Today I felt called to open my energy to the plants. In doing this, I knew the plants I needed to work with would energetically come to me to share their wisdom. Usually this feeling occurs when I’ve been circling a concept and needing greater clarity and deeper understanding to move forward in the best direction. This is exactly where I’ve been for a couple weeks now, and at this point my requests for Universal assistance were starting to border on pleas. So I felt immense relief, when I woke up feeling the pull, and began connecting to plants and information right away. The first plant to come to me was Jerusalem artichoke, or sunchoke, which is in the sunflower family.
This was very intriguing to me because this is not one that I’ve really worked with before. I ate some a couple years ago, but other than that, I don’t have much experience with this plant. I feel like this is an ideal situation to be in because I don’t have any preconceived notions there to potentially interfere with the information coming to me from the plant. As I’m sure many of you have experienced, our mind likes to tell us everything we know about something, when we’re focusing on that thing, so it can be hard to keep an “open mind”.
When I first connected to the sunchoke, its energy was hardy. I could feel that it was sure of itself and deeply connected to all of the world. I could see energy moving down from the heart to the solar plexus, showing a link between the two. Going into the energy, I heard, “Energetic impulses coming from the heart to inform those in the solar plexus that the heart is releasing emotions.”
Sunchoke then shared with me, “I’m here to show that you don’t have to be just a pretty flower. That’s not what life is about. I have depth and substance. So do you. I can nourish those around me who come to me seeking sustenance. I have a wealth of knowledge about how to take care of my own needs first. When the whole is sustained and vibrant, often there is a surplus of energy. Rather than hoard it all for myself where it can often go to waste, I distribute it out to the others. I make food for them to help keep them going strong.”
There is intelligence in this method because it helps to build community and establish a support network. Symbiosis. It is not one plant looking out just for itself, although it is quite adept at that. It is one plant taking care of its needs first with the understanding that when it does this, there becomes an abundance of energy and resources, which benefits the entire ecosystem. Humans have forgotten, for the most part, how to live symbiotically and harmoniously. We strive for this sort of existence because that is our nature (as we are part of the natural world), but more times than not, where we end up is a much more co-dependent place. It’s wholly unintentional but accomplished nonetheless, and I believe this result comes from conditioning that resulted from a lack of better understanding of self and others, as well as a lack of better understanding of individual roles within a chosen environment as a species, culture, and society.
You may be saying to yourself that Jerusalem artichoke sounds like a good plant to help with cooperation, but I would say it goes beyond that. It is a plant of true connection, understanding, and community. With true connection, we are unafraid to open ourselves up and share our energy with others, forging deeper bonds than simply working with others for the common good. There is that, too, of course, with sunchoke, but then there is so much more. You can work cooperatively alongside someone and never really open yourself up to a deeper, more fulfilling connection. But when you do open yourself completely, abundance is not only felt by yourself and those you've fully engaged with, it ripples out into the wider community.
Through my research, I learned the flower essence for Jerusalem artichoke works on the solar plexus, bringing a stronger sense of self-identity and personal power. It opens the solar plexus to allow in more light, energy, and illumination, thereby leading to an increase in energy levels, clarity, and spiritual wisdom. With renewed clarity, you may find it easier to make decisions and act on your intentions. It also helps boost self-confidence so you can be more assertive and prioritize your own needs. It encourages an appreciation of all creation, as well as for your own life. This opens a flow of giving and receiving love, which brings sweetness and joy to life.
Learning all of this about Jerusalem Artichoke certainly has set me off in a direction of greater self-prioritization. It is crystal clear to me that the Self must be the main focus for each of us in order for the whole of the community to experience abundance and for our interactions with each other & life to be more fulfilling and about true connection. The community thrives when each member of that community is thriving.