Wild Earth Integration

I’ve noticed that most of the things that are truly precious in life are those that are easiest to take for granted.

Trees are a prime example.

Maybe it’s because we see them all the time. Standing out there through the seasons, facing the elements with that quiet, stoic attitude. We don’t realize that our breaths essentially come from them, and that the oxygen that we need to survive comes from their silent processes.

It’s very easy to forget that we owe trees our lives. After all, they’re not exactly asking for recognition.

Many ancients referred to trees as the ‘Standing People’. They stood silently, becoming the keepers of our stories. They also had many stories to tell to those who listened.

Trees are a lesson in timing. They don’t push for the next season – they allow their leaves to bud, grow, change colors and drop as the world tells them. They accept each stage as it happens and use their energy wisely. I would guess that trees don’t mourn the spring when winter arrives. Probably because the seeds for next spring aren’t far behind.

The effect of trees on people can sometimes be known as ‘tree medicine’. This is not medicine in the traditional sense (although you might find yourself feeling better around trees). It’s about tapping into the stability and strength found in trees, and considering just how much that tree has seen.

To honour trees, I started a collection called TreeSkins. These are pendants (and soon to be other creations) that reflect the stoic nature of trees. Simple.

Individual trees also have particular strengths. To start, I chose the birch. This tree represents our ability to listen, see and reflect. Ultimately, birches mean realization. That’s a nice place to start.

The only piece of birch bark I had was a birthday (birchday!) card from a dear friend. (I have very clever friends).

Using that as inspiration, I made the first TreeSkin pendants. Can you see them in the pic above?

How about this?

They are 100% polymer clay, so you can take a little tree medicine with you wherever you go.

There are more TreeSkins to come – and I have a feeling I’d be kicked out of Canada if I don’t do a maple.

Keep it wild!

Update: A full gallery of Wild Earth Artifacts can be found here via Flickr.