Q & A: Thorns

Q: My sister and her boyfriend moved from Oregon to Arizona. Since the move she keeps getting pierced by thorns. The first – was from a ‘jumping cactus’ – she pulled over 20 thorns out of her thigh when that happened. Recently, a bouganvia thorn pierced her thumb- red swelling, pain, “feels like a bruise.” Her hands keep getting ‘nicked up’ at work too.

I have no floor plan or compass readings to offer. Approaching this elementally – metal (sharp edges) / hard earth??? Too much metal?? Fire and hard earth?? Possibly she’s physically walking by a plant as she enters the house – and avoiding running into it is part of the interference??
Carri B.

A: Great question, Carri!

I had an identical experience with this, when my northern (wet) California folks moved to Scottsdale, AZ for a fun 9 year stay.  I would visit them twice a year, and became familiar with the ecosystem, the landscaping around many homes, and the unique problems of adjusting to that beautiful and extreme climate.  I LOVED it, but it took awhile to stop pricking myself everywhere!  Here’s the magic solution that worked for me and my folks: Get your sister to the Scottsdale Desert Botanical Gardens, often!  There she will learn all about the amazing native plants, their intriguing uses, and how to enjoy them in the landscape.  She will be profoundly impressed, as I was, with how well her area of Arizona has preserved and showcased its native heritage while building a modern appreciation of the desert’s treasures.  Lots of desert safety tips there as well.  I found it best to go to the Gardens either in the very earliest morning weekday hours, or for the special once a month evening shows, in order to experience that special quiet of those hours, and the unique animal life which fills the preserve at those times.  As I became more “desert-savy”,  my initial prickly impressions faded, and my body became much more comfortable and graceful in the new environment.

It is my guess that your sister’s thorny problems will diminish in direct proportion to her efforts to understand and appreciate the new ecosystem she has “planted” herself in.  Moving from Oregon’s very wet and softly evergreen Wood and Water to the intense Fire and massive Earth of Arizona is indeed a big adjustment, and all 5 of her senses must be slightly confused.  She may need to re-establish a new energetic grounding cord to this new and very different ground.  Many times, small accidents and clumsiness can be the results of a house move, which usually clear right up as soon as the person gets acclimated and well grounded into the new space. Of course, you may also ask her how desirous she was of moving, as some of her painful encounters may be revealing an internal resistance to the change.  The desert landscape, the urban cityscape and the lifestyles are all quite Yang in her area.  She may need to surround herself with some extra Yin for awhile, as well as lots of extra Water or Wood (live plants, fountain, dark greens, florals, forest art work, etc.) to help her body and emotions to adjust.

When my parents first arrived in Scottsdale, they immediately splurged to create on the tiny back patio a secluded shady oasis, using an overhead shade arbor, trellises, quick vines and a large fountain, with delightful water sounds, cascading  towards their main view windows.  Inside, they brought in several silk plant “trees”, placed darker tones and draped fabrics everywhere, and used only the down lights (rather than the overhead lights) to create “pools” of coziness throughout the house.  Their home was their sanctuary of muted softness, coolness, quiet and comfort, and this enabled them to truly enjoy the contrasting desert world around them.  I hope your sister and her boyfriend may discover the same happiness soon!

Love, Karen Carrasco, Teacher, WSFS