As I mentioned last week, the scene I was encountering was almost haunting in its spirit’s natural empty wildness. Nor was it a place where the power of this ‘spirit’ would tolerate being tamed by human ego, greed or superiority. Its “I Am-ness” collided into my assumptions and views about life and stripped away any illusions of being insulated from the power of Nature. It takes a different strength of character and faith to be a farmer/rancher and member of this ‘community’. Here, it seems the ‘environmental presence’ determines the self rather than the self acting on this land without regard for its essence.

I thought about my home area and how our region seeks to build expansive manufacturing and IT businesses, etc, followed by communities that house and service the people who work these jobs. The community leaders deem this ‘growth’ necessary to ‘sustain’ the prosperity of our community. Yet, we are building upon some of the most fertile agricultural land in the country. We can yield more bushels per acre than most farms out west and beyond because of the depth and richness of our soil composition. It is now being covered with concrete. It’s as though we presume our superiority and ‘rightfulness’ to do as we please with the land. And such decisions, we are asked to believe, have long-term sustainability. We are doing good for our community we are told.

This road trip to Colorado helped me experience the boldness of the Land to speak its essence in powerful and inarguable fashion. ‘Sustainability’ offers a whole new dialogue with one’s soul in these natural places where power still lies in the heart of the land. I am curious what dialogue and decisions would change if we really had to live life similar to eastern Colorado? Would our yes’s and no’s change with our water or our development plans if Nature acted upon us in the same way we have been manipulating it?

Last time I asked you, what does any of this have to do with improving your health, your happiness and your quest for harmony in your relationships? What does this have to do with the way you and I work together in your quest for healing and living a fulfilled and purposeful life?

Those of you who have invited me to journey with you know that encountering your soul, living your life’s transformation will mean surrendering to the power and depth of the sacred in all of life and your environment. Those of you who work with me know and feel ‘called’ to help build a world of sustainability through healing relationships, not only with ourselves, our community and families, but just as importantly, with the environment (the land and water) that gives us life and health and the capacity to experience abundance and joy. Wisdom’s way to peace means we must truly encounter the ‘whereness’ of our lives. And where we live is in inter-connected relationship—with ourselves, with one another (and that includes animals) and with the ‘land’.

I invite you to reflect on which of your relationships are in need of healing.