Turtle Island
Cool sand underfoot, I walk along the shore of Turtle Island. The ceaseless rush of foam-crested waves lap up the distance between me and the welcoming ocean. I straddle the edge of the continent as my feet are engulfed in sunlit, rainbow bubbles. The wild, watery expanse beckons me, quickly receding, coaxing me in play, inviting me to stay. Like a child, I return again and again to these birthing waters, this place of emergence seeking to reclaim me.
Turtle Island of traditional indigenous lore represents the continent of North America. Muskrat’s gift of mud from the ocean depths, once placed upon Turtle’s carapace and breathed full of spirit, grew to be a vast land of diversity and beauty. We can honor this land on our journey through life by walking our path with beauty. Not only can we acknowledge the beauty all around us, but we can create beauty through our choices and actions in the world and leave a legacy of beauty for those who follow.
On a pilgrimage to the Pacific ocean this Winter, my partner and I carved a turtle labyrinth in the sand. Beach goers stopped to inquire about our emerging creation, returning later to walk the intricate path. It seemed as if the labyrinth itself invited participation, bringing people together in an energetic field of community. As light faded from the horizon, we warmed our hands and feet by a fire with some of the people who joined us in the labyrinth. Previously unknown to us, now friends in the flickering firelight, they welcomed our company.
Again, while in Texas recently, I created another turtle labyrinth, this time using nearly 800 feet of orange cotton cord. It was my offering to a Vision Encampment supporting eight questers who were crying for a vision in the wilderness. During the encampment, there were sweat lodges and each night was filled with a communal fire, ceremony, prayer, and song. Our days were a blend of connecting with Nature, ourselves, and each other. All were united with the healing power of the sacred web.
The following week, after my return from Texas, we built yet another turtle labyrinth at the People’s Climate Festival in my home community. My partner and I used red derby rope to create the approximately 40-foot-long labyrinth. We gathered with representatives of more than a dozen organizations to address different aspects of climate concern. Throughout the three hour event, several speakers shared scientific, public health, and faith-based perspectives, and local musicians performed songs about Earth, justice, and unity. Together, we acknowledged the need for climate action, encouraged climate solutions, and explored ways that we can make a difference in our own lives through sustainable choices and ways of being.
Like Turtle, we can willingly surrender our individualism and join with others to sustain the life of the whole. We can cultivate community wherever we are and wherever we go, questing for a shared vision of wholeness. And we can stand in solidarity with others to bring about climate justice for all people and all our relations.
For all that is,
