently waiting for me. We exchanged pleasantries, but as I retrieved my GoPro from my pack, he wandered into the long grass to become invisible. I asked him to come back, but he quipped “On another day.” His message in this moment was brief and to the point.

“Much is being revealed… deceptions within deceptions. Take no disclosure at face value. When liars are cornered and confronted, they will concede a partial truth– or many– in hopes of preserving a more fundamental lie. Trickster energy is afoot!”

Alright, warning noted. My next encounter occurred about two minutes later. A Grouse hen stood in the pathway exactly where I needed to go. I explained to her my need to get by and she pranced a few feet to the left. I scooted by so close I nearly brushed her tail feathers with my leg. She was completely unconcerned. Grouse’s message too was rather succinct.

“The time is now. Robust rhythms fulfil their cycle. All the preceding moves have been made. Let the Grand Pageant begin!”

My next encounter was just a few minutes ahead. It was particularly odd since I didn’t really know who I was dealing with… but I can offer a guess.

You’re probably wondering what the hell that is! It was lying directly on my path, and all I know for sure is that it was a chunk of someone’s hide. The speaker’s voice suggested Deer.

“The fur will begin to fly… but for all the commotion and bluster, the violence will not be fatal. We are entering a New Adventure– together. Some will be required to lessen their armaments and insulating shields. The blinders must come off as we each feel our way into novelty… appearances will not do.”

Is this getting interesting or what? And we’re not done yet!

The final interesting encounter occurred down by the river. Just to the right of my path there lay the remains of a wasp’s nest. The papery shrapnel of its demise littered the forest to an unbelievable degree. It must’ve been huge!

I commented to myself in my mind about the destruction of their paper house. This sparked an association with a song I wrote years ago, but which my bandmates are currently working on with me: Collapsing Paper Mansion. (This video is a rough copy as I presented it to my bandmates, complete with lyrics.)

The character in the song, Little Sparrow, is another central figure in my Muse Trilogy. The “paper mansion” referred to in the song is the bureaucratic house of cards at the centre of our global culture. The chorus line, “Paper mansion falling down,” couldn’t be more clearly depicted than it is in the exploded wasp’s nest.

You may recall that I was initiated into Forest Life by Wasp. Then, later, in a recent post involving Spider, Wasp came to represent the patriarchal power structure and its imminent demise. Spider asked us to essentially reset all of our relations in light of new information.

This is becoming quite the detailed message, wouldn’t you say? Keep an eye on world events and view them through the filters presented here… and we’ll see how this all washes out.

For many years I regarded the Mesa as a relatively barren flat-topped hill sporting a few sparse grasses and scrub. In fact, I thought of it as more of a giant anthill than anything else. After this summer’s countless discoveries however, I have revised my opinion, now having realized that the Mesa consistently provides the most fabulous variety of flavours imaginable.

I dig my onions there. I first developed a taste for saskatoon berries there. The very best tasting berries I’ve ever had come from a juniper bush on the Mesa. When in the spring I collected the new growth tips from fir trees for brewing beer, the best tasting ones all came from the Mesa. Crocuses, arnica and mariposa lilies grow there. And now this:

Had I not been growing the domestic variety at home, I probably wouldn’t have recognized or even noticed this patch of Wild Tarragon. As I walked by for… oh… the bazillionth time I thought “Hey, that looks exactly like tarragon!” (I might’ve even said it aloud; I do that a lot.) I plucked a small leaf to taste. It had the soft texture of tarragon and a flavour resembling things vaguely tarragon. I was pretty sure it was tarragon, and a quick look in my reference guide confirmed that indeed this was a member of the sage family, Wild Tarragon.

“Variety is the spice of life… but consistency, uniformity, conformity are the demands of commerce. In a marketable world, tarragon must taste exactly like tarragon tasted yesterday, and tomorrow it had better taste the same. Any bold variance is too risky… no matter how interesting or unique.

“Wildness introduces the unknown… waiting to be discovered… again and again… forever. Perhaps not every variation pleases equally, but it is authentic.”

When I returned today I tasted leaves from each of the individual plants. Indeed, there was an astonishing variety of flavours among such close neighbours. The real treat however was when I tasted the one which had flowered and gone to seed. The taste of the tiny florets, each containing a seed, was the perfect blend of liquorice and vanilla. I think I will try it in a stout.

[This Wild Tarragon Stout will likely be the last of this year’s brewing cycle. The date for Beerfest 7 has been set: Saturday, October 12th. It is the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend, and as always, will be at my house. You are invited. I supply the beer; you provide a thirst. This year’s menu includes Christmas Tree Red Ale, Wild Rose Petal Cerveza, Chilli Chocolate Stout, Black Pepper Pilsner, several Cream Ales, and many others including limited supplies of all of last year’s brewing cycle ( the double archiving system)!]

“All perspectives are equally valid in integrated systems,” continued Wild Tarragon. “You can share a collective vision while maintaining the uniqueness of each perspective. Indeed, that is the greatest value individuals may bring to any collaboration– all the many angles from which a vision can be viewed.

“You, as authentically you, is all of the value… as it is for all. Any values outside of that are illusory. Your true perspective is EXACTLY what’s needed… now and forever.”

Sage advice, I’d say. Sage advice!

I’m a foraging heretic. Sometimes I just can’t resist trying something new, even though I don’t have a clue what it is I’m trying. I’ll start small, trying just a nibble or a bite… and then decide whether it tastes like proper food and finally wait to see if there’s any negative reaction in my body. I pretty much cleaned out this whole patch of berries over the course of a couple of weeks before I finally positively identified them.

To me they tasted exactly like wild sour cherries. The problem was, however, that there’s really no such thing as wild sour cherries. Their most distinctive feature is a single flat heart-shaped pit (seed). This is what mislead me into thinking they were some sort of cherry– that, and their cherry-like flavour. The leaves of the bush however, were definitely not cherry-like.

Well, it turns out that these delicious little berries are High Bush Cranberries, an early fruiting variety. It was listed in my field guide of edibles, but the distinctive heart-shaped pit is only mentioned briefly in a tiny blurb at the end of the entry. I guess it pays to read the whole way through the various descriptions.

“Many hidden treasures await those who have the eyes to see.” Indeed, I have walked by these cranberry bushes perhaps a thousand times over the years and never noticed them, let alone felt inspired to taste them. Other foragers agree that there is a strange phenomenon which occurs when one first sets out to look for a new untried specimen. You study a plant’s preferred habitat and set out in search of it… and for the longest time, can’t find it anywhere. Then once you finally locate a specimen, ingest its particular signature, making it a part of you– suddenly you notice that the damn thing is everywhere! And you wonder how you ever could have missed it. It happens all the time!

“So many treasures, like little time capsules have been hidden and laid up in the overwhelming bounty of Earth. You are currently developing the eyes with which to see. They have been here all along, but heretofore they did not suit your agenda. The human agenda is expanding immensely, and you will discover so many natural tools to aid in your new and ancient quest.

“Earth and her allies have all the bases covered. Your task is to simply enjoy the treasure hunt… and grow into your full power.”

Will do! With the delicious lingering taste of High Bush Cranberries on my palate…