Rooting into our power: A reflection activity

[ I am not adding a main image here on purpose. I don't want any subliminal messaging before you engage the exercise :) ]

✍🏼Let's start with an association exercise. First, without overthinking it, complete this sentence: "My power is ______" 

What ideas, adjectives, or features come up? If your power had a color or texture or scent, what would it be?

Okay, great. Now, being informed by what intuitively came up for you in that initial exercise, bring to mind flowers, herbs, trees, any plant of choice that might embody your power. Select one.

Maybe it's a strawberry plant, a sunflower, an aloe vera, a redwood tree, a venus flytrap, a poppy, a cactus, a climbing blackberry, a waterlily, an avocado tree, a snapdragon, a baobab tree, a lavender bush, a beach rose, a cacao tree....the world is your wild untamed forest, so any plant....

Research if you need to. Wikipedia it. Consider your own ties to ancestry and the land if you feel called to that.

Then, draw it. If you have access, go outside and take a photo of it. 

Now, put a timer for 5 minutes and free-write about how this plant-being represents your own power. Is there something about its physical attributes, apparent personality, closeness to the ground or the sky, ability to bear fruit, tendency to repel pests, capacity to heal? Is there a characteristic that resonates with your own spirit and how you see your own gifts in this world? Is there something about it that just makes sense- why?

Plant growth as a guide to our rooted power

At its core, power is a neutral creative force. It is the capacity to do something or the ability to influence or change. It doesn't just automatically manifest and shine bright though. Similar to a blooming plant, flower, or tree, we can imagine our power as an evolving entity that develops with the most helpful conditions and intentional care.

I’ll give an example of a plant-being whose power I've been admiring lately. Recently, my partner and I became stewards of a citrus orchard. You’ve probably heard of the popular Valencia orange. Well, the ones we have are specifically called clemenvillas, a type of mandarin/clementine. Turns out that these were the cuties oranges I’d especially enjoy as a kid. These citrus fruit may be small but they pack a juicy punch. They do take a lot of intentional work to grow, but once they arrive, it’s a rewarding peel and snack.

I have been out on the land talking to these trees and resonating with their steady and patient resilience. Their roots dig deep and expand far, absorbing grounding energy. They seem to appreciate having fellow elder citrus friends around but do need their own bubble of spaciousness; their root space is sacred to them. So, no overcrowding them. They look forward to being in a community with a more diverse mixture of healing aromatic herbs and wildflowers as neighbors to ward off the sticky snails and aphids that cramp their style. Their trunk is strong, built from layers of lived experience. Their branches stretch confidently outward and the leaves create a cooling canopy of self-protection for their trunk (so as to invite in just enough light while not being burned by the sun). 

I appreciate how their powerful presence presents differently over the various seasons. Part of the year they are more quietly dormant and reserved, and in the spring they blossom with a fragrance that people find mesmerizing and yearn to fill their homes with. During the fall, their fruits really make their appearance known. By winter, the oranges are at their peak harvest and are striking to witness against gray skies. They are a welcome light and reminder of life in the darker shorter days. The fruit — sweet and full of immune vitality — are then ripe and ready to be shared with the community. After all this, the cycle repeats, they shed old growth and eventually blossom again.

Revitalizing the soil for your rooted power

I'm learning A LOT about soil in the process of tending to an acre orange grove. And similar to the trees, our inner power cannot flourish in a diseased soil system. Your soil – the foundation of your power – needs rich, fertile soil conditions to survive and have a chance at bearing fruit.

So, first, it's worth remembering the history of that soil - how was it tended to in years past? For example, in our orchard, previous owners had relied on loads of conventional techniques, easy go to chemical fertilizer, and pesticides. What is the story of your 'soil', dear reader? 

If we’re sticking with this analogy, consider the ‘thought toxins’ that have inundated the soil of your power. One “toxin”, or barrier to the growth of your own inner authority, might be the weighted stories or patterns that do not belong to you. Thoughts form or reinforce beliefs, which affect how we perceive and then respond to our own sense of power. 

Some examples of potentially stagnating beliefs that perpetuate powerlessness are:

“Nothing ever really changes.”
“I have to do everything alone.”
“If I express myself I’ll be rejected.”
“Rest is lazy.”
“I am not a good enough child/partner/parent.”
“Being sensitive is a weakness.”
“I am just one person. What can I change?” 

The invitation is to first ask yourself: Where did these narratives come from? Perhaps they were once projected onto you by someone. Or they served as a protective mechanism for a while. Maybe these thoughts kept you from taking a scary risk, and helped make you feel safe instead of potentially getting hurt or from feeling disappointed. These stories also likely have been influenced by the convincing, scheming messaging of societal structures we are embedded in everyday. Just think about how much it benefits people in greedy capitalist power to have you feeling helpless. Maybe the thoughts come from your activated nervous system that has been feeling overwhelmed because the reality is the world feels really scary right now.

Now, offer that part of you some compassion. A tender understanding moment, hand to heart. What we currently feed the soil and how we provide future nourishment to the soil foundation matters. From that loving place, start to brainstorm alternative, realistically empowering statements that make sense to you. To be very clear: we are not going for toxic positivity. The forced ‘just be happy’ and ‘own your power' toxic positivity also messes with the soil's health. We are considering what honors the reality (again the world is a lot right now!), and what also moves us from stuckness slightly closer towards empowerment. 

Some examples of more expansive, realistic alternatives:

“Change is a constant part of being human on this floating rock. Sometimes it's more obvious, and sometimes it’s subtle. There are reminders everywhere that change is possible.”
“I am not alone. It might feel like that sometimes. But, there are a whole bunch of people in this universe I haven't even met yet that are aligned with my values."
“I am allowed to ask for help.”
“My voice and my story can impact one single person for good. That matters.”
“There is a special power in vulnerability.”
“Progress, not perfection.”
“Rest is a fucking powerful act of resistance. Plus it helps us restore to keep going.”
“Sensitivity is sort of magical sometimes. Because it picks up on things others might miss. It's a form of perception or intuition that can be channeled.”
“There’s brokenness, beauty, grief, and joy all the time. I am practicing holding space for the sacred messy of it all.”
“This is really hard, and I am practicing the disciplined action of hope.”
“Systems were created by rich white men, and these same systems can be torn down to build something better for all.”

{Some 'fertilization' tips:}

Using the term “I am practicing” can be a helpful starting point to ease into a shifting of how we talk with ourselves. "I am practicing speaking my truth."

Try catching when you use generalized blanket statements that include “I never” , “I always”, and “Everyone”. It's one of those brain thought traps. Being Human is way too nuanced for that. 

Begin to think of other tiny actions that might shift the health of your soil. It might need to be in small percentages at first. What if it’s attempting to be kinder to yourself 5% more? What if you start with a powerful risk that feels more playful than scary? How about engaging one supportive action for the community that is within your control once per month? Consider what’s doable. What resonates, is accessible, and sustainable for you?

 
Ongoing loving maintenance 

Imagine in the long-term, over steady compassionate efforts, the roots of your power will slowly absorb this non-toxic blend of nutrients that feels more enlivening and empowering rather than oppressive. As you become more rooted in this idea of self-authority or power, consider ‘testing’ that soil every once in a while through self-check-ins or monthly reviews.

Going back to my little orange grove, we hope to invest in testing the soil and sending to a lab (when we have funds to do so!) When we test actual soil we look at texture, overall fertility, nutrient composition, and possible deficiencies where the soil needs a little extra tender loving care to thrive. When we think of the word ‘deficiency’ in plant terms, we are not judging the plant. In fact, we come from a perspective of care, of wanting the best for the future of the plant. Then from that data, we invest in complementary actions that make it more likely that the plant can thrive. In land terms, that might literally mean adding some more smelly organic compost.

For your own “soil”, identify when your soil needs a boost of some kind. The roots of your power will thank you for your ongoing maintenance. Remember, the root system soaks up what you give it. Look out for when your habits contribute to or detract from your personal sense of agency. In other words, think about the things during your day-to-day that increase your sense of freedom, independent decision making, ability to make change in your life, ownership over your future, your power.

Growing your power in community

It can become abundantly clear that environmental or societal factors play a big role in our ability to feel those things I just listed. To move about the world with the sense of self-sovereignty and ability to make change, it does to some extent require components outside of us to be securely in place. For instance, there might be a substantiated fear of peer or familial rejection. There could be a real threat of government policy. Perhaps there's a general uncertainty of having basic needs met by institutions that have been historically oppressive. These are all real environmental concerns.

If we return to the metaphor of the plant, tending to the initial foundation of soil is a crucial part but on its own is not sufficient. The roots, once established, will expand and the sapling will break through. The plant is then exposed to the elements. It will benefit from having certain beneficial factors in place in order to bravely withstand the environmental challenges and grow in its unique power.

To give you an idea, we have been introducing ‘green manure’ and companion plants to our orange orchard. ‘Green manure’ involves spreading seeds that sprout and create a green cover top layer, which protects and literally feeds back into the soil nutrients. Companion planting means growing specific plants close together for mutual benefit. A sunflower might distract pesky bugs and invite in pollinators, protecting the fruit trees, and a pungent smelling or spiky plant will ward off the slugs. These larger ecosystem approaches not only enhance the trees' ability to bear fruit, but also enhances the overall health of the soil, the future variety of plants that grow on the land, the birds, and even the air. 

Let’s apply this to your rooted power. Answer these questions first:

* Do you think you’d feel freer if you had more consistent permission from the world to be your authentic self?

* Do you think you’d feel more capable and feel more at ease if you had community support or protection?

* Do you think you’d have more willingness to explore your creative gifts if you had people reminding you that those gifts are worthy?

* Do you think you’d exercise your power more often if you were assured it would make a difference…in tree terms, assured it would bear abundant delicious fruit?

I imagine the answer to all of these is yes.


Interconnected community care is absolutely essential to continuing growing our power. Understandably, it can be difficult to access meaningful aligned community in the oppressive models we’ve grown up in. There’s plenty of messaging promoting individualism and keeping us separate, especially in empires like the so-called United States.

We have to co-create the mutually beneficial community ourselves. We are the ones that must re-imagine and dream up the ecosystem where all types of “plants” (trees, herbs, flowers) can live their powerful authentic creative existence. 

Special teaser: I am in the process of imagining up a nourishing community space for those living with chronic health conditions, such as pmdd, who have creative projects on their hearts but in need of the community encouragement, accountability and understanding. For example, I am in process of writing a book and it can feel lonely and frustrating trying to bring it into fruition while navigating PMDD waves.  If you’d like to stay in touch about this, please make sure to be on my newsletter or send me a direct email.

Further reflection:

🕯️What is one small way of reclaiming your inner power? Is it something you may already be doing, that you can praise and do more of? Is it something you have not started, and need the OK to? Here’s your invitation, dear one. You got this.

👩🏼‍🤝‍👩🏽What is one small way of supporting someone else in reclaiming their power? Can you do that at some point in the next month?

🌿For a moment, allow yourself to imagine a powerful thriving garden that you and others are a part of. Spend a morning or afternoon sketching, watercoloring, painting your powerful garden. 

In radical growing community with you,
Dr. Mo