Symbiosis and Abscission
Notes on how nature and Zen have inspired my week.
You join me on a quiet Sunday evening, the first school week of the year is done, and a few busy weeks are up ahead.
I’ve been leaning into the teachings of Zen Buddhism this week, accompanied on epic car journeys by The Way Out Is In podcast from Plum Village, which Thich Nhat Hanh founded. I found calm in remembering Thay’s teachings ‘I am traffic’ and my favourite driving meditation ‘The car and I are one’ on my journeys trying to escape a gridlocked Oxford, roads closed at every turn. (We’re too far out to take the bus with any reliability for the little ones unfortunately, I dream of the day we have trams).
Being reminded of Thay’s teachings of walking meditations led me to South Park on my breaks at the start of the week. Oxford looks so beautiful in the sunlight and being near the trees reminded me that I can find stillness within when I need it.
The end of the week was good but a shock to the system after the slow days of Yuletide. Solace has been found in all kinds of places - in nature, in nature books, nature instagram even (love you Plant Kween) It was from them I learned the term ‘abscission’
the natural detachment of parts of a plant, typically dead leaves and ripe fruit.
"leaf abscission in trees" - Oxford Languages.
It is an inspiring thought. That when something is beautiful and needs to be shared, or it is it’s time to go the process is accomplished through healing and letting go.
And so the weekend came and we went for a walk up the Ridgeway (an ancient long track road, our part being in the Vale of the White Horse) The most beautiful sight was the lichen covered tree standing alone, guarding the field. I learned the coolest nature fact this week from this awesome book Hello Fungi by Nina Chakrabarti - lichen are a symbiosis of a fungus and an alga. I had no idea and I am fascinated. I love the spaciousness and awe that nature provides, even in the depths of winter.