When was the last time that you spent a day in nature?
The last time you gazed at a star filled sky,
uninterrupted by the imprint of unnatural light?
The last time you took a walk through a forest,
surrounded by the expansive bliss of Gaia,
unaltered by the hands of mankind?
Many of us care for the Earth for the same reason we do so for our closest friends, family members, and significant others. These are the people we have experienced in their most authentic, unfiltered, natural states of being. These are the people to whom we have soul agreements with, have developed deeply rooted connections to, and care for with all of our heart’s capacity.
Regardless of if these people share your bloodline or have appeared in your later years of life, you would not have been able to fully embrace their entrance into your soul if you had not made the conscious or unconscious choice to open your being up to channel a connection to an entity that exists outside of yourself. And most of the time, we only open ourselves up when we feel as though it is safe to do so. When we feel held, heard, and honored.
For a few moments, reflect on all of the people in your life that you feel deeply connected to. For a few moments, marinate in the joy and comfort they have brought into your life. Now, think about the connections you have to something that does not take a human form. Are you drawn to the mountains, the ocean, an animal, the forest, or even what exists beyond the Earth? If so, when was the last time you embraced this connection? Have you allowed the spark in your relationship to fizzle out?
If you cannot think of a connection you cherish with something upon the Earth besides your human friends and loved ones, now is the best time to begin acquainting yourself with the wonders of the Earth because she is in deep need of your love and support more than ever. I’m not expecting you and the Earth to be best friends by the time you are done reading this blog post, but I do expect you two to make plants to hang out. I suggest you two plan to meet alone since anyone else who tags along will just end up a third wheel, and we both know that’s never comfortable for anyone.
If you first meet by the ocean, make sure to take your shoes off and dig your feet into the sand. Listen closely to the clashing of the waves and if you dare, jump in and surrender to the mercy of the currents. If you head into the forest, allow your senses to guide you. Smell the freshness of the air, listen for the sounds of birds chirping in the canopy of the trees, feel the softness of the diverse foliage around you, take in a full breath of the air that the trees clean for you. If the stars have been pleading for your attention, stare off into the infinite night sky, know that all life we know of today contains the dust of combusted stars from beyond our time, and that the universe beyond is simply a mirror of the magic that lies within our individual existence.
How are you going to show your new friends the ocean, the forest, the stars that appreciate them, that you care? How will they know that when they need you, you will be there?
It is within these deep connections we develop to the Earth, that we realize we exist upon the same thread as all life. Without the health of the oceans and the forests, our planet would be scorched, and dry. Without the diversity of the ecosystems upon the Earth, we would not be granted the privilege of being right here. Now more than ever, it is time for us to rise, rise, rise. Our responsibility as warriors of the Earth has been spoken whole heartedly, loud, and clear.
Aya Chabayta
President & Lead Teacher of Aya Art Co.
