28 Apr Weaving a New Tapestry on Mother Earth
I pray that you hold to your visions
I pray that you follow your dreams
I pray that you flow with the river
And I pray that you’re praying for me!
Jarah and Diego in Conscious Divine Sacred Valley Tribe Medicine Song
Dear Sisters,
What a powerful and revolutionary collective we have created together! My experience at last year’s gathering in Joshua Tree changed my life in so many ways and I have heard similar sentiments from so many of you. In the beginning of my first rattle class at the gathering, I remember taking a good look around and witnessing those present. Inside I was thinking, This is the most beautiful and empowered group of women I have ever sat in circle with! I was challenged to step into my power by letting go of thoughts like, What could I possibly have to share with such a radiant group of humans? Through some divine grace and the genuine support I felt from the group, I was able to share what was in my heart and it was a very healing experience.
I witnessed so much beauty and potential for further flowering last May that I began to contemplate the larger implications of what we are creating as Weavers; what kind of influence this gathering has on each of us, the people around us, and Mother Earth; why so many sisters are called to this gathering and what this says about where we are headed as an empowered and capable group of women.
It was in this contemplation that I reflected on my own story and how it related to the insuppressible inertia of sacred feminine movements, like the Weavers. It seemed that everyone I met at the Gathering, without exception, was doing something unique and beautiful in her life. While my own walk dovetailed gracefully into this perception, I thought it would be relevant to briefly share the story of how I ended up becoming a teacher of Earth Harmony, as it was not something I set out to achieve.
Like many of the young people today, I was whisked away to college by mainstream wisdom immediately after graduating high school. My college of choice, however, was anything but mainstream. I spent four years designing my own mentor-guided studies, learning about Earth stewardship, and deeply discovering my own inner truths at a Liberal Arts school called Prescott College. I traveled to Peru on soul searching journeys for college credit, spent weeks on end in the Arizona backcountry, and met my life partner, Dreamer, who joined me on this embarkation of self-discovery. I left this most magical time of life with a sincere conviction to walk in harmony with my Earth-loving values and to earn a living doing what I loved. I also left with an enormous amount of student loans between my partner and me that demanded our attention and stood in seeming opposition of our goals.
For so long we had trusted our inner guidance to lead us in our journey. As I was the first to graduate (by a year and a half), I was faced first with the reality of the post-college job search. With no plan in mind, and no matter what people around me advised, I could not bring myself to get a nine-to-five. For six months, I waited for a sign to show itself, for some hint of guidance as to what was next. During this time, I took a week each month to honor my Moon cycle and allow the space for this powerful ceremony to unfold (a practice I still maintain to this day, in modified form). As glamorous as that sounds, my cycles turned brutally painful and I’m not sure I had much of a choice. I made countless blood offerings to Pachamama asking for help making an abundantly fertile life for myself. As the months wore on, my stress, fears and doubts increased until I surrendered to making a compromise. I would take on a part-time babysitting gig until something shifted. This way, I still had a say in my schedule and was making at least a bit of income to pay the bills.
I found a beautiful family that homeschooled their two boys and babysat for 10 hours a week. Not long after starting, I had a dream in which I wrote their mother a list of things I could offer the boys in addition to just watching them. I woke up and decided that I would give it a shot, knowing that dreams are often meant to be acted upon. On the list I put things like: beginning guitar, beginning Spanish, and doing guided plant walks. I gave the list to the boy’s mom, and she was very excited. So excited, in fact, that she got together with another homeschool mom, Vanessa, and asked me to start doing nature classes for their kids. I remember going to the local tea shop and having a meeting with Vanessa for the first time. She described another nature school that her children had attended in California. I left that meeting upbeat and lit-up because I knew that that conversation was the sign post I had prayed for, though I had never expected it to come through this avenue.
The classes started two weeks later in November, 2011. Soon, other homeschool families caught wind and wanted to join. I had no knowledge of how to start a business, how to build a website, or how to do a nature class. Despite these hurdles, I leaped in head first as I knew in my heart that I was guided. As I vulnerably opened myself to this new direction, I found resources pouring in from all directions. After doing initial research on starting a business, a wonderful coach appeared. A girlfriend of mine taught me how to build my own WordPress site. I found the most incredible books on how to design and teach nature classes, and received advice and guidance from those already in the field. Perhaps most importantly, I realized that this was the perfect offering for Dreamer and me because it was allowing us to make a positive difference in the world. Just as Spirit Weavers is a combination of earth skills
and heart opening, so became Wildheart Nature School.
Through hard work, a lot of help, and the grace of the universe supporting us, we have now manifested a significant contribution to our local community. We have become a premiere nature school in Central Oregon and have been able to abundantly support ourselves. I believe my Moontime pains were connected with this huge vision that I was given to birth (among other things, of course) because once we were flowing in our lives with this offering, I found the healing tools that have helped me to decrease the pain significantly.
In teaching nature skills to kids, I was met with great support. It was equally close my heart to teach love for the Earth through ceremony, direct personal connection and offerings from the space of gratitude. Initially, I was tested on this front as some of our parents were uncomfortable with the spiritual implications of a living Earth. I toned down our mystical exercises and modified our songs so no one would be offended or discouraged from participating. Much to my surprise and delight, however, I was once again invited to have tea with a parent to discuss our program. During this encounter, she told me of her dream where Dreamer and I were teaching children about the ways of Spirit. Thus was born our Sacred Arts offering in which we focus on ceremony, meditation, Earth offerings and sacred songs with children. Our first section filled in a matter of days, prompting us to open a second section which also filled entirely. So blessed is the life of dreams!
I have put my soul into my life’s work, as I know many of us do, and it can be a scary step into the spotlight. Ninety-nine percent of the time I am met with excitement and support from those around me. I have gotten countless letters, hand drawn pictures, Christmas cards, gifts, hugs, tears, and gratitude for offering these programs to children. I have, however, occasionally been met with judgment, public criticism, and even threats for teaching about spiritual connection with the Earth. If you have ever been anxious about putting yourself out there to the world, you are not alone. As Weavers, we are putting forth our radiant lives in an embodiment of a new consciousness. The things we bump up against, whether they manifest internally or externally, are merely old energies that are being shaken and challenged by what we are doing.
My question is: What new energies are we birthing as a collective that are rattling the status quo?
I have noticed women collaborating instead of being in competition with each other. We are using the tools available to us, both technological and material, to support one another’s projects and dreams. I have noticed shared leadership willingness to both offer wisdom and humbly receive knowledge from others. I have noticed awareness around how we are treating Pachamama and where we are sourcing the materials we need to survive and thrive. I have noticed that we are taking back our power by honoring the cycles of womanhood and celebrating our sanctity. I have noticed that we are intrepid in our willingness to follow our heart’s calling even when it requires us to have one hundred percent faith and trust in the universe.
The Dalai Lama said, The world will be saved by the Western Woman. Why would he say this? What is the unique perspective we have that has the potential to shift everything? What resources, tools, and networking abilities do we have at our fingertips that many people on the planet do not? And do we even realize the power and the influence that we have, or that we can have, if we are willing to show our essence to the world in a bigger way? I believe so many women are called to this gathering because the remedy for our planet is found in the essence of the Weaver’s message: collaboration, shared leadership, awareness, honoring the cycles, and celebration of life. And maybe your particular earth skills, technical skills, wisdom, and insights could be the exact remedy that a sister needs at this gathering.
There will be a lot of hustle and bustle, a ton of classes to choose from, and so much beauty to witness that it might be a bit overwhelming. In the shadow, there may even be hints of comparison, judgment, and envy. In my experience, however, this gathering has a deeper dimension that can be tapped into during the still moments. I felt it last year when I went off and meditated on the boulders. There is a higher frequency of consciousness being experienced and shared at this gathering that penetrates all of the surface activities. Within this resonant field, abundant earthly beauty is thriving; a new way of being
together is birthing.
In honor of the courage it takes to walk a life in harmony and alignment with Spirit, I will be bringing buffalo raw hide as an option to use for my Rattle Making and Song class this year at the gathering. I have been working with buffalo for the past four months as Dreamer and I have been preparing for a Buffalo Drum Workshop that will take place in Forestville, CA right after the Spirit Weavers Gathering. The spirit of this incredible animal has been a good reminder for me that everything I need physically will manifest when I follow my divine guidance. My intention for sharing my story and insights is to hold space for you as you follow your heart’s beautiful calling! I celebrate you for offering your essence to the beings around you, the Earth beneath you, and the sky above you. Everyone has a story to share and our stories are so powerful. I hope to hear yours when the time is right. I have left a couple of ways for us to connect below and I look forward to seeing you at this year’s gathering!
Together, may we SHINE like the light of a thousand stars! And may the way be made clear for all of us!
In Love and Service,
Amara
—
Amara Dreamer
Founder/Instructor
Wildheart Nature School
amara@wildheartnatureschool.com
