Licensed psychologist - expert on empowerment
Certified teacher of Yoga and Mindfulness
30+ years of experience in Ancestral Earth Wisdom
Hello to all the student planners, participants and faculty! Special thanks to Advika who reached out to me in such a courteous and professional manner. I am very impressed with the concept and design of your project, and find it encouraging that young people are exploring the value of nature, a simpler lifestyle, and mindfulness both to reduce stress and to improve the quality of life for yourselves and for our planet. I am honored to be invited to speak with you.
I have always been a nature lover and a seeker of meaning, exploring many global cultures and practices for meeting life in a benevolent, respectful manner. I studied for over 20 years with my earth wisdom teachers who shared indiginous teachings of how to live in this kind of balance and have guided trainings called the Art of Peace for many years. I live in Minnesota, where we enjoy 10,000 lakes and the pristine sanctuary of the Boundary Waters region between the US and Canada. Our ethic is to Leave No Trace. To go into Nature and leave no sign we have been there, or to leave it more beautiful than when we arrived. I find this is a worthy measure for life itself. I believe in living a life that is in balance, inside myself, between me and others, between myself and nature. My yearning has led me to cultivate a Mindfulness practice, which really means to be present and aware of what I am experiencing, moment to moment. Personal benefits for me include increased pleasure in the little things, decreased suffering, greater emotional stability, improved ability to respond vs react, and ever-growing compassion for myself and others. This is a way of life, and is a lifelong endeavor, and no one does it perfectly all the time! It means that rather than living life on “auto-pilot”, I challenge myself to really open my senses...to smell, to see, to feel, to touch, to taste, to listen….this is how we know that we are alive. Without this kind of awareness, we may impulsively react rather than to respond wisely to stressors, we cannot enjoy what is here for us to enjoy, and it is hard to surf the waves of pain or suffering. I combine my love of nature with mindfulness, because we are natural beings, not separate from nature. Technology, being inside so much, can make us forget our wild primal nature. We are not machines, we are living, breathing beings and our stress levels go way down when we are in contact with nature. It can be simply to take a walk, to slow down and hear the birds sing, to watch the trees in spring bloom and leave out, to grow seeds and to nurture plants even in a pot on your window sill. This air we breath is part of the natural world. This sun that streams upon us and brings life to the earth, this is nature. The ground that we walk upon gives us all our food and everything we need. The water is Life, just like the blood that runs through your body. We are Nature. We are not separate from Nature. And inside of us is a wellspring of goodness, wisdom and knowing that is available to us when we take the time to be still, quiet and to listen for our own heart knowing to arise. Remember this fountain of knowing inside of you. Even on your worst moments, your goodness is at your core. The younger you are when you start to explore and trust this wellspring of wisdom inside of you, the more accessible it will be for you over your lifespan. To quote a friend of mine, Sarah Seidelmann, “How good are you willing for your life to get?” You are so much more than your thoughts. Pay attention to what your body tells you; this is how you perceive emotions, in the body. Your body is always on your side, moving and nudging you in the direction of greater health and wellness. Your body is never wrong. Listen, respond to your own needs and to the needs of others, with compassion. This requires awareness and intention. This is what we call Mindfulness.
I’d like to invite you on a journey into nature right now if you are willing to come along. So settling into your seat, feeling contact with the ground beneath you, taking some deep breaths….stretching, softly closing your eyes if that feels comfortable for you...just starting to feel your body breathing, however it wants to breath. Be the observer and the one directly experiencing your inbreath, receiving ….your outbreath, releasing….receiving the life-giving breath as you inhale... letting go of stress or anything you no longer need with every outbreath…...
Seeing now before you, in your mind’s eye, a beautiful place in nature. Here is a lake, trees, grass, flowers, gentle wind, birds, sunlight on the water. Settle yourself comfortably on the soft grass next to the lake. No one can come here with you unless you invite them, and no one can disturb you here. This is your special place.
(Connecting through the seeing, smelling, sensation, hearing, ...senses…). Aware of water seeking the lowest ground, of the deep bowl of the earth holding this lake or pond, the old leaves at the bottom, the stillness at the depths, the surface reflecting the sun, the trees, grass, perhaps birds….the moonlight at night...the stars...
Then perhaps noticing..Choppiness, changes, fleeting thoughts, images, emotions… being ok with that, knowing it’s all part of the nature of the lake...that each one will arise, and pass, and here will come another awareness...feeling into the depth of this lake that is part of your nature….moment to moment changes...
Perceiving this Reservoir of mindulness, of awareness inside of you, residing here just under the surface of your mind...available to you...all of your peacefulness as well as your intensity of emotions, thought, all cradled like the lake in the curve of the earth, containing all of yourself...the sparkle, the all potential, the moonlight, the sunlight, the quiet, the tumult of wind or storm….ever changing, and yet with the quiet down in the stillness of the lake, your deepest inner resource. Remember this reservoir inside of you that you can access any time you wish, maybe when falling asleep, or when you just want to return. The more you visit , the more accessible and vivid it may become. And now opening your eyes, stretching, maybe bringing a little smile to your face. Big breath in and out.
Final Words:
Take time to be outside, in Nature. Lie on the grass, smell the plants and the earth. When you see Nature’s beauty, say to yourself, “I am that, Nature is my true mirror.” Take time to slow down to the speed of Nature, and listen to her messages from inside and outside of you. Care for yourself with kindness, gentleness and compassion as though you were caring for the most precious kitten, puppy, baby or best friend. Trust that the wisdom and comfort you seek is already within you. Enjoy your journey! There’s so much to learn along the way, and all you need to BE is yourself.
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