BTS of Chief of War 🌋 is a Perfect Example of Divine Purpose & Nature Alignment
When you answer the call of your true purpose, a purpose that comes from a higher power (such as God or your Supreme Being), you act without question—you simply do it. When you answer this call, you might have this (sometimes) overwhelming feeling of going for it, no matter how ridiculous or impossible the task.
“I remember feeling and thinking that the island has memory. Because we were honoring the story and so it responded.”
Full disclaimer: I have not watched the Apple TV Series, Chief of War…yet. I’ve watched some of the trailers, but this behind-the-scenes video about filming the last episode gave me chills!
As you watch this video, you’ll notice the drive, determination, and surrender Jason Mamoa has when directing this particular battle. It reminds me of what it feels like to be on a divine assignment.
What do I mean by “divine assignment’?
When you answer the call of your true purpose, a purpose that comes from a higher power (such as God or your Supreme Being), you act without question—you simply do it. When you answer this call, you might have this (sometimes) overwhelming feeling of going for it, no matter how ridiculous or impossible the task. You feel like you don’t know where the motivation comes from, and you might have this supercharged energy, like you MUST do the impossible. And sometimes to others, that call seems downright crazy! But just as Mamoa pitched the scenes to his producers, his team trusted him, and they followed through! (at timestamp:048)
What’s even more fascinating about this video is that I recognize the response from the land! It’s exactly why I can’t really explain what happens during healing hikes. But watching from timestamps 1:56 - 2:59 about the volcano, Mauna Loa going off right when they needed to film that scene, reminded me that when we walk on the land with prayer and intention, it’s hearing us and it’s responding. We may not be setting off volcanoes, but we definitely experience alignments and synchronicities on our silent walks because we go through an opening ritual, then ask for permission to walk, and remember HOW to communicate with nature.
Some of you who have done a healing hike had this experience of direct communication with nature. To this day, 10 years of leading healing hikes, and I’m still in awe every time someone receives messages of alignment or ah-ha moments on the trail. Our groups have even had shared alignments and synchronicities that come directly from nature, showing us that collective healing can happen! And the messages that come out of this are always profound and accurate for hikers who receive their message. And anything coming directly from nature is indisputable, in my opinion!
How are you paying attention to the signs that nature is guiding you towards divine purpose?
THANK YOU FOR READING MY STORY!
IF YOU FOUND THIS RESOURCE HELPFUL
PLEASE SHARE WIDELY TO YOUR NETWORKS & FRIENDS
Comment below to dialogue with me!
Four Critical Parts for Curating Healing Hikes
Healing hikes are deeply intentional and require careful curating and intention-setting. So when participation isn’t anchored with an intention, the result is often vague. Four parts of my planning process make for a unique and magical experience. Consider these when you plan for your group to go out and heal with nature.
Healing hikes are deeply intentional and call for careful crafting. Here are four parts of my planning process that make for a unique and magical experience.
***
And if you want to read about an accurate account of a group healing hike, read my featured article on Outside Magazine Online, Nature Therapy for People of Color in Traumatic Jobs
It’s all about INTENTION.
Intention is often a hard concept to explain. So I want to ask, what comes to mind when you think about an intention? Maybe a “goal” or “outcome”? Landing a clear intention is often harder than you think.
When I think about intention, I want to know that you have a purpose for doing a thing; what do you want out of it? I want to hear your participation in a hike has a reason that is connected to something you want for yourself and will carry you to something different.
When participation isn’t anchored with an intention, the result is often vague. Sure it was nice to get outside to feel better, and there’s also opportunity to receive something specific if you ask for something specific. Sometimes tell hikers, If you say, “I want to be in nature for fresh air and to be with the trees” you’ll surely receive that and check it off of your list. BUT, consider this possibility: if you say, “I want to know if I should stay or leave my current job”, you can also receive answers to that. I’ll get to how this happens later in the post, but for now, which type of question could give you more on your hike?
So, to prepare for a healing hike I often prompt hikers with questions like:
What challenges do you want to work through today?
If you can have anything from nature, what would you want to give yourself today?
What questions about life/work/relationships are most alive for you right now?
After doing the hike, what parts of YOU do you want to be different?
I think about intentions for the entire group and for each individual. It helps anchor me with the community and gives me insights about where and how I’m to hold space for them. The group’s intention allows me to attune to the dynamics so I can identify what parts of nature can be the most supportive. Like, if a group is showing up with a lot of grief to process, I may think about a site with Redwood groves because these ancient beings can hold or take our grief.
***
LOCATION is key, but honoring the process is critical.
Finding the right location means we only hike in specific parks. I carve out time to find the location and connect with it first, spiritually. Connection allows me to support this as a healing process rather than a casual group recreational activity. Walking in silence as a group means that connection and reflection time as you walk is centered in the experience.
Before any hike, I look for the trails and ask myself:
What area of this park calls me to gather this group or person based on their intention?
What's happening around me that gives me insights into how I can hold this sacred process for someone?
Are there sacred (legally designated or not) places within the park?
Do I know anyone who is ancestrally connected to this land? If not, how can I tap into the ancestors of this land, spiritually (in meditation/channeling) to see if I can feel or sense if this location is available for this work?
When I scout a site, I do the same meditative walk so I can COMMUNICATE WITH THE LOCATION directly, no distractions. If I have a team or support staff scheduled to do the group hike with me, allowing them to form their own connection and communication is just as important in shaping the experience.
Connecting to the location is also an important step in receiving “permission” to do this work on the land. Permission can show up as many different signs, like getting a general “good feeling” or “welcoming sense” from the visit or the park is yes. Visits from wildlife or rare sightings of species can also be a sign or good omen. Checking in with the native community of that land is also key. We can’t go home with icky feelings or more questions than confirmations. If it’s a no-go, we scout another location. ***
And of course connecting with the Native communities in which these are their ancestral lands is a critical step in including the practice and solidarity of the #landback movement. Making sure land acknowledgments and an honoring of the ancestors of the land are part of your process is key to our intentions for our collective healing. Because if the ultimate goal here is to reclaim who we are as a people, then contributions to the Native community’s efforts to be recognized, centered, and supported in efforts to bring back their land sovereignty is something we all as settlers can include in our process. All this to say, this topic of ways of building solidarity with the Native community can use it’s own blog post, in the least.
Connecting the LANDSCAPE to the healing process.
My favorite parts of the process is where I get to use my unique approach of blending academic ecological knowledge and training I have with the my Radical Nature Framework.
coyote hills regional park wetlands in fremont, ca
As an example, if I pick a park with wetlands, ecologically they function as buffer or "filtering" zones. These special zones collect and filter out sediments and toxins in the freshwater that travel from the mountains through cities and neighborhoods before going out into the ocean.
Metaphorically we can stand in the wetland and think about what in our lives do we need to "filter"? Or we can prompt the question, “What’s stuck for you or muddy right now and how would you like to flow again based on your intention for this hike?”
When I prepare for a group’s hike, part of the consultation call is to determine the location as it connects to the group’s healing needs. And in order to connect the landscapes or park trails with the group’s needs, I ask these guiding questions:
What are the self-care and wellness needs of the group and are there ecosystems in the area that metaphorically connect to their personal growth and healing needs?
Are there any parts of the trails ideal for deeper reflection time? Because people benefit by immersing themselves in the moments of simply sitting on the trail to reflect.
PERMISSION and walking with GRATITUDE
Probably the most important part of the planning process, but is often the part that we take for granted. And I too am still guilty of coming onto a site without the proper ritual of GIVING THANKS and ASKING PERMISSION. But it's a very important piece that honors the natural cycle of giving and receiving (the circle of life).
The opening circle is a time for each to ask for permission in their own way. Then I ask the group to feel or sense the permission to keep going. The “yes” that happens is something you just have to experience IRL, but in general it’s that good feeling to keep going.
Finally, gratitude is also the language of nature. Sharing out what we’re grateful for is a sacred ritual done to honor our time together, the ancestors who have cared for and nurtured the land since time immemorial. It is also a sacred ritual you can do EACH TIME you are out in nature.
I hope this glimpse into the prep work of healing hikes gives you the sense of just how special and intentional these experiences are. They’ve been such an integral part of my life and healing journey and I hope you get inspired to take these same intentional steps before your next outing.
If you’re feeling called to be on a healing hike with me, below you’ll find ways to sign up for different options or apply for your group to have this unique experience together!
Nurturing a Soulful Connection: 3 Ways Nature Is Communicating With You
Nature's whispering language communicates with us in subtle yet profound ways, offering valuable guidance. Let's explore three captivating pathways nature speaks to our souls, guiding us towards emotional and spiritual harmony.
“I honor the many thousands of years of relationship and cultivation of the health and wellness of this land by its ancestors and living descendants. More importantly I honor the stories and struggles of its people from the beginnings of Spanish colonization and genocide for the establishment of a mission state, to western expansion, and now the industrialization of this land that contributes to today’s climate crisis. Our collective efforts to heal this land and ourselves is done by engaging in conscious efforts to re-establish relationships to ourselves and the land while creating meaningful ways to contribute action to the practice of solidarity towards land sovereignty.”
For the full version of my land acknowledgement, please visit us here
Land holds a unique power that makes us feel at home and connected, reminding us that we are an integral part of the natural world. The greenery around us and the healing sensation of being in nature are gentle reminders that we belong to the Earth. Throughout my life, I've been captivated by how the Earth works and how it makes me feel at home. This fascination led me to focus my career on studying the Earth's plants, animals, and systems. Little did I know that this journey would reveal a deeper spiritual and empathetic connection with the elements Earth, Air, Fire, and Water.
Nature's whispering language communicates with us in subtle yet profound ways, offering valuable guidance and support on our healing journey. Let's explore three captivating pathways through which the sacred language of nature speaks to our souls, guiding us towards emotional and spiritual harmony.
Memories and Synchronicities
Nature triggers profound memories, reminding us of our foundations, the significant lessons and people in our lives. A location or element in nature might evoke nostalgia and provide valuable insights into our past experiences. Sometimes this can show up as a scent of a particular plant triggering a memory of a loved one. Simultaneously, nature orchestrates synchronicities, guiding us to places and experiences we were meant to encounter. A feeling of being in the right place at the right time or unexpectedly arriving at a specific location can lead to aligned healing and support. Fascinating as it may seem, sometimes our ancestors are orchestrating our arrival to a certain place in hopes that we’ll find more answers or guidance to help us along our way. Our ancestors are, after all, existing as nature now that they’re on the other side! This leads me to describe the next way nature communicates…
Animism
According to the Oxford dictionary, animism is “the attribution of the soul to plants, inanimate objects, and natural phenomena.” So, when you get that sense that a material object in nature, like an animal, IS your actual relative manifested as that object, that’s animism.
During hikes, we may sense the presence of past loved ones, manifesting as animals or plants that remind us of them. This connection extends to all living things, allowing us to access our ancestors as energy and receive their guidance. Consider building an ancestral altar to help bridge the connection that is coming up. It’s also a good way to let your ancestors know you notice them.
Post-hike Clarity
Immersing ourselves in the natural world provides space for introspection and self-discovery, granting us the opportunity to gain clarity and insight on previously foggy thoughts and emotions. This is the ideal time for you to express gratitude to the land and take some additional deep breaths before journaling what came up during your time in nature.
In its beauty and wisdom, land offers us an opportunity to connect with our inner selves and the Earth- to which we belong. Nature communicates with us through memories, triggers, synchronicities, animism, and post-hike clarity…. providing valuable insights and guidance. As we deepen our intentional relationship with Mother Earth, we heal ourselves and pave the way for a harmonious and sustainable future.
We should all strive to better embrace the wonders of nature, for it is here that we find solace and understanding. Let us cherish and protect Mother Earth, recognizing that our well-being is intrinsically connected to hers.
Your nature-based coach,
Raynelle
Access this "Trauma Response Toolkit" That Includes My Healing Hike Activity!
I invite you to check out the entire Trauma Response Toolkit online series where other experts, including myself, were interviewed to talk about ways in which we can tap into our personal power to overcome the many challenges of our lives and current societal turbulence. MyLife is a meditation app used widely and especially with youth and schools. Check it out!
This year has yet to fail in its epic and ongoing show of turbulence.
So I must assure you that in these times, we pull together and offer up our best support. As a trauma-informed coach, its really important to know what tools and approaches are out there and how the deep healing work we do can provide some accessible and practical tools. In the case of referring out services or sending extra tools and resources during sessions, it’s critical to know where to send folks.
That’s why when I was invited into contribute to MyLife’s Trauma Response Toolkit, I was really excited about providing the opportunity to experience nature’s healing abilities via technology! Now you can access a healing walk through the meditation app, MyLife and connect with nature anywhere!
I had already experienced the need to pivot the in-person healing hikes into virtual space in 2017 when the first episode of CA wildfires ravaged The Bay Area. No, it wasn’t actually the pandemic that initiated the pivot although the virtual healing hikes did ramp up this year due to the pandemic!
So I invite you to check out the entire Trauma Response Toolkit online series where many other experts, including myself, were interviewed to talk about ways in which we can tap into our personal power to overcome the many challenges of our lives and current societal turbulence.
Also, to be real about this experience for me, you better believe the imposter syndrome came in strong! I leaned in, took a deep breathe, and let the experience flow. Because when I saw the list of experts in this series, I couldn’t help but notice how I was one of two “experts” in the series without a PhD! That darn imposter syndrome had a brief nano-second guest appearance into my mind and I quickly ninja-chopped it out and replaced it with a healthy dose of empowerment. I told myself that this was something to celebrate, loudly and proudly! That I was really proud of myself in being visible enough for a company to recognize me in this way. And I became overwhelmed with gratitude for being part of this spread of awesome experts. I definitely gave myself so love this week! Most importantly, I know it can be a testament to encourage others that have deep, maybe disabling or toxic relationships with their ‘imposter syndrome’ thoughts. That commitment to your truth and life experience is also important to stand by amidst the norms of this world needing credibility in the form of degrees or publications.
I truly do believe that if the support you’re getting from anyone makes sense to you and does something to shift you into your truth and healing, then it’s valid. It’s worthy. It’s real.
Here’s a breakdown of some of the other guest experts:
Some of the other topics I cover in this interview for the first time, publicly is the connection to our ancestors when we heal with nature and how important ancestral healing is to our efforts to heal relationships with each other and the land we live on.
You don’t want to miss this conversation!
Now, go ahead and head on over to MyLife’s YouTube channel and check out my interview alongside other amazing practitioners offering up their perspectives and tools. And don’t forget…each practitioner has an activity in the Trauma Response Toolkit, FREE for you to access by downloading the app! Just click the links below to access all of this good stuff!
