We Are All Natives

We all come from the earth and some day we will all return to it. Yet, how often many of us forget and neglect the most important thing: how we live. We are at a critical time in the history of our earth. Does the land belong to us? Indigenous people have always believed that they belong to the land not that the land belongs to them. Our neglect of the earth is now making this planet unlivable for many beings.

What action must we take to ensure the survival of all of earth's creatures? Our ancestors left us a legacy of 60,000 years of wisdom and instructions on how to care for the earth. Shamans remind us that interdependence is essential for survival. Now we can celebrate by art, music, dance, singing and other rituals to how best to show our gratitude for our world.

Teach your children.  What we have taught our children- that the earth is our mother. Whatever befalls the earth. Befalls the sons and daughters of the earth. If men spit upon the ground, They spit upon themselves.

This we know. The earth does not belong to us. We belong to the earth. This we know. All things are connected Like the blood which unites one family.  All things are connected.

Whatever befalls the earth, Befalls the sons and daughters of the earth. We did not weave the web of life, We are merely a stand in it. Whatever we do to the stand in it. Whatever we do to the web, We do to ourselves. - Chief Seattle

Let's honor our ancestors’ great teachings and, by doing so, plant seeds of hope for future generations. Exploring the archetypes of the Grateful Warrior, the Compassionate Healer, the Balanced Visionary, and the Wise Teacher leads to a four-fold path*. Each archetype offers wisdom to help us make choices that can benefit our world.

* The Grateful Warrior’s way is to know the right use of power -- to show up!
* The Compassionate Healer’s way is to extend love -- to pay attention to what has heart and meaning!
* The Balanced Visionary’s way expresses creativity -- to give voice to what we see!
* The Wise Teacher’s way is to practice wisdom -- to become open to all possibilities and unattached to outcome!

Let’s preserve our Earth and its sacred beings. Celebrate with green alternatives such as composting or riding a bike? Finally, as we inhale and exhale, we find that we are making a fundamental shift in consciousness and value deeper mindfulness into the sacredness of all things.

* Live simply *Laugh freely *Give easily *Speak kindly

*Think calmly *Love deeply

Starlight Please

Starlight is becoming endangered, affecting both wildlife and humans. 

Our population lives in a very electrified world with over two-thirds of the world’s population living in a light polluted area.About 40% of us at night face perpetual light and 25% experience artificial twilight that exceeds the illumination of the full moon.

83% of people live in light polluted areas and 99% of Americans and Europeans live in this artificial illumination. More than a third of humanity and almost 80% of North America can no longer see the Milky Way.

Right in the middle of the Shenandoah Valley is where I live. I have the fortune of backing the George Washington National Forest outside Edinburg, Virginia. I look at the amazing starlight through my four oaks over 100 years old on my land in the middle of Three Mile Mountain.

At my home I easily can see both planets and stars.  Schon-hin-dow, or Beautiful Daughter of the Stars- Shenandoah, is what the First peoples call this magical Valley. These Star Children had the wisdom that these heavenly lights were contained within.

Our first settlers thought they had found the “garden of Eden” and my town was first called “Edenburg”.  My valley has many places to view the night sky. 

Come see for yourself of our night sky  " Beautiful Daughter of the Stars."  Bathing in starlight is something all humans must experience.

We all come from and return to the stars.