Hello. I'd like to introduce you to one of my most important tree friends here in the walking-around world of my life since the late '90's. This is a Shagbark Hickory that may or may not still exist within the energetically percolating surroundings of a nearby nature sanctuary that's definitely still "with us". I'd planned to take a jaunt over there at some point during the weekend to see if the tree still stood. My sense is that it does.
The plan was to go there on something of a re-con in and out mission due to hunting season. After not being there for ten years the instinct is to wander around at length looking and examining privately while also documenting all areas that I used to document when this was my Wild place to go. Take an offering of a very specific nature for the tree, hug it if it still stands. Take some pictures if that felt right.
The idea's been germinating since partway through my reading of The Overstory but by last mid-week it felt imperative that I take myself there ASAP. Not sure why. But it's certainly true that this specific tree remains a shining beacon to me in meditation, dreams and by way of the infinitude of pictures I took of it during all seasons over the course of 6 or 7 years' time. But then something or other that I did on Friday made my lumbar spinal region quite unhappy. It coulda been anything, really, because I was 'way more into getting things done bing bam boom than I was mindful of how, exactly, I was [evidently mis]-using my body along the way.
In consequence I'm currently having a lot of sciatic nerve pain from its root allllllll the way along its course, top to tip. This is not a new thing for me - it's just a thing I generally stay mindful enough to avoid aggravating to the degree that I have to stop my life to get things properly soothed and healed. I haven't answered any emails since this re-injury made itself known. Will get back to everyone as soon as it's no longer foolish to sit up and type in this manner for more than the time it's taken me to get this written and posted.
LOVE.
This was the third or fourth time I hugged the Shagbark Hickory. The scarred-over wound portrait at the top of this post contained holes where I left many gifts and healing talismans as offerings to the tree's medicine spirit. Did this for more than a year before telling the tree I was moving in for the embrace. Will tell that story at some point after my spine's in a better state of balance.