Relearning the Language of the Wild: Are We Listening?
How are we doing?
2025 has barely begun, and already, crises around our planet are shaking humanity AWAKE. Our current systems and way of life are reaching a breaking point with Mama Earth.
Though the damage is immense, and researchers along with indigenous wisdom keepers are predicting an even rockier year ahead—buckle up, y’all—we still have paths to steer us toward a regenerative direction.
In this moment, I’ve been deeply listening to thought leaders and voices illuminating the way forward.
My dear mentor and sister, Laura Dawn, recently introduced me to the work of Johan Rockström, whose groundbreaking Nine Planetary Boundaries framework outlines the safe limits humanity must honor to maintain Earth’s stability.
If you’ve been doing 'boundary work' in your personal life like I have, here’s an intriguing reflection: humanity’s relationship with Earth mirrors our own struggles. Crossing her boundaries doesn’t just jeopardize her health and well-being—it also crosses our own, much like ignoring our personal limits harms our bodies, minds, and spirits.
Here’s the sobering reality: humanity has already crossed four of the nine planetary boundaries:
Climate change
Biodiversity loss
Land-system change
Biogeochemical flows
What’s next to fall? Freshwater use and ocean acidification are dangerously close to their thresholds.
Is it any surprise that, as Mars retrogrades in Cancer—a sign connected to water, home, and emotional security—we’re facing a water crisis?
But here’s what gives me hope: Johan Rockström doesn’t just outline the problem—he reminds us that solutions are within reach. We can change course by:
Transitioning to renewable energy
Creating circular systems that minimize waste
Transforming how we grow and consume food
Restoring the health of our forests, soils, and oceans
Yet beyond boundaries and statistics, something deeper is required: a fundamental shift in our relationship with Earth. How do we move from disconnection to re-membering? How do we reconnect with our instinctual, primal bond with her? And what does communication look like when it transcends the limitations of language?
The Earth may not speak in words, but she is always speaking. This is where indigenous wisdom and animism—the practice of sensing and honoring the soul in all things—serve as essential guides. Her messages echo in the wind, the flow of rivers, and the rhythms of nature.
As humans with profound influence over our environment, it is our sacred duty to be the Earth's voice and guardian—not only for ourselves but for all creatures and the generations yet to come.
Animals and plants are among our greatest teachers, offering profound and urgent messages through their presence, behaviors, and fragile habitats. What might we uncover if we quiet the noise and simply observe their way of being?
Like flowing water, they reflect the balance, connection, and resilience we must remember. They call us to rediscover the rhythms we are meant to embody—the innate harmony that sustains all life.
In their gaze and ways of being lies a wisdom beyond words, a roadmap to the path forward, unlocked not by intellect but by the listening of our hearts and instincts.
As these global shifts unfold, I invite you to look inward. What emotions or patterns are rising within you? How can you stay grounded and aligned amidst the noise? For me, the practice lies in finding balance: staying present while tending to what matters.
Let’s carry this conversation into our hearts, homes, and communities. Lean into your practices—be it meditation, time in nature, or simply listening, especially to the creatures around you. As the year unfolds, support those around you and allow yourself to be vulnerable—ask for help when you need it.
In Presence,
Liz
When the animals come to us, asking for our help, will we know what they are saying?
When the plants speak to us in their delicate, beautiful language, will we be able to answer them?
When the planet herself sings to us in our dreams, will we be able to wake ourselves, and act?
Gary Lawless - Book: Earth Prayers