The Mother Tree Project

Namaste

There is an energy that sustains the Ashram, and people coming in can feel it—the energy of Light, the energy of intention to do good and be good, the energy from the gurus of this lineage.

Here, in this secluded environment, we are also very aware of the bigger challenges in our world.

I was recently given the wonderful opportunity to speak with Dr. Suzanne Simard, founder of the Mother Tree project and author of the best-selling book,

Finding The Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of Forests. In the midst of devastating floods in BC and a summer of an unprecedented heat dome and massive wildfires, Suzanne still expresses hope. “Hope is what we have,” she says.

And now, she says, is a powerful time—a time for transformational change if enough people push for that change. What can ordinary people do? She offers clues. Listen and be inspired to action! (Video above)

Here we are donating to flood relief, engaging in sustainable forest work, adding our voices to those defending old growth forests and locally pressing for action on private clear-cuts. We also plan to contribute a portion of our 2022 course income to the

Yaqan Nukiy, the nearest Indigenous Band, in gratitude for living on this land.

In this newsletter, you will hear inspiring stories from two women who participated in courses and retreats: Tulan experienced the surprising emergence of ancestral grandmother wisdom during her Yoga Journey and Angela discovered a still place within that empowers her to face the challenges in the high-pressured atmosphere of healthcare.

Internally I feel the grace of the gurus showering down their blessings. I feel these blessings as a connection to wisdom, as a lifeline, as I stand humanly, humbly on the foundation they gave me.

I recently recorded Radha: Diary of a Woman’s Search for an audiobook publication. Reading Swami Radha’s experiences out loud again and again and again was such an immersion that I felt like I was there. And it has deepened my admiration for her courage in following her guru’s instructions to live on faith alone and “let the Lord take care of everything.” Not so easy to do.

I am deeply grateful that she started this Ashram. And I am very grateful, too, to be surrounded by a community who love the teachings, and who hold the desire, as I do, for the Light of understanding and compassion to be present always for others as it is for us.

From the Ashram we are sending blessings, especially to those suffering from the impact of climate emergencies and to all those who are helping.

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PS – Special thanks to Eva Snyder for arranging the interview with Suzanne Simard. Eva is an Ashram student and teacher, as well as a PhD candidate under Suzanne’s tutelage and the first student on the Mother Tree project. She has been instrumental in teaching us about trees’ underground communication and how to support the health of the forest we live in.

ARTICLES

Finding Kuan Yin

Tulan Ma, from Toronto, recently took the Yoga Journey to gain clarity about a career decision. She also found Kuan Yin as a symbol of a forgotten cultural lineage and a source of strength. Read More…

Restorative Retreat –

A Space to Re-connect

Angela Bennett, an emergency trauma nurse working in the US, has been at the Ashram this fall for an extended Restorative Retreat. Before coming to the Ashram, she was asked to start a clinic for homeless people suffering from mental health and substance abuse issues. Read More…

The Importance of Self-Care

Many outside factors take a toll on our energy and it is essential to take care of our mental, physical and spiritual states. Swami Sukhananda explores the ancient sutras to address self-care. She then leads you in a yogic practice.