Spiritual Ecology

For the wildlife in your neighborhood who don’t migrate or hibernate, winter can be deadly. Sure, they have adaptations that help, but frigid temperatures and storms challenge even the fluffiest squirrel fur. Try these five things to help your wild neighbors survive in winter. 1. Offer food consistently. Winter is not the time to skimp on filling your feeders, nor…

The family who knew her best called her Shelley. Those of us who had to contain her for care affectionately nicknamed her Houdini. Shelley was a 30-pound, two-foot-long common snapping turtle who lived in a pond behind a home occupied by three generations of caring humans. The family and their neighbors watched the road to make sure no turtles were…

In 2022, when I graduated from seminary, I made a personal vow of ministry. I committed to caring for the Earth and all her beings. “All her beings” was a pretty big ask. After all, there are around 7.8 million species of animals, close to 300,000 plant species, 600,000 different kinds of fungi, and at least 5 million insect species…

When I made my vows of ministry at the end of seminary, I chose my words carefully. You may have seen my previous post where I explained that I was putting my hands and my heart into the work. What my work would be came next. I said I vowed to “compassionately care for the Earth.” I was making a…

The clatter of building materials being delivered to my neighbor interrupted my empty-headed stare into the woods during my sit spot meditation this morning. It also startled several chipmunks who, I guess because they were unsure of what that sound meant, started chuck-chucking in almost unison. Hearing their call, a red squirrel froze on the hemlock branch she was traversing.…