Let every step you take upon the earth be as a prayer. — Heȟáka Sápa (Black Elk)
What a profound word, prayer. Though humble in appearance on the page, how it manifests in each person’s life can be personal and dynamic. For some, prayer looks like folded hands and kneeling; for some, a deep meditation; for some, dancing and singing in their languages. All different forms, but still the same act: Communing in faith with what you find meaningful. Treating our world as sacred is also an act of that faith and an extension of that prayer. Walking that path of prayer isn’t always easy, but when we find ways to act in faith and love our world, we’ll change not only our world for the better, but also ourselves. It can be as big as a protest or as small as saying “thank you” when harvesting from your garden.
Being responsible and faithful stewards of the Earth means working on our own bit of the world, and these actions can come in many forms, which you’ll find across the pages of this issue. You could rewild part or all of your land to its native state and snack on those invasive plants. Maybe you leave nothing to waste from a farming operation, such as making cheese or using the hides or fibers from your livestock. Or you could simply ensure what you’re doing in community spaces or ecosystems is helping those environments; being a good neighbor to wild lands has a similar positive effect as being a good neighbor to the folks who live around you. We hope you find inspiration and practical tips in this issue to continue transforming your communities and environments for the better.
Our united goal is to leave the world better than we found it; let’s be a community that makes every small step a prayer for that future.
May your world be bountiful, your life full, and your new year full of prayer.
Karmin
