Wow, I cannot tell you how wonderful it has been to resume outdoor group classes. I love seeing people in the flesh! I’ve even seen some bare feet. I love the beauty and relative warmth of spring. It feels like a homecoming.
The wholeness I feel when I am mindfully outside with others is such a balm for the soul.
Feeling whole, feeling deeply at home, has the power to change everything.
Most of the outdoor classes I teach (dance, qigong, and upcoming series on water), are all influenced by the directive I have heard from many Indigenous water protectors, including Ojibwe water walker Sharon Day, to go to the water every day and build a relationship with the water and land. Without cultivating love of the water in each of us, nothing real will change.
This past month I’ve been deeply involved in collecting stories about the powerful personal impacts of dedicating time and prayer to ones relationship to the water. Now it’s time for the big reveal!
I’m so excited to invite you to visit the new art exhibit about Nibi Walks, Indigenous-led water ceremonies that travel the length of a river. It opens May 6 at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Reflecting on over 10 years of walks along nearly 10,000 river miles, it is a truly inspiring collection of photos, poetry, stories, and more.
I’ve been working as an integral part of the curatorial team, and it has been a tremendous opportunity to go even deeper into the water walks. Many walks pass by as a series of photos on social media and this has been a rare opportunity to collect images and stories and create a broader picture of the walks.
When I first walked with the water in 2014 I felt immediately drawn to the practice. Over time, not only do I have a richer relationship with the water, I have learned new ways of being in community and giving and receiving, which has impacted every aspect of my life.
In closing, I offer four lines from the poem Mississippi Waters by Sharon M. Day:
What will I do for love?
For Love is the healing grace
Ingahizitchigay nibi ohnjay
I will do it for the water
I love you,
emily
Curious about water wisdom from within the Christian tradition?
Join me for a three part, outdoor class exploring Living Water, starting Thursday May 6, offered through Wisdom Ways Center for Spirituality.
