Earth Spirit : Ancient Wisdom, Modern Hope: Relearning Environmental Connectiveness

For 14,000 years, the Indigenous people of Southern New England survived and thrived despite experiencing extreme and dramatic climate and environmental changes. Like our present and near future, they faced dramatically warming temperatures that brought about a radical transformation in the climate, ecology, and biodiversity of their environment. Why were they successful? Despite enormous environmental challenges, they adapted and prospered because of their perception of and conscious relationship with every single living and non-animate element within their environment. Unlike our current society which views humanity as separate from nature and therefore free to exploit all of creation for our benefit, Indigenous people understood deeply that we humans are part of a web of interconnected and interdependent energy and consciousness within a Living Earth. They lived in spiritual harmony with all of creation honoring all its aspects with gratitude and a sense of reciprocity. If we embrace the perceptive and consciously interconnected view of all creation that has sustained Indigenous people for thousands of years, we can begin a transformation that will heal our relationship with the Living Earth for ourselves and future generations. The future of life on the planet is up to us.

James T. Powers is a historian, archaeologist, lecturer, author, and retired teacher who holds a BA and two MA’s from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. James has devoted his entire career to understanding our prehistoric and historic past and how they have shaped who we are as a people and society. He lives in Durham, Connecticut.