Writing my way through the A-to-Z blogging challenge, I’ve tasked myself with throwing open the cabinet of curiosities and wondrous things I call my brain and leading you on a tour of what actually resides in there – all through the lens of unusual, obscure, or simply charming-to-me words.
R is for…
Racine -1. (of a tree) root. 2. root, origin.
For the past few days I’ve been hunting through various of my many many journals, looking for a particular photo. It’s a paper/film photograph, so there’s no digital files to look through – I’m simply having to page through pages of journals. Which is actually always a bit of a delight for me. I always rediscover things I’ve forgotten, getting to enjoy them anew. The particular photo I’m looking for, and haven’t yet found, is of me holding part of a large root ball from a dear tree that once graced a neighbor’s yard. That photo captured an expression on my face that interests me – it’s a mix of grief and reverence and for some reason I’ve been thinking about that liminal state.
Despite not having yet found the photo – which I would have likely shared today, because the topic is roots! – I did ironically come across another root-related thing. Something I wrote a while ago based on the template of George Ella Lyon’s Where I’m From poem.
That’s a peek at my origin roots, but I think of being rooted in other ways as well.
It’s one of my beliefs that one of the gifts we bring through our incarnation is the capacity to ground higher spiritual principles and energies, and through embodying them, anchor them on Earth and make them more widely available. So I often think of myself as a bit like a tree – my branches reaching skyward pulling energy down through my trunk (my life) down through all my chakras, and grounding them through my roots.
There’s so much around me that helps me feel rooted – kindred spirits and those that hold me with love in their hearts; numerous practices running the gamut from meditation to flower essences, from writing and all my creative practices to simply being in my home which is my sanctuary. It’s all a wonderful blend of the spiritual and the physical – it nurtures and sustains me like nutrient-absorbing roots, and keeps me stable like the deep anchoring roots of ancient trees.
I was first introduced to William James’s work in my adolescence, and I’ve returned to it again recently. I particularly like this declaration of his:
“I am done with great things and big plans, great institutions and big success. I am for those tiny, invisible loving human forces that work from individual to individual, creeping through the crannies of the world like so many rootlets, or like the capillaries.”
Tiny, invisible, loving human forces – don’t you want to take up that mantle?
I live in a older neighborhood where properties are small, the houses are quite close together, and the city has trees planted curbside along the street. It delights me to think the trees are holding hands in the canopy above us and guarding our little block. But I also like thinking about their roots touching and their communicating that way as well, sharing secrets and information. There is clear scientific evidence that trees do communicate through their roots and fungi mycelium. And if you don’t find that awesome and entirely wonderful, I’m not altogether sure we’re sharing the same reality paradigm.
There’s so much I love about roots – the way they anchor and reach out, but also the appeal of living underground. Mysterious. Hidden. Akin to buried treasure.
What if we’re all like trees with our roots touching and communicating and sharing? I’ve share some of my thoughts, now it’s your turn. What makes you feel rooted? Have a special tree you love? Feel free to whisper a clue of where your roots are from. Do tell you know I love to hear.
Your own poem is truly beautiful Deborah thank you for sharing it. As are William Jones’ words and your pictures.
Interestingly, this very morning at my once a month meeting of art circle, a woman who uses photography as her medium of expression, showed us a greatly enlarged photograph of roots. She pencilled in over it and produced a work of art, of roots –
Deracination means to be uprooted, or pulled up by the roots.
Trees are a wonderful symbol of so much – I also think of them reaching upwards, and rooted in their depths and the energy of that –
Oh how amazing Susan – the root art sounds fabulous!
And thank you for sharing the definition of deracination. Another fascinating topic to consider.
I love your poem! What a great journaling prompt. I think the roots of old trees are magical and your interpretation of them talking to each other and sharing is delicious. Happy Easter.
Thanks Janet – with your love of journaling you should give the prompts a try too. Wishing you a lovely weekend, perhaps filled with a chocolate treat or two. 🙂
Your poem is really lovely, Deborah. Thanks for sharing it and also for the link to the template. My mind is racing, imagining all the different ways I’ve been shaped and how to honor them, give them a voice.
Yes, roots. Roots that stretch across time, beneath neighborhoods and cities, oceans and continents and air space, touching and caring for, sometimes destroying precious lives. It’s relatively easy to join in larger protests, surrounded by friends and family, co-workers and tribe, much harder to know and grasp the terrible thing we do whenever we make war, or bomb, or oppress or exploit someone outside the collective’s circle of concern and consciousness.
Remaining informed, by reading and listening to alternative (blacklisted, truth-telling) news sites helps keep me rooted, grounded in reality. I value both the unconscious world of symbols, archetypes, dreams, and feelings, but also the conscious world of facts, intellectual depth, objectivity, and critical thinking. I’ve found most people tend to rely heavily on one side and to (unconsciously) reject the other. Which means I rarely feel a genuine sense of belonging among either group and for that reason, tend to avoid groups altogether.
Except for groups of pine trees. I love their smell and shade, the way they gather together in groves, creating protective worlds of cool, fragrant darkness and light.
Somehow I’m not surprised that balance is important to you LB, and it makes me smile to think of you as a tall straight tree, not leaning in one direction or another.
And what beautiful imagery of the pine trees – I share that love with you as well.
I enjoyed your poem. I’m not a poet and don’t pretend to be, but I’m curious what would come out if I tried writing on that theme.
I don’t have a lot of use for roots. In last year’s AtoZ, my theme was places I’ve been. I was born in Iowa, grew up in Asia, graduated from high school and college in different Midwestern cities, found home on the East coast (US), and have lived in Asia again for the last 3 years.
My sisters and I were talking this morning (Happy Easter from Vietnam) about how, as close as I like to think we are emotionally due to our radical upbringing, we really are not very well in touch with each other’s lives.
Spiritual roots are all the roots I need. Beyond that, give me branches.
Found you through AtoZ.
Doesn’t Speak Klingon
One of the things I think is most precious about life is that we all have such different experiences – what shapes us and how we express ourselves through the containers we allow to hold us.
I can see how the idea of roots as something that holds you in one place has no appeal or resonance with you. But I also understand the pull of expressing as branches – and may you always find yourself reaching outward and upward. That’s a beautiful thing indeed.
Thanks you so much for stopping by and taking time to comment. I hope you’re enjoying the A-to-Z challenge as much as I am.
I thoroughly enjoyed your poem! It has so many layers…very deep! Each line is beautifully carved, esp loved these lines – I am from the book of life and Tree of Knowledge.
I hope you find your picture soon that you have yet not found, it will be interesting to study your expression as you have mentioned in your post 😊
I am rooted in my culture. Family is the basis of all that I am today. They have given me enough space and freedom to branch out as an expression of myself. I have learned the art of service, devotion and spiritualism from them. They have shown me the path and I hope I carry forward their legacy by always being rooted and at the same time spread the essence of what I have learned far and wide!
Reading and Other Hobbies
I love thinking about roots. They are such a meaningful image and metaphor for so many important things: background, connections, sources of nourishment, holding on and being grounded, reaching out, digging deep…
Black and White: S is for Space Creature
Indeed Anne – their meaning is as expansive as their reach.
Beautiful! I think we should all consider our roots…how deep they go and what they grow. Sleep Hygiene to Avoid Burnout
Thanks Heather. And I agree – I think those are important things to contemplate.
English teacher colleagues used to have students write that style poem. You learn a lot about a person from what they choose to share. Racine, another French word, is found in my life because of my home, and my people. My memories root me in the past, with a sturdy foundation, and help me grow into the future.
I think the practice of having students write that kind of reflective/revealing poem is brilliant
I love hearing what each of us considers (and experiences) our roots to be. We are all fascinating creatures aren’t we?
One of the themes of a room in my house is ROOTS. In it (where I am sitting now), I have photos of my ancestors back a few generations, a photograph taken by my daughter, a painting done by my mother, and a watercolor of my grandparents’ corner store. It grounds me to sit here.
Beth
https://bethlapinsatozblog.wordpress.com/
How perfect Beth – I LOVE the idea of a “roots” room. And yours sounds fabulous.