| Deepening connection with Mother Earth |
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| “In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.” – John Muir I invite you to join me on a journey this month to rekindle our appreciation, understanding, and love for Nature. Over the past few years I have been studying and deepening my connection with Nature – only to continually be in awe at the magic that occurs within ecosystems (including within ourselves). Through my connection with Mother Earth, I have received far more than I sought. Now I want to support you in developing a connection with Her, so you too can connect with Her eternal wisdom. If you are interested in exploring or deepening your connection then continue to read and give Everything is connected.Just think about how you interact with things on a normal day… You wake up in bed sheets made with cotton grown in India, you brush your teeth with a toothbrush manufactured in China, you drink a glass of water pumped from a lake or an aquifer in your state, you enjoy avocado from Mexico smashed with salt from Utah and pepper from Vietnam on your whole grain toast from the midwest. Just by breakfast time you have received support from around the world, and that’s just showing how the tangible stuff you enjoy is interconnected. Now take a moment to reflect on the fact that each living and non-living thing on this planet have evolved from the same stuff, from plants, earth, minerals, water, and star elements. There is an invisible thread that weaves us all together and understanding that this thread exists is the foundation to caring for Nature in all Her forms (including you)! Nature gives to us abundantly, not wishing for anything in return, like a loving mother to her baby. In our modern societies we can easily forget how much She gives to support our lifestyles, so to encourage you to cultivate awareness around all she gives, take some time to do the activity below.“Trace Your Plate” The next home cooked meal you prepare, try this activity to cultivate awareness around where your food comes from and gratitude for the people and Mother Earth who co-cultivated this food so that it can be on your plate! Do the activity with at least 4 items that are present in your meal. Look at the packaging that the food came in or the sticker label on your produce. The location might be there or you may need to type the company name online to discover where this food item was produced. For each item, pull up an online photo of the type of plant or animal this food item came from. For example if you are eating zucchini, look up what a zucchini on the mother plant looks like, maybe take it a step further to learn what the zucchini flower looks like. Now I invite you to sit down with your plate of food and your new awareness of where it came from to give gratitude. I encourage you to speak out loud and name the various plants, people, and resources (sunlight, water, minerals etc.) that have made your plate of food possible. Additionally you may add a gratitude statement to yourself for taking time to do the activity and cook yourself a homemade meal! This practice can be simplified so you can give gratitude at every meal, you can try using my statement or create one for yourself! My general pre-meal gratitude statement: “Thank you farmers, transporters, and Mother Earth for providing me with this food. I am so grateful I took the time to prepare this beautiful meal. May this food nourish me and give me exactly what my body needs. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!” I would love to hear about your experience through this activity and what you discover. Please feel free to email me: [email protected] or share online and tag us @Sacred Treehouse @lizzie_shuttWith Love and gratitude, Lizzie and the Sacred Treehouse Faculty |
Lizzie is a heart-centered entrepreneur who has a vision of helping people all around the world shine their light and live their most aligned life. She recently received her B.S in Horticulture at the University of Florida and Holistic Health Coach certification from IIN. She has combined her two passions, environmental stewardship and helping others, by creating an online coaching program that connects clients to their body, mind, soul, and nature. Taking inspiration from nature’s interconnected designs, Lizzie works with clients to create a balanced life ecosystem that supports them in living an aligned life. Connect with her on Instagram @lizzie_shutt or www.lizzieshutt.com