13. Nourishment
We are sustained by others.
There is not a being that exists on the Earth that is sustained on it’s own. All Beings; human, animal, plant, mineral, insect - we are all sustained through the life and death of other Beings. This is the great dichotomy of joy and suffering in the physical realm.
“The warrior’s approach is to say “yes” to life: “yea” to it all.
Participate joyfully in the sorrows of the world. We cannot cure the world of sorrows, but we can choose to live in joy. ”
Joseph Campbell’s “warrior” is the individual who will stand for their own vision in the world. The warrior has the courage to live from their authentic Self.
(Obviously not in the sense of soldier or combatant in large scale violence. We can view the “warrior” as the “hero” for we are all the heroes of our own lives.)
The Practice
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Remember 3 Animals in your life with which you had a bond of love and gratitude.
write each of them a letter of appreciation for how they make your life better and bring meaning and value and fulfillment.
How can you bring the intention and feeling of your letter to the animal world? How can you show your love and gratitude in a tangible way?
You do not have to make grand and impressive gestures. You do not have to transform an industry or revolutionize anything. If you want to do that, fine - but don’t let the idea of “changing the world” stop you from doing small acts of love and kindness for our Animal Kin.
Small, personal acts of love and gratitude towards our Animal Kin are enough.
Being with or in remembrance with your beloved Animal kin in the feeling of love and appreciation is transformative.
What do you feel guided to do?
Do it.
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I know we have engaged with Tree in the past. Tree and Earth are grand magnificent Beings. We will never be finished our communication with Them.
Spend time with a Tree Elder in your neighbourhood or on your own land.
sit at Their roots with your back against Their trunk, or in a chair within touching distance.
take off your shoes and feel the ground around Them.
Touch Their bark. Hug Them. Be with Them in touch and harmony and feel mothaitheact. Mothachadh in Gaelic.
Sit quietly and listen. With your attention on Them, ask Tree if They have anything they would like to communicate. Be quiet and wait for Their response.
Get used to the uncertainty of what is happening.
Get used to the trust and faith that is built over time.
Get used to becoming familiar with how Spirit speaks to you in the world of form.
Trust that communication is happening and will become easier and clearer over time.
Give thanks to Tree Elder for being patient with us and our baby steps back into relationship with Them.
offer some water or compost or some form of thanksgiving to Tree for the relationship
ask Tree what They would like to receive - often times Tree asks for others in the area to receive.
I can’t stress this enough: Communication IS happening. If you think nothing is happening it’s because you don’t yet recognize communication and response for what it is.
Stay with it. Eventually you will recognize the Presence of communication.
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Bring remembrance to the foods you consume. There is no food without the giving of one life for another. This is the way of the world. Every morsel we eat is a gift from a being on Earth.
Begin a practice of gratitude and thanksgiving before eating and drinking.
Acknowledgement of the gift given for our physical survival is the very least we can do.
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Make a list and begin acting on the reciprocal gifts you can give the Earth in return for the gift of sustenance.
Compost, water, kitchen scraps, nuts... there are many ways to give back to our the kin on the Earth that sustain us.
The piece of Earth you live on and work on is representative of the whole. Whatever you do on the small area you call home is given to the whole.
Giving back to any part of the Earth is a gift received by all.
Follow your Spirit and your guidance for what feels right and good for you in your life.
You will know it by the joy it brings.