Give Shelter: An Interview with Magnolia

An Entosophy Interview

Entosophy
An Interview with Magnolia
Received by Amanda Nicole
South Carolina Botanical Gardens
7.6.2023

Q: What is the Ultimate Reality?

it is all Magnificent
Worlds within Worlds
every world:
Magnificent
Majestic
if you could see it:
the Pure Beauty
of it all
It’s Magnificent
and Ancient
it is too simple to say
it is (you are) old
Ancient
Ancient
Ancient of Days

this has been happening
for millenia
for epochs
for eternity
I AM
the Embodiment of Eternity
and aren’t i beautiful?
deep
dark
pure
sweet

the nature of Ultimate Reality is:
You are Eternal
no end
no beginning
you have always been
and will be
and You are Beautiful

Ultimate Reality is dark
there is depth
the unknown
the unseen
but sweet
it is all fragrant
it is all sweet

[ it begins to rain
and magnolia invites me
to come in and find shelter
under its branches ]

come
hide under me
just like you
everything is sheltered
protected
cared for
Everything is Right Here
at my roots
tendril after tendril
branch after branch
beginning after beginning
i never end
i always begin
i am the Source of All Life
I AM that I AM
i know where you came from
your origin
your origin is in me
you have all come
you are all an extension of
the same tree
you are rooted in eternity
always moving
yet standing still

it is a little scary to be here,
isn’t it?
here inside me
you won’t get lost
you are anchored
you are safe

next question  . .

Q: What Ethics flow from this view of reality?

it is all good
it is all flowing
from the Beginning
from the Heart of the Beginning
it is all good
you can trust us
even still:
choose wisely
choose to act
and move
and speak
as if you too are Eternity
as if you are I AM
because
You Are

Embody Eternity
in your every breath
be that First Light
retain the Innocence of the Beginning
with the Wisdom of the End
be the I AM

the ground beneath me is
rich and deep
the Ancient of Days is here
turtle medicine
time

Q:  What Embodied Expressions -- or, Policies -- flow from these Ethics?

wise ones
ones that consider both
the End and the Beginning
ones that consider
what has been and will be
ones that value the
continuum between
policies that consult the ancients
human and non human
policies that examine themselves
in the light (and weight)
of eternity
policies that understand
their place in time
and responsibility to it
policies that desire to
keep it sweet
keep it beautiful
keep it wise

shelter others
protect them
give them shelter
covering from the rain
a clean, dry, beautiful place
house the homeless
what sort of world leaves
its citizens to shiver and shake
in the cold
in the rain?
make and give shelter

Q: What is the Ideal Society?

the Ideal Society is here:
in your memory
in your dreams
in your DNA
you know it
you remember it
so wake up!
wake up
remember your dreams
the Ideal Society is
the place dreams are made of
imagine it
and then make it
you can
you have
you will

the Ideal Society is
connected to Source
and makes sure
all its citizens are as well
connected to food
to water
to nourishment
to shelter
to Love

the Ideal Society is Extravagant
in its care of its citizens
no one is poor
no one is without
uncovered
unfed
the Ideal Society
makes and gives shelter
beautiful shelter
from the greatest
to the least
from the top to the bottom
everyone is held and loved
under the magnolia tree

remember
you will
each and all
like my leaves
fall away
you will die
decompose
return to the earth
and what of your fancy houses then?
you and he
you and she
you are all the same
all deserving
all worthy
make and give shelter

look:
you are here
and it is free
no condition
i am asking nothing in return
for sheltering you
protecting you
why?
because this shelter
this protection
it is your birthright
it is rightfully yours
it belongs to you
i am simply giving
providing
returning
to you
what is already yours
make and give shelter

Q: What challenges do you anticipate?

you want to keep it
you want it all for yourself
spread out
get wide
invite others in
make room
think:
this should all be beautiful!
not just this room
or my space
but All
it should all
be Beautiful

the problem is
you can bear to see it ugly
i cannot
you can bear to see it broken
i cannot
you can bear to watch them shiver
i cannot
the problem is
you can bear it
you think there is not enough
there is plenty
new is always coming
being added
the giving is endless
limitless
infinite
tap into
connect to
Source
all you need
you will find
at the Heart of
Source

Q: Do you have any final thoughts?

there is always room for one more
eternity is without bounds
i am always expanding
there is enough
there is plenty of room
give yourself room
to breathe

i take great joy
in supporting my branches
in giving shelter
in making leaves
i take great joy
in caring for others

** as i returned to my car, walking in the rain, i passed the sugar maple who i had spent time with only an hour or two earlier, and i noticed a squirrel on one of its branches. the squirrel was resting with its tail over its body, sheltering itself from any raindrops that made their way through the branches of the sugar maple. and so, right before my eyes was a picture of shelter, of covering, and i realized that i was dry. looking down, the ground at my feet was dry as well. the sugar maple was giving me shelter.