Rewilding

How quickly the seasons change. Already, summer is upon us, and the year half gone.

This year, I ushered in the Solstice by reconnecting with nature in ways I have not recently permitted myself.

The night of the Solstice, I cheered floral gin with friends and family, swam in the dark waters of a lake, and stargazed. The Big Dipper shone so brightly that I could have plucked it from the sky to sate my thirst.

On Sunday, I celebrated in an entirely different way.

A friend and I attended an event called “Rewilding,” put on by Where the Wild Garden Grows. WWGG is a beautiful local business run by Tessa Cadet, which focuses on promoting the “wild side of our spirit,” and provides products, services, and workshops towards natural wellness and sexual health.

”Rewilding” was the most recent in WWGG’s Sacred Sister Circles. These circles are an opportunity to re-connect to sisterhood and nature. This was my first time attending, and I already look forward to the next one.

We began the circle by exploring the surrounding area, foraging for whichever vines, branches, leaves, and flowers called to us. Already, each woman had brought small bouquets to the event, so foraging allowed us to supplement these with that which we found naturally.

We used these findings to each build our own flower crowns. The beauty lay in how, from the same array of leaves and flowers, each sister created a circlet entirely her own.
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Tessa read a beautiful excerpt from Women Who Run with the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes about the “wild woman archetype,” and I must say, I’ve already ordered a copy of this book. Estes captures a feeling that I've wanted to put into words for quite some time.

​I’ve spent the past few years exploring the enchantments of nature, and discovering how to connect with it on a deeper level, through foraging, herbalism, and simply spending time in the forest. The more I learn about my relationship with the earth, the deeper down the path I want to go.

It becomes very easy to ignore one’s natural instincts in the noisy bustle of society, but I long for the quiet stillness of the woods, the water, the sun and the moon. I want more time listening to the birds and the breeze. I want to connect more with my place there. It doesn’t happen on its own. You have to make it for yourself. I’m getting there, but slowly.

The rest of the evening played out beautifully.

There is nothing more powerful, or more beautiful, than a group of women coming together to support and connect with one another. It called to mind the poetry written and read by Fleassy Malay called “Witches.” I’ve watched her video maybe a dozen times since the first, and I love it all the more each time.

As the sun set on our circle, we gathered around the fire and sang together to the beating of drums. Even now, the solemnity of our voices coming together gives me chills.

As we finished, we stood to our feet and howled at the moon in unison. The raw, primal energy of it flowed around us, and we all laughed together in exhilaration.

​I cannot imagine a better way to celebrate the season.

Interested in attending the next Sacred Sister Circle, or one of Tessa’s other workshops?

Check out Where the Wild Garden Grows at www.thewwgg.com!

​“Who knows where a woman begins and ends? I have roots, roots deeper than this island.
​Deeper than the sea, older than the raising of the lands. I go back into the dark.”
-Ursula K. Le Guin