We all are tied to a lineage of love that has existed since time immemorial.

I’ve been reading several books written by Native/Indigenous people who write about our connection with Mother Earth. I am also reading books about inclusivity and healing. At the same time, I’m also processing my journey since I’ve taken a long pause from being on the road everyday touring on my Turtle Shuttle. This pause has been extremely difficult to experience for several reasons. I reduced my guiding sessions because it was becoming winter and people were less likely to want to be outside in the cold. It has been a good time for me to focus more on business stuff and mapping out my next phase. But I sort of got lost in the digital clutter, and the responsibility of keeping up on social media. And the feeling of inadequacy follows with the “comparison” culture. I began to feel disconnected from myself and Nature. 

 

During this time, I’ve been getting reminders from Nature that I am loved and perfect just the way I am. One of my favorite quotes I saw somewhere on my social media feed:

 

“One does not walk into the forest and accuse the trees of being off-center, nor do they visit the shore and call the waves imperfect. Why then do we look at ourselves this way?”

—Tao Te Chiing

 

This quote validates the need to increase self love, by looking into Nature and realizing that with all Nature’s imperfections, we are still beautiful and loveable the way we are.

Similarly, this experience ties to a quote by Chickasaw Poet Linda Hogan quoted in Sacred Instructions by Dr. Sherri Mitchell that stood out to me. Linda’s words speak about how we are all loved and how we are connected to our past and future.

 

“Suddenly, all my ancestors are behind me. Be still, they say.

Watch and listen. You are the result of the love of thousands.”

 

I had been wallowing in the depression of winter. Shadows, revisiting sad memories, experiencing emotional blocks. It was during the holidays, after having painful and emotional spells that came from unpacking my ancestral trauma and the constant recurring triggers (experiences) of being left out of conversations. One early morning, I got up before the sun, wandered at the edge of the lake in the Florida swamplands where I grew up, and I started doing some drumming.

 

 

After a moment, I felt the spirits of the Swamp sing through me. My heart softened up with each song, like the cold black heart melted away and the embers of my heart glowed. These are songs that come from the soul, the connection between the heart and the spirit of Nature. Playing them is almost automatic, like a natural call of the Wild. After a moment, I was blanketed by silence as the fog cleared up and the sun came out.

 

“Look up,” the voice of Mother Earth spirit said to me, My head lifted from the ground I had been walking on. I looked up and I saw the bright little red hearts on the leaves above me.

I was reminded of Linda Hogan’s words: “See all the red- these are my reminders to you that you are loved by thousands”.

 

 

Tears started filling up my eyes and trickled down my cheeks. To me, the beautiful leaf represents the long lineage of love that gave rise to our existence. When we guide in the forest, or look at trees, we take notice of the mycelium effect- how everything is connected and that when we embrace the concept of interbeing, we are also integrating the energy of love that has been passed through generations and connections to create our existence.

 

As Dr. Mitchell writes, how “incredible it is to think that we have risen up out of such love, whether it be the love of a man for a woman, a mother for her child, or the sweet love found in the eyes of a grandparent. We are all tied to a lineage of love that has existed since time immemorial.”

 

Even if we haven’t had a direct experience of that love, out in Nature we are reminded that it exists and that it has made an imprint on our hearts- giving us more reason to love ourselves, just the way we are.

 

That morning after the drum and the conversation I had with Mother Nature, I broke into tears and cried. This realization that with the many many hours I spend on technology, social media, or keeping up to speed, I am poisoning myself with the artificial, “feel-good” culture, which in turn distances me from the concept of interbeing. And in that process, I become more and more alone. But by turning into Nature, we not only are reminded that everything is connected, that interdependence is the antidote to individualism.

 

We all should take a moment to examine our addiction & dependence on social media to make us feel good. Instead, we should relive the good memories we have made and good deeds we have done all these years. Take time to integrate them. To feel them. To believe that we are amazing, just the way we are.

 

Since that morning, I vowed to myself that I will try to be more awake this year instead of mindlessly scrolling through social media and comparing myself to others.

 

I need more slow moments. I need to gaze more at the fire, the falling of the leaves on the ground, watch the clouds pass by, say hello to the flowers, berries, and mushrooms looking at me. To feel the sunset on my face.

 

 

Being slow, in the present moment. Being a turtle, on Turtle Island.

 

I encourage everyone to take some time to do some reading, reflection, and listen deeply about perspectives towards how we can improve our connection to ourselves, our environment, and our communities. There is a lot of wisdom coming from Native American leaders, healers, and land tenders/protectors. I’m aiming to post and share messages, to amplify indigenous voices, and focus on healing the land and ourselves. “Mitakuye Oyasin” is a Lakota saying that translates to “We all are connected-All my relatives.”

 

While we focus on improving our love for ourselves, we can learn by loving our planet.

 

Real change will happen only when we fall in love with our planet. Only love can show us how to live in harmony with nature and with each other and save us from the devastating effects of environmental destruction and climate change. When we recognize the virtues and talents of the Earth, we feel connected to her and love is born in our hearts. We want to be connected. That is the meaning of love: to be at one. When you love someone, you want to take care of that person as you would take care of yourself. When we love like this, it’s reciprocal. We will do anything for the benefit of the Earth and we can trust that she, in turn, will do everything in her power for our well-being.—Thich Nhat Hahn

 

 

 

#selflove #nature #NatureTherapy #ForestThearpy #RelationalHealth #healing #collectivewisdom #indigenouswisdom #amplifyindigenousvoices #listening #sharing