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The Sacred Gardener School

By Steven Martyn November 14, 2017 March 15, 2021

  Learn more about The Sacred Gardener School

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sacredgardener

Seeding earth wisdom since 1989.
Home of The Sacred Gardener School.
Wildculturing ~ Co-create ~ Wildcrafting
We're on Patreon!

The Sacred Gardener
I think it’s so interesting that with each age w I think it’s so interesting that with each age we view the previous time period as being more innocent. We surround that time with the golden hue of nostalgia, thinking about simpler times and days gone by. Innocence lost. That is the ‘Western’ culture’s story, we see it again and again and never seem to tire of it. If you’re looking for an example of this simple narrative it’s right at the start of our foundational text the Old Testament, right after Genesis in The Fall. I think part of our need for repeating this dark tale comes from not really drawing the marrow from the story. So, we keep coming back to the same old bones. I speak about the story of the fall a good amount in relation to agriculture, but in this article I’d like to chew on these bones to help us a reflect on our own consciousness. Our definition of consciousness is based on the idea of knowledge and knowing. This idea of ‘knowing’ came from Ancient Greece. This is where the origins of our ideas about science and knowledge started. Coming part and parcel with science and knowledge was also the concept of Conscience. Which literally means con (with) and science. The root of the word science has to do with dividing. And it was understood that knowledge came from this process of taking things apart. So, knowledge is gained through breaking up the whole. Innocence literally means to have no knowledge of what we are doing, (in-) means not or no, (-nocence or nescience) means knowing. Our modern understanding of the word innocence has an ethical and legal overlay. Innocence doesn’t mean ‘not guilty’, but rather is referring to a state of being. So these words all have consistency and are telling us a story about how we see life. About a hierarchy of consciousness that we deeply believe in, that’s founded in our oldest stories and language. We need to question if this narrative is the whole truth or if there are other forms of consciousness and other stories or parts missing to our story. Read the rest of this post, link is in our bio. #consciousness #etymology #innocence #conscience
On warmer days in the winter, we open up the chick On warmer days in the winter, we open up the chicken coop door, so the chickens can get some fresh air and sunshine. Their barn is over 100 years old, and has had many modifications over the years. Steven added a little roof over the door over 10 years ago to help the snow fall out further, not piling up in front of the door. As the winter creeps on though, the snow does invariably pile up, and on warm days sometimes water drips off the roof, leaving a dense icy business. A couple of years ago, Steven cut the door in half, so in winter, we only need open the top, not needing to think about always digging out the base of the door to get in to feed them. Plus, if they don’t feel like heading all the way out, they can still get some fresh air. #winter #chickens #overwintering #overwinteringchickens #eggsallwinter #homestead #homesteading
Cedar’s enjoying the last of our watermelons, ha Cedar’s enjoying the last of our watermelons, harvested over four months ago. This one is starting to get a little punky in the middle, so we gobbled it up just in time. A testament to how healthy balanced soil helps preserve food longer than food pumped up falsely with chemicals. Bigger is not always better when it comes to growing food. Proper food storage is at play here too. These were stored in a cool place out of the light. A taste of the summer’s bounty in January! Having moments like these, we trust the light will return. #melons #northernfruit #watermelon #foodstorage #winter #localfruit
Hi All, I’m Megan. Co-creator of the Sacred Gard Hi All, I’m Megan. Co-creator of the Sacred Gardener School. I grew up in cities. When I met Steven in 2004, I lived in Toronto and was the front desk lady at an awesome progressive health centre for Homeless people. I loved working there, and it has continued to inform how I move in the world. One of the projects I had the privilege of being part of was working to create accessible ‘alternative’ health options for the people we worked with: free acupuncture, yoga, herbal medicine, TCM. I had always loved plants, but became fascinated with plants as medicine while working on developing this program. I decided to take an online herbal course, through Dominion Herbal College. When I finished it and got my piece of paper declaring me an Herbalist, I was uneasy and disturbed. I realized the thing that was really getting to me was that at the time, I wouldn’t have been able to identify one of these plants if you put me in front of them. I couldn't imagine offering service to anyone not knowing the plants personally, and being in relationship with them. One of my co-workers shared a box of Algonquin Tea with me, knowing the journey I was on, and I loved it. Sacred Blend. Inside the box was tiny text that mentioned plant apprenticeships. I called and talked to the man that ran the place, and made plans to be there for the spring of 2004, to meet the plants I had learned about. I fell in love with the land here instantly, before I fell in love with Steven. I felt I had come home. My family had moved from Alberta when I was 12 to Ontario, and I hadn’t felt that connection since my days in the prairies. I knew that somehow, I needed to live in a place like this, maybe this area and closer to these beings. To be in wild spaces. To breathe deep. Then we did fall in love. After my apprenticeship, we traveled back and forth to see each other for a year and some, then traveled in central america, which we decided if we still wanted to be together after that, I would come live with him. And that, is exactly what happened. #stories #meettheplants #meettheowner #sacredgardener #rurallife #backtotheland #herbalmedicine
An ancient adage says that “winter is the time f An ancient adage says that “winter is the time for dreaming” and every year I rediscover this truth with surprise. I think the dreams come in winter because the isolation, slowness and austerity of winter, relative to the crowded, busy fecundity of other seasons, creates the time and space for them to bloom like crystals. I had what I’d call a scrooge type dream this holiday season, where I awoke with joy and deep gratitude for my tough life on the edge of the wilderness. No, the dream wasn’t about giving but was about appreciating what we have. I have intentionally spent my adult life in or surrounded by “undeveloped” wilderness. She is always there for me and without her I would be lost. I know in my heart I owe Her my life many times over and She is who I live for. In the dream this wilderness that surrounds our hundred and forty four year old log cabin here in Golden Lake, of which I am the guardian though legal ownership, slowly disappeared in much the same way as land has everywhere; first though selective logging, then a house or two and then suddenly a clear cut and condominiums at which point I was in a nightmare. I was inside the condo and I ran to the back window to see if She (the wilderness) was still there behind this abomination and when I looked out there was only a dirty alleyway and then another line of condos. I woke the way one always does from a deep dream, still partiality caught in the dream and frantically putting back our waking reality together piece by piece. With great relief I realized nothing had happened, everything was still there and alive, the swamp the woods the slugs, birds and bugs, She was still there. I prayed for an hour or so, crying and laughing in thankfulness for every single wild thing I could conjure. Then, as I lay there in the predawn darkness, my mind opened to something I feel we all need to think about; We avoid the stain and work involved in living a natural life in harmony with the Earth and endlessly seek self-pampering comforts and pleasures. But while “stress” is given a bad name, it is these natural “stresses” that makes us strong. Continued in comments. #winter #dreamtime #stress
My Daughter Cedar has seen nine solstice trees and My Daughter Cedar has seen nine solstice trees and the accompanying rituals come and go. So it's not too surprising that the other day while I was driving her to Kung Fu class, and she was looking at the houses along the highway, said with a sneer “why do people buy fake trees?”, seeing one in someone's front window. Seems like a very good question when we’re surrounded in every direction by endless forest and trees. I didn’t really think about it much, and just said, “ya it's weird eh?, I guess they think it's easier than finding, or paying for a new one every year." That was the end of the discussion. On the way home after dropping her off I started thinking about it more. I remember in the 1970's when the first plastic trees were on display at Canadian Tire. Some were white and some were green. Even at ten I thought they were hideously garish. While my dad was not a woodsman or particularly traditional I remember he scoffed at the site of the plastic tree, and insisted spruce made the best Christmas trees. Without any particular reasoning my brother, sister and myself felt instinctively repulsed by the idea of having a plastic tree from a box. Now, as an adult and a student of history and the old ways I find it incredibly sad when I think about folks gathering around a plastic tree. Nobody really knows the pagan origin of bringing an evergreen (tree or boughs) into the house at solstice time. This ritual practice is likely tens of thousands of years old, predating Christmas and Christianity by a long shot. The European and North American tradition came from Germany in the 1800’s, which points back to earlier nordic origins. Many rural German traditions even to this day predate the Christian Era. The Germans like many Northern European cultures still have a strong connection to their ancient past. Continued in the comments.
The Sacred Gardener School is for those inspired t The Sacred Gardener School is for those inspired to move into a deeper level of being; to live in a connected, sustainable and soulfully present way with the Earth. The school will foster your growth over time, enabling you to embody the living skills and ceremony needed to engage the larger spirit and ecology of the Earth, so She may bless and redirect our collective and personal path. Many pieces must be in place for these teachings to unfold within us. To move into this deeper sacred space and then to be able to carry the knowledge in our life, takes years of personal work, a supportive community and guidance from elders who have gone through the transformation. The continuance of the Sacred Gardener School will afford our soul these gifts. The School and land Herself give students safety and nourishment to grow into a thick grape vine, that flows up, through and over the spiny armature of our life, bringing beauty and bearing heavy fruit. Join us at the School next May, our early bird is open until February 1. 2 spaces for those who need assistance. Option to offer more to support someone else. Learn more through the link in our bio. #sacredgardener #soulwork #remembering #herbalmedicine #foraging #nourishment #reconnect
"I was standing ankle-deep in the cold wet mud whe "I was standing ankle-deep in the cold wet mud when it hit me. As the slick, soft earth seeped between my toes, my senses heightened in anticipation and absolute presence. Every cell of my body said: “Pay attention to this.” I watched my companions on their knees in the mud, struggling to wrangle the treasure of Cattail buds, then radiate with joy upon securing them. There was a childlike wonder in the thrill of mucking about, a scientist’s curiosity about the ebb and flow of wetlands and the different uses of Cattails and then there was the fellowship. In that moment, I felt a deep visceral knowing: this is the way we were meant to be. Together. Foraging together, preparing food together, learning, eating, mourning and celebrating together. I was studying with my teacher Steven Martyn, in Golden Lake, at the Sacred Gardener School. We were there to learn about medicinal plants, medicine making, foraging, and homesteading. But more than anything we were there to explore something much greater; to learn how to listen to the land and to remember our rightful place with her. Although the official school is a two-year program, in truth the learning that was initiated could not but otherwise continue through to our dying days and beyond. Moving through and perhaps beyond the depth and breadth of our (de)colonization is the work of generations. And so, in graduating we were gifted with the necessity to humbly show up and step back over and over again." -Kelly Photo by @urosjelic Join us next spring at the Sacred Gardener School. Link in our bio. #sacredgardener #earthwisdom #community #connection #reconnect #herbalism #wildedibles #realfood #spiritualteachings

sacredgardener

Seeding earth wisdom since 1989.
Home of The Sacred Gardener School.
Wildculturing ~ Co-create ~ Wildcrafting
We're on Patreon!

The Sacred Gardener
I think it’s so interesting that with each age w I think it’s so interesting that with each age we view the previous time period as being more innocent. We surround that time with the golden hue of nostalgia, thinking about simpler times and days gone by. Innocence lost. That is the ‘Western’ culture’s story, we see it again and again and never seem to tire of it. If you’re looking for an example of this simple narrative it’s right at the start of our foundational text the Old Testament, right after Genesis in The Fall. I think part of our need for repeating this dark tale comes from not really drawing the marrow from the story. So, we keep coming back to the same old bones. I speak about the story of the fall a good amount in relation to agriculture, but in this article I’d like to chew on these bones to help us a reflect on our own consciousness. Our definition of consciousness is based on the idea of knowledge and knowing. This idea of ‘knowing’ came from Ancient Greece. This is where the origins of our ideas about science and knowledge started. Coming part and parcel with science and knowledge was also the concept of Conscience. Which literally means con (with) and science. The root of the word science has to do with dividing. And it was understood that knowledge came from this process of taking things apart. So, knowledge is gained through breaking up the whole. Innocence literally means to have no knowledge of what we are doing, (in-) means not or no, (-nocence or nescience) means knowing. Our modern understanding of the word innocence has an ethical and legal overlay. Innocence doesn’t mean ‘not guilty’, but rather is referring to a state of being. So these words all have consistency and are telling us a story about how we see life. About a hierarchy of consciousness that we deeply believe in, that’s founded in our oldest stories and language. We need to question if this narrative is the whole truth or if there are other forms of consciousness and other stories or parts missing to our story. Read the rest of this post, link is in our bio. #consciousness #etymology #innocence #conscience
On warmer days in the winter, we open up the chick On warmer days in the winter, we open up the chicken coop door, so the chickens can get some fresh air and sunshine. Their barn is over 100 years old, and has had many modifications over the years. Steven added a little roof over the door over 10 years ago to help the snow fall out further, not piling up in front of the door. As the winter creeps on though, the snow does invariably pile up, and on warm days sometimes water drips off the roof, leaving a dense icy business. A couple of years ago, Steven cut the door in half, so in winter, we only need open the top, not needing to think about always digging out the base of the door to get in to feed them. Plus, if they don’t feel like heading all the way out, they can still get some fresh air. #winter #chickens #overwintering #overwinteringchickens #eggsallwinter #homestead #homesteading
Cedar’s enjoying the last of our watermelons, ha Cedar’s enjoying the last of our watermelons, harvested over four months ago. This one is starting to get a little punky in the middle, so we gobbled it up just in time. A testament to how healthy balanced soil helps preserve food longer than food pumped up falsely with chemicals. Bigger is not always better when it comes to growing food. Proper food storage is at play here too. These were stored in a cool place out of the light. A taste of the summer’s bounty in January! Having moments like these, we trust the light will return. #melons #northernfruit #watermelon #foodstorage #winter #localfruit
Hi All, I’m Megan. Co-creator of the Sacred Gard Hi All, I’m Megan. Co-creator of the Sacred Gardener School. I grew up in cities. When I met Steven in 2004, I lived in Toronto and was the front desk lady at an awesome progressive health centre for Homeless people. I loved working there, and it has continued to inform how I move in the world. One of the projects I had the privilege of being part of was working to create accessible ‘alternative’ health options for the people we worked with: free acupuncture, yoga, herbal medicine, TCM. I had always loved plants, but became fascinated with plants as medicine while working on developing this program. I decided to take an online herbal course, through Dominion Herbal College. When I finished it and got my piece of paper declaring me an Herbalist, I was uneasy and disturbed. I realized the thing that was really getting to me was that at the time, I wouldn’t have been able to identify one of these plants if you put me in front of them. I couldn't imagine offering service to anyone not knowing the plants personally, and being in relationship with them. One of my co-workers shared a box of Algonquin Tea with me, knowing the journey I was on, and I loved it. Sacred Blend. Inside the box was tiny text that mentioned plant apprenticeships. I called and talked to the man that ran the place, and made plans to be there for the spring of 2004, to meet the plants I had learned about. I fell in love with the land here instantly, before I fell in love with Steven. I felt I had come home. My family had moved from Alberta when I was 12 to Ontario, and I hadn’t felt that connection since my days in the prairies. I knew that somehow, I needed to live in a place like this, maybe this area and closer to these beings. To be in wild spaces. To breathe deep. Then we did fall in love. After my apprenticeship, we traveled back and forth to see each other for a year and some, then traveled in central america, which we decided if we still wanted to be together after that, I would come live with him. And that, is exactly what happened. #stories #meettheplants #meettheowner #sacredgardener #rurallife #backtotheland #herbalmedicine
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