The most important relationship in your life, is one you may not even know you’re in.
She provides you sustenance to sustain your life, and air for your lungs to breathe. She lives in the minerals in your bones, and the iron in your blood.
She is the Mother who will never leave you. The Mother who has never once stopped holding or supporting you, and The One who waits patiently for you to remember.
She is the Great Mother.
We literally can not live without her, but in the blind frenzy of consumerism, we’ve been conditioned to forget her. She has become an afterthought, at best.
Don’t feel too bad if that hits a little too close to home. Most of us were never taught how to listen to the Earth. We were taught how to use Her.
I blame the patriarchy. But this isn’t something new. Indigenous cultures have been speaking this truth for generations, only to have it fall on deaf ears.
When I sit with this pattern and track it, the way I’ve learned to follow a wound back to its source, I find my way to it’s root. Which, in my eyes, lies in the story of the Garden of Eden.
I’m not here to discuss the Who/What/When/Where or Whys (though, I’d love to! I definitely have my own ideas and theories. But that’s beyond the scope of this post, so I digress…)
I’m here to dissect the wound that we’ve been living inside, ever since.
The core, ‘Separation Wound’ from The Mother.
The moment the cord was cut, the connection was lost. We forgot our place among nature, and claimed dominance over it instead.
I believe, humans weren’t placed above nature, but within it. As participants. As relatives.
In fact, I believe The Creator assigned us the important role of Caretaker. And I’ve got news for you, there’s a good chance we are about to be fired.
So, if we are in relationship with the Earth, and we are, the question then becomes: What does a real relationship require?
If the first step in building a healthy relationship, is the awareness that you are even in one – Congratulations, you made it this far!! Most people move through the Earth as users, not participants, so you are already ahead of the game.
The second ingredient in any healthy relationship is Respect.
No surprise there. Respect begins the moment you realize: this is not mine to dominate. The Earth is not an infinite resource. Respect means honoring Earth’s cycles, limits and boundaries, and limits unconscious harm. We have a lot of work to do, as a species, in this regard. (However, there is a much deeper vein here for you to follow, but it is a personal one, rich in rewards, if you choose to deepen that path.)
It’s as simple as noticing & picking up the garbage you used to walk past, on your daily walks. Sure, you may not get as many steps in – but just think of all the squats you’ll do!
The third ingredient, Care, grows from respect.
Care is what sustains a relationship over time. It’s the small, consistent acts that you return to, again and again. These are the little day-to-day things that make a difference in any relationship and this one is no different.
Every morning, when I leave my house, I make it a habit to touch a tree, a stone, or the lawn and whisper, ‘Good Morning / Thank you’, to the Earth. This small act has made the biggest difference in the shortest amount of time. But, don’t take my word for it.
Add in the fourth cornerstone, Listening, and now you’re really building something!!
The Earth is always communicating. Through seasons and cycles, cyclones and storms, and much more subtle signals too.
I’m not special because I communicate with animals and trees. I’ve got news for you: you can too!!
Not only do you have the ability, It’s your mother-fuc#!ng birth right, as an about-to-be-fired Caretaker!
It’s only a matter of remembering how to listen.
Try this: The next time you go to mow the lawn, harvest herbs, or take a flower – ask first. (Silently works too!)
And then listen.
(And be prepared to honor it, the first time you feel a ‘no’!!)
With that, we’ve reached the part in any relationship where things start to get real: When Responsibility enters the chat.
Responsibility is the willingness to respond once you’ve heard. And you will. There’s no shame or guilt. You are a part of this relationship and your actions matter. (I think this is the easy part though. Once you remember how to listen, you want to take action. You want to do better.)
Maybe that looks like noticing how much plastic passes through your hands in one day, and trying to break a pattern.
And once that relationship begins to take root, Gratitude, is just the fruit that grows from it.
When you’re connected, gratitude becomes the natural overflow.
That can look as simple as pausing before you eat and remembering where your food came from: the soil, the water, and the hands that carried it to you. Or, as meaningful as leaving something behind, when you take from the Earth.
Finally, we arrive at Reciprocity.
Reciprocity is simply restoring the flow by giving back and actively caring for what cares for you. Beyond a simple thank you, these meaningful acts show the depth of your commitment.
That might look like organizing a trash pickup in your community. Or tending a small piece of land with care. Or even creating a simple outdoor altar, a place you return to, to remember the relationship you’re a part of.
So maybe the medicine isn’t in trying to find our way back to the Garden.
Maybe we were never kicked out at all.
Maybe we just forgot we belong.
If you want to deepen your relationship with the Earth, or simply sit in sacred space with others who care, I’d love to invite you to join us.
I hold a small, earth-based, interfaith gathering through Sacred Earth Ministry, where we come together in mediation and prayer for the healing of the Earth and all her inhabitants.
We meet once a month on the third Sunday at 9pm Eastern. The gathering itself is simple – about 30 minutes of shared Sacred Space, followed by optional time to connect in community.
In honor of Earth Day, this month’s gathering will be especially centered around reconnecting with the Earth and remembering our place within it.
It’s quiet, peaceful, grounded space, and you’re welcome to come exactly as you are.
If you’d like to join us, you can find more details and sign up for the invites here: https://sacredearth.love/
Now…. go spend some time with your Mom!😉
💗Big Love & Many Blessings🌸
~Rev. (& Earth Priestess) Amanda
©04/26