Connection to Earth

 

“The old Lakota was wise. He knew that man’s heart away from nature becomes hard; he knew the lack of respect for growing, living things soon led to a lack of respect for humans too. So he kept his youth close to its softening influence.” — Luther Standing Bear, Oglala Sioux

 
Icon Connection To Earth
All that we have comes from our natural environment—from Mother Earth. In the indigenous mindset, Mother Earth is not a resource she is a living deity who provides for our well-being. She is called “Mother” as she is the grand life giver. The natural environment is not something to be exploited or even to be measured and extracted from according to production quotas and human need, rather to enter into a relationship with her in which there is a continual give and take—the system of life we know of as the circle of life.

The principle of connection to earth is also very closely akin to the heart and mind connection. A big part of the reason we are destroying our natural environment is that as a society we have moved too far away from the heart to rely more on our intellect and analysis. Our analytical work will take a decidedly different direction when we connect with nature on an emotional and visceral level. The implication for our lives is that we need to spend regular time in nature, experiencing nature on natures terms, which means that we do not seek so much to insulate ourselves from the extremes of nature, but rather to embrace all that we can physically and emotionally.

For some this sounds too simple to be of value, and it is indeed simple, yet seeking a deeper connection with nature, with Mother Earth, is a powerful tool for transformation of our value systems and our personal sense of culture. When we can accept that Mother Earth is a living deity, a living Mother, then it becomes easier for us to reach a deeply emotional connection to her.

Excerpt from SHIFT: Indigenous Principles for Corporate Change:
 

“The transformation in our business dynamics will come into play when we learn to feel Earth. We will naturally become more intuitive and less fearful of the future. We will start thinking more long-term, really long-term, and we will be on our way to strengthening other skills like communication, listening, and patience…It all begins with Earth.”

 
 
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Learn About Glenn’s Book Shift

Shift: Indigenous Principles for Corporate Change

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