fire day

 

I am joining the fire curriculum for the Roots permaculture design course. 

The morning started with disaster preparedness, thinking about the importance of being ready when the unexpected strikes. 

Learning about herbs for emergency preparedness:

Milk thistle seed for liver support 

Homeopathic Arnica for physical injuries

Echinacea  for topical wounds

Usnea for infesctions and cuts

Comfrey for sprains, strains, deep bruises, and wounds

Calendula for superficial wounds

Yarrow for deep bleeding, for respiratory issues, for menses. For diahhreah related deiseases.

For Nervous System: 

Chamomile for gentle acute nervous sytem support, also anti-fungal and anti-inflamatory

Hawthorne for heart palpitations

Lobelia for asthma 

Lemon Balm to uplift 

Passionflower to ground, calm down, go to sleep

California Poppy to calm, sedate, to ease hot shop shooting pain 

Mullein for lung support.

And for pain: willow bark, meadowsweet, and oak bark

Then we learned of the Fire.

how the best fire wands, for spinning holes and embers out of the sawdust of wood,

come from the banks of rivers. where these reedlike structures have inner spongey-spaciousness for water that is perfect for the porosity of air. A key component to create fire.

Baccharis virminea, seep willow, mares tale

all wonderful reeds for fire hand drills

How a sparkly rock can create a spark

Marcosite, pyrite, quartz

There is a language of sparkle. 

Fire can be created by combustion

by percussion 

by sun 

by fungus

You can make a fire with quartz crystals, mushrooms, flint

Fire is a regenerative disturbance that allows for adaptability. 

There is a necessary process of burning to transform in our forests. 

A hand drill reed can be used with a base board:

 yucca stalk, cedar

We mimic a birds nest 

with the finest materials inside

yarrow lint

cat tail fluff

softened cotton wood bark

dry grasses 

layered outwards to create a beautiful nest.

on a dried leaf, use your stalk and wood. twist it with a partner. fire is made together.

the coal enters the nest,

tuck it in with two thumbs and 

blow 

blow 

blow

in the direction of the wind, let the wind blow with you

it will ignite, 

put it in it's right place.

you have worked with fire.