Jasper Markle, Certified Herbalist
In a society of high-speed, jam-packed schedules, forgotten dreams, damaged familial relations, and depression, people are traveling far away from the sacredness of life. Getting caught up in daily agendas, people sacrifice their happiness and joy for technological perks. We may overdose ourselves with shots of espresso, sugar, and cigarettes just to be able to move through mundane and exhausting days; or may use alcohol and meaningless sex to release the stress we could not avoid.
I stand back, with tears flooding my eyes, for this new, damaging lifestyle has become the norm for modern society. From the deepest recesses of my being, I ask, “What has happened to the human race to create broken families, damaged self-image and self-expression, and common apathy? How can people be reminded of who we are and where we come from, so that the vitality of the human race ceases to decline?”
In my years of study, I have discovered and maintained an ecopsychological response to these questions, realizing that for humans to reverse this plummet of holistic wellness, we must reconnect to their roots within the natural world. A challenging endeavor: how do humans re-root themselves when current societal demands and concrete jungles seem to place limits on repairing this connection?
In a technological and fast-paced culture, practicing sacred sensuality is a gateway to vitality for it re-aligns people with the sacredness of their senses, reminding them of their own rhythm and how that rhythm flows in the universal sea. A dramatic key to the vitality of the human race is to re-emerge as sensual beings. Remembering the sacredness that lives within and connects us with all life is essential for all species on this planet. Engaging with the sacred gifts of sight, smell, hearing, touch, and taste, suddenly people may find themselves seeing the unseen. Colors, textures, and contours are more vibrant and noticeable. We notice the ant crossing our path and then step to the left to avoid crushing her. We stop to smell roses every chance we have, and the scent transmits beauty, love, compassion, and images of the universal family, allowing positive emotion to transcend any stress.
We hear sweet words and sounds with our heart, and suddenly the crack of thunder in the middle of the night, or the crow’s call before sunrise is a gift that invites us to bask in the sweetness and oneness of creation. Touch loses expectation and becomes a welcomed and generous experience between all beings. We welcome the visit of the buzzing bee upon our shoulder, realizing his touch, his visit, is a “Hello,” not a threat. Food, in all of its dramatic and unique flavor, becomes rich with an abundance of tones: sweet, bitter, pungent, sour, salty, and everything in between! We feel satiated with less and desire for nothing.
We are sensual beings, reconnecting with the sacred sensuality of all life… may we re-discover who we are within this grand universe by engaging with the gift of sense.
Join Jasper on May 7th to learn more about falling in love with the sensual self, and re-emerging as a vital being in a vibrant world.
