Speaking with Nature: Awakening to the Deep Wisdom of the Earth

by Sandra Ingerman, Llyn Roberts

Connecting with nature and nature beings to help heal us and the Earth

• Provides experiential practices to communicate with nature and access the creative power of the Earth

• Shares transformative wisdom teachings from conversations with nature beings, such as Snowy Owl, Snake, Blackberry, Mushroom, and Glacial Silt, exploring the role of each in bringing balance to the planet

• 2015 Nautilus Gold Award

Nature and the Earth are conscious. They speak to us through our dreams, intuition, and deep longings. By opening our minds, hearts, and senses we can consciously awaken to the magic of the wild, the rhythms of nature, and the profound feminine wisdom of the Earth. We can connect with nature spirits who have deep compassion and love for us, offering their guidance and support as we each make our journey through life.

Renowned shamanic teachers Sandra Ingerman and Llyn Roberts explain how anyone can access the spirit of nature whether through animals, plants, trees, or insects, or through other nature beings such as Mist or Sand. They share transformative wisdom teachings from their own conversations with nature spirits, such as Snowy Owl, Snake, Blackberry, Mushroom, and Glacial Silt, revealing powerful lessons about the feminine qualities of nature and about the reader’s role in the healing of the Earth. They provide a wealth of experiential practices that allow each of us to connect with the creative power of nature. Full of rich imagery, these approaches can be used in a backyard, in the wilderness, in a city park, or even purely through imagination, allowing anyone to communicate with and seek guidance from nature beings no matter where you live.

By communing and musing with nature, we learn how to speak to the spirit that lives in all things, bringing balance to us and the planet. By tapping into the feminine wisdom of the Earth, we evoke a deep sense of belonging with the natural world and cultivate our inner landscape, planting the seeds for harmony and a natural state of joy.

Genres: Spirituality, Nature, Nonfiction, Environment, Philosophy, Ecology, Animals

288 pages, Paperback

First published April 23, 2015

About the author

Sandra Ingerman, MA, is the author of 8 books, 7 CD programs and the creator of Transmutation App. She is a world renowned teacher of shamanism and has been teaching for over 30 years.

She teaches workshops internationally on shamanic journeying, healing, and reversing environmental pollution using spiritual methods. She has trained and founded an international alliance of Medicine for the Earth Teachers and shamanic teachers. Sandra is recognized for bridging ancient cross-cultural healing methods into our modern culture addressing the needs of our times.

Sandra is devoted to teaching people how we can work together as a global community to bring about positive change for the planet.

Sandra is a licensed Marriage and Family therapist and Professional Mental Health Counselor. She is also a board certified expert on traumatic stress as well as certified in acute traumatic stress management. She was awarded the 2007 Peace Award from the Global Foundation for Integrative Medicine. Sandra was chosen as one of the Top Ten Spiritual Leaders of 2013 in the November/December Issue of Spirituality and Health.

Reviews

[Amy Dale · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not what I expected. I thought this would be a lovely book on communicating with animals and plants, but it's just a bunch of essays by 2 women on their own take on what they imagine nature is trying to tell us, not actual messages received. Most of it is obvious and the practices that accompany each essay are nothing one couldn't think up oneself. A lot of rambling about their own lives as well. I read 45% then skimmed the rest. There are Far better books on animal communication than this.

[Myada Elmasry · Rating 3 out of 5]

speaking with nature الكتاب الذي وعدني بالكثير في البداية


المفروض ان الكتاب عبارة عن مقالات للكاتبتين ساندرا ولين ،كل مقالة بتتكلم عن حيوان معين او نوع من الأشجار أو المزروعات الآخرى واوجه الشبه بين الكائن او النبات ده وبين الإنسان علشان نعرف علاقتنا الوثيقة بالطبيعة لكن الحقيقة فجأة لقيتهم بيتكلموا عن القوى السحرية للمخلوقات دي في معتقدات القبائل الأولية زي الشامانية مثلا ، وربطها بالإنسان يعني بغض النظر عن معتقداتهم الخارقة دي انا بالنسبة لي بحب أساطير الأولين جدا لأن بيبقى وراها حكمة خفية لكن مش كنوع من الإيمان الحقيقي بيها وبأحداثها..

الأهم بقى ان أوجه التشابه اللى بين الطبيعة والإنسان اوجه حقيقية يقبلها العقل والمنطق والدين وكل حاجة لكن هما ذكروا الأوجه دي بشكل بسيط جدا وركزوا أكتر على روحانيات منبعها أساطير ألفها الإنسان.
كان في حكايات لطيفة برضه عن الأرض والطبيعة وانا بحب الكلام عن الطبيعة وده اللى خلاني اقيم الكتاب بتلت نجوم لكن الحقيقة الكتاب أبعد وأقل بكتير من توقعاتي اللى مجاتش من فراغ ولكن هما وندوا بيها في مقدمة الكتاب.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I've read others by Sandra, but this one is a different. She and Lyn take turns musing on different natural entities around them, showing us how all life on earth is deeply symbiotic, and that a move to protect the environment is absolutely essential at this time. Theirs is a deeply sensitive, personal, spiritual take on nature. Some may find it a bit too "out there" for them, but I absolutely loved the mix of science and shamanistic spirituality.

[Claudia Berdej · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good not great, there are better books out there on the topic. This is a collection of personal essays on meditating and connecting with the natural world. Focus heavily on personal perceptions without offering much new insight - most of it felt like common sense. The meditations offered are pretty basic too. This book was a great source of reflection for me but without really teaching me anything new!

[Marie Corbitt]

Loved this book!

Some favorite quotes I want to document for later:

"Relax the mind, touch the earth, and drop into the heart and body."

"Protector energies are a feminine expression of fierce nurturance."

"It is who we become that changes thh world, and not just what we do."

"In its original Aramaic, the "abracadabra" famously used by magicians derives from abraq ad habra, which literally translates as, "I will create as I speak.""

"Corn teaches that anything in its full maturity gives of itself."

"If the dark is intense, illuminated it will be truly powerful."

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book did not offer any profound insights and I thought the subject matter and exercises lacked depth. Honestly, kind of reeked of privilege as well. Yawn.

[Ilyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. I gained a lot of insight into how to connect with nature on a deeper level, and I found that the more I read, the more I intuitively used the practices described at the end of each section (as opposed to bringing the book with me to remind me what to do on my nature walks!). I also found a lot of synchronicities popping up as I read--for example, after I had read the section on Banana Slug/Earthworm, I found myself on an impromptu journey to a local park where I discovered a HUGE banana slug crawling among the fungi. Many synchronicities like this occurred, whether an encounter with a being in nature that I had read about or reading something within the pages that spoke to my soul and/or answered a question that I had about where I was going on my path. This book definitely opened my eyes to a new way of being in the world, and a remembrance of the root of my spiritual practice.

That being said, I was little put off by the repeated allusions to "thinking the world you want into being." I understand wanting to put good energy out into the universe, and I try to do it as much as I can, but I feel like the authors skipped over the realities of privilege (class/race/etc.) that play into whether or not someone can just "imagine the world they want into being." I think it would have been beneficial to promote the practice while at the same time acknowledging that it's likely easier for some than others.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was really a collection of essays. Sandra even says that. The writing was, as earthy as you’d expect, weirdly ungrounded to me and often times would spiral on all these weird tangents that didn’t have anything to do with the subject matter. I can see how people could find it deep, rich, and beautiful but it didn’t resonate for me. I could’ve easily passed on this.

Llyn’s writing particularly made me feel weird in a not good way. Kind of skeevie. It was also a little annoying how, let’s say they combine where one does a slug and one does an earthworm this weird praising and acknowledgment they did to each other at the start of the next author’s section. It reminded me of forced feedback in school writing assignments. I dunno, I could’ve not read this and would’ve been peachy keen. It was a burden to get through.

One cool thing was learning about Tuva throat singers. They’re very interesting! Though I’m still aggravated, the one thing I was actively looking forward to was Llyn’s last chapter on the Starry Princess. I finished the chapter like, “wait, a culture acknowledges a Starry Princess and I read all that and literally don’t even know the heck the Starry Princess is or is symbolic of? Just connecting to Pleiades?” Yet I read pages and pages of Oxalis descriptions and banana slugs and whatnot. Ugh.

A lot of this felt more like the image of spirituality and what you expect spiritual people to say. Kind of hollow.

[Kat · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's hard to rate a nonfiction book. I didn't personally get a lot of value from this book, and found the format nonsensical. The chapters alternate between "essays", and are formatted in paired essays. Sometimes these correspond (but not really) and sometimes they are so distantly connected you get a sense the pairing was more about necessity, like that final table of wedding guests, a catchment for what was left over.

I'm a nature lover and gravitate towards topics relating to spirituality and mysticism. This book really did feel like someone's personal experience with nature but wasn't particularly illuminating or insightful. The subject matter felt meandering and vague. If I have to read "a Native friend" one more time, I'll lose my mind. The authors seem to lean into their proximity to Indigenous cultures to validate their perspectives. It felt insincere and inauthentic.

The meditations may be fun, though I imagine that I will never feel the urge to pick it up again.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

The read is well written by Sandra Ingerman and Llyn Roberts. Both speak to their experiences connecting with mother earth and nature beings including animals, plants, elements and gnomes. Each interaction they write about sheds knowledge about our creative earth and the essentialism of all living parts.

[John Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the subject matter. Sandra Ingerman is one of my favorites.

[Trice]

2021.02.06 @19%
“In indigenous traditions the spiritual process of being sculpted is considered to be an initiation. Likewise the ego is carved and polished by different life circumstances-or initiations-that reveal our inner light. We experience change, the little deaths of life, and then we are reborn. In each person's lifetime happens again and again. This is how we mature, grow, and evolve.

“We are body, mind, and spirit. When we step away from body and mind, we discover we are luminous beings, not quite as solid as is often taught in our modern Western culture. We are not simply matter and form; we are divine light.”
...
“We go through a process of surrender to our inner light and our inner knowing; time and experience carve us into beings that allow our true beauty to shine forth.”

[Trice]

Just received a paperback of this one bc it deserves the focus of a tactile read, and a place on my shelf next to Braiding Sweetgrass ❤️

[Elisabete Henriques · Rating 4 out of 5]

Um livro inspirador repleto de belos pensamentos, de belas partilhas, dicas e práticas. Tenho vontade de o traduzir para português...
É importante clarificar e resgatar o conceito de Sagrado e a Conexão com a Terra. Urgente!

[Mary-Marcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the book, browsed the essays; didn't read it back to back. Overall nourishing; may well return to read again; consider nature in daily circumstances and in dreams/daydreams. Thoughtful writing.

[CallMe.Tippy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not exactly what I thought it was going to be but not bad either. It did remind of somethings that I need to get back into but not exactly the type of book I enjoy reading. I prefer more of a knowledge based book an subjects like these and this felt more like story telling.

[Melinda Hammen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking forward to putting some of the practices into action & deepening my connection with Mother Earth.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

lovely insights and ways to connect with nature. i couldn't finish this one though-it may be better in paperback than audiobook.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful book a real escape into remembering nature all around use and a way to connect with mother earth I truly enjoyed this book

[Elena Rego · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a lovely meandering meditative journey through the teachings that can be found in relationship with the multitude of aspects related to nature. Each essay offered up a new practice to deepen your connection. I really enjoy this book as a respite from the other books and activities going on in my life and highly recommend reading it while outside in your yard, a park or open natural spaces.

Booktube review can be found here: https://youtu.be/CG8HGWdOM6U

[Dodie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book as an audio book. At first a was disappointed because the format is very different then her other audio books. There was no music included. But with that said this book is filled with so much good information, practices and meditation. I know I will revisit this book again and again.

[Darceylaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is from a tradition that is different from my own, and so it was a challenge for me to stay open minded as I read. Its form is an alternating pattern of essays and practices. I often read the book outside, usually by a lake or creek, and so was often able to do some of the practices as I read. The essays are a bit uneven- some are really cogent and interesting, others seem like a list of related ideas that never got fleshed out (like the one on spirals).
Ultimately there were enough useful ideas and practices in the book that I'm glad I stuck with it. I imagine refering back to it in the future.

[W. Hartman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had to reread it. I liked the book. The narrative was pleasant, the examples and anecdotes were rich.
The only problem I had was the overemphasis on the “divine feminine”. If I had a euro for every time this concept came back, I’d have enough money to buy me four coffees in Paris - and that’s expensive there.
I liked the exercises at the end of each chapter. Very useful.
All in all a good book. Pleasure to read.

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet and kind and generous of spirit, sharing information from different cultures and lifestyles, past and present, connecting the reader with nature in new and different ways. Open your mind and open your heart to a gentler way of being with nature, your own personal way of being with nature.

[Cathy D · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book reads like a series of short essays by Sandra and by Llyn. I preferred Sandra's essays to Llyn's which seemed, in my opinion, more woo-woo. However, if you've read other stuff by Sandra, or other shamanic type stuff, this is just more of the same. Not bad, but it doesn't break any new ground.

[Threedogs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sandra is exceptional in her connection to the Eath an Spirit world.