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Devotions on creation from Kat Armas: 'A Wild World beyond Us'
… documentary and most of us are instantly gripped by the way the wild world communicates. Trees talk to one another via their roots, agreeing together on a "communal bloom strategy," … have been crying or the dog incessantly barking, but outside? The insects were hibernating in tree trunks, and the mice were foraging for food. A family of deer might have been on an …
In South America's 'Lithium Triangle,' Indigenous people defend sacred sites
… that exists on our planet has life: people and animals, rocks, mountains, rivers, plants, trees. Nothing is quiet, not even the stars, the noon or the sun," Zerpa said. The great lithium …
What are sacred forests?
… a number of commonalities. They are often in hilly areas where deities are said to reside. The trees, rivers, plants, animals, even the stones that inhabit the holy space are viewed as sacred … in Indigenous traditions, we perform rituals with what is available in the forest. Resin from trees is used." Plants are used to dress the deities instead of fabric, which is typically used … sacrificed during the ritual, Nanji said. The Kurumba medicine people collect herbs, roots and tree bark from the forest, she said. … Are there different types of sacred forests? … Yes. An …
Meditation: Am I doing it right?
… my couch in my meditation room. On the table rests a lighted candle, a delicate Willow Tree figurine named "Remember," a textured 6.5 wooden cross with RIO carved in its base and an …
Devotions on creation from Kat Armas: 'The Creatures Teach Us'
… I often wonder if this is where Jesus's connection with the wild took root. From mountains to trees to vineyards, Jesus was a person in tune with his surroundings and aware of the natural … watching the sun peek over our wooden fence, the steam rising from our cups of coffee, the oak trees towering above our heads. It was quiet and pleasant. Until it wasn't. Our peaceful mornings …
Devotions on creation from Kat Armas: 'Sacred Belonging'
… say he was alone when he died, but I imagine he felt far from it in the presence of the oak tree that hovered above him like a protective guardian. According to some Indigenous traditions, …
The seasons of religious life
… countries are experiencing different seasons.) In my growing zone , 6A, fall is a season of trees and plants dropping seeds and laying down a blanket of leaves that will protect the soil …
A volcano in Hawaii is sacred to spiritual practitioners and treasured by astronomers
… practice, she considers the mountain and all aspects of creation such as fish, coral, trees and animals to be like older siblings. "When they diminish our ancestors and our elder … The chant continues for 2,000 more lines, detailing the birth of coral, seaweed, fish, trees and, eventually, people. The Kumulipo's description of a dark, eternal form of energy from …
'The devil is a seducer,' pope says as he begins new series of talks
… Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden did. When God told them they could eat the fruit of any tree except "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil," God was not telling them they could not use their …
Training farmers in Belize, Panama and Honduras to lead sustainable change
… has partnered with close to 3,000 farming families, planted more than 3.5 million trees, and regenerated close to 30,000 acres. It also has helped to construct nearly 3,000 …
How Christmas trees help heal the land and grow family traditions
… couple years, my kids have helped to renew an ancient ceremony. We go out to a small Christmas tree farm and wander until a particular tree calls. We pray, make an offering of incense and … also a way to process the scale of lives that are given. With at least 25 million Christmas trees harvested in the U.S. each year, there's a lot to think about. Not surprisingly, some …
The Nativity of the Lord: The God who dwells among us
… Mary M. McGlone … Seeing Santas at every corner and checkout counter, Christmas trees adorning every public place, lights blinking and "Joy to the World" blaring from all …
Chicago Mercy sisters deliver peace, mercy and shelter to migrants
… Aminata is at the kitchen table making tiny paper ornaments for a construction paper Christmas tree. A Quran sits nearby. They arrived in the United States from Sierra Leone May 12, and have … their furniture donated, as is much of their food — one of the Christmas ornaments on their tree still has the stock photo that came in it from the store — they are safe and warm. Elizabeth …
My endangered Mojave desert tortoise led an epic Advent adventure
… help but feel that no matter what I do, I am not doing Advent correctly. I have tried Jesse Trees, devotionals and mini-retreats, but none have helped me escape the feeling of not being …
Did St. Francis invent the Christmas crèche as we know it?
… It's possible that he became associated with the treasured tiny scenes under so many Christmas trees because of a loose use of definitions. The word "manger," which in French means "to eat," …
Ecumenical Christian service in DC calls for cease-fire in Gaza
… and for humanitarian aid for Gaza. The service culminated in a walk to the National Christmas Tree outside the White House. Speaking about the civilian infrastructure in Gaza that has been … of Church and Society. After the church service, the group walked to the National Christmas Tree, where they tried to make their voices heard over the space's music. The protesters' song of …
How Charlie Brown's Christmas tree brings us back to Earth
… stage after reciting the Christmas story, in the slight pause after Charlie Brown "kills" the tree, and most powerfully, when Charlie Brown sees the resurrected tree — a pause, a hop of … of the most important characters. We meet the Earth in the opening scene: falling snow, bare trees and snow banks around the frozen pond. The Earth appears throughout, most notably at the … follow into the silence. The tree leads the Peanuts back to the Earth, the communion of trees and dancing stars. Is this some sort of intentional ecological message on the part of the …
Lebanon's Christians feel the heat of climate change in its sacred forest and valley
… Kareem Chehayeb … The Associated Press … Majestic cedar trees towered over dozens of Lebanese Christians gathered outside a small mid-19th century chapel … awareness of nature, engrained since their ancestors took refuge here. "When you violate that tree, you're intruding on a long history, and possibly the future of your children," he said. …
Disney's 'Wish' speaks to our God-given desires
… way? Asha's questions earn Magnifico's disdain. She flees her home in favor of an old tree on which she used to sit and dream with her late father. It's there that she makes the …
Aaron Neville on singing, crashing and St. Jude
… in 1979, I interviewed New Orleans rhythm-and-blues singer Aaron Neville under his favored tree by the Audubon Park lagoon. He came ambling down the park road in gym shorts, track shoes …