The theme for Earth Day 2021 was Restore our Earth. We in Solas Bhride celebrated virtually with poetry, movement, music, meditation, stories and sharing of some practical ideas. We explored the theme through focusing on the sacred and spiritual restoration of self and the other, other including not only human beings but other as other-than-human.
Our focus was rooted in Christian and Celtic Spiritual ecology, an approach that speaks from a wisdom that arises out of a balance of knowing that is Heart centred, Mind centred, Body centred and Soul centred.
Our inspiration, as always, was drawn from St Brigid, Woman of the Land, Woman of Compassion, Woman of Balance and Justice and Woman of Hospitality. St Brigid was aware that her connection with others and the world around her was deeply rooted in her connection with God.
During the evening we reflected on the story of the Ice and the gifts it holds for us and the earth. We celebrated the earth as our origin, our nourishment, our support and our guide. We noted that in his writings of Thomas Berry declared that our spirituality itself is earth derived and we restored our connection to and our awareness of the earth through movement. Please take time to enjoy our video ‘Tread Gently on the Earth’ with Terry and the Kildare dancers.
We were reminded of the work required to bring the world back into balance, our responsibility in this work, and that what each of us decides to do really matters.
Touch the Earth with gentleness,
Touch the Earth with love
Touch her with the future by the way you live today
God has given us the power to create the world anew
If we touch the earth together me and you
(Touch the Earth by Kathy Sherman, CSJ.
