Across many cultures and practices, fireweed has been valued for her versatility. Her fibers have been used to weave nets, ropes, clothing and blankets. Healers turn to fireweed for her medicinal as well as spiritual properties, often being dried and served as a tea. The forest treasures her most of all for bringing life back into land scorched by fire.  

 

In our class Design with More Than Humans, we were prompted not to think about what our beings could do for us, but rather what we could do for them. After researching about all the ways that fireweed gives back to the plants and animals of the forest, I began to form my Sit Down practice. 

 

I ventured into the forest weekly to sit quietly below the canopy. The river hummed gently some days and on others rang out in full force. The forest floor was covered in moss and rot, a seemingly untouched valley in a world where balance is rarely found. I grew to love this place and eventually started inviting friends to join me for tea.  Together we found ourselves nourished by the soft rhythm of the forest. 

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