Following the Threads

The work we do in the world – from the part-time job that supported our studies, to our professional work – all has its place and purpose.

When I trace my own personal work life back, it’s as colourful and diverse as you can get – from working as a farm-hand, a waiter, swim teacher, primary teacher, massage therapist, kinesiologist and shamanic healer.

Over the past several years I’ve studied numerous healing modalities including reiki, flower essences, energy medicine, shamanic healing, emotional embodiment, and intuitive reading. Each modality has leant itself to the next – gently weaving its threads into one.

Last year has had me exploring deep nature connection. As naturist, Jon Young explains, deep nature connection moves beyond ‘experiences’ in nature – such as bush walking, rock climbing and skiing. It also moves beyond nature ‘information’ such as learning about plant and animal species and ecology.

Deep nature connection has a cultural aspect and happens intuitively. It draws on the skills and knowledge of our ancestors. It asks for us to slow down, observe, open our senses and become aware of the inter-connectedness we share with nature.

My practice has been centred on creating a ‘sit-spot’ within the forest – a place I visit regularly to simply sit and observe. In his book, ‘Forest Bathing’, Amos Clifford describes what occurs when we cultivate this practice. Within time we become as much a part of nature as the birds and animals we observe. Instead of being separate to nature, we become nature.

In the Spring of last year, I journeyed for four days on a wilderness solo (or vision quest). My intention was to deepen my connection with the land in which I lived and understand what my role within this place was. What I learnt was that my calling was to guide others into deep nature connection – working with both the seen and unseen worlds.

For a long time, my work focused on bringing nature into my sessions. I would call on the four directions and work with the elements, seasons, life cycles, plant medicine, flower essences, crystals and so forth. I would often find myself gazing out the window to the mountains and forest, dreaming of creating an ‘office’ out there in the wild.

I finished work early last year as fires threatened to tear through our valley. While much of the bushland surrounding us has burned, the most we experienced was thick smoke and showers of ash. When we come out of a trauma, such as that created from the fires, it is only natural ask ‘What can I learn from this?

I’ve sat with this every day for months, my thoughts come back to the same theory – whether we believe it or not, we are deeply connected to the earth, only we behave in a way that makes us feel disconnected. We continue to strip her resources, and we continue to buy into the easy option – relying on supermarkets for our food, using single use plastics, driving to school or work rather than walking…

When I ask myself, ‘what can I do to help’, the answer is clear – help them remember their connection to the earth – not by bringing nature to your work, but by bringing your work to nature. It doesn’t matter how many books you read, how much you integrate nature into your life, the full benefits can only be found in nature – being IN nature.

Cultivating a deep connection to nature has benefits well beyond our current understanding. I believe that perhaps the only way we will stopping ‘using’ the earth is by remembering our inherent connection  – and realising that our relationship is one of reciprocity – we need the earth as much as she needs us.

When I was a little girl, I loved being in nature, in the wild. I loved exploring rugged coastlines, bush-walking and camping with my family. We often find that when we follow the threads back to our childhood, to the things that made us feel alive, we discover the work we were meant to do in the world.

As a little girl I was deeply connected to nature – that little girl is now paving the way for my work today! She is not going to be ‘contained’ to an office, she’s going to be out there in the elements, doing what she loves whilst playing her part in rebuilding a sense of trust, belonging and reciprocity with the earth.