It seems with each passing day there is a growing reliance on new technology. Even if your car is not electric, there are many more electronics in our cars than ever before, many more video cameras on the streets recording things, many more street lamps and skyscrapers drowning out the dark skies, many more ways to measure our sleep or heart rate through watches, many more beeping devices that seem to disrupt the natural circadian sound vibrations that move through the airways. Technology, I always sensed in some way or another, takes us out of our own bodies, our own awareness, our own inner power, if you will. It outsources quite well, not only our own abilities to solve problems, think things through, and now also our artistic creations; but it also takes a devastating toll on the Earth, extracting, polluting, purging, burning, all on a constant repeat.
On the other hand, working in harmony with what nature provides, slowing down and syncing up to the natural rhythms of the day, night, and the different seasonal changes, seems to me exactly how we humans can reclaim our wholeness, peace, calm, and wellness as a species. There are so many rabbit holes to go down with this but for the purposes of this article I wanted to focus on the art and skill of crafting. Basically, anything using our hands, and interacting with nature in a shared reciprocity with respect, awareness, and balance.
Rewind with me to just a few years ago, I really didn’t give or understand the time required to sit and learn a craft, or new earth skill which all seemed to require more focus on “doing” with your body and hands than abstraction with your thoughts and mind. As someone who has always appreciated the arts immensely and living close to and harmoniously with the earth, it somewhat amazed me that I didn’t feel I possessed the patience it took to learn or really master these skills. It really took me years to even just begin to understand how incredibly healing and grounding taking the time to learn these crafts were
I started to find so much joy in creating simple tools that the earth presented to me, and realized perhaps this is one major way we have “conveniently” forgotten as a society how to cultivate a joyous life – living and creating alongside Mother Earth, being completely present and in the moment – and with just that – – feeling how fulfilling that is.
I was reading an interview with Christoper Manes, author of Green Rage, published in the book Listening to the Earth by Derrick Jensen and this quote seemed to point to what we as a society have overlooked as we live our human existence within the dichotomy of technology and craft in our “modern civilization”.
“I see a real distinction between technology and craft. Technology confronts the world, forces it to do things it wouldn’t do naturally. Craft belongs to a humbler, more ancient relationship with nature – going with the flow. The earth gives up clay and fire, and we make ceramic pots from the bounty. The earth and its nonhuman communities aren’t diminished or banished by the process of craft. Craft fits human needs into the existing landscape, whereas technology attempts to alter and deny the landscape at an ever accelerating pace with no recognition of nature’s limits.”
Perhaps you too feel the urge to create a different type of relationship with the earth, slow down and allow the earth to present its gifts to you, craft, and find ways to live more harmoniously with nature. Maybe Mother Nature itself is calling out to you as it did to me. Please feel free browse our many offerings and if something calls to you come join us in one of our upcoming workshops. We hope to see you there.
Submitted by Laura Rose – Field Instructor