How It All Began

The trees "talked" to me.

New Beginnings

Hi, I’m Tania. If you wish to learn a little more about my background, it’s on my About page.

I probably should have put more thought and planning into starting the Sacred Environment Substack before launching, but its time had finally come. Just as with Nature, I trust it will evolve into what it needs to be.

My intention here is to explore the sacredness, mystery, and magic of Nature through more obscure factual tidbits, nature connection journaling, photography, ecopsychology, and other musings. My objective is to help foster a deeper connection with Nature through awe, curiosity, and mindfulness. The commitment to share my writing will also hold me accountable to continue deepening my connection to Nature, myself, community, and spirit.

I don’t have a planned posting schedule yet, and maybe I won’t ever. Going with life’s flow and inspiration rather than a “have to get this post done” is freeing and more fitting for the days my nervous system feels more challenged. With that said, all posts are free to read. Please subscribe though so you don’t miss any of my writings. And if you ever feel inclined or if something I wrote sparked some inspiration or brightened your day a little, there are Tip Jar links with each post. Commenting, sharing, restacking are all greatly appreciated and help me know there is interest in what I’m sharing. An occasional tip is a good karma boost will allow me to support other writers that I subscribe to. Nature works in spirals and cycles.

Why Sacred Environment Was Started

You see, I was given this life direction back in October of 2000. It took lots of false starts, life changes and challenges, self-doubt (which is still alive), healing, a near-death experience, retirement, timing, and a platform like Substack to take the first step. On May 1, 2024 there was no denying the pull to take action.

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Here is a piece of a journal entry from 11/22/08. I started with writing a question that I needed help with (a later post will share this tool for gaining guidance):

I’m feeling scattered. What should I be doing to be more in align with, and developing my life’s purpose? What is my life purpose?

“Teaching the Interconnectedness with Nature. Observation of nature as a path toward wholeness. Oneness. Spirit of the plants and nature. Reverence for Mother Earth.

Although not new concepts, you are drawing different pieces from different spiritual paths to teach in a new way. A different understanding.

Read the Vermont notebook. Remember the experience of Oneness.

You are not scattered but gathering pieces necessary for your next step. Have trust. Clean your environment so the energy is clear. Purify. This will provide the grounding and harmony needed to assimilate the information you are gathering.

Purify, remove the dead branches and leaves in the stream. Let the waters flow clear again.* Like childhood in nature.

Everything is building upon the whole.”

“Trees are sanctuaries. Whoever knows how to speak to them, whoever knows how to listen to them, can learn the truth.”
― Herman Hesse

The Vermont notebook was from a workshop in October 2000 on Sacred Plant Medicine (this is a long story I’m saving for my next post/newsletter). That was when I first started receiving (or at least noticed) messages from plants and Nature. Here is part of a message from the trees I received during that workshop:

“You are on the right path, you will experience/learn as rapidly as you wish. Take time to feel your experiences, imprint them, live them. Always seek and question more, it’s all falling into place. Always look, what you seek is all around you. Don’t forget we are your friends, don’t forget us. Work with us, share with us. We’ll share with you, and you share that with others. Make an impact. Help with the changes taking place. Show others to respect us, show them our strengths and possibilities.”

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As I will explain in my next post about that long weekend, I’ve never had anything like this happen before, nor even really believed in the possibility. But everything changed after that.

* This was a metaphor for things in my life, not an actual stream. And also a piece tied to another meditation from Vermont.

Ferns captured in the Golden Hour light.

If something I wrote sparked some inspiration or brightened your day a little… I’d be very grateful for the support of a like, restack, or comment.