Earth Wisdom Teachings, 2023

ISBN: 978-1739749828

  

Reviewed by Marian Van Eyk McCain
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Ancient peoples the world over have, for many centuries, striven to understand the workings of Nature, the movements of stars and planets and the cycles of birth and death, growth and decay, wind and weather. So in a number of indigenous groups that have managed to survive into modern times, there are stores of wisdom, including stories, patterns of behaviour and spiritual practices, that have enabled those people not only to survive but to thrive, while remaining in harmony with the rest of the natural world.

Now, in this modern Western culture, with industrialization, overpopulation, climate chaos and species loss, our own species is no longer thriving. We are, indeed, experiencing a global crisis.

Travelling and living in some remote parts of South America in the 1980s, Carlos Glover was deeply influenced by the wisdom teachings of indigenous spiritual teachers he encountered there – teachings that had their early origins in the Mayan era four thousand years ago. The lessons he learned stayed with him. And in the years that followed, as he became increasingly involved in environmental groups and issues back home in his native England, he realized how relevant all that Earth wisdom is to our current dilemma.

This beautifully crafted book follows the pattern of the Medicine Wheel. As Carlos explains: “The Medicine Wheel is an ancient design handed down over many generations. It is a sacred circle, a symbol of Life with no beginning and no end. And it is a map to guide us on the journey of self-knowledge.”

Self-knowledge is the key. Many people believe, as do I and as does this author, that what is most sorely needed, in this time of global crisis through which we are currently living, is a change of consciousness in the human population. Yes, there are many actions in the outer world that most of us can – and should – take to change things for the better, whether it is joining a protest march, lobbying our MP or simply signing a petition. But the most important work we do at this point in time may well be the inner tasks of self-exploration and spiritual transformation. Because the more of us who engage in this work, the more possible it becomes for a global change of consciousness to occur.

Human beings enjoy stories and learn from them. And the Earth wisdom traditions are full of stories. So this book, too, has a lot of delightful stories, each of which has something important to teach us.

It also contains a wealth of useful and enjoyable practices for us all to try out, and although the usual copyright rules apply to the rest of the content, Carlos is happy for his descriptions of these practices to be exempt, so readers can all feel free to reproduce them, spread them around and encourage other people to try them.

This book, which was originally self-published has, deservedly, been picked up by Findhorn Press, who will re-publish it later this year. I hope it will be widely read and its lessons absorbed by as many people as possible.

It is books like this that can help to heal our broken world.