Today I took myself out on a Nature Quest... a quest for Earth Day
I wanted to converse with the Earth herself to know what we can do to serve her at this time of The Great Turning (as Joanna Macy would put it).
I walked a familiar path and gasped in horror to see these hawthorns cut to the ground. Why? For what purpose? These beautiful trees with their blossoms and their berries brought me (and I'm sure many others) so much joy. I allowed myself to feel the depth of the sadness that was present at this witnessing... To feel my devastation... to stand and cry... to lay my hands on the trees... to apologise for what had been done to them and to take a fallen branch in memory.
I don't know if it's the sparseness of the trees here that makes me feel the loss so keenly or that each tree I meet on my walks feels like a friend.
It felt an ominous start to my quest!
Beloved earth...
What would you have me do?
How can I love you?
How can I listen to you?
How can we vision a new earth?
Here is what came in response to my questions...
What is my most hopeful and health-ful vision of the earth?
Initially what came were the words 'one without humans'. Yes I can see that!
Then the words from a chant 'the earth, the air, the fire, the water, return, return, return, return' with a message to rewild.
And then a more hopeful message... dozens of butterflies in a small patch of sunlight in the grass! 🦋🦋🦋 The butterflies gave me hope that humanity can transform!
How do I feel about what's happening on the Earth?
As I crossed the road, I noticed 'cross'... I feel cross... angry... frustrated... upset...
A couple of things caught my eye in the verge... rubbish and dog shit... Yep! That pretty much sums it up!
And a wee lamb 🐑, seemingly alone... lost. It can be so easy to let the despair take hold, to feel lost with what we can do individually or even collectively locally to make a difference to this global issue.
Beloved Earth, what wisdom do you want to share?
Fly together... stay open... heal...grow...🌳 she replied through the birds plants and trees around me.
Beloved Earth, what actions do you want me to take?
Flow said the burn... catch the light said the sunshine on the water... walk your path... be(e!)... sing
I LOVE this practice of walking in nature, of asking questions and seeing how the environment responds to me - it's powerful and wonderful and sometimes heartbreaking and feels so important. Important to listen to the Earth... to hear her wisdom and to heed it!
What is she saying to you?