Our cultures provide rituals that give meaning to our relationship to the natural world. Many are attracted to Native American culture because their ceremonies are clear and powerful. I appreciate opportunities to participate in Native American ceremonies but they are not mine, they are not of my ancestors. At a sunrise ceremony in the Mojave Desert Shoshone elder Corbin Harney advised us to discover our own cultures because they would connect us to our ancestors.
At the Diversity workshop at the AEOE Fall Conference, Running Grass added that it is important to our work to understand each others’ cultures as they speak to our relationship to the natural world.
In the spirit of sharing culture I want to describe a couple aspects of my own tribal roots that help orient and center me in my work for social-environmental progress. My tribal roots are not from this continent, my roots are Jewish.
In
Judaism there is the practice of Tikkun Olam which means “to heal, or
to make whole, the world.” “The world” includes both the
human and the non human world. Even if a rational calculation tells us that
all efforts
to change things are futile, it is still important that we engage in the work
of healing the world.
A second practice I want to share with you is the idea of the Sabbath. Jews
are required to stop what they are doing for one whole day each week. This
means
no work, no production, no consumption, no exchange of money. We are invited
to use this day to contemplate the wonder of the world and to tune into our
gratitude for all of the blessings that we enjoy. Think of prayer as a meditation
of gratitude.
Also, on the Sabbath we are to prefigure the world that we are striving to create. That is, we are to act as though things are the way that we yearn for them to be.
For me, that would mean living in a more tribal fashion. Actually, in many ways, a lot like we have been living for the last two days at Tamarack Flat. People here have been playful, generous, friendly, and respectful. People have shared food, drink, music, and dance. We have met in groups and shared our knowledge and skills with each other. And we tread lightly on the earth.
In my view this group combines Tikkun Olam and the Sabbath.
What all of you are doing is important. I have enormous respect and appreciation for your devotion as environmental educators. We are working to heal the world and we come together to pay attention to nature, give of ourselves and reinforce our shared values.
What you do inspires me in what I do. My family and I thank you for a beautiful weekend