The Story of All Stories
Our Universe is ancient and we are so very young in comparison. Are you ready for an experience of deep space and time? Check out this video. Narrated by Brian Cox, Carl Sagan, and David Attenborough, and developed, edited with music, and enhanced with special effects...
A Watershed Moment
I need to acknowledge the dire political situation we now face here in the United States. A recent indicator is the fall of Roe v. Wade, but please understand that this is far bigger than one court decision. This is a watershed moment for democracy and justice in the...
Clean Energy Innovation
A conversation with Denise and CleanStart about clean energy innovation in California
Thoughts on Regeneration
How do we know when we are regenerating land? Lindsay Dailey, executive director and co-founder of the Tribal Ecosystem Restoration Alliance in Lake County, shares the concepts inherent in "kincentric permaculture". The top strategies are regenerating (and...
A Message from 2041
"The dream drives the action" -- Thomas Berry It's time to dream of a positive future. Allow this message from 2041 to encourage and inspire you to make it happen! Watch:
Choose Life
“Today I give you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!”- Deuteronomy 30:19 Today I’m going to offer...
The Elem Round House
A powerful and poignant short film exploring the painting “Dance in a Subterranean Roundhouse at Clear Lake, California” (1878)
Restoring Damaged Ecosystems
In May of 2019, I attended the Global Earth Repair conference in Port Townsend WA. There I met John Liu and was deeply inspired by his keynote on the topic of restoring large-scale damaged ecosystems. You can check out the conference and hear his talk...
Post Doom Interview
Michael Dowd and I in a "Post Doom" conversation:
Lessons from Pachamama – Coming Home
Coming HomeJust days after we returned home to Lake County, we were evacuated for 12 days due to the Ranch fire. We worried about the loss of our place and struggled with the nearly unbreathable air.I was reminded of the greatest gift of all from the jungle--the...
Lessons from Pachamama – The Third Gift
The Third Gift.On the day we were to leave the jungle, we awoke once again to a downpour. Our flight out was supposed to be at 8 a.m. The plan was that we would hike there for a hour. so we would need to leave by 7 a.m. Before we were to leave though, we...
Lessons from Pachamama – The Second Gift
"When the Self emerges, the ego takes a hit"The Second GiftI knew before the trip that the Achuar interpret their dreams at four a.m. and we would be invited to join them. What I did not know was that we would face this same treacherous jungle trail --only this time,...
Lessons from Pachamama – The First Gift
The First GiftOnce in Ecuador, after a couple days acclimating and exploring the city of Quito, we headed out by bus to the edge rainforest, arriving at the airport city of Shell where we were issued tall mud boots for our jungle adventure. Thanks to our guides and a...
Lessons from Pachamama – Call to Change the Dream
Twenty five years ago, the Achuar, an ancient indigenous dream culture deep within the Amazon rainforest in South America, began receiving warnings in their dreams. Their ancestral lands were at risk, not only potentially destroying their way of life, but all life,...
Listening for a New Way of Being
Meilin Ehlke gives us a way to listen for the New Story as it emerges within.It calls us and pulls us forward if we are willing to listen for it.
The New Story
This New Story comes just in time.Human commerce is fundamentally destroying the biosphere (as we have known it) on our small blue planet….. So, The Sacred Universe story can remind us that each of our stories, is a paragraph in this larger story. In other words, it's...
The Rigged Game
I am unaccustomed to rage.Even as a child, I understood that the game was rigged. Over time, I've become even more aware... though I have had the luxury of not having to think about it all the time--to not have to face it, and the feelings it brings up, day in...
Qualities of a Gamechanger
Pachamama Alliance has a course entitled "the Gamechanger intensive". In it they share the qualities of a gamechanger in these times (Source: Pachamama.org):1. You understand that all life is connected.You see the human family, in all its diversity, as an...
Amplify the Call
The historic and inspiring Global Climate Action Summit, @GCAS2018 closed yesterday with a strong Call to Action to "step up ambition", chart a clear path towards a zero-carbon future and to empower grassroots climate action. So let’s work together to amplify this...
Baby Steps
My grandbabies are taking their first steps now--and in a few months from now they will be RUNNING... in a couple of years, skipping.They don't know it now, but these baby steps are opening up a whole new world for them. Today, they cannot imagine playing varsity...
Befriending Our Despair
As compassionate, sensitive, open people, we can all be overcome by the magnitude of the losses wesee every day. Even the most optimistic among us will be affected by the staggering losses and the daily affronts to our values, sensibilities, and even our sanity.It is...
Soil can save the world!
Remember this? The Soil Story Well, "Kiss the Ground" has a new trailer out. It's only a minute long and it is fantastic: Yes, living soil can help reverse global warming.
Four Levels of Action for Change
Individual actions matter--and they add up. And large policy issues matter, and so writing and calling policymakers in important. But our whole human economic system needs to change! We need ways to successfully disrupt the destructive economic systems and ways...
What Happens When We Bow More Deeply in Service to the Planet?
Author and speaker Charles Eisenstein offers a powerful perspective on the potential we each have to make a difference. Credit: Pachamama Alliance
What if Global Warming is Happening for Us?
Pachamama Alliance recently interviewed author Paul Hawken on the topic of why it is important to set a goal to REVERSE global warming--and how that is possible. He asks a provocative question: What if global warming is happening for us? What if it isn't a fight...
The More Beautiful World Our Hearts Know is Possible
Charles Eisenstein author of The More Beautiful World Our Hearts Know is Possible, offers a heart-opening view of this moment in time. Watch:If you haven't read his book, you are in for a treat.Want more insights and inspiration? I'll be sharing these in a...
What Can one Person Do About Global Warming?
Learn more at http://www.breathablefuture.comThis weekend Loretta and I went to visit our grandbabies. And it occurred to me that it is important to me to be able to take them outside. But here's the thing--I can't. Why? Because I do not want them to breathe the air...
Rainforest Journey with Pachamama Alliance
I've not shared the rainforest experience with anyone really... I somehow don't have the words. Loretta and I returned from the Ecuadorian rainforest only to be evacuated due to wildfire and now, with the air here so needing those "lungs of the planet," it almost...
First stop: Quito Ecuador
Important safety tip— learn Spanish before you go.One of my biggest fears in traveling to Ecuador was not knowing the language. As it happens, I was saved by a downloaded version of Google translate.
Pachamama – Changing the Dream
I'm heading into the Ecuadorian Rainforest to be with an intact indigenous tribe - the Achuar - a dream-based culture. Pachamama (Mother Earth) calls...It's time to get serious about changing the Dream.
Learning more – for the journey.
So I am reading about the Achuar and the Amazon this morning and came across this description: "Potential dangers are ever present: quicksand, biting insects and spiders, poison snakes, thorns, and falling limbs. Attractive fruits and berries may be deadly. Predators...
Preparing – day by day
Amazon Update: Body Prep Plan ~ phase one in place ~ I am walking one mile three days a week, 2 miles another three days, and five miles on the seventh day. So far ~ so good! Now I am beginning the Mind Prep Plan ~ phase one ~ reading three books from the Pachamama...
Yes! We are ready for the journey!
The decision is made! Denise and I will be journeying to the Amazon with the Pachamama Alliance in July 2018! Today I began my journaling - so appropriate on this Epiphany Day when we honor the three Kings/Wise Ones who "traveled afar, following the star." I am...
A Framework for Changing Anything
Believe that change is possible.Why? Because it is!Here is how it happens:If you haven't already done so, be sure to join my "What can one person do to reverse global warming?" activation series.More information on the series at...
The Time to Mobilize is NOW…
First, here is an excellent article by Bill McKibben on our current response to Climate Castastrophe:https://newrepublic.com/article/135684/declare-war-climate-change-mobilize-wwiiThe net of it is this: it is time for a world-wide large scale mobilization for a "war"...
Remember Tomorrowland?
When I was five years old, I was introduced to the Magic Kingdom. I loved all the themes, but especially enjoyed Tomorrowland and "The City of the Future." I knew in my heart that technology would make everything even better.Fast forward fifty four...
Optimism is a Political Act
Cynicism is obedience. From a great article by Alex Steffan:"Entrenched interests use despair, confusion and apathy to prevent change. They encourage modes of thinking which lead us to believe that problems are insolvable, that nothing we do can matter, that the...
The Story of Earth in 2 Minutes
A powerful video - story in images. (not to time scale, obviously). Enjoy.
The Power of Changing the Story
From Charles Eisenstein:"Every act that comes from the understanding of interconnection, of inner being, is a spiritual act, andalso a political act.By acting from a different story, we disrupt the psychic substructure of our mythology. And we offer an alternative......
Principles of Spiritual Leadership
Will Keepin’s Principles of Spiritual Leadership (also published as Principles of Spiritual Activism - Source: http://www.earthlight.org/essay40_deboer.html) Explanation reposted...
A New Story
Let’s start with a story.Earth’s story began in an instant 13.7 billion years ago. We flared forth as light, underwent a series of creative and irreversible transformations, both physically and psycho-spiritually, until we arrived here –in this moment, on this...
Permaculture Soul
Lately, I've encountered more and more people who believe our culture is living the wrong story.The old cultural story is this: we need things to be happy, and we definitely need more money. Abundance is limited. We must fight for our share of a decreasing...
The power of collective action
I rarely seek out, let alone share, films that suggest personal action is useless. It IS important --especially in its role in waking us up as individuals. So I'm not sharing this film for you to walk away with that message. The reason I am sharing is that, in...
Blogging for Sanity
"What did you do once you knew" poet Drew Dellinger writes in a poem about lamenting over the fate of his great great grandchildren. What kind of ancestors are we? Blogging for Sanity is back. I am not sure whether I am blogging for our collective...
Righting Retreat
Yes, it was a writing retreat. No, I did not misspell the word in the title of this post.Last week I was immersed in a five-day writing experience with others here on Dancing TreePeople Farm. We met at the beginning of each day to set our intentions, in the middle of...
Breathing Deeply
My starfish self loves the ocean! Usually it is a two-hour drive from my home to the Pacific Ocean - a little longer if I want to put my feet into the water or splash my face with its refreshing touch. Which is why I find deep delight when I am able to spend time at...
Constitutional Failures
I loved my high school Civics class. We studied the checks and balances to power that the US founders enshrined in the constitution. We studied the Bill of Rights. This class took place the year Richard Nixon resigned and when the rule of law...
“Tell everyone on this train I love them”
When I saw the photo of Taliesan Myrddin Namkai-Meche, age 23, in his graduation cap and gown it Source: Facebooktook my breath away. It is not just that he was young. It was that, for just an instant, I thought he was my son who lives in Portland and went to Reed...
The New Superpower
Paul Hawken:"There is another super power here on earth that Is an unnamed movement. It is far different and bigger and more unique than anything we have ever seen. It flies under the radar of the media by and large. It is non-violent; it is grassroots. It has no...
What Can One Person Do About Climate Change?
This is a great opinion piece in the Washington Post today: Now it is up to us to Save the PlanetIt is. And collectively we CAN and MUST take actionAs I see it, our individual action falls into three categories:1. The Energy We Use2. ...
Get inspired. Stay inspired. #Resist
Here's the thing--we need to BE STRATEGIC with our energies because overwhelm and cynicism can lead to despair, and indeed this is the objective of the rapid-fire actions coming our way. Shock and awe.First, recognize that we are in a marathon, not a sprint and we...
Why I March…
Today was joyful, peaceful, powerful... electric and spectacular! (In Napa, we even cheered and sent love to the loud guy with a Trump flag driving by.) We are not protesters. We are marchers who rise up and stand for what we love and value: dignity, justice for all,...
Limiting Beliefs
I went for a walk in the orchard this morning – in the rain. Magical. Peaceful. Refreshing. And yes, I was soaking wet when I came back into the house with my two equally dripping wet dogs, but we really enjoyed the sound, feel, and taste of the rain. We dried off...
Fear is Useless
I’m not certain of the exact moment it begins. Maybe it is when I decide to cruise Facebook and online news sites in hopes that there will be good political news. Who am I kidding? Even if there is good news, I am pretty sure that the corporate media...
View From the Sun
Welcome to the EarthLover blog. Here you will find art that celebrates the beauty, creativity and sacredness of Planet Earth.50% of the proceeds of any original art featured on this site will go toward organizations and initiatives that help renew, restore and...
A Simple Mantra.
People keep asking: what can one person do about Climate Change? My simple mantra is this: Soil. Sun. Sacred. SOIL: building a living soil sequesters carbon SUN: The sun must become our primary source of energy. And SACRED Earth means honor nature--shop less love...
Musings From the Permaculture Garden
Nature teaches us: "The Problem is an Opportunity" Okay so give me every idea you can think of for how we turn this horrific and massive problem into an opportunity. I'll start.This is a very real real opportunity to:--shine a light on how the Tea Party actually...
The Antidote to Fear…
There is a reason that FDR said “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” He said this because, as we have witnessed in these past weeks, fear creates its own reality. Above all, it creates more fear— a self-fulfilling prophecy.In...
How to “Allow”: Create Optimal Conditions and then Trust
When I was nine years old, my fourth grade science teacher had us plant pumpkin seeds in half-cut waxed milk cartons. I eagerly anticipated the sprouting of the seeds and once they started to grow, I and my classmates measured our plant’s progress each day and...
Your Power… use it.
This is a message to my Bernie Sanders supporting friends who are disillusioned by both candidates and are considering a "protest vote" for either Jill Stein or Gary Johnson.I get it. I love that Bernie put a voice to what we know to be true--the destruction of...
Clarity, Resolve and Fierce Love.
Michelle Obama's Speech is a beautiful example of how to take a stand with clarity, resolve, and fierce love. Beautiful. Appealing to our better angels: "When they go low, we go high." I hope that every single American gets the chance to listen to the...
400ppm – Before the Flood.
I'm looking forward to the release of what looks to be a powerful movie (National Geographic + Leonardo DiCaprio). The trailer itself is well worth watching as we just passed 400ppm on Planet Earth (goal is to stay below 350ppm). Good news: the future is in our hands...
Living a New Story.
As we look to the future and our relationship with the next generation, we face a stark choice: a path View Form the Sun - Eco Art by Denise Rushingof fear, cynicism, denial and despair, or one of hope, renewal, restoration and of co-creating abundance for the...
Beneficial Connections…
This is a story about the power of connection.When I first bought what is now Dancing TreePeople Farm, I imagined that I was going to create a fully sustainable life... all by myself.I would grow my own food, make my own energy, put in place a permaculture oasis and...
Permaculture Principle: Edge Effect
Growth and new life, as well as innovation, comes from the edges where different systems meet. "Edge Effect" celebrates one of the thirteen permaculture principles. From Tending the Soul's Garden:"Edge Effect refers to that which occurs in a system along its...
THE TALKING POSSUM DREAM —
I am in an older house--it's the house I lived in when I was 19 years old. There is a gap between the kitchen cabinet and the floor. Through the gap I can see into the underside of the houseI see what looks like a very large rat and it is trying to get into the...
The Helpers
As the fire rages in South Lake County, we find ourselves once again praying for friends, neighbors and firefighters, checking our own "defensible space" and wondering if people, animals and precious places are okay.Today, my partner Loretta and I decided to run...
“Y” is for “Yield is (theoretically) Unlimited”
Nature is designed for abundance.
Fly the Airplane
The whole incident took maybe 10 minutes—yet is etched in my mind as hours. Time was suspended.I wasn’t thinking about my grocery list, or getting my car repaired. I want thinking about the money in the bank. I briefly thought about would happen if I...
Earth Dance
Celebrating the dance of life. This painting is of Earth, our home, in the cosmic sea, in a dance with the energies of the cosmos and within. In some sense, Earth is the "biggest why" of all.
Permaculture Principle: Start Small then Expand.
"S" in the the Reclaiming Tuesday series, this painting highlights the permaculture principle: start small then expand.The entire series is a celebration of the wonder and awe at the heart of the Universe.
We are Star Dust
10 billion years ago, the star Tiamat exploded into a supernova. From the explosion of Tiamat came elements such as carbon and oxygen--elements necessary for life on Earth. The solar system formed from the remnants of Tiamat...We are star dust.
“Edge Effect”
Celebrates one of the thirteen permaculture principles. Growth and new life, as well as innovation, comes from the edges where different systems meet.
New World View
Here is the poster announcing the opening of my Art Show at the Lake County Wine Studio on August 5th and 6th, 2016. Attendance to view the art is FREE. $15 if you want to sample the wine and food pairings.The painting depicted on the poster is called...
Announcing Art and Wine Reception: August 5 & 6
Here is the poster announcing the opening of the Art Show at the Lake County Wine Studio. This painting depicted on the poster is called "View from the Sun" from the New World View series.Attendance to view the art is FREE. Cost is $15 if you want to...
September 12, 2015
September 12, 2015On Display at the Lake County Wine Studio in August 2016
The Dancing Tree
The Dancing TreeOn display at the Lake County Wine Studio in August 2016
What if … You Matter More Than You Think?
(Remarks shared with the UU of Lake County on 6/19/16)One of the things I have always admired about the Unitarian congregation around the globe is its long history of standing for justice in word and deed. My words for you this morning--entitled "You Matter More...
The “Why” Behind Great Work
I've admired many people in life and all of them seemed to know exactly what they were meant to be doing from the time they were very small. At least this is how the story goes. It is as if they somehow popped out of the womb knowing they were meant to...
Different Dreams
Google me and you might find that I once sat behind a mahogany desk In a corner office with a view of the bay I decided things of importance, and thought myself so Awake. Ah, but wisdom found my hiding places,Haunting me with dreams of twisting...
Averting a Desecration
2200 acres of sacred land on the James River. land that has been entrusted to the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, is at risk for sale under the rationale "money is needed to do our work". This land represents the true legacy of this congregation and the most...
Fed Up?
The Movie Trailer is out and the topic is more than a little bit horrifying.. and well worth watching:Michael Pollan is featured in Fed Up . He is the author of : "Food Rules"--a wonderful little guide that's essentially a really really short version of...
The meaning of “Ecozoic”
Origins of the Word “Ecozoic”"The etymology of “Ecozoic” is that it is based on the prefix “eco-,” derived from the Greek word “oikos” meaning house, household, or home, and the suffix “-zoic,” from the Greek word “zoikos” meaning pertaining to living beings. Thus,...
The key is to cultivate awareness …
DIY Walnut Milk Recipe
If you are following Permaculture Soul, you know that our associated eco-farm -- Dancing TreePeople -- is offering a new product that can help you make tasty walnut milk (or other nut milk) at home. Here is a video that shows you how to make it.Dancing...
A (near) zero waste lifestyle
I thought I was doing great to have only a tiny bag of trash each week. Lauren's choice is inspiring:
This Might Actually Work …
At last, a product I can believe in!Peace Out.
Cultivating Compassion – Today and Every Day …
As our nation enters into another season of political campaigning, cultivating compassion is as important as ever. We need to ask ourselves in our deeds and in our language: What are we teaching our children about what it means to be...
Not-So-Silent Spring
In the midst of the California drought, I admit, I think about frogs. I think about them a lot. So last summer, I hatched a plan. I decided to hand dig a miniature garden pond. My intention was to create a tiny oasis for creatures who might need water—and...
Everything is a Garden:
How to Thrive and Prosper While Changing the World. Some thoughts on social and spiritual permaculture with the good folks at Benicia Community Gardens.
A Whole Day
Earth Day 2015... we awoke to ten deer in the orchard. Deer represent gentleness and self care, and that is how we plan to celebrate this most holy (whole) of days.Happy Earth Day
The Five People Cammie Meets in Heaven.
I share the following reflection with those gathered at my sister Cammie's memorial service on April 19, 2015. --DeniseRecently, I read the book “The Five People You Meet in Heaven” by Mitch Albom The story is about a man named Eddie who dies thinking that his...