I was incredibly privileged to visit Kata Tjuta, Uluru, and Standley Chasm (Angkerle Atwatye), amongst other places, over the long weekend in January. Whilst we were there, I wrote this article for Substack and wanted to share it here as well.
At all our visits, I was struck by how the land held space for us as humans and how connected we felt if we paused and were quiet.

Whilst at Kata Tjuta, we took even more time to sit and be present, as there was a no photography request in place. Sitting in that ancient landscape, with a breeze blowing through the valley, was profound. The wind called on me to ‘spread the word’. In truth, I have no idea what this might be or why this thought kept repeating in my head. It could be that I generated it myself, but I am not convinced. I will trust the idea and, hopefully, over time, see where it leads and what it means.

I believe we are all connected. To each other, to the earth and all that lives. And the rocks and places around the planet. I do not have the privilege of being part of a culture that knows the traditions and knowledge of country. I can, though, make the time to sit and feel how the land talks. I can listen when the wind whispers to me and take action. For far too long, I have sat on the periphery, watching and being too scared to say anything. People might think I was odd if I said I could feel the earth. I was scared to be cast out. And then, what right do I have to talk about places that are sacred to a culture that I know only a smidgen about? What I can do is thank them for an unbroken connection to the earth and for maintaining their sacred sites in extremely difficult circumstances, so that we all benefit.

I have always been called to the earth. I know nature is needed to keep my mental health in good shape. In hindsight, I have not stepped up as much as I would have liked, even in private. I moved too fast and told myself I was doing OK. In truth, I often used my busyness to hide from myself and what I truly believed, too scared to take the time to care, in case I stood out too much. So, my approach has been rather watered down.

My experience has sent me into motion. For some reason, I am being called to action. I am not exactly sure what that may be, or where it will lead, if indeed anywhere. I am proud to have finally started something. Maybe I can spread the word about the importance of nature and how we are all intrinsically linked. When the land is healthy, we can be healthy. Where we see great sickness and disease, we see degraded lands and places that are hurting. I do believe this, in part, explains why so many of us are struggling in ways our ancestors did not.

When our soils are degraded, our food quality declines, and our health suffers. It is rarely intentional; it is part of the disconnection from land and our place in keeping Mother Earth healthy and thriving, so she can continue to support us.

Sometimes all it needs is just a spark of curiosity.

How do we spark that curiosity?  Stop, just for a minute, lean against a tree, what is it telling you? Watch a sunset, how do the colours make you feel? Can you immerse yourself in the ocean, or bury your feet in the sand? Put your bare feet on the earth and just breathe. How do you feel?

The more we can do these simple things, the more we start to connect and notice how Mother Earth and all her subjects are faring. We cannot change a war in far flung places. We can stand still for a moment, and when we connect in, can we offer peace back to the world? If enough of us do this, then perhaps, just perhaps, we will start to dim the hatred and move towards harmony. With harmony comes understanding and healing, for all of us. And then we have time to talk solutions and avoid blame, as this is truly a global issue that starts at home.