Podcast 58: Earth Wisdom & Sacred Gardening

In this Earth-centered episode of Two Crones and a Microphone, Linda and Betty (with Sally off on a well-earned adventure) share stories, rituals, and grounded wisdom from the planting season. From drumming circles and dream messages to sacred gardening practices and plant spirit communication, this episode offers both inspiration and practical tools.

Whether you're tending a garden, planting in pots, or simply pausing to reconnect with the world around you, this conversation invites you to slow down and listen. You'll hear about co-creating with the land, honoring unseen realms, and building relationships with trees, herbs, and the rhythms of the Earth.

• Sacred gardening and seasonal planting rituals
• Communicating with trees, herbs, and nature spirits
• Listening as a spiritual practice
• Energetic healing of the land
• Dreamwork and community planting
• Reflections on Hildegard of Bingen and Earth theology

Transcript

Hello and welcome to Two Crones and a Microphone. I am Linda.

And I am Betty. Our friend Sally is off on a well-deserved trip, and we’ll welcome her back next episode.

So pour a cup, tune in, and get grounded. We’re offering stories, rituals, and real-life wisdom from three seasoned crones. Whether you're seeking a deeper connection to the world or just need a good dose of perspective, you are in the right place.

It’s time for real talk about how we live, how we heal, and how we show up when the world feels like it’s on fire. We’re so glad you’re here.

Subscribe and connect with us on social media. We’re building something ancient and new—one story, one podcast at a time. The courage to choose love over fear, even in the face of chaos.

Our Sponsor Betty: I absolutely would like to talk about our sponsor—The Manurva Educational and Wellness Treatment Center. Our site is manurvaed.com. Manurva is our sister business and offers online and in-person classes in the Pocono Mountains. It's beautiful here—it nourishes us and supports our classes. Last night, we had an amazing drumming circle with our friend Dove from Arizona, who we’ve interviewed before. You can find her episode on our YouTube or podcast feed.

Today’s Topic: Earth Wisdom It’s spring here, just after Memorial Day. It’s time to plant—core planting season for us. Betty, we’ve been diving into Earth as an element and sacred gardening. Our last guest, Maha Fry, shared incredible stories about communication with mountains, trees, and unseen realms. It reminded us how much communication is possible with the Earth.

Mahala has taught us to speak with the mother—our Earth—and all her beings: four-leggeds, flyers, slitherers, and even the fairies. We’re going to explore how to build those relationships through plant spirit communication and cocreation with Earth.

It starts with a relationship, a back-and-forth weaving like a figure eight. For me, that often includes singing or movement—communicating with birds, trees, stones, flowers. At first, it felt awkward, but now it brings me deep joy. Just last night, I had a dream of singing where the Earth harmonized back. It was magical.

Healing the Earth, Healing Ourselves Betty: When we heal Mother Earth energetically, we believe it heals the physical as well. The energetic and physical are linked. Sally, Linda, and I all cocreate with nature spirits and divas daily. For example, Sally and I just taught a class on sacred planting—preparing the ground, centering, grounding, and smudging yourself and the garden space.

You can use crystals or call the four directions and angels to bless the garden. We’ve made a PDF gift outlining our method for those who subscribe to our podcast.

We also share practical planting advice. Betty: I plant herbs in a raised bed because of all the bunnies. Flowers and mint go outside. Linda: There’s now a community raised bed next door that will donate food to the local food bank. It's a joy to connect and collaborate.

Listening to the Earth Linda: We speak to the plants, but we also need to listen. Listening starts with grounding and opening your heart. Sometimes I literally hear the wind or feel emotional resonance. One time, a tree sent me an image of myself as a child—I'd visited it again after many years, and it remembered me.

Betty: Starhawk says, “We need the discipline of magic... to understand what the Earth is saying to us.” This deep listening expands awareness and offers healing.

But with social media and distractions, we forget to listen. We forget the magic. The fairies around my ferns are waiting, and I think they do show up when invited.

Hildegard and Ancestral Wisdom Our next episode is about Saint Hildegard of Bingen. She understood how everything on Earth is connected. Her teachings from the 12th century echo what we’re exploring today. She sang, she healed, and she listened deeply to the Earth.

 Betty: We recently had to take down ash trees infested by emerald ash borer. I gave each tree offerings and explanations. They came down peacefully, and the arborists had no trouble.

Linda: Mahala told us trees understand when they’re not healthy. They communicate with other trees and seal themselves off. The oversoul of ash trees can shift to a new place. We’ll be posting books about tree communication and mycelial networks on our site.

Wisdom Practice Every episode ends with a Wisdom Practice. Today’s is: Walk outside or to your favorite plant. Ask: "What plant is calling to me?" Let your feet or your body guide you. Don't judge if it's a weed—dandelions are mighty!

Even if you live in an apartment, you can do this. Betty did it for 30 years before moving. Talk to the plants. Listen.

Closing Thank you to those supporting us financially. You’ll be receiving gifties soon.

Next up: Hildegard of Bingen. Linda has studied her for 30 years, and we can’t wait to share her story.

Visit twocronesandamicrophone.com to sign up for our monthly newsletter, read blogs (like Sally’s gorgeous illustrated posts), and find more resources.

Go seek your glimmer.

And as Sally would say: Walk in beauty.

All is made beautiful.

Bye bye!