Danaan - Living earth devotional: 365 green practices for sacred connection

Llewellyn Publications

Woodbury, Minnesota

Copyright Information

Living Earth Devotional: 365 Green Practices for Sacred Connection 2013 by Clea Danaan.

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First e-book edition 2013

E-book ISBN: 9780738737966

Book design and edit by Rebecca Zins

Cover credits: iStockphoto.com/14017308/Denys Fonchykov,
15552617/spxChrome; SuperStock/1538R-69041/IMAGEZOO

Cover design by Ellen Lawson

Interior floral composition from Ornamental Flowers, Buds and Leaves by
V. Ruprich-Robert (Dover, 2010); leaf from 922 Decorative Vector
Ornaments CD-ROM & Book (Dover, 2009)

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Manufactured in the United States of America

Contents

Introduction

I recently asked a group of people why they sought a deeper intuitive connection with nature. They all spoke of having lost their once-trusted connection to their intuition. They found solace and beauty in the natural world, and had a sense of natures sentience and power, but they didnt know how to tap into this consciousness or trust what arose when they did connect. They longed for connection and understanding.

Many people also wonder how we can begin to heal the damage weve caused to our planet. We know climate change is real, but it feels so overwhelming and out of the average persons control. A little part of us might even wonder if living green is even worth it in the face of such destruction and the power of big oil.

This book offers creative solutions to these questions: how to attune with the natural world, what to do once you hear the voice of the earth, and not only why saving the sacred earth matters, but little ways in which you can help every day. To help you attune with the natural rhythms of the earth both practically and spirituallyand to know what to do with that attunementthis book guides you through 365 activities for living green spirituality. The activities are organized by the Wheel of the Year.

The Wheel of the Year is a series of eight holidays, or sabbats, practiced in Celtic and Wiccan spirituality. The sabbats are the solstices and equinoxes plus the four holidays at cross-quarters with those solar-based dates. There is a sabbat every six to six-and-a-half weeks. They mark the seasonsthe journey of the earth around the sun. When you live each day attuned to these rhythms, your life is grounded in the earth and its place in the cosmos. You return to the Source. You find that nature is a bridge to Spirit, and that nature and Spirit both bring you straight to your own soulwork. Nature, Spirit, and soul form a great Celtic knot of awakening and sacred living.

The daily practices in this book are designed to weave together all these integral pieces: nature, soul, purpose, creativity, earth, Spirit. They include journaling, simple crafts, meditation, a few prayers, activism, and ideas for a life centered in green spirituality. They are designed for personal spiritual discovery and for deepening your relationship with the earth and with each other.

We will play and pray with nature from a variety of angles. For practices designed to connect deeply with nature, I draw on nature-based spirituality, permaculture and organic gardening, mystical Christianity, expressive arts, awareness practices, outdoor education, and plain old play . Earth-centered spirituality is not necessarily tied to any one religion. It is heart-centered and focused on aware, sacred living . It is internal and private, and it also calls one to action in the world, a balance of inner and outer work. We will touch on all of these approaches.

The seasons and what is occurring at each sabbat will differ depending on where you live. I grew up in the Pacific Northwest and now live in arid Colorado, so my bias tends toward these climates. If you need to adapt an activity to fit where you live, please do so. You may want to mark an activity to come back to later, when the weather matches its theme or when you feel ready to tackle it. The point isnt to follow exactly what Ive written but to apply spiritual and practical practices to what is actually happening where you live. The activities are made to be done in city, suburban, or wilderness areas. The natural world is everywhere. If you can escape to the mountains or the beach for a weekend, great, but its not necessary for these activities.

You need not begin at Samhain (Halloween) but can begin the activities whenever you like. Proceed from wherever you begin. You can work with a group or alone, or a combination of these.

You will need a journal, a place for reflection and observation. I encourage drawing as well as writing. For the craft and art projects, dont stress about artistic ability; just have fun. Its between you and the Divine and is about discovery. Meditations can be done quietly by yourself, read aloud, or even turned into rituals and acted out.

Adapt the activities to your style and needs. Not all of these activities will appeal to you, and some may push you into uncomfortable territory, like singing or making art or volunteering with others in need. Give them a try, and see what happens. Theres no test and no shame. If you face physical challenges, you may need to adapt some of the activities; dance in whatever way you dance. All are welcome here.

When we come together as humans on a shared planet, as souls manifested at this time on this earth, we can make change. We can grow as people. We can reshape the relationship our species has with the land, the animals, the water, and the air.