Earth Day dreaming and doing...

It's Earth Day tomorrow! Many, many thanks to The Sage Butterfly for inviting me to join this blog meme in honor of our beautiful planet. Sharing resources and inspiration with others who strive towards a creative, gentle and responsible relationship with Mama Earth is a great pleasure and a serious responsibility too. We need each other more than ever as we come to realize the full extent of humanity's devastating impact on our Earth... and through these communions it is my brightest dream that we help wake the shrouded consciousness of those who might still not be seeing as clearly as they might. It's time to dream our dream alive... walking in gratitude for the incredible gifts we are bestowed by this amazingly beautiful planet of ours.

As an empath and an Earth centered spiritual being, I've found this last year almost unbearable to witness and experience, and at times have found the despair seems almost like what drowning must feel like. What can we do in the face of all of this incredible struggle? Oil spills, mass animal die-offs, nuclear disaster, corrupt governments, toxic crops and the loss of alarming numbers of honeybees? Where to even begin, so many of us wonder? Well, we can come HOME, and make home one spot of light in a sea of darkness. Each of us who deeply care can create that, in our own ways, and soon, these spots of light will begin to overlap one another and light the way to our new way of being... one that is in communion and co-creation with Earth that brings abundance and deep nourishment to all of us, in the ways that matter most. It's my belief that we can get there consciously as we choose new ways to live more authentically... or, we can wait a little longer and be forced into them just to survive.

I'm sharing today three books that shaped my life in big ways towards living more sustainably, respectfully, and creatively in my relationship with Earth. I've followed an intense path of nature based spirituality for 30 years, so, when folks say "Every day should be Earth Day!", I like to remind them that for some of us, it is!

Inspirational Reading for Earth Day

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver

This is the book that cemented the ideas of sustainable living for me as something we could, should and WOULD do to the best of our ability. It truly brought it *home* for me. It made me think about things in ways I hadn't before, and made me more deliberate in all of my choices~ and helped me realize how much joy there could be in the process.

Sacred Land~ Intuitive Gardening for Personal, Political and Environmental Change by Clea Danaan

If I were to write a book, it would a lot like this little gem. It delves deep into "Green Spirituality" without excluding anyone who just loves gardening and nature. I think this intuitive aspect of working the land is sorely missing from most in our modern, noisy lives. There is so much to be learned from actively listening to the Earth. One must stop talking so much to do so, though!

The Barefoot Beekeeper~ by P.J. Chandler

This is our family's second season as beekeepers, and this book is a must-read for those who want a way to keep bees in a healthy, humane and respectful way. Bees are in serious peril worldwide, no doubt from a myriad of reasons that humanity has created. This book is one of the only presently available that teaches natural, sustainable beekeeping practices, which just might be the saving grace of these precious little beings that give so much. Please support your local beekeepers, and be kind and gentle to bees when you see them... they're a blessing in every way.



Healing, love and deep peace to our beautiful Earth and all her children on this Earth Day. Walk gently and with deep gratitude, for this is all we have... and it's a good thing, since it's all we need.