Skalitude has always been about having a lesser impact on our planet but, this past several weeks have been all about what we as humans can learn from nature. Where does our connection with this life force we call Earth begin and where does it end? It’s not something that just everyone recognizes right away, with all the hussle and bussle in today’s society . If you really get out, stop, and really listen, I think you will find there is no beginning or an end. It is more like a pulsing of all life together to keep such a delicate but fierce balance. From the microbes to our immense galaxies everything must work together so we can live in a stable world.
Recently we had a vibrant group of young people from the Alderleaf Wilderness College who really embodied and captured the meaning of “dissolving into nature”. They happily lived, for five days, in an ever changing climate among the beauty of nature foraging and building snow shelters as their temporary homes. We Interviewed these ever so eager students to see what it was that attracted them so much to the wilderness.
David- “People need to know how to take care of the Earth. Keeping these survival skills alive in our culture today and stretching our comfort zone to live outside in the winter is just what we need!”
Anonymous – “this kind of living provides a whole new perspective of how we interact with nature. You learn to see yourself as part of a symbiotic relationship with mother earth as a whole.”
Maya- “If you sit at home grinding your teeth staring at a TV that’s your imagination leaving you. But, at night the stars smile down at me and I wonder how it all began.”
“Most are oblivious to the effect we have on the outdoors. Just seeing whats out there, to appreciate the sacredness of the land. I see it getting worse and worse. This is about shaping my skills to live the way we are suppose to live! We are one living planet.”
These are just a few of the Testimonies and they all stressed the importance of our connection to our planet! Get outside, be inspired, feel the Earth beneath your feet. Now is more important than ever for us humans to embrace her and not destroy her.