Kelly:
In the introduction to Whispers you write, “the
gap between science and spirituality is not the chasm
it once was.” In your mind, what specific changes
reflect this narrowing gap?
Sandra:
I’ll preface this by telling you that I am a PBS
junkie and my favorite television show is “NOVA”.
In addition to that, when I was writing the book the
four-part series “The Sacred Balance” was
just airing. In it, biologist/environmentalist David
Suzuki weaves so much together. Not only Suzuki, but
other scientists in the program show a great deal of
respect for Mother Earth in their work and are open
to ideas that in the past (even 20 years ago) might
have seemed “too out there”.
We
can also see a change in the field of medicine. Things
like acupuncture, Ayurvedic medicine, and the use of
labyrinths at hospitals have been closing the gap. Don’t
get wrong, the gap is still there, but we’ve come
a long way since the Middle Ages and Renaissance when
alternative ideas where considered blasphemous and only
the very strong willed spoke their minds.
Kelly:
Do you believe the scientific community’s
embracing of the spiritual world will have any long-term
impact on modern environmental problems such as deforestation?
Sandra:
I hope it will, but I get skeptical about the American
system: big corporations and well-funded special interest
groups have such a strangle-hold on our government.
But Polly Anna that I am, I live in hope that the strength
of environmental groups will continue to grow. I am
especially hopeful when I hear about people like the
2004 Nobel Peace Prize winner, Wangari Maathai. When
she returned to Kenya after college in the United States
she was horrified at the degradation of the forests
and the plight of many women. Combining the two, she
worked through women’s groups not only to plant
trees for conservation and provide jobs, but also to
raise awareness about the environment. One person can
make a difference.
Kelly:
A couple ideas you point out more than once reminded
me of the Slow Movement, which has received a lot of
media attention recently. For instance, you emphasize
that our contact with the natural world is held together
by a “delicate thread” because of our fast-paced
lives; and in Chapter 6 you state that in ritual we
seek balance with the elements. Two things fundamental
to the Slow Movement: taking control of our time and
achieving balance. Did this movement influence your
work?
Sandra:
I had heard about the Slow Movement a number of years
ago and like their ideas because from time to time I’ve
been caught up in the frantic pace of our society. I
discovered how a walk in the woods could just dissolve
the unnecessary chatter that takes up so much brain
time. However, two other things have influenced me more
and those are: being a pagan and yoga.
As
a pagan I try to live what I believe. Ritual is not
a passive event, one must engage their energy to participate
and each time, each ritual creates changes. I don’t
think it’s possible for me to engage in something
holy and then tuck everything away until the next ritual.
Once you engage your energy that way you can’t
simply turn it off and not engage in life. When we engage
energy in ritual we are connecting with the natural
world, the greater world around us. That stays with
you.
Although
the yoga classes I teach have a pagan flavor to them,
I chose to go through a teacher training program that
was very traditional where we studied the Bhagavad-Gita
and the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. In the Sutras we learn
how vitally important it is to slow down and be present.
Perhaps most of all, in the nine years I’ve been
practicing yoga is learning how to breath—deeply
and fully—which, like ritual, allows me to come
consciously into myself as well as the web of life.
Kelly:
Do you wish to promote social change through your teaching
because you seem to advocate profound lifestyle modification
when you speak of “spiritual poverty” and
our waning connection with the natural world.
Sandra:
That wasn’t my intent, but social change wouldn’t
be a bad thing. My intent was on the micro level helping
one person at a time find themselves and where they
fit in the world. Because our modern world is such a
blur, it’s easy to feel lost.
I
find this question is connected with the previous one
about slowing down because when we can be present with
ourselves and open to the natural world we can see that
so much of the stuff we frantically chase after is meaningless.
Connecting with the natural world helps us learn we
are connected with everything and that we cannot go
and do something like pollute a river or use more gasoline
than we really need without there being a consequence
elsewhere.
Kelly:
Are you active in any particular environmental efforts?
Sandra:
I’m not active with any particular group. The
point I hope to make is that we don’t have to
live in a tent or forego modern conveniences or dedicate
a huge amount of time campaigning in a group in order
to make a difference. It’s the day to day decisions
on what we buy, how we use things and how we get rid
of things that adds up. Here in America we use a disproportionate
amount of the world’s resources and we are wasteful,
but it doesn’t have to be that way. I will be
happy if I help even a few people to become more mindful
of the impact each of us has on the world and how we
can each have an effect for the good of all.
Kelly:
What kinds of trees grow where you live? Did the abundance
of these trees influence where you chose to live?
Sandra:
There is a huge variety of trees where I live,
and I consider myself fortunate because even though
I’m only 45 minutes outside of Manhattan I’m
near an old growth forest with oaks that are about 350
to 400 years old. Yes, I think subconsciously the trees
had an influence on my moving here. In addition, I have
become aware that the particular routes I choose to
drive are ones with a lot a trees.
Kelly:
You write about trees’ association with dreams,
spells, rituals, and gods/goddesses. How will your book
speak differently to pagans vs. non-pagans?
Sandra:
I’ve found that non-pagans aren’t
put-off by these things, and in fact there is a lot
of curiosity. I think the Goddess movement and the yoga
community has done a lot to open the door, as well as
the interest in Native American spirituality by those
of other cultures.
Kelly:
Is tree energy different from the energy of other natural
things?
Sandra:
To me it’s different. I feel a deep sense of wisdom
and connection that I don’t get with other things.
I also get a sense of contacting something ancient,
timeless and majestic whose true purpose it about service—a
valuable thing for us to learn about.
Kelly: Is there a reason you wrote
this book now?
Sandra:
Basically my reason is to share what I’ve found
and experienced with trees. And, okay, perhaps my own
way of agitating for social change. I guess it’s
a lot like the reason I wanted to teach yoga and not
just practice it: when you find something that really
gives you an “oh wow” you want to pass it
on to other people.
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