I am loving this turn your writing has taken. I also feel like I need to thank each star, the full moon, the creek that healed my eating disorder, the ducks that paddled through the creek reminding me that to have a body is not a monstrous thing—it’s perfectly normal, in fact—the trees that stand together or apart. I also struggle to make dinner, wash up, tend to my kid after even 10 minutes of scrolling. I’m learning to nap instead of scroll. I also love that you are connecting so deeply with nature without knowing the names of everything. I sometimes feel like the ability to notice and categorize details my brain doesn’t pick up on is a pre-requisite to being nourished by our Mother, and I feel like a fraud when I’m out there delighting in the varied textures and colors of leaves, but don’t know the name of a single one—or when I say hello to bird that greets me but don’t know its name or habits. Anyway, thank you for modelling connection without the inner critic insisting on mastery.
I love how so many of us *networked* (see what I did there?? Like MUSHROOMS? 🍄) across these interlinked online communities have been drawn to nature-centric, pagan/witchy/spiritual/earth-based practices in the wake of leaving high control religion (often with a stop at angry cynicism in between, which is fine). And I hope it’s ok to share how much I’ve enjoyed witnessing your evolution, as much as you’ve shared through your writing, and the ways you’ve come so far through trauma and have grown to be so deeply in touch with your body and now the natural world. And here I am, learning from you about mushrooms and being reminded, in a way I very much need, to not let the noise and panic of the world drown out a very deep, intuitive knowing. What a thing. It is beautiful and lovely and I’m grateful.
This resonates so deeply with me. Thank you. It was when I began to notice mushrooms, lay around in the mud looking for the tiniest ones, that I began to find something else to connect with outside of my controlling religious environment. Learning about mushrooms helped me break apart the pseudoscience I was taught and in turn learn real science. Finding mushrooms also helped me find community outside of religion, my mushbuddies are so kind, queer, often neurodivergent and exactly what I needed to feel safe to walk away from church. I love mushrooms for all their strange beautiful forms and for the lessons in connection they’ve taught me. ♥️
Your writing is absolutely beautiful here… you are so very wise. I will print this out for my new notebook & return to reflect on what you’ve said, especially on uncertain days ahead. Thank you for this gift to help me stay grounded.
This is really beautiful, DL. It brought me a little bit of peace on a day where the dread and the hopelessness are really starting to compound. Thank you so much for continuing to share your thoughts with us.
"Our little mushroom selves, finding each other all across this planet." OMG, I'm not crying over here or anything. Beautifully stated.
I am loving this turn your writing has taken. I also feel like I need to thank each star, the full moon, the creek that healed my eating disorder, the ducks that paddled through the creek reminding me that to have a body is not a monstrous thing—it’s perfectly normal, in fact—the trees that stand together or apart. I also struggle to make dinner, wash up, tend to my kid after even 10 minutes of scrolling. I’m learning to nap instead of scroll. I also love that you are connecting so deeply with nature without knowing the names of everything. I sometimes feel like the ability to notice and categorize details my brain doesn’t pick up on is a pre-requisite to being nourished by our Mother, and I feel like a fraud when I’m out there delighting in the varied textures and colors of leaves, but don’t know the name of a single one—or when I say hello to bird that greets me but don’t know its name or habits. Anyway, thank you for modelling connection without the inner critic insisting on mastery.
D.L. - I went to go get some coffee from our lovely queer-owned shop this morning, and a local artist was there sketching, and this bumper sticker was on his car.... It felt very meant for you. https://www.etsy.com/listing/1091069222/we-will-serve-the-spores-bumper-sticker
Omg I have this sticker!!! I haven’t put it up anywhere yet but I love it
Omg I did some more digging on the source and this one also exists lol. https://www.sporelust.com/products/holy-trinity-mushroom-sticker as well as mushroom Tarot card stickers.
I love how so many of us *networked* (see what I did there?? Like MUSHROOMS? 🍄) across these interlinked online communities have been drawn to nature-centric, pagan/witchy/spiritual/earth-based practices in the wake of leaving high control religion (often with a stop at angry cynicism in between, which is fine). And I hope it’s ok to share how much I’ve enjoyed witnessing your evolution, as much as you’ve shared through your writing, and the ways you’ve come so far through trauma and have grown to be so deeply in touch with your body and now the natural world. And here I am, learning from you about mushrooms and being reminded, in a way I very much need, to not let the noise and panic of the world drown out a very deep, intuitive knowing. What a thing. It is beautiful and lovely and I’m grateful.
Yes! Spot on, Christine!
This resonates so deeply with me. Thank you. It was when I began to notice mushrooms, lay around in the mud looking for the tiniest ones, that I began to find something else to connect with outside of my controlling religious environment. Learning about mushrooms helped me break apart the pseudoscience I was taught and in turn learn real science. Finding mushrooms also helped me find community outside of religion, my mushbuddies are so kind, queer, often neurodivergent and exactly what I needed to feel safe to walk away from church. I love mushrooms for all their strange beautiful forms and for the lessons in connection they’ve taught me. ♥️
I LOVE this story. What a beautiful way to leave and heal and find something so much better
Your writing is absolutely beautiful here… you are so very wise. I will print this out for my new notebook & return to reflect on what you’ve said, especially on uncertain days ahead. Thank you for this gift to help me stay grounded.
Thank you, this post resonated so strongly with me. It even inspired me to make a little mixed media painting 🎨
This is really beautiful, DL. It brought me a little bit of peace on a day where the dread and the hopelessness are really starting to compound. Thank you so much for continuing to share your thoughts with us.
❤️❤️❤️
aww yes!