Fertility Journal ~ LONGING & DEVOTION:
There was a period about 3–4 weeks ago where I was feeling such a deep longing to start our family. The type of longing that you feel like an ache in your heart. It’s not quite the right time for us yet. But the building up of it, the anticipation can feel heavy at times… exciting and heavy.
When I sat with this longing, I discovered it’s a longing for union, for wholeness, for spiritual communion and for simplicity. The simplicity of childlike wonder, seeing the world through child-like eyes: curiosity, safety, exploration and the magic, beauty and sacredness of everything.
At it’s depth, longing, like some many of our other uncomfortable emotions, is quite beautiful and poignant. Longing invited me to remember what I’m devoted to.
DEVOTION. Without recognizing it, each one of us is devoted to many things, things we consciously or unconsciously prioritize, give our time and energy to and make space for in our lives. I have come to realize that where I am placing my devotion, is incredibly powerful.
When we align ourselves with that which we care about deeply, we can truly recognize our priorities and focus. Even further the quality of devotion is placing your love and care outside of yourself. It elevates what you are in service to and choosing what you are service to whether it is love, justice, truth, learning, nature, connection, helps you to have a North Star, it guides you.
Ultimately, I am in service to the principle of love. When I am devoted to love, I come from a place that nourishes me and others. In my devotion to love, my priorities are my health, the health of my loved ones, and supporting the health of others so we can make our dreams realized whether thats creating families or uprooting systems.
Devotion is a symbiotic relationship of nourishment and it has helped me celebrate my longing instead of feeling overcome by it.
🌹 To remind myself of this devotion, I work with the rose plant. The rose is associated with Venus, it symbolizes love, beauty, grace, compassion and harmony.
Rosebud, is a wonderful herbal medicine. In Chinese medicine, it’s Mei Gui Hua, the Latin name is Flos Rosae Rugosae. It’s taste is sweet and slightly bitter. It’s energetic temperature is warm and it goes to the Liver and Spleen meridians. It promotes the movement of energy or qi and relieves stagnation. It also harmonizes the blood and regulates menstruation. It soothes the Liver and controls pain by moving the qi. It has this beautiful affinity for the chest and heart space, treating stifling sensation in chest and pain or distention in the flanks and epigastrium.
Mei Gui Hua supports both the regulation of qi in the chest/heart space as well as supporting menstruation, which makes it a really beautiful way to work with our heart and womb connection. A connection that facilitates orgasm and supports fertility.
I use rose on my altars to remind me of my devotion to my femininity, self-love and love for others and the beauty found in all things. Other ways to use it is to brew it as a tea, use rosewater as mist and rosehip oil on your face and body and it can also be incorporated into snacks with rose petal infused honey or vinegars. Roses are rich in vitamins A, B, C, E, and K and minerals including calcium, iron, and phosphorous.
What in your life do you feel devoted to? What helps you to remember that devotion?
