I'm passionate about helping people recognize their ecological awakening and supporting them on their EarthCare journey. I also love to talk about intersecting topics like ethical entrepreneurship, ecological design, grief, connection, being highly sensitive and cheese :) Sign up to get my weekly newsletter and learn about this and more!
a temple of sanity?
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A few years ago, Tyler (my beloved partner) and I were visiting friends who have walked the road of life for much longer than we have yet (and are deeply tied to the land). This wiser couple was laughing and tenderly responding to each other, while also having critical moments that didn’t hold resentment, just a practical respect and openness to each other’s needs and moments of truth. We loved what we were witnessing, so we asked them what they thought were some of the most important things to cultivate in a long term relationship to have such joy and connection last so long. They took a moment and the woman confidently said, “Many years ago we agreed to be guardians of each other’s solitude.” We went on to chat about how we can choose curiosity so we can laugh at ourselves more easily, and avoid building resentment through misunderstanding or too much criticism. How to stop taking ourselves too seriously, but consider the other’s needs important. The discussion was wonderful, but the phrase “guardians of each other’s solitude” stuck like pine sap on my hands from a fresh cut branch. I turned that one over and over. Since then, Tyler and I have been contemplating and conversing around this idea of being guardians in each other’s lives… and of what? Solitude is one, for sure. But what else do we need to guard for our life to be… sane? This has led us to the invention of a concept we call our Temple of Sanity. And we are intentionally building it, together. Want to join us, Reader? In addition to Solitude, we’ve added Quality Sleep, Time in Nature, and a few other pillars of our Temple of Sanity. We do our best to show up as guardians, which means we gently remind each other of the little things that support these bigger pieces of our sanity. Like turning down lights and putting away screens before bedtime, to guard our sleep quality. We are discussing this in the live, free OPEN RoundTable for the EarthCare Professionals Collective. You are invited to join to check out how we operate, if you are a land-based professional or otherwise interested in starting a business in ecological landscaping, or something similar. As you’ve likely noticed, Reader, there are a LOT of events happening this week and this time of year. This is in honor of the theme of summer: Connection. Each season I hold a live facilitated Wisdom Circle for The EarthCare Journey members, and this one is also OPEN to anyone. I’d love to see you there to help us cultivate this theme live and give you a taste of what's inside the program. Tyler and I have been having a wonderful time expanding upon the wisdom of the elders to become guardians of each other’s solitude. The Temple of Sanity has been a life-saver many times and we are so happy to share it with you. Please join us this year in the live book club discussions, our local song circles, retreats, and the various live online events for the EarthCare Professionals and the Journey. Times like these call for even more connection and commitment to sanity, so we are going to continue offering more ways to re-member with us. Stay sane, Kendra Ps. I’m curious, Reader… do you know what you need to stay sane? What are the pillars of your temple? Who are your guardians? Join us in either of these live (free) virtual events to discuss it with us:
Or hit reply to tell me… <3 PPS. Last week was my very first Earth Songs Circle. I am so delighted and grateful for the experience and will be hosting more song events locally in PA. If you’d like to sing with me, join our song circle interest list to hear more about Earth Songs and related events. And the deadline to register for my day retreat on Sep 13th, Reclaim Your Voice, is this Friday, Aug 28th, so please learn more about this delightful event here, and consider joining me and Sofia, for my 43rd birthday! This will be a true “temple of sanity” experience, not just a discussion about it. If this Day Retreat - Reclaim Your Voice - sounds right for you, please learn more here, and take our offer to discuss your financial need seriously. Ask for the price you need, or support the possibility of others being able to attend by sponsoring this event and getting The EarthCare Journey membership for a year for free! Written by a human - Kendra Marie Hoffman "True solitude is found in the wild places, where one is without human obligation. One’s inner voices become audible. One feels the attraction of one’s most intimate sources. In consequence, one responds more clearly to other lives." — Wendell Berry
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EarthCare Matters by Kendra Hoffman
I'm passionate about helping people recognize their ecological awakening and supporting them on their EarthCare journey. I also love to talk about intersecting topics like ethical entrepreneurship, ecological design, grief, connection, being highly sensitive and cheese :) Sign up to get my weekly newsletter and learn about this and more!
"I don't even want to touch that kind of grief, and I've seen it all." My head turned slowly to the elder sitting beside me. Her voice was solemn, so serious it almost scared me. We were sitting at a dinner table, with about 9 of the 52 humans who had just spent a week singing together at a beautiful retreat center in the eastern woodlands of New York state. Conversation was circling round as we each shared what we do…besides singing! I said that I am an ecological consultant, write a...
Are you afraid to open your voice around others, Reader? I was (and still am a bit!). This is one of the biggest blocks to our freedom. For 22 years I was shut down to all forms of singing around others after being told by a friend I was off key. This was after many “accomplishments” with my voice in high school as a member of an elite traveling paid choir and a soloist (despite raging anxiety every time)! It affected way more than just my ability to sing. It affected the way I communicated...
HEY Reader, Are you feeling less sharp and focused than ever? Well, I am! And I don't like it! I’ve been feeling brain foggy, challenged in my ability to focus, and more forgetful… …maybe it’s perimenopause (maybe it’s maybelline), but I think it’s also the inundation of so many kinds of new technology… (and maybe we are being gaslit by all these other diagnoses). A few months ago, I picked up this incredible book called Human Being by Graham Lee. In each chapter, Lee explores 12 vital skills...