Bee Keeping as an Existential Experience
This summer I had the pleasure of attending an annual gathering of my Naturopathic colleagues at my colleague and friend Dr. Elizabeth Storjohann ND (https://www.woodsideclinic.com/) on her property in southern Ontario.
Our group gathers annually to share stories and the latest, and also, to eat. The food is fabulous, Liz is an amazing cook. We invite speakers and this year there was a herbal identification walk on the property with virididas herbs.
Not only is Liz an excellent forager and cook, she has recently started a bee hive on the property and I was invited to come out to help her look for the queen (who is apparently lost?).
I put on a full (and hot) sealed outfit which keeps me safe. We pull up on her ATV. The dogs are barking and excitedly circling us. I am given the job of ‘smoker’. Smoking the bees keeps them docile while Liz does the job of pulling out each panel to look for the queen. I take my job seriously. For me a good bee is a docile bee.
To say the experience was unnerving is an understatement. There were thousands of bees. Liz lets me know that the bees can sense my fear and nervousness and that I can take a breath and settle. She reminds me I am fully protected in my suit and I am compleatly safe. I take a breath and let myself move into a calm centred place. To be with the massive activity and loud hum, from a centred place. It was empowering
The intensity of the low loud hum was other worldly. I feel the physical vibration in my body and the hum transports me and connects me deeply to nature.
I am appreciating the value of these busy creatures. Pollinators are critical to the survival of North America’s native plants, wildlife and people and apparently both domesticated and native honey bees are in decline.
As I write this, this reminds me of how similar this is to the state of being with the world these days. Loud buzzing and activity, with the potential for danger, can easily put me off balance. Taking steps to create safety, and then reminding myself that I am safe, to take a breath and move myself into a more centred calm place, allows me to be with, in a more settled neutral way.