"Creating a spiritual connection means creating a relationship. When we create a relationship, we tend to that relationship. This tending cultivates love and when we love something, we are more committed to taking care of it."
Brief Bio. As a guide for Seminary of the Wild Earth, I am very excited for the opportunity to walk side-by-side with others doing this wonderful work. I view the deepening of our wild selves as both humbling and vastly rewarding. As a holistic psychotherapist, my work in Seminary of the Wild has complimented my private practice. I have added an eco-spirituality component in my work with clients that has brought another level of wholeness to the therapy.
After my own graduation from this course, my eco-spirituality evolved into me pursuing the craft of Shamanism. After many years of study with a teacher, I now work as a shamanic practitioner. I provide healing in the shamanic realms which can involve connecting with animal guides, ancestors, or lost parts of the soul.
My work in Seminary of the Wild Earth has given me the confidence to understand what my gifts in the world are, and to offer them with gratitude. I look forward to working with all the travelers in the year ahead.
Tell us a bit about who you are and how you came to this work.
I am a holistic psychotherapist who has found that in my work with clients, there is often a lack of wholeness they feel in their lives. It wasn't until after graduating from Seminary of the Wild that I understood more about this lack of wholeness. I believe it revolves around the cutoff our culture has to Mother Nature... the land, the plants and animals, the ocean, the mountains, the whole planet. When we align with nature as an ally, we call forth the greatest resource available for healing and wholeness in our lives.
What are the lands that raised you, and how has your own connection with the natural world influenced your path?
The land that raised me was a small coastal town in the San Francisco Bay Area. Although I did not connect with the town, I connected with the ocean and mountain there. It is clear to me now that those places in nature were my solace and my sustenance. This relationship to nature influenced me to begin a spiritual practice that involves the spirits of nature and the changing of the seasons.
Why do you believe a practice of spiritual connection with the earth is important for our time?
Our culture is severely cut off from nature and the planet. When we create a spiritual connection with nature, we are fueling and fulfilling ourselves while simultaneously caring for our planet. Creating a spiritual connection means creating a relationship. When we create a relationship, we tend to that relationship. This tending cultivates love and when we love something, we are more committed to taking care of it. As they say, there is no Plan B planet.
In your experience, what are some of the barriers or challenges individuals or communities face in developing a deeper connection with nature?
In my experience, some barriers people have to making a deeper connection to nature is time. People feel rushed, too busy, overscheduled, and overwhelmed. They may believe that spending time in nature is a luxury, and I believe it is a necessity. Nature helps slow us down and this can assist us in staying balanced, strong and nourished.
What practices (big or small) can help heal our disconnection from the natural world?
Some practices I have found to help heal this disconnection is to commit to being in nature consistently. Even if that is visiting your backyard or a local park. When we spend time outside, and visit the same place regularly, we can see how that place changes, as the season changes, and as we change.
What are you looking forward to offering as a guide in Seminary of the Wild Earth?
I am looking forward to walking side by side with participants and help be their companion, witness, compass, and ally in this deep and moving work. It is an absolute honor.