I remember Earth Day April 22, 1990, like it was yesterday. (I can hear my college friends giggling now…)
Where I was. University of Portland – The Pilot House Student Center
Who I was with. Scott, the college b-friend.
What I was wearing. A navy blue rain hoodie when a college friend, Lynn, handed me a pale green ribbon to wear in my hair. I tied it to my hoodie’s zipper handle.
The ribbon is still there. (Yes, I still have that hoodie – it is a standard in our camping gearbox.)
Lynn’s enthusiasm for the day, the events, and the recycling was contagious.
And I remember thinking… “Why is there a special day for this? We live on Earth every day. Don’t people already know that we need to take care of Her to take of ourselves?“
The blush of a naive 21-year-old. Them good ol’ days.
Though Earth Day celebrations kicked off in the public realm in 1970, April 1990 was the year that Earth Day went global… millions of people organized and highlighted efforts for more “environment kindness” and stewardship. And there was the Earth Summit in Rio…
Consciousness.
An opening in the fabric that had brought separation.
Changes in behavior and choices that were bringing people back.
Thinking of the whole with the parts.
Sanctuary.
I was studying Social Work at the time… and as I look back now on my long (loooong and innovative career track) I see that my connection with the practical and ethereal gifts of “The Mama” (as I affectionally like to say) has roots clear back and extend far and wide.
Because we can’t separate the internal from the external.
Though many focus on Earth Day as a “what I can DO on this day”, I wanted to offer a deeper view – one of BEing.
How can you BE with the Earth and embody your relationship with The Mama?
For me, this notion of “being” rather than “doing” changes consciousness and the space of what Sanctuary actually IS.
Here are 4 ways to BE Sanctuary for & with the Mama on Earth Day:
Sanctuary Within – Sync into your favorite time of day and savor the feelings and energies that its mood brings you and BE in gratefulness that will root and feed your spirit.
Mine, hands down, feet on the ground is early (early) morning at dawn. There is an expansion, release, and receiving that washes over my soul every.single.time. This is when I download messages from my Sanctuary Within the most. And I revel in gratitude for this interlude.
Empowering Surroundings – Remember the wonder of you as a child at play outside and BE delighted, again.
Take a minute and think back to when you played outside, what season, and where… try to get into the feeling of the memory. Picture and relish the places… playground, fort, mud pit, skating down the sidewalk, climbing that tree, finding those frogs – the freedom and wonder of the place. Feel the sense of play and gratitude that comes up from those experiences in nature and how they formed you and your preferences now for gardens, plants, wildlife, out-of-the-way hideouts. These were your first empowering and encouraging surroundings. Sacred to the formation of you.
Lightened Up – Give yourself a Sensory Spa Treatment and BE calm.
Take 5 minutes outside and zero in on which 2 senses are delighted or soothed the most by nature. Why 2? We know that when 2 or more of our overwrought, artificially stimulated senses are soothed by nature – at the same time, we experience a restoration of wellbeing. This is such a good way to raise our “field” of vibration and energy at the same time we’re quieting the monkey mind. Thanks to a little Restorative Nature Rx.
Flower Energy & Magic – Pick a flower to grow and BE connected.
We love ’em those flowers, yet do we really understand the consciousness and magic of flowers? Pick a flower and do a little research on it – go to “the Google” and expand your awareness of that flower… my bet would be that you find a hidden message of self-love, growth, and nurturance in your findings.
