On Bended Knee
View this email in your browser
“Let the beauty we love be what we do.
There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground.” -Rumi
When I was a child...
My grandma's church had fold-down kneeling benches in every pew. With her, I knew...
There is a time to kneel
As grownups, we don't often kneel. Perhaps...
Among children
In our garden
As an herbal tea farmer, kneeling is a way of life for me. I appreciate knowing...
There is a time to kneel
This month, may I share with you what I am learning...
The Beauty of Kneeling
A Child's Eye-Level
"See the world as if for the first time; see it through the eyes of a child, and you will suddenly find that you are free." -Deepak Chopra
Children Kneel Everywhere
They study. Observe.
You've seen it.
On hands and knees they watch
Ants
Water bugs
Their own toes
...when water flows and ripples around them.
They remind me: Look... Slowly... Appreciate...
The smell of lavender.
The softness of a hibiscus petal.
Peppermint aroma from my teacup.
From my knees, childlike...
I love loving the wonder of the world.
Taking A Knee
"Follow the three R's.
Respect for self.
Respect for others.
Responsibility for all your actions." -Dalai Lama
I've always appreciated...
Seeing giant football players "Take a Knee" when a fellow player is injured.
In the action, I see:
Strength
Honor
Pause
I'm reminded...
There are times when I, myself, must also "Take a Knee."
A mindful sip of tea...
Can often be just the pause needed.
In that moment, silence.
No defense.
No offense.
Instead...
Listening.
Honoring.
Myself or another.
"Taking a Knee"
Looking Upward
"If you want to kiss the sky, better learn how to kneel." - Bono U2, Mysterious Ways
Trust + Gratitude = Thriving
On my knees, in my fields, I see from my plants' perspective.
The world looks much different from their point of view.
Opening towards rain.
Absorbing light.
There is something
powerful
in my plants'
humility.
They thrive without moving.
And they are so beautiful.
“Nature is imperfectly perfect,
filled with loose parts and possibilities,
with mud and dust,
nettles and sky,
transcendent hands-on moments
and skinned knees.”
- Richard Louv
Dear Retail Partner,
This month, may we allow nature-inspired, knee-bending moments.
To see from a childlike viewpoint.
To pause. To honor. To take a knee.
To open upward.
As always:
Thank you
I'm honored to be your herbal tea farmer.
Be well,
Shannon