What if I had been a Kid who Camped?

i find myself 

surrounded by 

strong women

our original mother, 

Nature

the soft glow of fire 

the sweet sound of silence 

i inhale the smoky air

i root my feet in her earth 

i surrender to her gentle waves 

i lift my gaze to her heavens

i sense the slow shift -

my nervous system 

temporarily settling 

then returning to its 

normal state of tension

i move my incredible body 

in the way he asks me to

slow

steady 

honoring the playful 

bursts of energy 

when they come

my jaw unclenches 

my shoulders drop 

my hips finally let go 

this body holds 

so many memories

beautiful

painful

shocking 

hard truths 

laughter

pleasure

heartache 

sorrow 

regret

they can all feel as

engulfing as her waters

so i let her hold me 

in my joy and

in my pain

and everywhere in between 

especially the in between 

the unknowing 

the fearful reminders of

the lack of safety 

the doubtful next steps

but what if 

there are no next steps

36 years in this vessel

this sacred home, body  

and just now i am learning 

the art of slowing down

what if i had been a 

kid who camped 

would my body have 

felt like a safer place to exist

would i have learned sooner to

turn to this precious land for

guidance

relief 

acceptance 

would i be a 

different person

would i be more healed

more calm

more me

“what if i had been a kid who camped”

July 4, 2024

Evangola State Park

Take Me to Church

If one year ago, you would have told me I’d be waking up early on a Sunday morning to go to church, I would have laughed - maybe even spat - in your face.

“Church” is a triggering word with so much weight to it. 

I grew up under the hypocrisy of the Catholic Church, which was a true mind fuck as a young teen. “Love everybody” (but really we only mean straight, white, affluent folks).

I lost my connection with the church in high school and for a long time following, refused to admit the existence of God. I’d eventually find my way back to believing in a God - not the one I was raised on though. But my journey to my relationship with spirituality via yoga and other Eastern practices is a story for another time.

So, how did I get back to church?

Well, this is a special kind of church. There are no pews or kneeling, shame or confessions to be made. 

Earth Church is a beautiful gathering of like-minded folks under the trees of McCallum Park. 

We play music.
We love on and receive from Mother Earth.
We learn about environmental topics and social injustices. 
We acknowledge the land. 
We dance, we sing, we play. 
We connect with our inner child.

If you’re craving community and unsure where to find your people, I want to invite you to church.

And it’s ok if “church” still makes you cringe a little. Please come sit and sing and play and then see you how feel.

Earth Church takes place on the second Sunday of each month at 10am at McCallum Park. Jasper Wolfe and Shannon Andrews Skipper are the two incredible humans in charge. But they’ll tell you that Earth Church is led by all of us. Open to all genders, races, religions. This is truly a place to come 100% as you.

Find more info here at the Earth Church Facebook.

Earth Loving

I smell the earth beneath my toes 
gifting me her strength 
slowly extrapolating my woes

I hear the wisdom of her trees
sitting silently beneath them
she communicates with me in the breeze

I feel the flow of water around me
her cooling touch on my skin
allowing me to surrender so I can simply be

I see great Mother’s beauty + her gentle grace
she’s teaching me to slow down
+ reminds me it’s not about the race

I taste her sweet nectar in all parts of life
pleasure abounds when I open to it
finally allowing me to release my need for control + strife

Earth Mother
I smell you
I hear you
I feel you

Mother Gaia
I see you
I taste you
I am you

“Earth Loving”
May 2023