BEGINNINGS: Nature. Nurtures. Sacred. Spaces

BEGINNINGS

It's a magical thing to have two full moons like this - one on January 1st and one on January 31st. The first was powerful for me and this second one is too. I realized that there's something I've been longing to do - tell my story, share my journey.

"Nature Nurtures Sacred Spaces" as a mantra and as a set of separate concepts that are interrelated and have layers of meaning came to me. It came alive; as a a concept, theme, idea, and a truth. It is exactly what is happening to me right now, right here. Nature is nurturing me every day and as it does I am experiencing, creating, noticing and living in sacred spaces! I just didn't know it until now. On the day of the Super Blue Blood Moon.

I live between two worlds - not exactly where I was yesterday and not exactly where I will be tomorrow. We all do. But, sometimes, being in a liminal space for so long - where you're not quite there and not quite here - is taxing. It's like being in the wilderness for a really long time, a traveler, a soul without a home.

Someone who practices mediumship recently told me that when they saw me they saw an "otter." Noone has ever given me a spirit animal nor have I ever asked for one. Once this was suggested to me, the otter as my spirit animal just made sense. Otters are just as comfortable in the land as they are in the water. They live in both worlds. I'll happily take the "otter" as my guide, my mascot. I've always been in between groups, serving as the connector, the diplomat. And, now I stand with my feet in two worlds - my old world where I'm no longer relevant and my new world where I am not yet connected.

As I contemplate this, I realize that nature is my home. And, that nature has been nurturing me as I walk through life with a feeling of homelessness. Starting January 15th, I began a 90-day journey that I call "Walk for Water". I am walking 15k steps every day for 90 days to raise awareness and money for a charity that I support in Kenya. I do as much walking as I possibly can outdoors. Walking outdoors for nearly two hours every day for the last 15+ days has brought me in closer connection not just to nature but to myself.

So, on this blog, I will write about how my interaction with nature in all of its manifestations is nurturing me and healing me. I'll also be posting about "ecotherapy" and "ecopsychology" which essentially is about the connection between healing and nature. And, finally, I will share all of the ways in which natural and other sacred spaces can and do have a healing and restorative effect on my life and lives of others.

Thank you Super Blue Blood Moon for the direction, energy and strength to start this. And, to the Otter for inspiring me to live playfully and joyfully in and between all worlds.