Deepening our relationship with the forest through presence, caretaking, and wildcrafting…
This Spring Forest Sanctuary Day is a day of embodied ecology, spending time in a relaxing and timeless meditation with nature, and then learning about the ecosystem through both our intuitive and logical mind.
We'll begin the morning settling into deep presence with the forest and opening our senses through Forest Bathing guided by Becca, SCL's Forest Sanctuary Director. We’ll explore Multiflora Rose through our senses and introduce ourselves to this plant before breaking for lunch.
After lunch we’ll return to our learning about Multiflora Rose by learning about the ecology of invasive plants and also the medicine this flower provides. Depending on what opportunities the land provides on this day, we may spend a little time in caretaking the ecosystem by removing the small vines of Multiflora Rose (not labor-intensive, nor for very long) or harvesting flowers, if they haven’t yet passed. If the window for harvesting has passed, Facilitators Becca and Diana, will have flowers they collected earlier in the season. We'll use these flowers in our medicine, finishing the the afternoon by wildcrafting a rose tincture and a rose honey to take home.
WORKSHOP FACILITATORS
Becca Nenow is the new Forest Sanctuary Director at Spirit Canoe Lodge. Becca grew up in Boone, exploring the Blue Ridge mountains and rivers from a young age. For over a decade she has worked in gardens and homesteads, guiding youth and adults in wilderness, and organizing work days that steward the earth. Trained as a Forest Bathing Guide and a student of indigenous spirituality, she sees human relationship with the land as integral and reciprocal. She loves teaching about and tending to the ecosystems we call home, and is excited to share with you this medicine from and for the Earth. Learn more at beccanenow.com.
Diana Donovan is the herbalist who will be teaching the medicine of Multiflora Rose. She is a long term High Country resident and teacher who recently retired from her role as a Montessori school teacher. She has been an herbalist for decades, and in her retirement finds joy and purpose teaching our community about plants and their medicines. Learn more Diana