Earth Activist Training 2009—Cazedero, CA

A short blog blurb
By Abel R. Gomez

By the grace of the Universe and by the generous hearts of the Bay Area Reclaiming and SHARANYA communities, I was able to attend Earth Activist Training, a two week permaculture design course rooted in regenerative activism and earth-based spirituality. The course was taught by bestselling author and Witch Starhawk and permaculture designer and activist Erik Ohlsen.

Permaculture is an emerging form of sustainability and ecological design based on observation of Nature, creating systems the way Nature creates. Earth Activist Training was an intense course covering such diverse subjects as grey water systems, composting, healing soil, and alternative energy. We even spent a day on Starhawk’s land creating a small storage building out of cob, a natural building material made of clay, mud, and hay.

What I quickly learned was that permaculture was not just a system of design, but a way of living in harmony with the land. Starhawk once mentioned that permaculture is a way of becoming indigenous to a place, attuning oneself to what grows there and creating systems that benefit ecosystems and create real abundance. Throughout the week we engaged in these deep mysteries through classes, hands on projects, and daily ritual circles, invoking the elements of life as allies and guides in our working, remembering that we are the Earth. What we do to Her, we do to ourselves.

It was also a great blessing to spend time studying with Starhawk. She is such a well known and respected elder in the Pagan community, and in person, is warm and approachable. She ate with us, laughed with us, and even shared a song about chickens, complete with hand motions and funny voices. Starhawk is a truly dedicated Priestess of the Goddess, an ordinary woman with an extraordinary power to lead potent rituals and inspire us to heal the land and our fragmented culture.

Perhaps the most powerful gift of the course was hope. Change is possible. With study and a bit of work, we really can create a better world. We can live in harmony with the systems of Nature and truly create a world of health, beauty, and sustainability. We can heal the land. We can heal ourselves. We can heal our world.

blessed be. 

Comments

[Patty]

Whoa Abel. You have written such a beautiful article.