Blog by Valerie
In a previous post I wrote about ancestry:
Through a Shipibo elder of the Amazon I learned that about 90% of the thought-loops that circulate our minds …
Category Archives: Relationships
Peace Circles
Blog by Valerie
“Stories are medicine…embedded with instructions” that guide us about how to live our lives (Estés, 1997). Practices of talking circles, or peace circles, have emerged …
Social belonging
Blog by Valerie
The etymology of the word “belong” is “together with” or “related to.” It’s a tribal concept. Years ago I worked with a shaman who said human nature …
Hope for Change
Blog by Valerie
In Old English, the word hopa, from which modern-day “hope” emerged, meant “confidence in the future.” For me, this requires trusting in natural forces …
Nourishment
Blog by Valerie
Like all natural beings, each of us has a unique nature. The word “symbiosis” comes from two Greek roots: to live + together. Biology recognises six types …
Gift Economy
Blog by Valerie
A market economy is based on exchange, how much we owe (based on lack) and are able to earn (based on social judgment). A gift economy is …
Relationships & identity
Blog by Valerie
Relationships form our sense of identity; when we are part of relationships that feel fulfilling and wholesome, we feel magnified collaborating with people around us. Life feels …
Healing Unjust Power Dynamics
Blog by Valerie
Through a Shipibo elder of the Amazon I learned that about 90% of the thought-loops that circulate our minds are not based in ego, but in ancestral …
Earth Ethos: an embodied philosophy
Blog by Valerie
An Earth Ethos considers healing to be synonymous with justice. This philosophy is based on indigenous wisdom, where “indigenous” refers to cultures grown in connection to specific places …