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Medicine Wheel for the Planet: A Journey Toward Personal and Ecological Healing
A personal journey of bringing together Western science and Indigenous ecology to transform our understanding of the human role in healing our planet.
I used to be an ecologist. . . . Now, I am a community gatherer, working to help bring healing beyond just the land. I am a story-listener. I am a storyteller. I am a shaper of ecosystems. I work on bringing communities together, in circle, to listen to each other.
A farm kid at heart, and a Nlaka’pamux woman of mixed ancestry, Dr. Jennifer Grenz always felt a deep connection to the land. However, after nearly two decades of working as a restoration ecologist in the Pacific Northwest, she became frustrated that despite the best efforts of her colleagues and numerous volunteers, they weren’t making the meaningful change needed for plant, animal, and human communities to adapt to a warming climate. Restoration ecology is grounded in an idea that we must return the natural world to an untouched, pristine state, placing humans in a godlike role—a notion at odds with Indigenous histories of purposeful, reciprocal interaction with the environment. This disconnect sent Dr. Grenz on a personal journey of joining her head (Western science) and her heart (Indigenous worldview) to find a truer path toward ecological healing.
In Medicine Wheel for the Planet, building on sacred stories, field observations, and her own journey, Dr. Grenz invites readers to share in the teachings of the four directions of the medicine the North, which draws upon the knowledge and wisdom of elders; the East, where we let go of colonial narratives and see with fresh eyes; the South, where we apply new-old worldviews to envision a way forward; and the West, where a relational approach to land reconciliation is realized.
Eloquent, inspiring, and disruptive, Medicine Wheel for the Planet circles around an argument that we need more than a singular worldview to protect the planet and make the significant changes we are running out of time for.
I used to be an ecologist. . . . Now, I am a community gatherer, working to help bring healing beyond just the land. I am a story-listener. I am a storyteller. I am a shaper of ecosystems. I work on bringing communities together, in circle, to listen to each other.
A farm kid at heart, and a Nlaka’pamux woman of mixed ancestry, Dr. Jennifer Grenz always felt a deep connection to the land. However, after nearly two decades of working as a restoration ecologist in the Pacific Northwest, she became frustrated that despite the best efforts of her colleagues and numerous volunteers, they weren’t making the meaningful change needed for plant, animal, and human communities to adapt to a warming climate. Restoration ecology is grounded in an idea that we must return the natural world to an untouched, pristine state, placing humans in a godlike role—a notion at odds with Indigenous histories of purposeful, reciprocal interaction with the environment. This disconnect sent Dr. Grenz on a personal journey of joining her head (Western science) and her heart (Indigenous worldview) to find a truer path toward ecological healing.
In Medicine Wheel for the Planet, building on sacred stories, field observations, and her own journey, Dr. Grenz invites readers to share in the teachings of the four directions of the medicine the North, which draws upon the knowledge and wisdom of elders; the East, where we let go of colonial narratives and see with fresh eyes; the South, where we apply new-old worldviews to envision a way forward; and the West, where a relational approach to land reconciliation is realized.
Eloquent, inspiring, and disruptive, Medicine Wheel for the Planet circles around an argument that we need more than a singular worldview to protect the planet and make the significant changes we are running out of time for.
280 pages, Hardcover
First published March 26, 2024
101 people are currently reading
2044 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
March 24, 2024
I'm a biologist whose work sometimes intersects with the field of ecology and this book is a must read. This take on ecology and developing a healthy, thriving environment is smart, and removes the black and white dichotomy that has become entirely too common in the world.
I think everyone should read this book. The principles cannot only be applied to ecology, but also to other areas of science and even beyond that. These principles are valuable for even day to day life.
I think everyone should read this book. The principles cannot only be applied to ecology, but also to other areas of science and even beyond that. These principles are valuable for even day to day life.
March 21, 2024
I knew nothing about the book Medicine Wheel for the Planet or its author, Dr. Jennifer Grenz, before receiving an Advanced Reader's Copy.
Dr. Grenz's book provides a deep exploration of how Indigenous and Western knowledge can work in true collaboration to preserve and heal our environment. It offers a unique perspective that is both enlightening and thought-provoking.
Very quickly, I was immersed in an environmental area that is literally my backyard. Interrupting my reading to dive down a few rabbit holes (which I am widely known to do), I found that Dr. Grenz lives not only on Vancouver Island, as I do, but also in the same small city, Parksville, B.C. This fact, along with the author's highly personal writing style, often made me feel that I was outdoors chatting with her in person rather than sitting alone reading.
In Medicine Wheel for the Planet, Dr. Grenz takes us each on a personal journey. She reminds us that when we are open to other types of knowledge acquisition, we can find alternate paths of inquiry, heightened understanding and new, more robust solutions. She asks us to consider what ancestral wisdom might tell us about healing our planet and encourages us to see beyond the boundaries of a singular worldview. She then provides us with practical examples of what a relational view of addressing climate change could begin to look like. Provocative and stimulating, Dr. Grenz has given me much to consider.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for allowing me to read and review this insightful book in advance. Medicine Wheel for the Planet will be released publicly on March 26, 2024.
Dr. Grenz's book provides a deep exploration of how Indigenous and Western knowledge can work in true collaboration to preserve and heal our environment. It offers a unique perspective that is both enlightening and thought-provoking.
Very quickly, I was immersed in an environmental area that is literally my backyard. Interrupting my reading to dive down a few rabbit holes (which I am widely known to do), I found that Dr. Grenz lives not only on Vancouver Island, as I do, but also in the same small city, Parksville, B.C. This fact, along with the author's highly personal writing style, often made me feel that I was outdoors chatting with her in person rather than sitting alone reading.
In Medicine Wheel for the Planet, Dr. Grenz takes us each on a personal journey. She reminds us that when we are open to other types of knowledge acquisition, we can find alternate paths of inquiry, heightened understanding and new, more robust solutions. She asks us to consider what ancestral wisdom might tell us about healing our planet and encourages us to see beyond the boundaries of a singular worldview. She then provides us with practical examples of what a relational view of addressing climate change could begin to look like. Provocative and stimulating, Dr. Grenz has given me much to consider.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for allowing me to read and review this insightful book in advance. Medicine Wheel for the Planet will be released publicly on March 26, 2024.
May 5, 2025
An inspiring collection of lessons. Wonderfully articulated opinions of ways to improve the scientific community for the benefit of all relations (humans, plants, animals, soil, water, air, etc).
Dr. Grenz wrote of many values that feel very obvious to me but are likely not shared throughout humanity and it was nice to see them written so clearly.
Dr. Grenz wrote of many values that feel very obvious to me but are likely not shared throughout humanity and it was nice to see them written so clearly.
January 9, 2025
This book was very beautiful and touching. I felt at peace reading it. However the book itself was a bit dry so it took me four times longer to read it than I usually would have.
December 6, 2025
I loved reading this book - the writing was beautifully done and kept me engaged throughout. It touched on some of my own hangups in ecology and also presented some perspectives that were new to me.
November 18, 2025
Everyone who does research should read this. Made me reflect on my own beliefs and where they came from.
August 26, 2025
A must read for anyone in this field
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November 30, 2024Despite agreeing with the author's messaging and being interested, this book was hard to get into. It got repetitive and technical, and I gave up at 60% without having something tangible or actionable out of it.
April 4, 2025
So profound and powerful. What a beautiful journey around the medicine wheel and just how vast our land healing can be through Indigenous science. I am overwhelmed on how I could make a difference in this life to honour the Elders and ancestors of Turtle Island.
July 20, 2024
4.5 | "Healing ourselves is not separate from healing the lands and waters. Healing the lands and waters is not separate from healing ourselves. This is the medicine wheel for the planet."
Wow. Learned so much from Grenz as well as being humbled and challenged. I love that she loves on Vancouver Island and the perspective she shared from her place.
"Indigenous knowledge is so tied to place. Those ties are not just about familiarity, but relationality."
My learnings were vast, but included ecology at large, invasive species, call to actions around reciprocity, and of course Indigenous perspectives and research methodology.
"Fundamentally, the researcher must be in the research. It is the only way that we can then we guided by the three principles of Indigenous research methodology as identified by Wilson: respect, relationality, reciprocity."
I loved this acknowledgement of how we are shaped and molded, and where opportunities may lie to expand and encompass more than how we are passively shaped.
"We are built by what we know. The values that we are brought up with, the stories we are told, the education we receive, and a lifetime of experiences all shape who we are. Who we are creates the frame from which we see."
Great reminder around the learner's mindset and the cyclical nature of learning and unlearning.
"Expertise is vulnerable to becoming a fast track to disconnection. An abandonment of the practice of acquiring wisdom. Our journey around the medicine wheel is to not simply to go around once. It is a continuous cycle of renewal throughout our life's journey, that deepens our relationality."
Really important reflections around process and the ongoing colonial impact on Indigenous peoples and how our best intended approaches can still centre colonial ways of being and doing.
"For too long, Indigenous academics and knowledge holders have had to try to make our work fit into processes that are not designed to fully embrace it. The full benefit of our work cannot be realized if we allow it to continue to be compromised in this manner."
" To know someone's story is to really know them...What is your story?"
Audiobook: 8h 26m
Wow. Learned so much from Grenz as well as being humbled and challenged. I love that she loves on Vancouver Island and the perspective she shared from her place.
"Indigenous knowledge is so tied to place. Those ties are not just about familiarity, but relationality."
My learnings were vast, but included ecology at large, invasive species, call to actions around reciprocity, and of course Indigenous perspectives and research methodology.
"Fundamentally, the researcher must be in the research. It is the only way that we can then we guided by the three principles of Indigenous research methodology as identified by Wilson: respect, relationality, reciprocity."
I loved this acknowledgement of how we are shaped and molded, and where opportunities may lie to expand and encompass more than how we are passively shaped.
"We are built by what we know. The values that we are brought up with, the stories we are told, the education we receive, and a lifetime of experiences all shape who we are. Who we are creates the frame from which we see."
Great reminder around the learner's mindset and the cyclical nature of learning and unlearning.
"Expertise is vulnerable to becoming a fast track to disconnection. An abandonment of the practice of acquiring wisdom. Our journey around the medicine wheel is to not simply to go around once. It is a continuous cycle of renewal throughout our life's journey, that deepens our relationality."
Really important reflections around process and the ongoing colonial impact on Indigenous peoples and how our best intended approaches can still centre colonial ways of being and doing.
"For too long, Indigenous academics and knowledge holders have had to try to make our work fit into processes that are not designed to fully embrace it. The full benefit of our work cannot be realized if we allow it to continue to be compromised in this manner."
" To know someone's story is to really know them...What is your story?"
Audiobook: 8h 26m
January 18, 2025
I needed the hope and different way of seeing that this book brings.
Loved it and learnt a lot. Here are notes mostly for myself with key points and quotes that resonated.
Modern ecology is built on the eden myth. Things were perfect until humans - need to restore to a mythical pre human state. But the reality is that humans live in and with the land - they have constantly been shifting, caring and shaping the land. Eden myth creates binary views - native = static and good. Invasive = must be removed. Book has some beautiful challenges to this - the pre colonial world involved trade, exchange, moving species around! It was not static.
Research should be built on respect, relationality, reciprocity.
Respect = our research must be good for community. Community helps to define research questions and approach. All knowledge is valued equally.
Relationality = research is ceremony. Connected to others. About finding connections.
Reciprocity = research must recognise community involved in our work. Must give something back to the community.
Indigenous research approaches are about “the bravery of making your work personal.” P49.
Current way most of us lives is where we use the environment as consumers. Not relational.
QUOTES
“Colonisation is not a single event in the past, but a continuous process that carries on today; one that has brought and continues to bring devastation to bother our people and the environment. A perpetration of the settler worldview rooted in Jude’s-Christian belief that gives people dominion over the other creatures of the Earth and objectifies what is referred to as “the environment “ as if it is independent from humans.” P7.
“Our Indigenous worldview does not allow for such separation. Our very existence is inside the ecosystem as an equal relation.” P. 8.
On indigenous research approaches “… it’s ok to acknowledge that we don’t need to separate ourselves from our values, spirituality, relationships and responsibility to community to do good work… it is this that sets Indigenous research methodology apart from the Western scientific method - fundamentally the researcher must be “in” the research”. P. 46.
“The kind of decision making that our planet deserves should be made by those worthy of that leadership, a leadership that is the opposite of dominance, and instead rooted in humility and great connectivity. It is a leadership that brings people back to the land within our current context.” P. 171
Loved it and learnt a lot. Here are notes mostly for myself with key points and quotes that resonated.
Modern ecology is built on the eden myth. Things were perfect until humans - need to restore to a mythical pre human state. But the reality is that humans live in and with the land - they have constantly been shifting, caring and shaping the land. Eden myth creates binary views - native = static and good. Invasive = must be removed. Book has some beautiful challenges to this - the pre colonial world involved trade, exchange, moving species around! It was not static.
Research should be built on respect, relationality, reciprocity.
Respect = our research must be good for community. Community helps to define research questions and approach. All knowledge is valued equally.
Relationality = research is ceremony. Connected to others. About finding connections.
Reciprocity = research must recognise community involved in our work. Must give something back to the community.
Indigenous research approaches are about “the bravery of making your work personal.” P49.
Current way most of us lives is where we use the environment as consumers. Not relational.
QUOTES
“Colonisation is not a single event in the past, but a continuous process that carries on today; one that has brought and continues to bring devastation to bother our people and the environment. A perpetration of the settler worldview rooted in Jude’s-Christian belief that gives people dominion over the other creatures of the Earth and objectifies what is referred to as “the environment “ as if it is independent from humans.” P7.
“Our Indigenous worldview does not allow for such separation. Our very existence is inside the ecosystem as an equal relation.” P. 8.
On indigenous research approaches “… it’s ok to acknowledge that we don’t need to separate ourselves from our values, spirituality, relationships and responsibility to community to do good work… it is this that sets Indigenous research methodology apart from the Western scientific method - fundamentally the researcher must be “in” the research”. P. 46.
“The kind of decision making that our planet deserves should be made by those worthy of that leadership, a leadership that is the opposite of dominance, and instead rooted in humility and great connectivity. It is a leadership that brings people back to the land within our current context.” P. 171
August 13, 2024
Jennifer Grenz makes the topic of rethinking how we want to approach being environmental stewards very approachable. Something that could be a very dry read is anything but and her knowledge and many personal stories make this book a great read.
She writes about how we should hold Indigenous knowledge and western scientific knowledge/discovery in equal esteem and that both will be important for taking care of our aging planet.
It will have you rethinking many things you probably thought you understood about how to take care of our environment and will inspire you to want to do more or to act in more helpful ways.
It’s been a long time since I’ve read a work where I e highlighted many passages to revisit and ponder further upon later. In this case I found many things to inspire my role as a teacher of young children. Ways I’d like to change my practice to even better respect that stage of life but of course would want to make any changes or addition to my teaching practice in a respectful way and with consultation so that it may happen through cultural appreciation not appropriation and through appropriate instructors if I’m not the right fit as a colonizer.
In conclusion this book is fantastic, eye opening and a way more easy and approachable and enjoyable read than you might expect upon reading the book jacket and you should definitely read it no matter what role you play in society.
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the digital ARC
She writes about how we should hold Indigenous knowledge and western scientific knowledge/discovery in equal esteem and that both will be important for taking care of our aging planet.
It will have you rethinking many things you probably thought you understood about how to take care of our environment and will inspire you to want to do more or to act in more helpful ways.
It’s been a long time since I’ve read a work where I e highlighted many passages to revisit and ponder further upon later. In this case I found many things to inspire my role as a teacher of young children. Ways I’d like to change my practice to even better respect that stage of life but of course would want to make any changes or addition to my teaching practice in a respectful way and with consultation so that it may happen through cultural appreciation not appropriation and through appropriate instructors if I’m not the right fit as a colonizer.
In conclusion this book is fantastic, eye opening and a way more easy and approachable and enjoyable read than you might expect upon reading the book jacket and you should definitely read it no matter what role you play in society.
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the digital ARC
January 14, 2025
A fascinating insight into Indigenous perspectives here on Turtle Island, a place which I am currently calling home. It is thoughtfully portrayed as part memoir, historical analysis, scientific thoughts and a final call to action.
It was no surprise to me that I found the historical explanations most fascinating. Dr Grenz’s recount of her ancestry and feelings of colonial dislocation were truly heartbreaking. However, it only made her journey all the more powerful. I found her explanations of Indigenous origin stories especially beautiful.
While this book was clearly focused on healing the natural environment, the way in which this is approached has relevancy to all aspects of life. As Grenz states, heal the land and we heal ourselves. As such, adopting the “prepared beginners” mindset to search for connection and create relationships of reciprocity is something we should all take time to consider.
It was no surprise to me that I found the historical explanations most fascinating. Dr Grenz’s recount of her ancestry and feelings of colonial dislocation were truly heartbreaking. However, it only made her journey all the more powerful. I found her explanations of Indigenous origin stories especially beautiful.
While this book was clearly focused on healing the natural environment, the way in which this is approached has relevancy to all aspects of life. As Grenz states, heal the land and we heal ourselves. As such, adopting the “prepared beginners” mindset to search for connection and create relationships of reciprocity is something we should all take time to consider.
December 29, 2024
This was great to read in terms of redefining and understanding anew ecology. The main idea is that our environment does not need to be 'saved' or reconstructed or get rid of the invasive species but it needs to be healed, it needs to be understood in terms of relation between each part. Knowledge is not only science but also other branches like the history of the place, the talles of the elders. It was hard for me to get in the book because of the big empahis on terms like colonialism, settlers who stoled the land, eden ecology, anti christian worldview, the lots of repetitive paragraphs and the lack of coherence. But indeed, there are some useful insights on the history of the land: the Indian lands were sold for nothing or stolen by the Europeans.
But really could find some good food for thought here although it is hard to see how exactly we can apply this in our part of the world
But really could find some good food for thought here although it is hard to see how exactly we can apply this in our part of the world
July 5, 2024
A great book that's part memoir, part family history and part lessons/advice for the various ways Indigenous practices, knowledge and teachings can be used to better care for our planet. Good on audio, read by the author herself, I enjoyed this book a lot but did find it to be a bit science heavy at times. Perfect for fans of books like Braiding sweetgrass and definitely worth a read or listen!
CW: intergenerational trauma related to colonization and the Residential school system
CW: intergenerational trauma related to colonization and the Residential school system
November 18, 2024
I read this book to learn. I found myself being lectured, rather than educated. I am not really sure what the author's purpose was in writing this book. I did learn; but, not as much as I hoped. I found her hard to follow. I have been trying to read it since early October. I kept putting it down thinking I was not in the right head space. I could not finish it.
March 11, 2025
Everyone should read this
December 19, 2024
A botanist writes about combining the Western science approach and the indigenous approach to stewarding the land
June 20, 2024
3.5/5
This is a small book that packs a punch. Dr. Jennifer Grenz takes the reader around the Medicine Wheel interwoven between two journeys: her own reclamation of her identity as an Indigenous woman and her job as an ecologist in a colonial setting. She says: "This book is about the journey to connect my head (Western science) and my heart (my Indigenous worldview). A journey of both personal and ecological reconciliation."
Plenty of her stories will anger you if you've been in similar settings. Men telling women they don't know what they're talking about. Basically everyone telling her she is doing her job wrong because she's thinking outside the standard box of Western science. One that stuck with me was when a mentor of hers told her she didn't have enough letters after her name. Her work was constantly ignored while people who had more letters after their name were heralded and listened to and action was taken, even if they said what she said. It took her a very long time to come to terms with the disconnect between her work and what her work truly was.
Plenty of stories will be very interesting, she includes plenty of knowledge and memories of how Indigenous worldviews work and why they're important. She's met and worked with many groups, both scientific and Indigenous, and learned a lot from them.
It was a small book, but it's worth reading again. It is another great resource for why Traditional Indigenous Ecological Knowledge is important. I wish this was a book we read in university when we did the unit on TEK. It would be lovely to even see in high schools, along with Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants!
A perfect library find! I found myself making connections to The Power of Trees: How Ancient Forests Can Save Us if We Let Them, which was another amazing book, but written by a German author. Medicine Wheel for the Planet is the perfect fit for anyone living in B.C. (local B.C. author!) and for anyone living on Turtle Island.
I would recommend it and I would happily read it again.
This is a small book that packs a punch. Dr. Jennifer Grenz takes the reader around the Medicine Wheel interwoven between two journeys: her own reclamation of her identity as an Indigenous woman and her job as an ecologist in a colonial setting. She says: "This book is about the journey to connect my head (Western science) and my heart (my Indigenous worldview). A journey of both personal and ecological reconciliation."
Plenty of her stories will anger you if you've been in similar settings. Men telling women they don't know what they're talking about. Basically everyone telling her she is doing her job wrong because she's thinking outside the standard box of Western science. One that stuck with me was when a mentor of hers told her she didn't have enough letters after her name. Her work was constantly ignored while people who had more letters after their name were heralded and listened to and action was taken, even if they said what she said. It took her a very long time to come to terms with the disconnect between her work and what her work truly was.
Plenty of stories will be very interesting, she includes plenty of knowledge and memories of how Indigenous worldviews work and why they're important. She's met and worked with many groups, both scientific and Indigenous, and learned a lot from them.
It was a small book, but it's worth reading again. It is another great resource for why Traditional Indigenous Ecological Knowledge is important. I wish this was a book we read in university when we did the unit on TEK. It would be lovely to even see in high schools, along with Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants!
A perfect library find! I found myself making connections to The Power of Trees: How Ancient Forests Can Save Us if We Let Them, which was another amazing book, but written by a German author. Medicine Wheel for the Planet is the perfect fit for anyone living in B.C. (local B.C. author!) and for anyone living on Turtle Island.
I would recommend it and I would happily read it again.
November 21, 2024
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
Listened to audiobook
Listened to audiobook
September 27, 2025
4,5⭐️
Un récit touchant qui guérit l'esprit, le coeur, le territoire et notre rapport au monde. Chacun y tirera des apprentissages et des conclusions uniques et personnels. Je recommande fortement.
Ma seule critique: il y a beaucoup de répétitions à travers les chapitres.
Un récit touchant qui guérit l'esprit, le coeur, le territoire et notre rapport au monde. Chacun y tirera des apprentissages et des conclusions uniques et personnels. Je recommande fortement.
Ma seule critique: il y a beaucoup de répétitions à travers les chapitres.
August 30, 2024
I liked the plants and environment aspect, not so much with her politics view. A tad hypocritical to me that she’s so outraged about the settlers took everything from the indigenous and keeps on taking even today but married one. Definitely unpopular opinion and my own prejudice based on a few stand alone snippets from the book, I wish I took notes and analyzed it more and why it made me feel that way. Besides that it’s an interesting read. Read it right after Braiding Sweetgrass. Together they made me more mindful about nature.
October 8, 2024
Is this how religious people feel when they read their sacred texts? This book has been a spiritual journey.
June 17, 2024
Full review at: https://readingourshelves.wordpress.c...
We first learn a lot about the author herself. Her great-great-grandparents moved into the “colonial” world, and hid the fact that they were Indigenous, to protect their children. The next generation, while still knowing their ancestral languages, went even further and never spoke them in front of their own children. So the next generation of kids – the author’s grandma and her siblings – did not even know that they had Indigenous roots.
The author grew up working the land, though, as it was part of her family’s traditions. She knew she wanted to do something related to that when she grew up, and studied ecology. She introduces the idea of “Eden ecology,” where the goal is to return an area to its “former” state… but what does that even mean?
It’s often governments who initiate these programs, and there is this unspoken ideal that the land/plants/wildlife need to be like they were in a particular area before humans messed it up. But, as an adult the author comes to realize that, when looking through an Indigenous lens… people were always here. Humans are part of the ecosystem. And they farmed, fished, and engaged in animal husbandry of their own sorts, even if it didn’t look like the industrialized version we see today.
The concepts in the book are organized in the four “directions” of the Medicine Wheel: North for knowledge from the Elders; East for starting on a learning journey, often represented by being young or being a novice; South for being a “young elder” who is ready to work with others and keep the knowledge flowing, and who knows to expect that change is inevitable; and West, ready to put the lessons into action. (But also, with the understanding that one will travel around this cycle many times – perhaps on a different topic entirely, or because new information needs to be taken in about the topic at hand.)
One main theme here is whether or not Indigenous and Westernized views can ever truly be integrated – and whether or not Western science is even interested in that, or just sometimes gives the idea lip service.
Another, though, is that humans are inherently part of our environment. We need to take an active role in learning about the land (and waterways) around us. And she talks about the power of story – her own, but also stories of a particular place. We can look at the plants, wildlife, etc. as an ongoing story to see if we can figure out where things took a turn, where they might need to go next, etc. The Indigenous worldview sees all creatures as “relations,” and we can all benefit by examining our relations to each other – human, animal, plant, land, water, government, learning systems, and so on.
We first learn a lot about the author herself. Her great-great-grandparents moved into the “colonial” world, and hid the fact that they were Indigenous, to protect their children. The next generation, while still knowing their ancestral languages, went even further and never spoke them in front of their own children. So the next generation of kids – the author’s grandma and her siblings – did not even know that they had Indigenous roots.
The author grew up working the land, though, as it was part of her family’s traditions. She knew she wanted to do something related to that when she grew up, and studied ecology. She introduces the idea of “Eden ecology,” where the goal is to return an area to its “former” state… but what does that even mean?
It’s often governments who initiate these programs, and there is this unspoken ideal that the land/plants/wildlife need to be like they were in a particular area before humans messed it up. But, as an adult the author comes to realize that, when looking through an Indigenous lens… people were always here. Humans are part of the ecosystem. And they farmed, fished, and engaged in animal husbandry of their own sorts, even if it didn’t look like the industrialized version we see today.
The concepts in the book are organized in the four “directions” of the Medicine Wheel: North for knowledge from the Elders; East for starting on a learning journey, often represented by being young or being a novice; South for being a “young elder” who is ready to work with others and keep the knowledge flowing, and who knows to expect that change is inevitable; and West, ready to put the lessons into action. (But also, with the understanding that one will travel around this cycle many times – perhaps on a different topic entirely, or because new information needs to be taken in about the topic at hand.)
One main theme here is whether or not Indigenous and Westernized views can ever truly be integrated – and whether or not Western science is even interested in that, or just sometimes gives the idea lip service.
Another, though, is that humans are inherently part of our environment. We need to take an active role in learning about the land (and waterways) around us. And she talks about the power of story – her own, but also stories of a particular place. We can look at the plants, wildlife, etc. as an ongoing story to see if we can figure out where things took a turn, where they might need to go next, etc. The Indigenous worldview sees all creatures as “relations,” and we can all benefit by examining our relations to each other – human, animal, plant, land, water, government, learning systems, and so on.
July 17, 2024
An ambitious, earnest, heart-felt treatise on the much-needed ecological redemption of our planet - not based on a restorative tunnel-visioned scientific dogma which is destined to fail (as it has been, repeatedly), but integrating a newly-integrated indigenous perspective in which we, the Humans, (caretakers of old), live out our healing, (of both ourselves, and our surroundings), through a primal and recognized shared mutual relationship with our lands and waters.
“What would ancestral wisdom tell us about healing our planet if we listened and allowed ourselves to see beyond the confines of a singular worldview?”
Instead of relying on polarizing theoretical environmental stances on native plants (good), invasive weeds (bad), and the restoration plans and ecological goals to achieve this, the author, an academic and field practitioner in the science of ecology, as well as an indigenous woman, urges the reader to step back and listen - to Nature, to the web of dynamic relations existing within it, to the ancient stories we have access to, to respect and honor and gratitude, and to all the senses invoked as we allow feelings, intuition and spirit (long regarded as non-scientific, therefore invalid) to inform our experiential knowledge, and ultimately enable the wisdom to allow healing.
With this lens, ecological conversations expand to encompass community needs, nutritional content, aesthetic beauty, pollinators and their food, medicinal value, birds and butterflies and other animals, the influence of the sun, fish-seeding of our rivers, as we, ‘“bringers of balance, shapers of land and waters” take on a shared and now expanded role long carried by our indigenous partners before the environmental devastation preceded by colonization, and capitalism.
Whew. It’s an incredible read, and a point of view which is impossible to forget, once you’ve taken the time to take it in. And really taking it in requires listening, and being ready, to consider this issue seriously and holistically, as the author so passionately explains and advocates.
Highly recommended, this is a challenging read but an essential one, geared to all who are interested in a full-spectrum healing mindset. If we let it in, this long overdue and not-to-be-missed reset may fundamentally change the way we experience ourselves and our planet, - a stewardship we must take on, with the humility of our “beginner’s mind”, for our most intimate, and intrinsic life-partner.
“We don’t save the environment like a mission or hobby. We are the environment.”
A great big thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for an ARC of this book. All thoughts presented are my own.
*** four and a half shiny stars
“What would ancestral wisdom tell us about healing our planet if we listened and allowed ourselves to see beyond the confines of a singular worldview?”
Instead of relying on polarizing theoretical environmental stances on native plants (good), invasive weeds (bad), and the restoration plans and ecological goals to achieve this, the author, an academic and field practitioner in the science of ecology, as well as an indigenous woman, urges the reader to step back and listen - to Nature, to the web of dynamic relations existing within it, to the ancient stories we have access to, to respect and honor and gratitude, and to all the senses invoked as we allow feelings, intuition and spirit (long regarded as non-scientific, therefore invalid) to inform our experiential knowledge, and ultimately enable the wisdom to allow healing.
With this lens, ecological conversations expand to encompass community needs, nutritional content, aesthetic beauty, pollinators and their food, medicinal value, birds and butterflies and other animals, the influence of the sun, fish-seeding of our rivers, as we, ‘“bringers of balance, shapers of land and waters” take on a shared and now expanded role long carried by our indigenous partners before the environmental devastation preceded by colonization, and capitalism.
Whew. It’s an incredible read, and a point of view which is impossible to forget, once you’ve taken the time to take it in. And really taking it in requires listening, and being ready, to consider this issue seriously and holistically, as the author so passionately explains and advocates.
Highly recommended, this is a challenging read but an essential one, geared to all who are interested in a full-spectrum healing mindset. If we let it in, this long overdue and not-to-be-missed reset may fundamentally change the way we experience ourselves and our planet, - a stewardship we must take on, with the humility of our “beginner’s mind”, for our most intimate, and intrinsic life-partner.
“We don’t save the environment like a mission or hobby. We are the environment.”
A great big thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for an ARC of this book. All thoughts presented are my own.
*** four and a half shiny stars
August 3, 2024
An Indigenous worldview embraces the Great Mystery, allowing us all to exist in a world of small t truths. We don’t have to have the answers as we are free of absolutes. Our stories are meant to evolve to fit our current reality. They are not one-size-fits-all; their dynamic nature makes them very much alive. There is no need to double down on an old story to assert its relevancy; it is just time for altered or new stories as we learn more.
My goal this year is to read as much that helps the decolonization process as possible, and this was an amazing addition to the canon. It is similar to Robin Wall Kimmerer’s journey beginning to try to reconcile the Western science lens and the indigenous lens into an extremely large telescope and a kickass powerful microscope at the same time, with the deepest magnification in the world, because I truly believe it is only by looking far and wide and close and near that we can learn how to be better humans on this planet, our only home. Required reading.
This list is simply a beginning. I don’t assert it to be the way but simply a start that I hope shows that words matter and have transformative power. I am asking you to be part of the creation of this language as part of our journey around the medicine wheel together, and consider how we might live an Indigenous ecology. Let us be reminded of its principles. An Indigenous ecology:
• Rests upon a foundation of relationality.
• Is accountable to all relations.
• Is dependent upon humans fulfilling their role and responsibilities as balancers of the ecosystem.
• Embraces all relations equally.
• Is based upon reciprocity.
• Is focused on relationships.
• Does not objectify our relations.
• Is free from categorization, labelling, and dichotomies.
• Is respectful of all worldviews and their knowledges.
• Acknowledges the history of relationships with land and relations.
for our planet:
My goal this year is to read as much that helps the decolonization process as possible, and this was an amazing addition to the canon. It is similar to Robin Wall Kimmerer’s journey beginning to try to reconcile the Western science lens and the indigenous lens into an extremely large telescope and a kickass powerful microscope at the same time, with the deepest magnification in the world, because I truly believe it is only by looking far and wide and close and near that we can learn how to be better humans on this planet, our only home. Required reading.
This list is simply a beginning. I don’t assert it to be the way but simply a start that I hope shows that words matter and have transformative power. I am asking you to be part of the creation of this language as part of our journey around the medicine wheel together, and consider how we might live an Indigenous ecology. Let us be reminded of its principles. An Indigenous ecology:
• Rests upon a foundation of relationality.
• Is accountable to all relations.
• Is dependent upon humans fulfilling their role and responsibilities as balancers of the ecosystem.
• Embraces all relations equally.
• Is based upon reciprocity.
• Is focused on relationships.
• Does not objectify our relations.
• Is free from categorization, labelling, and dichotomies.
• Is respectful of all worldviews and their knowledges.
• Acknowledges the history of relationships with land and relations.
for our planet:
April 27, 2024
Working toward ecological healing requires awareness of how Indigenous ancestral knowledge and living ways can complement Western scientific approaches to environmental restoration and protection practices. Dr. Jennifer Grenz (Nlaxa’pamux mixed ancestry) worked for more than two decades as a field researcher and practitioner for environmental nonprofit organizations, where she worked with different levels of government, including First Nations in Canada. The book compiles Grenz’s most potent realizations about the lack of forward movement in addressing an impending ecological catastrophe. A warming climate impacts not only human lives but also the natural balance that relies on reciprocal relationships rooted in deep connections to the land. She uses the metaphor of the four directions of the Indigenous “medicine wheel” to invite openness to Indigenous teachings, letting go of colonial narratives, merging lessons from new and old ways, and applying a relational approach to ecological healing.
Grenz has important lessons to share with practitioners in her field and with the rest of us who care deeply about climate change. She challenges the notion of a dominant, singular solution to caring for the planet. Against Western practices in her field, she contrasts the Indigenous worldviews that value purposeful relationships and interdependence. I reviewed the book from the lens of my own decolonial journey, making sense of my complicity in settler colonial structures that uphold harmful systems that undermine progress toward ecological healing. Grenz walks us through her process of unlearning the constraints of her Western education and its emphasis on objectivity and neutrality. Those charged with protecting land and waters must practice humility and learn from Indigenous elders and communities. Indigenization requires expanding our field of view from a human-centric approach that prizes scientific knowledge at the expense of ancestral ways of knowing. Grenz challenges readers to consider a decolonial, Indigenized worldview that decenters human needs and takes important lessons from plant and animal communities.
Grenz has important lessons to share with practitioners in her field and with the rest of us who care deeply about climate change. She challenges the notion of a dominant, singular solution to caring for the planet. Against Western practices in her field, she contrasts the Indigenous worldviews that value purposeful relationships and interdependence. I reviewed the book from the lens of my own decolonial journey, making sense of my complicity in settler colonial structures that uphold harmful systems that undermine progress toward ecological healing. Grenz walks us through her process of unlearning the constraints of her Western education and its emphasis on objectivity and neutrality. Those charged with protecting land and waters must practice humility and learn from Indigenous elders and communities. Indigenization requires expanding our field of view from a human-centric approach that prizes scientific knowledge at the expense of ancestral ways of knowing. Grenz challenges readers to consider a decolonial, Indigenized worldview that decenters human needs and takes important lessons from plant and animal communities.
May 19, 2024
This is a book that I cautiously requested because of the title. At first glance, it looks like there’s going to be some real pan-NDN stuff going on and I’m not a fan of pan-NDN-ism. I wasn’t sure if I should pick this up. But, the description sounded like I should put my gut reaction aside and give it a chance. I'm glad that I did.
Jennifer Grenz spent 2 decades trying to fix and repair ecosystems in coastal BC. She practiced her traditional medicine at home, in secret. She learned to separate the two. She did such a good job she even rolled her eyes at people who tried to bring different perspectives into her work.
That's a level of internalization that I feel in my bones.
What Grenz offers us is the story of her journey, both professional and personal. We don't get two separate versions of her journey, we also don't get two intertwined or braided versions, what we do get is a presentation of both existing at once within a larger mosaic.
Grenz wants to change our perception in such a way that we are able to recognize the relationality of all things. This is, obviously, no small feat. Grenz can’t do this on her own, but what she can do is contribute to the change and share her journey as an example of what it means to see the world this way.
The idea here is that we should move from seeing ourselves as dominant and controlling of nature, something we clearly aren’t no matter how much ‘western civilization’ wants us to believe, to seeing ourselves as having responsibility in the balance of our world. Our actions have consequences. We can see this all around us today. As I write this, here in B.C. we have the media telling us that “fire season” is coming, but we already have fires, some still burning from last year. A perspective founded in the relationality Grenz is indicating wouldn’t give us the phrase and concept of “fire season” as it is used today.
This book is a gift. Gifts come with responsibility. If you pick this up, make sure you do something to honour that. Her story and stories meet us where we are, the next steps are up to us.
Jennifer Grenz spent 2 decades trying to fix and repair ecosystems in coastal BC. She practiced her traditional medicine at home, in secret. She learned to separate the two. She did such a good job she even rolled her eyes at people who tried to bring different perspectives into her work.
That's a level of internalization that I feel in my bones.
What Grenz offers us is the story of her journey, both professional and personal. We don't get two separate versions of her journey, we also don't get two intertwined or braided versions, what we do get is a presentation of both existing at once within a larger mosaic.
Grenz wants to change our perception in such a way that we are able to recognize the relationality of all things. This is, obviously, no small feat. Grenz can’t do this on her own, but what she can do is contribute to the change and share her journey as an example of what it means to see the world this way.
The idea here is that we should move from seeing ourselves as dominant and controlling of nature, something we clearly aren’t no matter how much ‘western civilization’ wants us to believe, to seeing ourselves as having responsibility in the balance of our world. Our actions have consequences. We can see this all around us today. As I write this, here in B.C. we have the media telling us that “fire season” is coming, but we already have fires, some still burning from last year. A perspective founded in the relationality Grenz is indicating wouldn’t give us the phrase and concept of “fire season” as it is used today.
This book is a gift. Gifts come with responsibility. If you pick this up, make sure you do something to honour that. Her story and stories meet us where we are, the next steps are up to us.
July 17, 2024
Can't remember how I heard of this book, but I was interested in learning more about the author's personal journey and background in combining Western science with her knowledge of her own perspective as an Indigenous (Nlaka’pamux) person. In this book, Dr. Grenz combines sacred stories, field observations, and her own personal story to talk about the four directions and how to move forward.
Grenz takes the reader through the each directions (from Goodreads: "North, which draws upon the knowledge and wisdom of elders; the East, where we let go of colonial narratives and see with fresh eyes; the South, where we apply new-old worldviews to envision a way forward; and the West, where a relational approach to land reconciliation is realized). Interspersed is also the "Western" point of view and science, and that finding ways to compliment and combine those world views can help us better approach how we treat and use the planet.
It was interesting, but I won't lie, I was really bored. I do not know much about ecology, was unfamiliar with these four directions and how they could be used, etc. But ultimately it could not hold my attention. I am unsure if it's because of my lack of familiarity or the writing style, but overall I just felt like shrugging. Which is not necessarily a reflection of the book, but it was a struggle.
All the same, approaches like this are important. Ignoring one for the other obviously has not worked and it is more important than ever to use all the knowledge we have at our disposal (no matter the source or how it is acquired, so long as it is good/useful, etc.) to address the harms that have happened to the planet.
Good as a library borrow and certainly for the right person it would be a good read. I personally would say it is skippable, but if the topic interests you, I would encourage you to give it a try.
Grenz takes the reader through the each directions (from Goodreads: "North, which draws upon the knowledge and wisdom of elders; the East, where we let go of colonial narratives and see with fresh eyes; the South, where we apply new-old worldviews to envision a way forward; and the West, where a relational approach to land reconciliation is realized). Interspersed is also the "Western" point of view and science, and that finding ways to compliment and combine those world views can help us better approach how we treat and use the planet.
It was interesting, but I won't lie, I was really bored. I do not know much about ecology, was unfamiliar with these four directions and how they could be used, etc. But ultimately it could not hold my attention. I am unsure if it's because of my lack of familiarity or the writing style, but overall I just felt like shrugging. Which is not necessarily a reflection of the book, but it was a struggle.
All the same, approaches like this are important. Ignoring one for the other obviously has not worked and it is more important than ever to use all the knowledge we have at our disposal (no matter the source or how it is acquired, so long as it is good/useful, etc.) to address the harms that have happened to the planet.
Good as a library borrow and certainly for the right person it would be a good read. I personally would say it is skippable, but if the topic interests you, I would encourage you to give it a try.
April 1, 2025
Wow. Wow is the sole word that came to mind when I turned the final page of this book. I had the privilege of seeing Dr. Grenz speak in person at a conference in 2024, and I immediately purchased her book after her talk. I connected with a few individuals from work who also saw Dr. Grenz' talk, and just like that, we've been reading it as a work book club. Though this book is short, every page felt like a gift and a validation to inklings I have felt over my career in plant ecology for the past few years.
The biggest takeaways from my mind at this moment are:
1) Viewing landscapes and ecosystems in terms of their relations. This is something that I've done in my work privately in terms of thinking about "species interactions" (in Western science terms), but I have never quite felt empowered to share out loud for fear of sounding frivolous.
2) The simple yet earth-moving quotes "I give myself permission to stop attempting to create the illusion of objectivity." And "I give myself permission to openly express my personal connection to my work."
3) The examination of how an "ecologist" is defined in Western science and how the framework denigrates land-based knowledges.
4) The examination of how restoration ecology perpetuates what Dr. Grenz calls "Eden ecology," or the concept of returning an ecosystem to a pre-contact "pristine state" and how that completely erases Indigenous land stewardship practices that were happening pre-contact.
5) Intentionally trying to incorporate some of the suggested terminology for Indigenous ecology provided on page 145 in my work moving forward, as well as generally encouraging a relational lens to land in my public messaging moving forward.
Thank you for this gift, Dr. Grenz.
The biggest takeaways from my mind at this moment are:
1) Viewing landscapes and ecosystems in terms of their relations. This is something that I've done in my work privately in terms of thinking about "species interactions" (in Western science terms), but I have never quite felt empowered to share out loud for fear of sounding frivolous.
2) The simple yet earth-moving quotes "I give myself permission to stop attempting to create the illusion of objectivity." And "I give myself permission to openly express my personal connection to my work."
3) The examination of how an "ecologist" is defined in Western science and how the framework denigrates land-based knowledges.
4) The examination of how restoration ecology perpetuates what Dr. Grenz calls "Eden ecology," or the concept of returning an ecosystem to a pre-contact "pristine state" and how that completely erases Indigenous land stewardship practices that were happening pre-contact.
5) Intentionally trying to incorporate some of the suggested terminology for Indigenous ecology provided on page 145 in my work moving forward, as well as generally encouraging a relational lens to land in my public messaging moving forward.
Thank you for this gift, Dr. Grenz.
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