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Yuria Celidwen helps us reconnect with the land, fostering gratitude and encouraging a deeper listening to the natural world around us.
In many contemporary Western societies, there isn’t a profound appreciation for how we relate to the land as a key part of our shared identity, narratives, or purpose. While land may be appreciated for its beauty, it is often viewed mainly as a venue for leisure or resources instead of as a crucial element in shaping ourselves and future generations.
In this guided session, Indigenous scholar and teacher Yuria Celidwen, who is connected to Nahua and Maya traditions, offers a new perspective on our relationship with the natural surroundings. This practice encourages respect, gratitude, and a sense of belonging, transforming our interaction with the Earth from being purely utilitarian to a more interconnected and relational experience.
A Meditation on Connecting Lands and Stories
Follow along with the guided meditation script below, pausing after each section. Alternatively, you can listen to the audio version.
- If you haven’t done so yet, silence your devices or place them away from where you will practice. Choose a comfortable spot where you can see the landscape, preferably outside in nature if possible. Ensure that this space is easily accessible to you for your daily practice.
- Allow your body to rest in a comfortable position that keeps you both relaxed and alert. While some meditation methods suggest closing your eyes, in this practice, keep them soft and open, taking in your environment with a broad, gentle gaze.
- Pause and observe where your attention drifts. Acknowledge where your mind wanders—noticing the thoughts, timing, and feelings. Gather your focus gently and bring yourself back to this moment.
- Seek permission to connect with the land, expressing gratitude for its welcome. Open yourself up. Breathe deeply, become anchored in the present. Observe the textures of the land: what scents and fragrances do you notice? What colors and shapes stand out? What sounds do you hear? What is their feel, temperature, or rhythm? What subtle tastes and memories arise?
- Breathe in, acknowledge, appreciate, and extend your welcome. Recognize the land: who are they? What stories do they hold? Listen carefully, as you would to a wise elder or a newborn. What messages does the land have for you at this moment? What stories do they share about themselves and you?
Pause to listen, as you would to a wise elder or a newborn. What insights does the land provide you now? What narratives do they express about themselves? How does their story intertwine with yours?
- Take some time to embrace this experience. Appreciate this sacred space you share with the land and thank them for their welcome. Inhale deeply and bow to the land, allowing this experience to resonate within you.
- Here are some prompts to enhance your experience. Feel these thoughts arise in your body, heart, mind, memories, and sense of belonging. Let these questions connect you to the wider world: What comes to mind? How do the lands communicate with you? What languages do they speak? How do these connections arise, and how do you reciprocate?
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