June 2024
PEACE OF WILD THINGS by Wendell Berry
When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.
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Like many of you, I’m sure, there’s times in the middle of the night that I wake up and worry. I worry about my own personal challenges, but also worry about the world that my children are growing up in.
My personal worries seem to lighten a bit with the sunrise, and don’t seem quite so bleak with the fresh perspective of morning. Worry about the world though – climate crisis, the upcoming election, war, genocide, the inequities in our own neighborhoods – these worries seem to pile on each other and are not always lessened by the light of day. All I have to do is turn on the radio in the car, listen to or read the latest news, and it all rushes back, along with a renewed feeling of hopelessness.
This is when I find returning to my connection to nature feels especially needed. When I can walk in the forest, when I plant my feet firmly on the earth. When I dig in my garden and put my hands in soil. When I watch the vibrancy of marine life along the shores of our magical Pugent Sound. When I tune in to feel the spring sun or the breeze on my skin.
Turning to these simple, sensory pleasures can remind us not just that we are connected to nature, but that we are nature. Not separate from it. In these times, we might remember that there is an integral piece of connectivity that we share with each living thing. The difficulties we face aren’t necessarily erased when we experience the healing effects of time in nature, but it does expand our capacity for resilience and balance amid challenging things – our own and the world’s. I’m not sure we can solve the world’s problems, but we certainly aren’t going to make any progress from a place of disconnection and isolation. We mostly know that worrying alone in the middle of the night isn’t going to solve anything in any real way.
This summer, I hope you offer yourself the gift of deep time in nature. Whether that is a walk in the woods or by the water (so abundantly available right where we are), lying down on the grass in your backyard, or a bigger excursion out to the mountains, the ocean, our magnificent Pacific Northwest forests.
It’s an essential need we have to remember our place in the wild of things.
This summer, we want to offer several opportunities to take intentional time to bring ourselves into connection with this exquisite earth we are a part of. Please look at Lori’s upcoming Nature based, rustic retreat in the Hoh Rainforest next month (only 8 spots available) or come out to a lovely local(ish) day retreat with me on lush, vibrant grounds in August.
May we all remember the peace of wild things.
Erin Joosse | she/her
Source Yoga | studio director
PS: Check out our summer special celebrating entering our 20th year in North Tacoma!
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Summer 2024 Special!
This summer, Source Yoga begins our 20th year! In honor of 20 years, we are offering 20% off of 3 months of NEW Autorenewing memberships.
This includes All Access (includes both in studio and online classes) and Online Only (includes online classes only) Unlimited and Limited Monthly Memberships*:
ALL ACCESS Unlimited Monthly: Regularly $115/month, summer special: $92/month for 3 months, then continues to renew at regular price
ALL ACCESS Limited Monthly: (Max 8 visits per month): Regularly $95/month, summer special: $76/month for 3 months, then continues to renew at regular price
ONLINE ONLY Unlimited Monthly: Regularly $100/month, summer special: $80/month for 3 months, then continues to renew at regular price
ONLINE ONLY Limited Monthly: (Max 8 visits per month): Regularly $75/month, summer special: $60/month for 3 months, then continues to renew at regular price
*the fine print: offer available for NEW autopay memberships only. Must commit to 3 months, after which your membership autorenews monthly at regular pricing. Offer good through July 15th.
UPCOMING RETREATS AND EVENTS SUMMER AND FALL
- Postnatal Yoga with Baby: 3 week series in July beginning Saturday, July 13th
- Hoh Rainforest Retreat led by Lori Ferry July 22nd – 27th: Immerse in the Hoh Rainforest’s natural beauty, hiking, yoga & meditation, community, and ceremony on this nature based rustic retreat. Learn more and sign up.
- OPEN NOW: One Day Retreat with Erin Joosse in Gig Harbor August 11th; Live Music with Karen Laura Peters: Registration is open!
- SAVE THE DATE: Fall Retreat November 1st-3rd to The Whidbey Institute with Erin Joosse
