Forage (v.)

Forage (verb): to search widely for food or provisions

As a lover of nature and herbalism I often forage. I browse the gardens around my house and harvest food and medicine or I search the nearby fields and forests for things my gardens don’t provide. Blossoms, berries and buds that make their way to the shelves of my herb closet filling jars of all shapes and sizes creating a new type of beauty.

Many times over the recent months I wondered while collecting natures bounty why I was really there? What was I really foraging for? It finally occurred to me that all my foraging has very little to do with what I collect and everything to do with how it nourishes my soul. I started to think, “Aren’t we all foraging daily for something? Aren’t we constantly searching our surroundings, our emotional landscapes, our relationships? Searching for happiness, love, approval, forgiveness? Searching for who we are, for what brings us peace, for what makes us whole?”

Though foraging in the traditional sense is largely lost in our modern world I believe that we are all foraging on a daily basis. Hunting, searching, rummaging, rooting about and sometimes scavenging our way through this complex life trying to collect the food and provisions that nourish our souls.

My writings here are examples of how I forage, finding heart and soul in this crazy world. Primarily it is for me, to heal and grow, but just maybe some of you will be inspired to think about what you’re foraging for. What is your soul food? What provisions do you need for the next part of your journey?