The last few weeks have felt like months, years, decades, and yet they seem to have slipped by quick as a whip; leaving a feeling of expansion, exhaustion, and purpose in their wake!
I am sitting at the airport in San Francisco, thankful I brought my computer with me; as my flight is delayed. I am fortunate to have snagged a swivel seat, with an electrical outlet, and smart enough to have carried a heating pad in my carry-on. Magical tip- Bring a heating pad on your travels, as sitting on one helps ground you when your over-peopled or have been doing big magic! I am on my way home from a week of spiritual adventure/sacred travel with some of my favorite magical friends. My heart is full, my body relaxed, and I have a lot of time for thinking and writing as I wait.
Back home in Vermont, my little Kingdom (Northeast Kingdom) is recovering from major flooding, my friends, and community has taken a huge blow; getting hit by flooding twice in a matter of weeks. Roadways, homes, and businesses have been destroyed. Lives have been lost, and many have been left with the trauma of being endangered more then once so close together.
Arriving in California last week myself and the people I was traveling with had to reroute our plans. Our planned adventure to Shasta, California seemed an unwise decision as the smoke from the Park Fire was blowing in that direction and smoke advisories showed the area as being in the Red, warning against any outside activities. This was a bit of a disappointment to me, as Shasta is one of my most sacred of places; where I had a tremendous experience with the Spirt of Water. (Read about my experience in 'The Path of Elemental Witchcraft', Water Witch- Healing, Awakening). That being said, I am not stupid and heading into a bio-hazard, natural disaster sounded stupid and irresponsible, so we changed directions and headed into Sonoma County visiting the Pacific Ocean, and the REDWOODS...
Flexibility, and Resiliency helped us change our plans without loosing our shit! It allowed for a feeling of magic to penetrate our travels, seeing it as an opportunity to be led by the universe, and the universe brought us to the Redwoods, including our lodgings which were nestled amongst stands of redwoods (not the really old ones). The peace and serenity they held was palpable, offering clarity and a feeling of purpose into all of our magical workings.
On Wednesday morning my daughter texted me to tell me about the overnight flooding back home in Vermont. Looking at photos online and talking to friends who were personally affected, I wanted to hop on a plane and fly home that minute, or magically teleport myself to the Kingdom where I could be of service. It suddenly felt indulgent to be enjoying myself when fires were blazing and waters were rising. My mind was acutely focused on climate crisis and how it was affecting 'my' everyday life.
When the group disbanded, my husband and I spent a two more days in the trees, visiting state and national parks. Standing in the energy of ancient trees, hundreds of years old I let myself lean into the feeling of resilience and what it means to be a survivor. The oldest I visited were in the Armstrong Redwood State Natural Preserve, with Pastor John being 1300 years old and Colonel Armstrong being 1400 years old. I wondered, how many fires, droughts, and torrential rains had they survived in their long years?
My plane finally arrived, a couple hours late and filled with chaos, but we made it back to Boston safely. Then had to drive through torrential rain outside of Concord, NH for 30 minutes before finally getting to sleep.
Continuing where I left off...
Driving home we witnessed the signs of clean-up crews, and water residing in our little Kingdom. Piles of dirt and debris; where driveways were scraped, whole trees and metal of one kind or another on the side of the river, and roads washed out and torn up. It was hard to see this again, after witnessing the same a few weeks ago when the first flood this year happened. Vermont had a major flood on July 10th 2023, and again on July 10th, 2024, seriously...2 years in a row on the same day, then again last week.
Having seen both ends of the spectrum; too much rain, and not enough, and the damage they can cause it is clear that climate crisis is not a distant thing that happens elsewhere, but something that affects us all. While at times it may be scary it is the comradery and strength of character that shines through in the aftermath of such events! Neighbors helping neighbors, communities banding together, and the spirit of unity. The aftermath of disaster (at least here in Vermont) is both horrifying and beautiful! Regardless of all the kindness it still sucks for those who are hit the hardest, as such events cause financial hardships that take years to recover from, and often leave behind post-traumatic stress, that pops up whenever the news tells us of another wildfire, or storm.
The world feels (is) unstable, and people are tired; mistakes are made more often as people struggle with emotional exhaustion, either from their own experiences or from what they hear and see on the news and social media. People are not giving life their best selves, but the version of themselves that exists in survival mode; waiting for the next thing to happen, knowing it could literally be 'anything', and that safety is a relative term that precariously balances on the thin line of luck!
It is important to remember that we are made for these times! We are here on the earth at this time to be part of the change... Which means putting on our mud boots and cleaning out muck, making meals for folks when hard times hit, and leaning into the upcoming change, realizing that while we cannot prepare for every disaster we can recognize that change is upon us, and we need to shore up our homes and communities the best that we can.
Resilience and purpose are necessary in times of change, as the same old-same old no longer exists. This is not limited to times of climate crisis, but true of all crisis; whether it be due to health, finances, or relationships. Resilience comes from expecting shit to go wrong! Knowing that we are likely to experience turbulence makes the ride a bit easier, and expecting hardship of one kind or another allows us celebrate the good times when we are fortunate enough to experience ease and flow.
Purpose need not be a major project. it can be a simple thing, like making soup for people when hardship hits, or checking in on your elderly neighbors regularly. Having a job, simple or not, gives us something to focus on other then hardship. It helps us feel valuable when the world is topsy-turvy, and fills our hearts as much as it does the ones we help. Knowing what you have to offer allows you to be prepared, and knowing what we are capable of doing helps things move easier, allowing people to apply their skills where they are most needed.
Remember you are powerful! Remember you are part of a community! (If you don't have one this is a good time to become part of one) Remember we are here on purpose, we are made for these times! We are the ones we have been waiting for!
spreading love-salicrow
#community, #resilience, #vermont, #northeastkingdom, #wearetheoneswehavebeenwaitingfor, #futureancestor
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