Meeting a Hibiscus

I spent the night at Sephrena's apartment on Wednesday and got a chance to meet her hibiscus tree. Most of the hibiscus I've seen previously were plant-sized, but this one is about five feet tall. It's a very happy tree plant!

Since I'm starting my plant studies, I was supposed to try to have a talk with the hibiscus. I pulled up a chair next to it, and put my hands on both sides of its trunk. Then I willed myself to listen. All of my attention was focused on the hibiscus. I started to feel energy flowing between the plant and me.

Sephrena's cat, Bouncer, was outside with me too. He pulled me out of my plant trance with strategically placed claws in my leg. I told his mommy on him, and he was called back inside. I returned to my chair.

I decided to try to open my chakras before going any farther with the plant. I started with the root chakra and worked my way up to the crown, visualizing colors, and pleading with the chakras to open. (If I ask nicely, sometimes they behave.) I felt a lot of energy moving through me with my chakra opening exercise. After working on the crown, I put my hands back on either side of the hibiscus.

The energy transfer between the plant and me returned much stronger. I stayed like that, feeling the energy flowing through my body and the plant until I couldn't focus anymore. I stood up and thanked the plant, and promised to visit again, and I realized that my whole body was humming! Later, Sephrena told me that I looked a little drunk when I came back inside.

It was a nice start to my plant work! This morning I told my mint plant that I would start studying it tomorrow, and I heard my mint plant say that its die-back and new growth were a way of cleansing itself. Not a bad start to a week with mint.

Grasshopper

I was initiated as a Priestess in Training, or PIT, on September 24th. Shortly thereafter, I was informed that plants would be one of my primary studies during this year and a day. Then the Priestesses found out how many dreams I have involving talking animals, and animals were added to plants. So I have two stacks of animal and plant books sitting at the end of my bed.

I am supposed to pick a plant to study every week, but I haven't made it that far yet. I'm reading the more general books about human and plant communication first. Meanwhile, I've been planning my costume as the "Green Woman". I went to the Renaissance Festival as the Green Woman yesterday, and I made a new friend:

A Differential Grasshopper hung out on top of my staff for about a half hour. I did my research tonight, and found out that this species can fly for short distances. "My" grasshopper never flew. He walked slowly up me and my staff. Is it telling that this amazing mover slowly and unerringly made his way to the top of my staff? I tried to convince him to go in different directions a couple of times, and he slowly turned himself around until he faced me again.

I liked him (or her) very much. Thankfully, Ted Andrews has a few things to say about why grasshoppers would show up for a person: there is about to be a new leap forward, or we are not listening or are afraid to make the leap off of our mound.

A Two of Cups says that yes, the Grasshopper did appear to tell me that there would soon be a new leap forward.