Medicine For The Earth and Food For The Soul

Hello Everyone! My name is Gavin and I am here to plant the seeds for a “new” (and ancient) way of living to set down roots on planet Earth.

I closely observe Mother Earth’s living systems and learn from the inherent wisdom offered to us by our elder species so that we can effectively, joyfully and permanently cut our ties to the parasitic systems that have built up around us to one day leave them behind.

My journey in this life has been one of delving into shadows and illusions of the ego so that I would be invited to remember the light that shines within, transcend cycles of despair that have become so prevalent here. This journey invited me to trail blaze a path forward guided by my heart and my spirit.. and it is my feeling I was guided to choose this path so that I may be in a better position to help others to find their way out of similar prisons of the mind that are prevalent on Earth now.

As we move through this turbulent time of transition, initiation and revealing I strive to remain grounded in love, gratitude and hope (rooted in actively working towards implementing viable solutions to challenges we face). I also strive to be conscious of the lies and atrocities being committed, yet not consumed in the anger or despair the perpetrators of said atrocities seek to impose onto the hearts and minds of humans. Our human family does need truth and transparency, but more than that what our human family needs is to look within to remember who and what we really are as conscious beings. Humanity also desperately needs to remember and nurture our intrinsic connection to the living planet that sustains us all.

We live in times when developing a reciprocal relationship with the land where we live is of paramount importance. There is no elected official, institution, guru, priest or any other external force or individual who can do this for you. This is a path you must embark upon with courage and humility.. a path that walks in the footsteps of our ancestors. It requires us to plant seeds with our hands, with our words and with our hearts.

Thus, you might say endeavor to “walk the mystical path with practical feet”.

Pursuant to this task of nurturing the spark within while also planting the physical seeds for a new kind of civilization to set down roots I would now like to share some things that have served as food for the soul for me. It is my hope these books and various forms of art can provide you an uplifting respite, sanctuary and nourishment for the imagination and perhaps some practical solutions for increasing your resilience during these difficult times.

This is not a comprehensive list, just those things that came to mind at present.

Books:

– Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer ( https://milkweed.org/book/braiding-sweetgrass )

– Radical Mycology: A Treatise on Seeing and Working with Fungi ( https://chthaeus.com/products/radical-mycology-a-treatise-on-seeing-working-with-fungi )

– Sacred Economics: Money, Gift and Society in the Age of Transition by Charles Eisenstein ( https://sacred-economics.com/about-the-book/ )

- To Speak for the Trees: My Life's Journey from Ancient Celtic Wisdom to a Healing Vision of the Forest By Diana Beresford-Kroeger: ( https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/575305/to-speak-for-the-trees-by-diana-beresford-kroeger/ )

- “The Unlikely Peace at Cuchumaquic: The Parallel Lives of People as Plants: Keeping the Seeds Alive” by Martin Prechtel ( https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/214673/the-unlikely-peace-at-cuchumaquic-by-martin-prechtel/9781583943601 )

– Human by Design: From Evolution by Chance to Transformation by Choice by Gregg Braden ( https://www.hayhouse.com/human-by-design-hardcover )

– Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures by Merlin Sheldrake (son of Rupert Sheldrake) ( https://www.merlinsheldrake.com/buy )

- Regenerative Soil: The Science and Solutions by Matt Powers (https://www.thepermaculturestudent.com/shop/regenerative-soil-science-amp-solutions-manual-pre-order )

– The Seat of the Soul by Gary Zukav ( https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Seat-of-the-Soul/Gary-Zukav/9781476755403 )

– The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thích Nhất Hạnh ( https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/95747.The_Miracle_of_Mindfulness )

- SuperWellness: Become Your Own Best Healer by Dr. Edith Ubuntu Chan (https://www.dredithubuntu.com/book.html)

– The Art of Fermentation: An In-Depth Exploration of Essential Concepts and Processes from Around the World ( https://www.shortmountaincultures.com/shop/p/artoffermentation )

Some of those books are much more than just nourishment for the spirit and offer practical techniques that enable the reader increase their emergency preparedness and general health as well. This picture below shows more books (some of which are also listed above) that I have read in the last couple years that fall into that category:

I would love to hear what some of your favorite books are that you find to be food for the soul. Though I do not subscribe to any particular religion I am a very spiritual person and I find it enriching to learn about the spiritual practices and beliefs of others (whether they are connected to religion or not). Please feel free to share any suggestions in the comments below.

Art:

Some of the work of artist Hannah Bullen-Ryner:

https://mymodernmet.com/hannah-bullen-ryner-earth-art/

Andy Goldsworthy:

– Rivers and Tides: Working with Time https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x15e83f

– 20 Most Beautiful Andy Goldsworthy Art and Images :

https://www.liveenhanced.com/andy-goldsworthy-art-and-images/

Music: (Piano)

Ólafur Arnalds (a pianist from Iceland) Doria –

Ólafur Arnalds composed, performed, recorded and released a new song, one per day for one whole week. The songs were recorded and filmed live in the living room of his Reykjavík home with his family on string instruments. This is the second song of Ólafur Arnald’s “Living Room Songs” :

3055 Official Music Video:

“þau Hafa Sloppið Undan þunga Myrkursins” :

Ólafur Arnalds & Nils Frahm – Improvisation in Berlin 2011:

Yiruma – River Flows in You:

Kenichiro Nishihara – Step Out:

Nils Frahm – Said And Done:

Nils Frahm – Over There, It’s Raining:

(Acoustic guitar) Tommy Emmanuel c.p.g – The Mystery – Lewis & Clark (acoustic guitar)

Antoine Dufour – These Moments – solo guitar:

Andy McKee – Guitar – Drifting:

Antoine Dufour – Existence:

Jesse Cook – La Rumba D’el Jefe:

Kenmochi Hidefumi – Ashra:

Andy McKee – Joyland – For Now

Jose Feliciano - And I Love Her (cover The Beatles) :

Jesse Cook – Once :

I Am · Satsang :

(Assorted other music:)

David & Steve Gordon – Prayer For The Four Directions:

Buffalo Springfield - For What It's Worth:

Led Zeppelin - Ten Years Gone:

Shad - I Heard You Had A Voice Like An Angel:

"Maybe I'm Amazed" By Paul McCartney:

Kenichiro Nishihara - Heart feat. Substantial:

Marvel At the Stars · Art of Verse:

Yatao | Ray of Hope | Handpan Live Concert:

Nahko - Raw- Honor The Earth :

Macklemore | Inhale Deep:

Sweatshop Union - Thing About It:

Kenichiro Nishihara - Power Of Self (ft. Substantial):

Emancipator “Baralku”:

Eligh & Amp Live - First Contact:

The Grouch - Lighthouses:

Hang Massive – The Secret Kissing of the Sun and Moon:

Eligh - Reach:

Rising Appalachia – Resilient:

Nadishana, Manu Delago, Loup Barrow, Thomas Bloch (hang & crystal organ) LOCUS SOLUS Orchestra:

Nahko - Aloha Ke Akua :

Rising Appalachia- Medicine:

Uyama Hiroto – 81 autumn – 2014 :

Emancipator – Anthem:

Dub FX 10/10/2008 ‘Love Someone’:

Cosmo Sheldrake (Son of Rupert Sheldrake) – Playing Places:

Cosmo Sheldrake – Cuckoo Song :

Connected to the World Like a Rainbow .Native American Flute Music:

Explosions in the sky – Your Hand in Mine:

Hammock – I Could Hear The Water At The Edge Of All Things:

Nujabes – Prayer (2011):

God Is an Astronaut – Forever Lost:

Mishka – Love And Devotion:

Mishka – Above the bones: Higher Heights:

One Love (Bob Marley) feat. Manu Chao | Playing For Change:

One Love – Bob Marley | Tower of David (sung by Arabic and Hebrew people together):

Stellardrone – Light Years [Full Album]:

Emancipator – Safe in the Steep Cliffs:

Yatao | Reflections :

Nahko "Wash It Away":

I would love to check out some of your favorite art and music, please feel free to share in a comment below!

Hope you enjoy what I have shared can find some nourishment for the soul, food for the mind as well as peace and joy for the heart.

I strongly believe that now is the time to joyfully reaffirm our alliances with the living Earth, to nurture new symbiotic relationships with the soil, people, plants and fungi in our local communities. Human empires rise and fall, and history teaches us that when they fall, it is those that know how to grow/forage for their own food, medicine and preserve it that survived. I will be focusing on these efforts locally and helping those at a distance to do the same. Anyone interested in learning more about creating decentralized food/medicine production systems or collaborating on a project please feel free to reach out.

We can create oasis’s of health, resilience, and abundance in each of our communities.. we can become the solution, break from dependence on centralized systems and help others to do the same. It begins with the soil and the seeds.. and it evolves into nurturing symbiotic connections with those we share our communities with. Each of us can embody the medicine the land and our communities need to survive and thrive though the tough times ahead. Mother Earth has her arms outstretched and hands open inviting us to embrace her as our ancestors did to find strength and grace in challenging times through reciprocity and symbiosis.

Wishing you all good health, joy, peace, hope, freedom, prosperity and resilience.