Today's blog is a guest blog from Dawn Champine and Jen Crumrine of Magickal Harvest. I was thrilled when Dawn responded to my call for guest bloggers, as I have enjoyed her Bliss Blog often. She suggested an exchange between Go Deeper and her other project with Jen, so here we are! In more exciting news, Dawn and Jen have invited me to be a guest on their Magickal Harvest podcast on Saturday, 30th March. I hope you will listen in!
If life is a garden, how do you tend it? Daily watering, weeding and fertilizing? What about the periodic pruning?
Magickal Harvest likes to play up the gardening metaphor for life. While gardening is definitely a hot topic for us—we facilitate local workshops and offer online tele-classes on gardening techniques—we find ourselves often coming back to talk about the life lessons we’ve harvested from our own back yards. Recently we gleaned a very good lesson on the value of pruning.
Pruning is the act cutting back branches and overgrowth to promote a healthier plant which will produce a greater yield at harvest time. It is all about focus and discernment--it seems counter-intuitive to cut back the branches of a plant to make it grow, but in order for Magickal Harvest to truly branch out and reach the masses, as we originally intended, we needed to take stock of our current situation and determine where we could cut out some dead weight to restore vitality to our vision.
This was a scary—and somewhat frustrating--process for us. It meant that we had to be completely honest with ourselves and ask some tough questions: are our branches strong and upright, with healthy fruit hanging beneath? Do they cross each other and rub the wrong way? Is there a burst of overgrowth sapping the plant of vital energy necessary for healthy fruit production? Are there any decayed branches that contribute dead weight and are a heavy burden to the plant itself? We had to look at what was working, what wasn’t working, what we could do differently and what we needed less of in order to re-energize our plan.
After all the clearing, we believe we are on track to restoring health and vitality. Here are some tips on why a periodic pruning is necessary:
Pruning hurts--but it helps you to grow! Any good gardener knows that a good pruning is essential to healthy growth. Sometimes you have to cut off buds or flowers in order to adequately nourish the whole plant. If the flowers were left to grow, they’d prevent sunlight from penetrating the plant where the fruit should form. Pruning the plant in this manner restores vitality, allowing the plant to focus its energy on the production of fruit.
LESS is MORE— In the garden, as in life, it is wise to periodically identify what is taking up space (unnecessarily) and cut it out. If it is not “bearing fruit,” stop doing it! Sap suckers and water sprouts are branches that will never produce fruit. They just suck the energy from the plant and prevent it from reaching optimal health. What sap suckers are you growing in your life? Anything that zaps you of energy can be considered a sap-sucker. Identify these and cut them out.
Be prepared for new growth—Once you have eliminated all the suckers, whorls and water sprouts, keep on track to watch where you may need further pruning. Low hanging branches can also be eliminated. These tend to attract pests with their low hanging fruit, and because they live in the shade they don’t reach their full harvest potential. Think about this…when we live life in the shadows, we attract all kinds of pests—energy vampires, low vibrational entities that zap us of realizing our true potential! A proper pruning lets the light shine where it most needs to go.
Get a look at the BIG PICTURE--Spend a moment and determine what you really want your garden to look like. Step back and take a good look around. Without a good idea on the outcome of your garden you will end up having plants all willy-nilly, eventually causing disharmony and plants working against each other.
So answer yourself honestly:
Remember, we are co-creators, toiling with the Universe on the garden design of life. The Universe calls us to tend and trust. We must do our part, of course, and then, trust the Universe to provide and do its part. With a good pruning, your garden’s vitality, strength and health is restored in no time at all!
You can listen to Magickal Harvest Radio with Dawn Champine and Jen Crumrine, two dirt worshiping gals who like to dig deep and talk about life lessons from behind the garden gate. www.magickalharvest.com
Pruning is the act cutting back branches and overgrowth to promote a healthier plant which will produce a greater yield at harvest time. It is all about focus and discernment--it seems counter-intuitive to cut back the branches of a plant to make it grow, but in order for Magickal Harvest to truly branch out and reach the masses, as we originally intended, we needed to take stock of our current situation and determine where we could cut out some dead weight to restore vitality to our vision.
This was a scary—and somewhat frustrating--process for us. It meant that we had to be completely honest with ourselves and ask some tough questions: are our branches strong and upright, with healthy fruit hanging beneath? Do they cross each other and rub the wrong way? Is there a burst of overgrowth sapping the plant of vital energy necessary for healthy fruit production? Are there any decayed branches that contribute dead weight and are a heavy burden to the plant itself? We had to look at what was working, what wasn’t working, what we could do differently and what we needed less of in order to re-energize our plan.
After all the clearing, we believe we are on track to restoring health and vitality. Here are some tips on why a periodic pruning is necessary:
Pruning hurts--but it helps you to grow! Any good gardener knows that a good pruning is essential to healthy growth. Sometimes you have to cut off buds or flowers in order to adequately nourish the whole plant. If the flowers were left to grow, they’d prevent sunlight from penetrating the plant where the fruit should form. Pruning the plant in this manner restores vitality, allowing the plant to focus its energy on the production of fruit.
LESS is MORE— In the garden, as in life, it is wise to periodically identify what is taking up space (unnecessarily) and cut it out. If it is not “bearing fruit,” stop doing it! Sap suckers and water sprouts are branches that will never produce fruit. They just suck the energy from the plant and prevent it from reaching optimal health. What sap suckers are you growing in your life? Anything that zaps you of energy can be considered a sap-sucker. Identify these and cut them out.
Be prepared for new growth—Once you have eliminated all the suckers, whorls and water sprouts, keep on track to watch where you may need further pruning. Low hanging branches can also be eliminated. These tend to attract pests with their low hanging fruit, and because they live in the shade they don’t reach their full harvest potential. Think about this…when we live life in the shadows, we attract all kinds of pests—energy vampires, low vibrational entities that zap us of realizing our true potential! A proper pruning lets the light shine where it most needs to go.
Get a look at the BIG PICTURE--Spend a moment and determine what you really want your garden to look like. Step back and take a good look around. Without a good idea on the outcome of your garden you will end up having plants all willy-nilly, eventually causing disharmony and plants working against each other.
So answer yourself honestly:
- Where is the overgrowth in my life that is sapping my energy?
- What can I do without?
- Who or what can do without me?
- What needs to be trimmed to make room for new growth?
Remember, we are co-creators, toiling with the Universe on the garden design of life. The Universe calls us to tend and trust. We must do our part, of course, and then, trust the Universe to provide and do its part. With a good pruning, your garden’s vitality, strength and health is restored in no time at all!
You can listen to Magickal Harvest Radio with Dawn Champine and Jen Crumrine, two dirt worshiping gals who like to dig deep and talk about life lessons from behind the garden gate. www.magickalharvest.com
About guest bloggers Dawn and Jen
 I am a certifiable joy junkie, muse and cheerleader! I adore integrity, laughter, authenticity and I am inspired by those who know their fears and chase their dreams anyway. I believe it is the little things that make life a big deal! I will always take handmade over “big brand name” any day, and will often be in my sacred space crafting up a new creation! I believe that anyone can see the magic that is all around, if they are brave enough to notice! My journey has been long and winding, and I am so happy to find myself here, on Magickal Harvest Radio where I get to share my insights and laughter with my good friend, Jennifer! Writer, teacher and certified holistic life coach, I am currently writing a book about holistic healing practices. |  I am a slightly off kilter DIY Addict. Known to many as the idea girl. I believe that magick is everywhere, as long as you open your eyes and look. MY philosophy You do not the have right to complain about something unless you do something to change it. Tell the truth, even if it sucks. Love and Laugh as much as you can..and if you want a cocktail at 10 am... well... enjoy yourself. How did my path end up here at Magickal Harvest Radio? Coffee with MY now Great Friend Dawn! We complained about lack of resources and knowledge when it came to food and Magickal living. Well we did something about it! Just in our own way! |
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