Awaken... Reflect... Engage...

How? By joining the conversation centered on Reclaiming Wildness—hosted by Cassy Correa, your Guide for this Steppingstone.

Cassy Correa

Stepping Stone 15 Guide

"Hi there! My name is Cassy and I live in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains. I love Puerto Rico, the smell of crisp mountain air, and time spent with loved ones.”

If a forest near your town was being cut down, how would you react? Would you care? Would you be brave enough to protest? Would you go even further, and put yourself in harm’s way to stop the cutting? When I look at the photo, in this steppingstone, of the women of the Chipko Movement risking their lives to protect the life of a tree, I see a group of humble heroines. Although, earlier in life, I would not have been so fiercely protective of a tree, I have since established a loving relationship with Earth, granting me a deeper understanding of the Chipko women’s commitment to protect forest trees with their own flesh and blood.

"I want Earth to know me and recognize me as a friend."

I grew up in Brooklyn, New York, spending a lot of time at my grandparents’ brownstone. One of my earliest memories of interacting with nature is my cousins and me standing in a circle around a sycamore tree as we noticed the tree’s scabby bark.

In the nineties, the urban attitudes regarding nature taught us kids that nature was not worthy of protection. The result? The intention for the circle we formed around that sycamore tree was to kick at the bark and chip off the “scabs”. Of course, we knew better than to kick off pieces of a neighbor’s fence because in the environment where we grew up, private property was more protected than nature. In retrospect, I now see that our innate childlike wildness was alive, but misdirected because it was filtered through a culture that tends to abuse rather than extend respect to Earth.

I had a difficult time adjusting when I was fourteen and my family moved to rural Pennsylvania. At first, I felt lonely and isolated in the middle of what I had previously perceived as “nowhere” and I felt like I was missing out on the endless possibilities of the big city. But once the weather became warmer, I began to explore my natural surroundings and go on long hikes with my sister. After acquainting myself with the trails, trees, chipmunks and soil, my home place became alive to me. Indeed, I was “somewhere”!

Today, I truly value the peace and freedom I feel when I am surrounded by nature, and I can no longer envision myself enjoying living in a crowded city. The loneliness I once felt has been alleviated by the interconnectedness I now feel with the life around me. I have come to love basking in the fresh aroma of the forest, hearing the sounds of birds chirping and acorns falling, and communing with my wise and steady tree friends.

For me, reclaiming my wildness began by discovering a passionate consideration for other life forms. Now, I am making up for the years I spent neglecting Earth, while mindlessly contributing to her destruction. I want Earth to know me and recognize me as a friend. Hugging trees, walking barefoot in the grass, and laying on the ground and watching the stars are all ways that I am exploring my innate wildness.

An Invitation to Join the Conversation

As your Guide for this steppingstone, my hope is that this site will become a friendly setting for the sharing of personal stories, questions and reflections relating to the Reclaiming Wildness theme of this steppingstone. As a way to begin, please consider sharing your thoughts in response to any of the following prompts that might call to you:

i-What if, like the Lani People of Papau New Guinea (featured at the beginning of this steppingstone), you, too, possess the innate capacity to sense—deep within your body—that you are a living part of Earth; and that, in this very moment, you are Earth breathing; and that just as you live within Earth, Earth lives within you…?

ii-Have you ever communicated with a wild being—e.g., a songbird, a raccoon, a fox, a willow tree, a butterfly? Most of us have been taught to believe that such communication is impossible? But what if this is just a reflection of our own ignorance… and that interspecies communication is available to us in any moment. We just have to slow down and pay attention. You won’t know until you try…

iii-When was the last time you were awestruck by an encounter with wild nature? What happened? What did you see? What did you feel? How did this encounter affect you?

Use the comment box below to share your reflections!

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