Plant Study: Horsetail, or Equisetum arvense

One of the oldest plant families on the planet. Silica based, used in sanding wood by native peoples, also known as 'scouring rush' by settlers because it was great and cleaning pots and pans by the river, and the only plant that reproduces using spores, not seeds.

It is known as a living fossil, as it is the only living species of it's family, which thrived in the Paleozoic Era, where some species grew up to 30 meters tall! Very, very ancient! It was established on all continents except Antarctica, over 400 million years ago! Whoa! Settle down, old fella!

It is drunk as tea and has been known as a bleeding reducer, diuretic, and a few other medicinal uses that are unverified by some sources. It loves acidic and clay soils along damp areas, and can be a big nuisance plant by some countries and states for grazing plant competition.

In Russia, recent research seems to have indicated that drinking the tea seems to help with Lead Removal from the body. Not sure how that works or whatever, but that seems valuable for all those paint chip eating people!

Yep, this is Horsetail, (Equisetum arvense) and it's a cool plant! Also known as Horse Willow, Pewterwort, or Toad Pipes

(I did know this before, but I wanted to research it further and it's also just very beautiful and interesting...)

Plant Study: Pearly Everlasting or Anaphalis margaritacea

Okay, my challenge for today was harder than I thought it was going to be. I guess I actually know a lot more plants than I thought I did! I had to wander quite a bit to find some plants that I didn't know.

Even this plant is one that I have seen and looked up before, and I realized that I remembered the name of it from back in the day when I got home.

It's Pearly Everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea) and I guess it was used medicinally. It is native to North America, so it's not a European import like so many other pasture plants.

It is known as Rabbit Tobacco by many native peoples, and it is said that because it lasted so long after it died, it was a plant that helped people 'walk between the worlds'. People grow it as part of butterfly gardens, and it is used in dried flower arrangements and it's sweet smell is said to be amazing in dried herb mixtures, or in special pillows, etc.

It's also been used in early homeopathic remedies as well as for childhood asthma sufferers, as well as dysentery, colds, sore muscles and even 'cud-substitute' for cows and some of their problems such as mastitis.

Haven't actually used it for anything yet, but I plant to pick some and bring them into the house to see how they look and feel in the house.

They are also said to be very sensitive, and that plants will pick up a very negative energy easily, and so can be 'ruined' in terms of their effect if around the wrong kind of people who are in a negative or highly fearful state.

Not sure what to do with it, but I am glad I learned about this plant!

Plant Study: Velvetleaf. Abutilon theophrasti.

 This is Velvetleaf. Abutilon theophrasti. In the Maldives, it is known as maalbulha, and it's leaves are eaten in vegetable dishes traditionally. It's also known in Asia as China Jute, because of it's very, very strong fibers.

This plant has been growing in my compost pile/manure pile in our yard, and it's really starting to take off. I used velvet leaf in the last challenge to make some great cordage, so I thought I would share this with you all for those of you who aren't familiar with it!

I never knew it was edible, and that it was a fiber plant in China, etc. And it's also considered a very, very noxious weed in the American midwest, because of how it sucks nutrients and moisture from corn crops... It loves rich, loamy, overturned soils.

Anyway, this plant was hanging out and a big thunderstorm was rolling in, and it was really cool to feel like this plant was just waiting for that rain. I really got the distinct feeling it was very thirsty!

I used the fibers from velvetleaf in my cordage display back in June, and it is a coarse fiber, but it's very strong and serviceable!   So, it's good to have around and it makes me happy when I see it growing, even if it is invasive in our gardens or whatever.

Earth Skills Infusion: Tools for Connection

 Well, the Seven Day Earth Skills Infusion is here and underway, so I thought I would post the video I made to get people excited about it, and also post the first guided meditation I made for anyone who wants to 'infuse' their skills with clarity, purpose, relaxation, centering or just be really, really laid back!

Here is the link:   Ricardo Sierra's Guided Meditation

I made this recording so it can be downloaded, so you should be able to download it to your mobile devices!

For some reason, this picture just
makes me think of deep
relaxation.
I took it last week out my
window on the plane as it was
about to land in Tampa, FL.
(I was changing flights!)

You can also listen to it on my website here:   The Natural Advantage

I will be making another one pretty soon, and I will post it as well.

My study this week is about plants that I have around me that I don't really know all that well, or never identified, so I wanted to learn them better.   So, I will be posting some of the things I have been learning about them, as well as some pictures I took of them too, so you can learn too!

Anyway, hope you are all excited and doing some kind of skill or nature activity when you can!

And join our Facebook group if you want to see what everyone else is practicing and learning!

Have a great week!

Ricardo

Ricardo Sierra's New Seven Day Earth Skills Infusion!

 The new Seven Day Earth Skills Challenge is almost here, and this time, I am giving it a boost with an additional aspect I am calling "The Skills Alignment Infusion".

It's about meditating about your connection to nature, your materials, your skills and your own deep center, and I am providing a series of guided mediations to get you in the groove, if you are so inclined.

Inspired by the success of our Wolverine Survival Camp this summer, I felt like it was time to share this part of our training with you all, and see if this can help you grow your skills as well as your deeper mindset and get more powerful results and earth energy!

I will be posting a video about this on my website here, and you can also join our Facebook Group if you want to be part of the tribe, and see what others are practicing and learning, give and get support for your own work, and just in general get very, very inspired and excited!

It all starts Sunday, August 17th, 2014, and you are warmly invited!

Pick a skill, practice it 15-20 minutes a day, and watch your life change as you begin to get the benefits of a connection close to nature and feel those new skills activate your natural body awareness and inner power source!

It's going to be awesome.

I hope you will join us!

Let's do this thing!