Speaking with Nature Awakening to the Deep Wisdom of the
Earth
Visit the link below to download the full version of this book:
https://medipdf.com/product/speaking-with-nature-awakening-to-the-deep-wisdom-of
-the-earth/
Click Download Now
To all beings in the web of life. May all living beings be loved,
honored, and respected.
To all who work together to dream into being a planet filled with
love, peace, harmony, equality, abundance, honor; and respect for
all.
To the Earth, which is our home, and to earth, air, water, and the
sun for giving us all that sustains life.
SPEAKING
WITH
NATURE
“At this time of global ecological crisis, the Earth is urgently
calling to us to be awake and reconnect with her ancient wis
dom. Speaking with Nature is a beautiful response to that call,
helping us to listen to the divine feminine and her ways of
knowing, and to the spirit world that is all around us. These
stories and practices speak to the real need of the time, re
learning how to live in sacred companionship with our mag
ical and mysterious inner and outer Earth.”
LLEWELLYN V A U G H A N - L E E , P H . D . , S U F I T E A C H E R A N D
C O A U T H O R O F S P I R I T U A L ECOLOGY
“ Speaking with Nature is potent medicine. Written in collab
oration by two deeply wise and intentional women, this book
is abundant with practical insights, skill-building, and stories
to deepen readers’ relationships with themselves (the femi
nine and the sacred) through nature. I was immediately im
mersed in its accessible, intimate storytelling style and con
tent and couldn’t put it down. Whether you are new to Earth
Wisdom or shamanism or an experienced practitioner, this
book is sure to delight. I LOVE this book!"
N I N A S I M O N S , C O F O U N D E R O F B I O N E E R S A N D E D I T O R OF
M O O N R I S E . T H E POWER O F W O M E N L E A D I N G E R O M T H E
HEART
“To talk about the sacred in simple, sincere terms is itself a
revolutionary act. What touches me most in this book is the
writers' daring. It’s their courage at expressing what all of us
experience in private, magical moments but often don’t dare
to repeat to ourselves—let alone anyone else. To discover our
own inner nature, and how it’s one with the nature outside
us, isn’t just a sweet and blissful process. It can take us right
to the edges of grief or sickness, but that’s where the healing
lies.”
P E T E R K I N G S L E Y , A U T H O R OF R E A L IT Y A N D A STORY
W AITIN G TO P I E R C E YOU
“A thoughtful and accessible introduction to Earth-centered
spirituality, Speaking with Nature starts from the simple act
of spending time in nature and follows the spirals of life
from that starting point out into the wisdom and wonder of
the living cosmos. It’s a journey worth taking, and Sandra
Ingerman and Llyn Roberts are capable guides.”
J O H N M IC H A E L G R E E R , G R A N D ARCH D R U ID , A N C IE N T
O RDER OF D R U I D S IN A M ERICA , A N D A UT H O R OF T H E
DRU1DRY H A N D B O O K
"Sandra and Llyn provide simple yet profound insights into
the sacredness and magic of nature and, in so doing, give us
clear guidance as to how we can participate in transforming
ourselves, our communities, and the world we live in. Rarely
have I felt such resonance with a book.”
N 1 C K I SCULLY, A U T H O R O F POWER A N I M A L M E D I T A T I O N S ,
A L C H E M I C A L H E A L I N G , A N D PLANETARY H E A L I N G
"In Speaking with Nature, Sandra and Llyn have given us an
opportunity to walk with them through the rain forest and
desert as they share their experiences of the beings and envi
rons of Nature, where both inner and outer landscapes are
explored. As their stories unfold, an ancient remembrance is
awakened. Thank you, Sandra and Llvn, for writing this
blessing of a book where we all are invited to come home to
ourselves as natural beings."
PAM M O N T G O M E R Y , A U T H O R O F P L A N T S P I R I T M E D I C I N E
A CKN O W LED G M EN TS
FROM LLYN
I thank Sandra Ingerman for her openness and insights as we
wrote Speaking with Nature. I have felt such ease and joy in
working with Sandra, just as I did in the dream that prompted
us to write this book together. I am changed by the experience.
My gratitude to Mick Dodge who shared his homelands with
me. Mick gave me the gift of living in the Hoh, a profound time
that inspired these writings.
Thanks to all those at Inner Traditions who dedicated them
selves to helping make this book a reality.
My deepest appreciation for the inspired musings of
shamanic artist Susan Cohen Thompson, who created the beau
tiful artwork for this book.
My gratitude goes to our agent, Barbara Moulton, whose
expertise has allowed me to stay focused on the Hoh nature be
ings and on my writing.
My thanks to Marilyn Dexter and Patti Chiburis for their
unwavering support. I also thank Mira Steinbrecher, Hope Fay,
Jeanann Yarosz, Gisela Timmermann, Carol Donohoe, Bob
Southard, Bill Pfeiffer, Lance Rosen, Monty and Marlene Davis,
Renee Martin-Nagle, and Ryanne Hoogeboom for encour
agement.
Thanks to my children, Eben Herrick and Sayre Herrick,
who believe in me and inspire me.
Thanks to my mother, Dorothy Roberts, for her love and
enthusiasm; and appreciation to my father, Edgar Roberts, for
his special relationship with trees and nature.
I appreciate the indigenous elders I have worked with—
Siberian, Mayan, Tibetan, and Central and South American, as
well as Olympic Peninsula tribes, all of whose wisdom ways en
rich this book.
I offer deepest gratitude to the lands, waters, trees, nature
beings, nature, and ancestral spirits of the Hoh, a beautiful and
powerful force. Thank you— and thanks to the amazing voices
that spoke through Sandra’s locales— for inspiring us to love
ourselves and revere all lands, nature, and spirit beings.
I thank Gabu San for teaching me so much and for sweet ca
nine company during lonely and all times, and the lovely Katie-
kitty, now one with the Hoh.
FROM SANDRA
Llyn Roberts was such a delight to work with on Speaking with
Nature, and I thank her for the depth of her vision in inviting
me to join her in creating this beautiful book. It was a joy to
write this book with her.
I honor and give gratitude to Susan Cohen Thompson for
sharing her brilliant artwork.
Llyn and I both give special thanks to Laura Schlivek for her
editing expertise; she was wonderful to work with. We also give
thanks to Abigail Lewis for her careful line edit. And we give
gratitude to Jon Graham. Jeanie Levitan, and Jessie Wimett for
their support of our book. We give thanks to Peri Swan for de
signing such a beautiful cover. And we give thanks to all o f the
wonderful staff at Inner Traditions for helping to birth Speaking
with Nature into the world.
Thanks to our agent, Barbara Moulton, for her continual
support and friendship!
I am in deep gratitude to my husband. Woods Shoemaker,
for all his continued love, support, and amazing patience as I
worked long hours on this creative project I give thanks to Jai
Cross, Ann Drucker, and Mary McCormick, with whom I con
sulted on some of the nature beings in my writings.
I give thanks to my helping spirits for their continual love
and guidance on how to live a life filled with joy and meaning
and how to help others do the same. I also give thanks to the
spirits of earth, air, water, and fire, who teach me how to live a
life filled with honor, respect, harmony, and balance. I am in
deep gratitude to the Spirit of Santa Fe, the helping ancestors of
the land, the Hidden Folk, all the nature beings, and the spirits
of the artesian spring, marsh, and arroyo where I live.
I give thanks and honor to my parents, Aaron and Lee Inger-
man. I could certainly feel my mom’s presence while I was writ
ing this book. I honor my ancestors, and I give thanks for my
life.
CO N TEN TS
Cover Image
Title Page
Dedication
Epigraph
Acknowledgments
Introduction
i.In Search of the Wild Deep Feminine
2.Cultivating a Fertile Inner Landscape
How to Use This Book
Chapter i: Snowy Owl
i.Snowy Owl - Sandra
2. Snowv Owl - Llvn
Chapter 2: Glacial Silt and Sand
1.Glacial Silt - Llvn
2.Sand - Sandra
Chapter v. Blackberry Plant and Wild Rose
1. Blackberry Plant - Llvn
2. Wild Rose - Sandra
Chapter 4: Artesian Spring and Mist
1. Artesian Spring - Sandra
2. Mist - Llyn
Chapter Wild Plum Seed and Earth Goddess Nunlcui
1. Wild Plum Seed - Sandra
2. Earth Goddess Nunkui - Llvn
Chapter 6 : Banana Slug and Earthworm
1 .Banana Slug - Llvn
2.Earthworm - Sandra
Chapter 7: Black Bear
1 .Black Bear - Llvn
2.Black Bear - Sandra
Chapter 8 : Corn
1. Com - Sandra
2. Corn - Llvn
Chapter q; Juniper Tree and Lady of the Sycamore
1. Juniper Tree - Sandra
2. Lady of the Sycamore - Llvn
Chapter 10: Elk and Snake
1.Elk - Llvn
2.Snake - Sandra
Chapter 11: Wood Sorrel and Mushroom
1. Wood Sorrel - Llyn
2. Mushroom - Sandra
Chapter 12: Wild Western Hemlock Tree and Cottonwood
Tree
1. Wild Western Hemlock Tree - Llvn
2. Cottonwood Tree - Sandra
Chapter n: The Hidden Folk and the Spirit of the Land and
Star Beings and Starry Princess
1.The Hidden Folk and the Spirit of the Land - Sandra
2.Star Beings and Starry Princess - Llvn
Appendix 1: How to Work with Omens
Appendix 2: How to Work with Grief
Footnotes
About the Authors and Illustrator and Their Work
About Inner Traditions » Bear & Company
Books of Related Interest
Copyright & Permissions
IN T R O D U C T IO N
In Search o f the W ild D eep Fem inine
Llyn Roberts
In the spring of 2010 I did a vision quest in eastern Wash
ington state with two wonderful guides, Anne Hayden and
Sheila Belanger. I wrote about some of my experiences on that
journey in my book, Shapeshifting into Higher Consciousness
(Moon Books, 2011).
Anyone who’s done a vision quest knows the strong call
that’s put out to spirit and nature and that they respond with in
sights, visions, and sometimes magical manifestations. After
the quest comes the challenge of honoring these gifts, which
often means that life has to change.
As I wrote in Shape-shifting into Higher Consciousness, a mirac
ulous phenomenon occurred on the solo part of my vision quest
when I camped alone for three days in a canyon.
I remember repeatedly uttering, “Life will never be the
same.’’ I had no idea at the time how accurate that statement
would prove to be.
Within weeks of my vision quest, I took a bad fall and. by the
end of 2010, had lost the vision in my right eye. On January 5,
2011, I learned that my optic nerve had been damaged; a blood
mass pressed against it.
Becoming half-blind seemingly overnight, I saw everything
differently. All that had been familiar suddenly appeared for
eign.
I began having vivid dreams in which the recurring theme
was the color turquoise. The color showed up on mundane arti
cles, such as jackets, sweaters, and cars, as well as pools of
turquoise water, turquoise blankets and shawls, and more. My
dreams featured these items in diverse shades of turquoise—
some rich, dark hues and others lighter, more aquamarine.
Each dream ended with my staring at the turquoise article,
which then faded from my awareness so that only the color re
mained. Then I would gaze intently at the turquoise color for
what seemed forever. That would be the last I remembered of
each dream.
I puzzled to make sense of this. When I was a child, sky blue
and turquoise had always been my favorite colors, yet dreaming
a color over and over was new and perplexing. I felt haunted.
Something was trying to get my attention.
During this searching time I asked Mick Dodge, a friend on
Whidbey Island, Washington, where I lived, to take me to the
Olympic Peninsula for a few days’ retreat in the wet, wild lands
of the Hoh Rain Forest.
Mick was an unusual man with more earth wisdom than
many I’ve met, despite my years of study with indigenous
shamanic cultures. Born in the Hoh at the hands of midwives,
Mick’s adventures include having lived for extended periods in
the wilderness.
The Hoh, indigenous home of tribal people who carry the
same name, is the largest temperate rain forest in the world, lo
cated in the far northwest corner of the United States. The
name Hoh. means “white water,” or “fast moving water.”
Just a few years prior to this time, when I still lived in the
Northeast, I had never heard of the Olympic Peninsula or its
mountains, the Hoh River Valley or its rain forest. I, like many,
didn’t even know the United States had a rain forest.
Now standing by the pristine glacial waters of the Hoh
River, it was as if my dreams played out in front of me. In the
water swirled and eddied beautiful shades of color—the
turquoise of my nocturnal visions. These lands and waters were
calling to me.
One year to the day after learning about my optic nerve, on
January 5, 2012, I left behind the life I knew to move to the Hoh
Rain Forest with Mick Dodge as my escort.
I didn’t plan to escape to the forest with a wild man or to live
as a hermit. Such behavior doesn’t solve the world's problems
or stop the violence that escalates in our streets. Yet we each
have a unique purpose, a path we are called to follow. Mick
Dodge made it possible for me to live reclusively in the Hoh, to
take on the forest name Cedar, to muse deeply with the Earth,
and to write about it.
During the first days at my cabin on a private ship of land
bordering state and national forests, I had a dream about San
dra Ingerman. In my dream Sandra and I worked happily to
gether on a project. The dream was so pleasant and real that
when I awoke from this dream I decided to ask Sandra if she’d
like to write a book with me.
Speaking with Nature absorbed me the entire time I lived in
the Hoh. The land had called me there seemingly for this pur
pose. My own part was to muse with the nature beings of the
rain forest— a miraculous gift, yet while I was communing with
the Earth. I was also able to be a bridge between Mick Dodge
and prime-time television, facilitating his series on the National
Geographic channel titled. The Legend of Mick Dodge.
The Hoh definitely had an agenda. I believe these waters,
lands, and nature beings called in the events and people that
would help it to be seen, perhaps simply for us to remember,
love, and preserve it and all natural places.
I never doubted that the Earth is conscious and my time in
the Hoh confirmed it. Those who are open to hearing nature’s
call can participate in an amazing unfolding— exciting, reas
suring. and also humbling. The magic of the wild and the
rhythms of nature lead us back to the intelligence and mystery
of life. As in ancient indigenous and matriarchal cultures that
recognized the mystery and deep feminine nature of the Earth,
we are reminded to hold both women and the Earth as sacred.
Despite all we may do these days to reconnect with nature—
and with the creative feminine force—we can still feel separate
from the deep feminine power of the Earth, which also resides
within us. This book offers ways to bridge these gaps and open
to our instinctual nature.
The feminine principle is known by many names. She is
associated with dreaming and the unconscious and with dark
ness, the Earth, and its plants and animals. The sacred femi
nine embodies spirit and mystery. She connects us with power,
fertility, and sensuality; with water as well as solitude; with
incubation, death, and death’s partner—rebirth. Reviver of the
dead, nurturer of life and the inner worlds of feeling, sensing,
and intuiting, the deep feminine is an alchemical muse.
Sandra and I write in a personal way about the nature beings
that have called to us. We share inspired stories of the lands,
skies, and waters where we each live, as we also explore the
physical traits, habits, and habitats of these and other earthly
creatures through the lens of the feminine. Our intent is to
open you. the reader, to powerful lessons about living life with
grace.
Goddesses from cultures as diverse as the Amazon Rain For
est and Egypt are interwoven within these chapters. Reading
this book will open you to their spirit medicine and subtle mes
sages, as well as those of plants, animals, and elements. It offers
practices and journeys that can be used at home or anywhere to
access feminine qualities of these goddesses and of nature in
everyday life—to deepen the power within.
