Nature’s economy

In the words of economists, the economy is defined by how the limited resources are being distributed to an endless demand. Does this seem right to you? How can the abundant and resourceful Earth be so scarce? If you own plants, you’ll know what I’m talking about. When you take care of them and if it’s a species that is adapted to your climate zone, they grow everywhere. I own a basil that I have to make constant prunes because of how much she grows. If you ever sit by a mulberry tree at the end of winter, you know that there’s plenty of berries for everyone, like Robin Wall Kimerer described in The Serviceberry with the serviceberry tree. The problem, as we see, is not lack of resources, but rather how we handle nature’s abundance and especially, what we’re giving back to her.

          The silent contract humans and nature share is fairly simple, it’s the cycle of gifts. Ancient people and indigenous folks know very well how our agreement works, when instead of forcing the land to give us what we want at any time we decide to adapt to it, when we take care of our land communally, when we share the blessings that are given to us and every time we see nature as our primary mother, we are engaging in the gift cycle. We’re not meant to sit in our one-bed apartments alone, ordering food and crying about the money we spent, we’re not meant to work endless hours for minimum wage, which will only cover our bills and barely our food each month, we’re not meant to have everything just a click away. This system we’ve built, however, is collapsing. Of course it is. In the scarcity mind of the human economy we’re overexploiting the land without giving back, and she is responding, so are our bodies. We’re not all experiencing constant anxiety, burnout or even more serious illnesses because we’re too weak, it’s because not only the land is being exploited, but so are we, after all, we are one with nature. The way we treat her is the way we treat ourselves.

In the economy of gifts, we are meant to live in community. If I make a good harvest I won’t stack it up if I’m not going to eat everything, I share with my neighbor, which might return my gift with part of their harvest and so on, or maybe we might all throw a party, which is why seasonal festivals took place in ancient times, the same ones we celebrate today as witches. By sharing with our folks, we are also giving back the gifts nature gives us. Does this make it an obligation? Won’t I be in debt if my friend shows up with a basket full of berries? No, of course not, because in nature’s economy it’s more than just sharing gifts, we do it out of radical love for each other, which deserves a whole other post on the subject. When we respect nature’s cycles, when we share with our community, we don’t live in a scarcity mindset anymore. There are always enough resources if we respect our first mother.

Now you may be wondering what we can do if most likely we won’t start a revolution by ourselves, and even if we did, who would listen? Well, there’s plenty we can do! We can all start with the basics, which is shopping locally. Choose small businesses, small bookstores, local witchy shops, local markets where people sell their produce organically and cheaper instead of big market companies with canned food, or maybe, if you have a backyard, why not plant your own herbs and food? Even if you have a small apartment, rosemary, basil, lavender, rue, oregano, thyme, even moss or house plants make great allies and can be planted in pots. Revise your consumption patterns, do you really need another trinket and if yes, can you buy one that is handmade by a friend, or even you can make it yourself? I’m also sure you don’t need another bag, the 100th shoe in your collection, another lip oil or all the newest skincare products and gadgets, because not only the look you want might be achieved by just drinking water and eating vegetables, but also because maybe you don’t need to achieve the perfection they’re selling to you, especially not by buying whatever’s trending right now, and that’s where I want to get to.

In our economy, not only we go by thinking about the resources missing, but they translate it to the people by making us think there’s a level of perfection to be achieved that can be bought, when this role model doesn’t even exist. What nature teaches us, more than anything, is that we are already enough, and by living within her economy that’s what we’re telling ourselves too. You’re not inadequate for showing up with the same look at work on the same week, or by not having the latest smartphone. You are already enough, no matter what they tell you. By following nature’s cycles, you’re also respecting your cycles, and you deserve that level of care. You’re worthy of rest, of respecting your boundaries, of pursuing your hobbies even if they won’t pay your bills, because this is giving back nature’s gifts, this is what spirituality looks like.

(image: Pinterest)