biodiversity
This morning I awoke to the sound of birds, one of which I hadn’t heard before. I send my finest words of gratitude to these winged ones. Their songs open my awareness and allow for a softening of my spirit to occur.
I am grateful to live in an area that is teeming with life. When I think of the ecological diversity that surrounds me, I see a system that is comprised of many different parts. There is a forest with various types of trees, plants, flowers, bushes, grasses, fungi, animals, bugs, amphibians, molluscs, and birds. There are elements including soil, rock, air, the sun, the moon, the stars, the wind, and the clouds. There is a beautiful river and within that water source are different types of fish and other aquatic life. There is a mountain shrouded in mist and I can smell the ocean air. I think about the sea and all the magnificent and interesting creatures that find their home within her embrace. There are also humans and microbes and bacteria. There are things I can’t see, and others I see but can’t name. There is all this amazing life in different sizes, genders, and stages of development; from birth to death. There are enough different types of each of these beings that if, for some reason, one type of thing died off or was destroyed (let’s say for instance, a disease attacked all of the maple trees and they died), that the system would remain intact.
I also see the reciprocity of relationship between these beings that are interacting and living together harmoniously (or trying to live together harmoniously as humans do with each other and their environment). I see how conflict eventually leads to a lack of diversity.
I also see diversity in nature as a metaphor for psychological diversity. Psychological diversity is similar to ecological diversity in that it is multi-faceted, multi-layered, complex, interdependent, adaptive, and alive. Psychologically there are different stages of maturation, and lack of harmony can lead to conflict and death. Within our psyches there is birth, death, regeneration, and transformation, just like in nature.
There is diversity in many facets of my life. Within my body there are numerous systems interacting (skeletal, circulatory, digestive, and neurological). I also interact with the environment outside of myself. When I am in nature, I notice how my senses come alive, contributing to the diversity in my life. I also interact with many different types of people from all walks of life, some only briefly, but all of whom impact me in some way.
My dreams also provide me with psychological diversity. There are many Small Dreams about everyday life and from time to time I experience Big Dreams – Dreams that have something to teach me. These dreams help me to become aware of my demons and allies, both of whom invite me to mature as a human being.
Contemplating diversity has helped me to notice that there is lack of diversity within my family system. I am aware of this and am consciously reconnecting with relatives who are welcoming me home to my ancestry and culture. I am also striving to create a more diverse circle of people in my life and to nurture healthy relationships. Finally, I am trying to maintain balance between my emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual dimensions.
Examining the diversity in my life has invited me to answer the question, “Who am I?” many times over and to recognize that there is still much more to discover about myself and my surroundings than what I already know.
I wonder about your thoughts on diversity? Where is the diversity in your life? Where do you experience a lack of diversity?
I have always loved nature. It's where I'm most at peace. For 10 amazing and intense years, I had the privilege of sharing my love for wild places with youth and families struggling to find their way in mainstream culture. We kayaked, hiked, spoke our truth at Council Fire, and formed uncommon bonds that to this day remain a source of inspiration. The place we did this work is called Ravenwood. It is a healing forest.
In 2010, I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a rare and incurable plasma cell cancer. I needed a stem cell transplant and a radical change of lifestyle. Along with a good medical team and a strong and loving circle of people supporting me, Ravenwood saved my life. 8 years later, I'm still here. Ravenwood is now home to my family. Although I can no longer do the physical work of a wilderness guide, it remains my calling to share the healing powers of nature. I still call myself a guide but the places I now navigate and explore are the wild terrains that live within the human soul. Nature is my co-guide.
I work with the natural world to help make sense of inner emotions and life experiences. I believe that spending time in nature fosters awareness and interconnection to the world around us, providing the space for inward reflection and the potential for transformation. How we encounter and interpret the natural world creates a personal narrative that gives meaning to experiences and emotions allowing us to develop new ways of understanding ourselves and feeling fully integrated in our lives. Through connection with the natural world, we ultimately become connected to our ‘inner’ nature. Personal distress can be alleviated by developing the mutual connection between inside and outside.
The process of change I foster involves restoring balance to the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual dimensions, reconnecting to the Earth, and adopting life-long practices that help incorporate new behaviour and thought patterns into a congruent way of life. My work as guide is to help reveal and cultivate the health and sanity which is already there rather than manipulate or modify sick people to be better adjusted. This requires a focus on healing through a process of whole-ing (recognizing the wholeness that already exists within), rather than healing or fixing a problem by eliminating it; wholeness-centered (holistic) instead of pathology-centered
I work with a range of practices including mindfulness and awareness, experiential activities, direct contact with nature, narrative therapy, environmental action, journaling, ritual, ceremony, and play.
As an aboriginal woman of Métis descent, I weave cultural teachings into my work, inspiring personal growth and a love and respect for the natural world.
Academically, I hold a Bachelor's in education, from McGill University and a Master’s of Arts in transpersonal psychology with a concentration in ecopsychology, from Naropa University. I have also completed masters level clinical counselling courses in counselling theory, family systems therapy, group therapy, and research methods, and have trained with the Vancouver School of Narrative Therapy. I am a recognized facilitator of Joanna Macy's Work That Reconnects and a Level 3 Reiki Usui Practitioner.
