Sage and Wisdom
Salvia officinalis
Sage is a shrubby plant with grey-green leaves and delicate purple-lipped flowers. It is drought tolerant and looks great in a xeric landscape. Sage grows happily here in Denver and, when flowering, it is always abuzz with bees. Sage is popular as a culinary seasoning. With a mild eucalyptus-like flavor, it perks up vegetable dishes and salads. Leaves can be brewed for tea as a remedy for sore throats. In ancient times, drinking sage tea was thought to increase brain power and longevity.
Sage has a strong resonance with wisdom, its correspondence. The word sage means knowledgeable, as in having “sage advice.” The word also refers to a mentor, elder, or wise person. Sage’s reputation for contributing to longevity is also related to wisdom. If you live a long life, you have more opportunities for wisdom to develop.
Wisdom is more than knowledge or brain power. It can be helped by reading and study, but it is not simply a collection of facts. Wisdom is a combination of lived experience enriched by contemplation.
The green world has its own wisdom for maintaining balance and life. One example is that plants can recognize predators and secrete chemicals to make themselves less tasty. When gardening, we can seek out knowledge of how the natural world functions so that we can co-create with it, rather than approaching it with poisons and insensitivity.
Our bodies have a wordless internal wisdom, born from experience, about what is good for us. Paying attention to that wisdom might help us avert illness and accidents. Feelings of being off-balance, headaches, and pain could be communications from our body’s wisdom.
Intuition is another kind of wordless wisdom that can be developed by paying attention to our comfort and discomfort with situations and people. Rather than disregarding feelings, intentionally explore what you are sensing.
If wisdom comes from experience plus careful attention, it is something that can be cultivated. Consciously review what you’ve experienced to glean insight. Seek out wisdom from the green world and from others and intentionally apply it in your life.
Morning Attunement Questions
• What connections do I have with sage and wisdom?
• Where else in the green world or in my life do I observe wisdom?
• What does this correspondence feel like?
• How can I describe this energetic attribute of wisdom in words or pictures?
• Where does this correspondence of wisdom resonate most strongly in or around my body or in my life?
Daily Integration Questions
• In what ways is the world reflecting sage or wisdom back to me?
• What nuances and shades of meaning do I notice about sage and wisdom?
Evening Reflection Questions
• Where and how did I experience sage or wisdom today?
• How did I embrace wisdom today?
• What does sage’s correspondence of wisdom bring to my life?