Demands of Change – Cheryl Nekvapil (July 2010)

Transformation of substance into healing medicine,-- or whole and living substance
which enlivens the earth, plants, animals and us human beings – such activity demands a
lot from a ‘modern’ person. It takes time. It takes contemplation, observation and
inner reflection. It takes actually doing something earthy, practical with technical skill.

We explored some of these demands at our ‘Medicine For the Earth’ conference
with guidance from our presenters: the farmers – Beatrice Koenig, Peter Bottomley
and Ginny Osbourne, and Darius Outhred; the teachers-- Tim Edmondson (also a
gardener), Peter Stewart (also an artist) and James Wishart (also a baker); a priest –
Cheryl Nekvapil; and a willing band of very active participants who all brought their own
disciplines and insights to the theme.

We noted that an early process that happens with transformation is that original form of
a substance is broken down before the new can be formed or arise – grain is ground into
flour; water with biodynamic preparations added is stirred into chaos before it’s ready
to be spread; in the Sacrament of human consecration, we recognise our weaknesses
and that makes us ready to offer soul and earth substance for transubstantiation.

In the season of St John, we are looking for a change of heart and mind, transformation,
but before that, we meet this breaking down in some form as a start to the process—
while such experiences may be distinct as loss, disorientation, newness, relief, pain –
they are also a beginning for change as take into ourselves what it means for us. We can
take up what is ‘broken down’ as a sign that heralds opportunity to change our hearts and
minds towards wholeness; heeding the teaching of John the Baptist sounding through to our times.

e e cummings expresses possible renewed,
awakened sense through profound change:

i thank You God for most this amazing
day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky;and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes
(I who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun’s birthday;this is the birth
day of life and of love and wings:and of the gay
great happening illimitably earth)
how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any--lifted from the no
of all nothing—human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?
(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened)