The Inspiration

Five years ago I did a meditation about the internet. In my mind's eye, I saw a very two-dimensional structure and I realized the web was primarily used for information exchange and sales. When I asked what I needed to know about my own website, I saw the two-dimensional structure become three-dimensional, and in a flash, I also saw the possibility of an interactive Meditative Journey that could give people a way of viewing different aspects of their life from the perspective of Nature's beauty. I love working with divinatory systems – the I Ching, Tarot, and the Runes, and this felt like simple yet elegant way to remind people that the natural world is always speaking to us, always holding up a mirror to our journeys. Very excited with this vision, I spent the next couple of hours mapping this out in my journal. Then I put my notes aside for several years.

 

The Purpose of the Meditative Journey

I sensed the meditative journey could help people connect to the beauty of nature and feel a deep resonance with their own life-story. When people visit my garden, I often encourage them to find a natural element, a tree, flower, stone, or area that calls them. When they find themselves drawn to something, I suggest they sit quietly, open their hearts, and listen. Appreciating the beauty of the form that has drawn them, I encourage them to receive a message. Sometimes the message comes in words; other times in an image or sensation in the body. There are many ways to converse with nature. People always return from these conversations with very personal and meaningful insights. Heart-centered communion with the natural world opens doorways to the depth of our souls wisdom.

 

The Poems and Music

I wrote the Gaia poems in 2005. Creating the site in 2006, I used this poetry to give voice to those aspects of the earth that have become mute. The music is also original. Two of the songs are lullabies written for my sons and the other sections are improvised. Wende Bartley, a Toronto composer, recorded the music in my home this fall.

The Photographs

When I began revising the website this year, I searched for photographs to match the intimate feelings I experience when I connect with plants. There are millions of beautiful photographs on the web but the more I searched, the more I realized most photographers tend to be outside looking in rather than soulfully connecting with what they were observing.

When I was introduced to Jeff Pacek's work I knew immediately his work was what I was looking for. Opening his photographic library to me, Jeff and I spent many delightful hours pouring through the images for the precise ones for the fifteen pathways. Jeff's sensitivity to the poetry from Gaia's Invitation and his eye for the perfect image made this a marvelously creative experience.

Jeff has also been instrumental in designing the entire website. An architect by trade, Jeff was a novice with website work. He approached the design with an eye for beauty and functionality. I am delighted with the results, and most grateful for his assistance through the many months of creating this project.

May the Meditative Journey be a source of inspiration for you, and an entry into the beauty and wisdom of Nature.