(Photos were taken in honor of Earth Day, 4/20-4/22/08, So. CA)

Being grounded in the energy of the Earth means, to me, listening to the drumbeat, the heartbeat of all cultures. Africa is deep and rich with this understanding, and it is said that we are all derived from this place. Most all ancient cultures traditions, archetypal stories speak of our Origins. Some Native American and other indigenous, tribal people speak of space there people inhabit/ed as being the center of the Earth, that a long time ago we originated from there. No matter where, be it Africa, Indonesia, the Americans, Panacea: we all believe where we stand is the center of the Earth, the center of the Universe simply because it is...like a child, we are the center of our own universe. Where we stand is the Center.

We must ingest food to stay grounded. If we did not eat physical material to weigh us down we would float away, our body would cease to function and our sprirt energy would leave the body...so what essences do I want to ingest? Eating another ground or flight animal weighs me down and sustains me, plant materials are lighter and needed more frequently, possibly, and things that live in the ocean keep my soul swimming somehow. Who touched all of the food that ends up on my plate? I know the sun, Earth, water, and air did...what about all of the human activity it took to get there? Were the people who handled it angry, happy, sad, in love, all of the above? Does it really matter?

We set out on these days, these thousands and thousands of times eating, trusting eachother. I don't know where my decaffienated chocolate tea came from...nor the “Lake Tahoe” cup it's resting in, how did the blue paint on my coffee cup get there, who designed the cups' shape and size; the pencil sketch on what napkin in a bar? We are mini-creators. To think is to create. To be created in God's image can mean that we are mini-creators. So are cats and dogs. Shall I worship my cat like the Egyptians did?

EARTH. OUR HOME. Where else can we go? Some think the term “Earth Mother” is against their religion...I'm not sure it is understood that we were born from it and will go back to it. What if I die on the moon? Can I be reborn on Neptune? Where would my soul/energy go if there is no “life” after death?

Back to plants. We could not survive without them...they must be protected. Humans breathe out carbon dioxide for the trees to breathe in and breathe out oxygen for us to breathe in. A Cherokee friend explained to me that we are forever committed to plants and us to them...that as humankind suffers from disease it is the plants who save us. The animals have grown tired of our abuse, yet it is the plants who willingly give Tylenol, traditional herbal remedies, and Penicillin. Without them where would we be? Without breath. Without medicine.

     On climate change...

I wise man once said

     “If this weather keeps up,

          there won't be anymore

               Summer or Winter.”

I thought,

     “What if climatization

          will balance

                the seasons.”

What will we become?

In our hearts heating up, from the

Inside Out

We will burn

We will burn

We will burn

All Our Relations, plants, animals

A firey passionate hell

Water, please

Water Please

Waters of Creation

Subsiding our burning hearts

A flash of the purest flame

Searing our damnation

Cotarizing the flesh

Purifying the Earth

Of her compounding disease, Humans

Unless we turn

Turn, turn upon this body

Heal her with the cool air, the soothing waters

Calm the hot-headed ones

That think with jealousy, greed & envy

Cool the hot-headedness with Mother's Milk

With tenderness, compassion, Love

Let fires burn in our hearts

And waters stream through the body

Through and through our minds

Flowing like clouds in the sky

Airy and Brave

Standing apart from the blue sky

White and pure

Set the seasons apart

Or not?

     On the winged ones...

The Birds Sing

     for us to stay alive

Stay Alive

We call upon you

Rays of sun illuminating

     from our throats

Call upon you

To dash out into the

     Light

To re-member

What you were born for

What you are here for

Now!

Align with your senses

The Birds are calling

     oriole

     oriole

     oriole

It is nearing summer

Sunshine is here