This was the year for me to let
things go to seed. In the past I was too busy to be bothered with the
collecting and storing of seed. Anxious and impatient I couldn’t stand the
thought of letting the garden get so unruly. I either wanted to clear the way
for a fall garden and greedily harvest right up until the first freeze, or put
the garden to bed altogether. But this year I waited. And as I waited and
watched the chard took over half the garden until by mid August I harvested
enough seed to plant the whole town in chard. I am currently harvesting
coriander seed; sweet basil and Thai basil seed, marigold, bush bean, heirloom
tomato seed and more. There are also the wild edible and medicinal seeds like
lamb’s quarters and primrose. I did well to wait this year and appreciate the
power and abundance contained within a seed.
There is something very satisfying about saving seed and not
needing to go to the store and buy it.
It feels rich to gift my neighbors with seed: a promise for a
future full of potential.
This saving of seed puts me in
touch with the cycle of the seasons. I love these seeds rich in primordial oils
and containing DNA. The plant devas are all about DNA because they are the
keepers of the cellular blueprints and genetic codes. And they were telling me
– pay attention in the waning light of
summer to the magic in a seed.
And so, in the lateness of this
summer season – I paused. Late Summer is the season, according to Chinese Five
Element Theory, that corresponds with the element of Earth, more affectionately
known as Indian Summer. It is the transition point between the yang expansion of spring and summer to
the inward yin of fall and
winter. The time between late
summer and early fall metaphorically speaks to the transition between all of
the equinoxes and solstices. It is
when the middle way is summoned between the extremes. It is the pause between
the in-breath and the out-breath at the change of the seasons when the pendulum
reverses its swing.
We are currently at such a global
transition when the energies of the masculine shift toward the feminine. It is important for us to give pause
and come to center. “Center” is the direction that corresponds with the Earth
Element in Five Element Theory, also know as Five Phase Theory. It is a passing
phase and one that is worthy of our attunement.
Some of the ways that we can attune
with Late Summer is through the Earth Element correspondences. Two of which is
the flavor sweet and the color yellow. My attention immediately turns to the
spaghetti squash, golden pumpkins and sweet potatoes in the garden awaiting
harvest. Sweet potatoes, yams and winter squash are what are known as a “full
sweet.” Many people today have lost touch with the sweetness of life. A full
sweet is one that nourishes on the deepest level and satisfies the body’s need
and desire for sweet. Empty sweets
never satisfy this deeper craving and leave us robbed of vital nutrients.
On both the physical and mental
levels Earth is responsible for digestion and the assimilation of food and
nourishment as well as information and ideas. Earth helps us to focus the mind
so that we may achieve our goals and realize our dreams. When overburdened from excess on any
level, whether it is from food or information our Earth Element cannot digest
or assimilate what it receives and this produces congestion instead of
providing nourishment. When Earth
is exhausted, the mind becomes disoriented and easily distracted, the body
fatigued.
Earth easily assimilates
nourishment from a variety of sources including food, relationships, and
creativity. The Earth Element in harmony enjoys diverse relationships and is
able to set goals and achieve them without distraction. On the other hand,
individuals who have an Earth Element imbalance may be chronically tired,
lethargic, lack mental clarity and be compulsive. They typically have weak
digestion, a dulled sense of taste and abdominal bloating. Blood sugar
imbalances are common.
One of the best ways to increase
digestive qi is with carminative
herbs, digestive bitters and demulcents. Carminatives like garlic, cinnamon,
ginger and caraway warm the digestive system. Digestive bitters like dandelion,
gentian and yellowroot help to clear congestion and stagnancy. Demulcents like
marshmallow, slippery elm and cornsilk soothe and protect irritated or inflamed
tissue.
The Earth Element embodies divine
nourishment and abundance. As I
stand looking out my window at the yellow finches flying through the goldenrod
fields of late summer, I notice the shifting light of the season and my mind
returns to an earlier time. I see women performing the ancient ritual of
winnowing the chaff as they toss their fan shaped baskets to the wind. The
lighter chaff blows away and the seeds return to the cradle arm of the basket.
The seeds we are saving now are the
seeds we will plant for our future in the light of a New Earth. May the
abundance of Earth be yours and may you enjoy this Late Summer recipe that
incorporates yellow squash and the warmth of garlic and basil.
Spaghetti
Squash Pesto Bake
2 spaghetti squash, sliced in half
lengthwise
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 Tablespoons butter
1 cup pesto
½ cup walnuts, chopped
1 organic tomato sliced
¼ cup Parmesan-Reggiano cheese
½ cup breadcrumbs
Celtic sea salt or other mineral
rich salt and freshly ground, fair-trade black pepper
Place the squash face down in a
baking pan or tray on top of the olive oil and crushed garlic so that the
garlic infuses the squash during baking. Bake at 400º until tender,
approximately 30 minutes (do not overcook!) Allow to cool. Remove seeds. Scrape
remaining squash into a large mixing bowl and toss with butter, salt and
pepper. Make pesto, add to squash and toss (you will have some pesto left
over.) Place entire squash mixture into a large baking dish and spread evenly.
Cover with walnuts, sliced tomatoes, cheese and bread crumbs. Dot with butter,
cover with foil and bake for 15-20 minutes at 350º. Place under broiler for an
additional five minutes or until breadcrumbs are lightly toasted.
Pesto:
2 cups fresh basil leaves from the
garden or your local farmer’s market, packed
½ cup freshly grated
Parmesan-Reggiano
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup walnuts
3 garlic cloves, chopped
salt and freshly ground, fair trade
black pepper to taste
In a food processor add garlic and
walnuts and pulse. Then add basil
and pulse. Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while processor is
running. Scrape down sides and add Parmesan cheese and pulse until well
blended. Add salt and pepper to taste.
~ ~ ~
Thea Summer Deer, PhD is a clinical
herbalist, singer-songwriter and author of Wisdom
of the Plant Devas: Herbal Medicine for a New Earth.
Learn more about the Earth Element
and Digestive System in Thea’s new class,
IndianSummer: Nourishing the Earth Element at Wise Woman University. This class
includes four interactive webinars. Visit (website link) for a class overview
and free introductory webinar.
