Leaves not Logos
A few weeks ago I attended an Evolver Atlanta meeting where we discussed our nation’s food security and alternatives to eating food that has been transported an average of 1,500 miles from farm to plate. The options highlighted included farmers’ markets, organic gardening, permaculture, aquaponics, and wild edible plants.
As Duane talked about his organic farm and Rob showed us the abundance of edible plants that can be found in the area, I was captivated and felt a sense of recognition ignite from deep within – ancestral knowledge bubbling up from my DNA. Yet I also felt despair, wondering how was it possible that so much of this ancient wisdom eludes us. What was once commonplace is now only known by a handful of people. This is especially poignant to think about during the largest shopping weekend of the year.
Studies have shown that the average child is exposed to 20,000, 30-second TV commercials in a year. From these, children learn to recognize hundreds of logos, but I wonder how many plants and trees they can identify? Read More
Listen to Your Mother
Compared to other countries around the world, America, at 233 years of age, is relatively young. The contentious debate over climate change, and even the fact that we are debating the issue, makes us look like ungrateful, selfish little children. To the world, the US must appear like a child stomping his feet on the floor, with his fists in the air, arguing with his mother about the toys strewn all over the floor. “They are not mine! I didn’t do it! It’s not even a mess! What about Tommy? You should see his room! Mine is clean compared to what his looks like! I shouldn’t have to do anything until he cleans up his mess first!” Sound familiar? Read More
Turtle Crossing
I bought the book, Broken Open, for a good friend who just turned forty and is going through some major life changes. Before I passed it on I read a few pages and was intrigued. I was pulled in by the honesty, courage, wisdom, and beautiful prose of author Elizabeth Lesser, cofounder of Omega Institute.
I picked up the book a week later for myself and quickly became immersed in Lesser’s story of her phoenix process and how others have been transformed by life-altering events. I think that many threads from this rich tapestry of experience and insight will stay with me for years to come, but there was one passage that particularly resonated with me. Read More
Earth Spirit Action 