Loving Circles for the Earth

This circle began as an intuitive flash during a day of retreat deep in the forest.  The inspiration came as I grieved the headlines of species extinguished or on the verge…the hemorrhages of radioactive water at Fukushima, of oil in the Gulf, and of bitumen at the Tar Sands; the ongoing razing of the rainforests of the South and boreal forests of the North…and the warnings of the Elders and Medicine people.

The words that keep coming back to me are: “We need to be loving them in their passing.” Not only fighting to save them, but also sending the beings, the oceans, the planet specifically LOVING energy in the recognition that it may be too late.

The vision was of a Reiki/energy sending afternoon in an outdoor setting, specifically focused on sending LOVE via whichever healing modality(ies) participants practiced, to those beings/elements of our earth, known and unknown, that are so direly on the edge…or tipped/tipping already. Since then, it has opened to welcome non-healers (or unconscious healers) who are called to connect more deeply with the nonhuman awarenesses of the Earth.

Part of this, I realized, might look like grieving, and I expected that some grief-release would be involved for what has already been lost. But the deep, original intent was to give the sort of love and cherishing that one gives a hospice patient – aware that all things end, that our species is responsible for too many ends, and loving fiercely those beings that remain. Just that – LOVING. And who knows but that such love might make a difference?

We begin with a hand-to-hand energy sharing and check-in, then move into a grounding exercise and guided visualization to foster our connection to the Earth and to each other. Still in that meditative state, we move out from the circle and connect with one nonhuman being – a tree, a stone, a shrub, a bird or insect – and (with permission) offering it our humble, full, loving attention. We engage in nonverbal meditative communication, asking what that being wants to share with us and (if we are willing) wants us to do. We bring that sharing back to the circle and offer it to the group: often this will lead to further connection and/or action.

Participants are invited to bring (if they feel so called) a small natural object (e.g., a stone, a crystal, a pine cone, a seashell, a handful of tobacco or cornmeal, worm tea, etc.) to charge with loving intention and give to the Earth. Afterward, we adjourn to a local coffeeshop for warm drinks and sharing.