Healing Lands
Jeff OxfordStepping onto the lush green grass, I could feel energy flowing through my body that was powerful, ancient and at the same time, familiar. Tears filled my eyes and I felt a heavy sob coming from someplace deep within. I ran to the nearby hibiscus tree, its branches humming with the vibrations of the tiny birds speeding in and out for a taste of its nectar. I wrapped my arms around her and let the tears flow.
A beautiful indigenous woman smiled as she hurried past to greet the others still back at the bus. I took a few breaths and looked up to see the vast mountain (and volcano) Taita Imbabura staring back at me from beyond the clouds. Returning to Ibarra, Ecuador for The Andes Summit was not something I had consciously planned to do, yet here I was. Itzhak Beery, a renowned shamanic healer who is based in New York when he isn’t traveling the globe, organizes The Summit, with 10 shamanic healers from different lineages and traditions in Ecuador. It was here that my heart was healed and I experienced a rebirth and reconnection with my path.
Perhaps one of the most important things that I learned from the shamans in Ecuador was something that the land itself taught me and that the shamans reinforced through their teachings and healings. Connection and the ability to listen is key.
No matter where we are on this planet or beyond, we are all connected. While it is wonderful to be in another land distant from your own, not everyone may have the opportunity to traverse the globe. What we do have is our ability to be present and connect with the spirit of the land right where we are now. How do you connect with the land where you are? Here are some techniques you can use, whether you live in a high-rise or on a farm:
How To Connect With The Land
- Take in a deep breath, allow yourself to come to a centered and calm place within.
- Call in your guides, the directions, a sense of peace – whatever resonates with your path.
- Ask the land for p e r m i s s i o n to connect.
- Observe through your mind’s eye what is going for the land energetically. This can also be a literal observation of the season, what is happening with local plants, the environment, etc.
- Notice what is going on within your heart and the rest of your body. Is it possibly a reflection of what is going on for the land around you? What micro-adjustment can you make within your emotional state that may energetically benefit the land around you?
- Invite the land to share with you ways that you can help bring healing. Offer gratitude to the land for giving you life, sustaining you, sheltering you.
- Connect with indigenous communities in your area to understand their history and honor the ways in which they have been caretakers of the land for thousands of years.
- Make an offering to the land you inhabit – this can be a one-time event or something you do with the change of seasons or according to your own spiritual or cultural beliefs/practices. This can be a physical thing or something so simple as a song or prayer or statement of gratitude.
- Be aware of what you consume and how it impacts the land, the ecosystems, the waters, etc. Challenge yourself to make at least one small change that positively impacts the Earth.
Lastly, consider using your voice – share with your friends, your family, your community, connection to the land and encourage them to connect, as well. With the Amazon burning, Siberia burning, Indonesia burning, our waters boiling, we need to have an active role in speaking up for what is sacred to us. Our voices and actions can have a ripple effect and that is very much needed right now. Never doubt your ability to have an impact.
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