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Summary: Spirituality at a Wilderness Retreat
Review: Jesse Wolf Hardin and Loba own and operate a 'wilderness retreat' called "The Earthen Spirituality Project and Sweet Medicine Women's Center' in New Mexico. This center forms the basis for this book, in their connection with their land, their very strong feelings for the earth and earth based spirituality, the sacredness of all things and the sacredness of self.What connects all pagans is their love and respect for the earth. Mr. Hardin can be considered a very 'extreme' pagan in his dedication to the protection of the environment and his teachings of respect for all things. This book outlines the retreats they hold at their New Mexico center, and combines their practices with their teachings and presents us with a path that is as inviting as it is intriguing. This is not just about the land. Respect is for all things. The retreats focus on self in relation to your inner being, your connection with all things natural and taking the time to stop and smell the sage. Exercises in self indulgence, respecting and appreciating your food, proper and natural diet, and pursuit of your own personal spirituality are the focus of these retreats. Each step is a magical journey in reconnecting yourself to the land. Mr. Hardin includes questions to explore your own personal beliefs and life style, discusses his ideas and teachings regarding personal growth, sexuality, and of course, our responsibility to the earth and his ideas of maintaining Gaia. Mr. Hardin has a way with words, and it enables us to experience not only the taste of his center, but also his ideas, his teachings and his personal path. He is very eloquent in his descriptions of his concepts, from his ideas on sexuality to the smell of fresh baked bread. The book is very well written. Like his excellent pen and ink drawings which grace some of the pages, verbal details awaken the senses as you read through the material. Mr. Hardin includes many diverse topics for discussion, from his own personal ideas on sexuality to war and its effects on the planet and ourselves. Some of this can be disturbing, we may not agree with all the thoughts presented by Mr. Hardin, and some will seem extreme. These are his teachings, and are meant to provoke thought on the topics. But do not let that stop you from savoring the ideas and rolling them around in your mind. Extremes can be a wake up call. Do we respect ourselves, our own personal piece of the earth, or our own spirituality? Can we adjust our daily lives a little at a time so we can enhance our own personal experience? And do we respect Gaia enough that when we refer to ourselves as 'pagan' we mean it? Though provoking, intelligent, subtle and sexual, this book covers all that Mr. Hardin and Lobo consider 'Gaia Eros' and their form of natural magic and spirituality. boudica
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