Recently I started reading a beautiful book that inspired a series of new paintings wonderfully connected to my most recent series Indigenous Wisdom. “Braiding Sweetgrass” is a thought-provoking and beautifully written book. It challenges us to consider our role in the natural world and the ways in which we can learn from and respect the wisdom of the natural world and the indigenous people.
One of the most important messages of the book is the idea of Interconnection which is a central core value of most indigenous peoples worldviews and ways of knowing. They believe that everything in the universe is connected and reinforces that everyone and everything has a purpose, is worthy of respect and caring, and has a place in the grand scheme of life.
In their relationships they fully embrace the notion that people and their families are strongly connected to the communities they live in, their ancestors and future descendants, the land they live on, and all of the plant, animal and other creatures that live upon it. They know they are stewards of the Earth and have traditionally lived in harmony with their environment for millennia.
Wouldn’t it be amazing if we all guided our daily lives this way.
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