In times of great uncertainty, it’s understandable to want to contract; to get smaller; to want to keep our head down and take care of ourselves & those closest to us.
Part of this is a useful correction.
Many of the biggest challenges we face globally have come from overextending & pretending as though our bodies & the earth are limitless.
This is not right relationship with reality.
And, in fact, trees under stress do pull their resources from the outer limbs inward.
However, trees (and all beings living in connection with their ecosystem) still share resources intentionally with all the plants around them – not just the ones whose leaves look similar. Beings living in connection with their ecosystem know (deeper than cognitive understanding or pure belief) that better for everyone means better for them.
Our capacity to stay connected to what matters deeply – beyond simple survival – is what allows us to make gestures aligned with what matters most when sh*t hits the fan: when our power goes out, when there’s political unrest in our city or country, when what we call ‘the economy’ seems unstable.
This cannot just be an idea.
In order to live it –
We have to know it.
We have to feel it.
We may want to care about ‘the children’, but if we have no connection to any actual children (or beyond our own children), that intention is going to be tested hard when it seems to be in conflict with other things we want (simplicity, focused work time, money in our bank account, peace of mind, the flexibility to vacation whenever & wherever we want…).
We may want to defend ‘the earth’, but if we have no direct, personal & visceral connection to land we would defend (beyond personal ‘property), that intention is going to be tested hard when it seems to be in conflict with other things we want (lazy weekends, money in our bank account, or the flexibility to vacation whenever & wherever we want…).
We may say we want to make more money ‘in order to do more good’, but if we prioritize making money over doing the good that’s available to us right now, it’s just a nice idea.
(To be clear: this is not a call to have to do ‘more/everything’, nor am I against anyone making good money and supporting themselves, their family & their community well.)
I think often of my teacher in Mt Shasta, Tim Corcoran, and the community of Headwaters Outdoor School, who have dedicated their lives to mentoring young people, and facilitating direct connection with the land. I think often of how moved adults are when they hear Tim share about being mentored as a child; how much longing there is for having been mentored – and how few people are willing to make the sacrifices – yes, I said sacrifices (I do not believe sacrifice is a dirty word) – required to offer mentorship to the young people who so desperately need it now.
Being the village often requires offering unpaid time.
Being the village sometimes means not getting big thanks for very big work.
Being the village means caring more about giving than getting.
I continue to bring people to this land, and to sit with my teacher, because it teaches all of this, while also resourcing us to return to our homes, lives, jobs, families & communities more full, more alive, and more able to offer ourselves in service where it matters.
Just because being in wild nature like this is currently a privilege doesn’t mean that’s how it should be.
This is all of our birthright AND responsibility.
If you feel called to join me (and us), learn more HERE
(if you’re a dude, or know a dude who needs this, reach out to me directly)
