Become a Steward: New Earth Embodiment
Grounded, heart centered, and in aligned action
I come to you, once again, with a heart that is aching, yet still, somehow full of a light that is in fierce devotion to preserving, and to regenerating, life on this Planet Earth.
You see, I've been out in my backyard forest again. Not the one that is flourishing with ancient pine, but the one that burned down when I was in kindergarten.
That fire stripped away the whole of the forest on the mountains that surround town. Then, as I have witnessed across my whole lifetime thus far, that forest never really came back. Instead, a desertification process has taken over. Trees fight their way to come forth, and they face one obstacle after the next that works to keep the land bare.
But today, we were out there checking on the ponderosa pine saplings that my partner and I planted this spring. After spending two months caring for them, hiking multiple gallons of water up a thousand feet twice a week, we have now left them to their own devices. The fact is, they have to be able to survive on their own. So we left them alone for two months, hoping that the regular monsoons would give them all the water they needed.
Returning today, I expected the worst. I know how hard it is to grow on this Earth. Would any trees still be alive?
What met us, instead, was a greatest of joy that I can express, and I want to share the full story with you.
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Before I do that, I want to turn our attention to what is happening in this world, a statement that, for anyone paying attention, ought to bring up a whole dark and scary list of happenings that are reality, here and now.
The fact of the matter is, we are in the fiery thick of it, and as we experience the dark tumult of this time, we are faced with a most serious question - one that has everything to do with how we respond to it all.
Whatever language we use to define what is happening right now, the fact of the matter is that humanity is facing a serious list of choices to be made, those that will determine whether our toxic patterns (those that have been alive within us for far too long) continue to drive life on this planet towards extinction; else, we turn a corner, and start to live once again in connection to our humanity; to our biological nature; and to Earth, herself.
I do not say this to invoke fear. Instead, my intention has everything to do with calling you forward - calling you into a space, and a way of being, that has everything to do with being a stand for "the new."
Now, we can call this "New Earth," a phrase that I have chosen to embrace because it is already in the collective ethos.
It is a phrase that exists because people have spent the past hundred+ years speaking about what was inevitably going to happen - that, even though our mainstream narratives speak to extreme progress, what has been happening is an increasing disconnect between a sustainable, harmonious way of living.
We "progress" towards a further and further oneness with technology. Meanwhile, we find ourselves in increasing separation from our humanity; and, from this Earth.
Therefore, here we are today: Climate on the edge of collapse, and those in power doing everything to deny it so that they can push their own, ego-centric ideas.
Oh, what are we to do!?
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I remember back to being 5 years old and witnessing my town burn down. I recall the next 20 years of life, much of which I held hope that our people would care enough to put resources to protect what I knew we were going to lose.
I mean, I live in a town founded on a national lab. It exists in full devotion to making the impossible happen. Through science and technology, the people of this town have, more than once, brought forth power that was once unconceivable!
As a scientist and engineer, myself, I know we have the power to protect our lands. If we chose to, we could preserve what needs to be preserved, and change the trajectory of it all - one that would lead us towards preservation, and even regeneration. One that would support the flourishing, and not the tearing down of it all.
Instead, what I witness is our resources going anywhere other than the spaces that help protect this Earth. We choose to destroy.
And, worst of all, at a time when our Earth needs all hands on deck to preserve and regenerate... we still choose to destroy. (See note 1 at end of post)
A few years ago, I founded Upward Slopes, our parent organization to this little blog I write here on Substack, as a way to do things differently. I didn't know what the vision looked like, but I knew I had to be a stand to call in that newer, brighter and more beautiful vision of it all.
Then, in 2022, I founded this blog (Originally, A Flower Blooms in the Desert), as a force of hope, and of light, in an otherwise darkening world.
Over the years now, I have continued to be honored to witness those who show up in this space to join forces to be that light. More specifically, to learn what it means to not only call in that light, but to embody it through lived experience with others:
through action
through presence
In other words, it is you all who are helping me to ground this vision into reality, as we learn, and as we co-create this space as one.
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Deepen your commitment to this space
We spoke about this theme today in our Priestesses of a New Earth Circle. This Circle is one of our two ongoing New Earth Embodiment Circles. It has been ongoing since Spring of 2024, and has continued to be a most powerful space for myself, as well as our circle members, as we all learn what it actually means to call in, and to ground in, New Earth.
This is not some esoteric, etheric space. It is not a space to hang out in that high and mighty light as we skip over reality.
Instead, it is a space to be in community - yes, doing those powerful energetic practices that help us embody the light; that help us to see the vision of where we are headed. More than this, it is a space for grounded, practical conversation for what it means to live it; and, in doing so, to co-create New Earth now.
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Today, as I sit with what I mean by New Earth, it has nothing to do with riding away on some etheric unicorn to some ultimate land of high vibes (see Note 2 at end of post). Instead, it has everything to do with being here, grounded and embodied, more fully and more skillfully connected to this Earth:
a world where we value life, including life in its full and diverse expressions
a world where humanity lives in connection, rather than in conflict, with the land
a world where humanity works together, co-creating as we address the very real, truly serious problems we each and all face
From this space, we get to go out into the world, shining our light as we take grounded, embodied action in the spaces that matter most.
Just like my action steps to go bring trees back to this land; to give it a chance at regeneration, instead of continued desertification.
We met this Thursday, 8/14 at 11 am MST, and we meet again Tuesday the 26th at 12 PM (noon) MST . If you are not already within our Circle group, please reach out to let me know your interest.
Circles are currently free and open to all. Please note that, while traditionally held in a women’s only space, Circle is now open to all, regardless of gender.
Okay, so about my ponderosa saplings
Today, I climbed up my backyard mountain. It had been two months since I'd been up there to see the saplings. My heart braced itself for the worst. I know how hard it can be for life to flourish here in this desertifying land.
I cannot express the relief, along with the joy, and the hope that came to us when we entered our little grove of ponderosas, and found every single one thriving!
More than this, the forest had grown up around them. Wildflowers blossoming in the dense green thicket, living alongside the tiny saplings that were doing so well.
Hope. And, a direct experience of joy poured forth into our very own hearts.
This is what we are here for: to cultivate the spaces in life where we get to experience life bursting forth in all its beauty.
Where we get to be the stand for life. And, in doing so, co-create the new narrative of progress, including what it means to create the spaces for life, in all its diverse and beautiful and aligned forms, to burst forth.
Watch the video below for a little look at one of my ponderosa saplings thriving among the wildflowers that have recently burst forth.
*Note 1: Every time I write a blog post, I struggle with taking wildly complex issues and distilling them down to just a few words on a page. With more space, I would love to write more about the complexities of this national lab, the scientists and engineers there, how they are tied up in systems that are perpetuated by those with more power. And, I would love to speak to the heart of those who continue to push for scientific and technological innovation that actually serves this Planet Earth. AND, I would most love to honor those in this town who are also out on that land, preserving and regenerating the forest. I see the fruit of your labor as I am out there, and I honor it deeply.
**Note 2: on the etheric unicorn taking us away to an ultimate land of high vibes…. I use this example because I have recently done this very practice in another’s spiritual space, and I actually love it and honor it deeply. The point I am trying to make, is that we get to do the energetic, new age sort of practices; THEN, we get to come back to Earth, be embodied, and live life here. This is what matters. What matters is getting to experience reality, lifting up the whole of reality as the light-bearers that we are. If that involves esoteric and etheric practices along the way, that’s absolutely lovely :)