Radical Joy Revealed
May 24, 2017
g

Radical Joy Revealed is a weekly message of inspiration about finding and making beauty in wounded places. We hope you'll enjoy these doorways into places that are both familiar and surprising, and we welcome your suggestions, stories, and photos. Click here to subscribe. 


Altar with bird
Darby Creek Altar and RadJoy Bird, Global Earth Exchange 2010. Photo by Katherine Etters


In considering whether to participate in the annual Radical Joy for Hard Times Global Earth Exchange, some people hesitate. They think they're going to have to gather a group together and do something large and public and noisy.


Not at all! As we say in our Ten Ways You Can't Do It Wrong, "It's an Earth Exchange, whether it's just you and a friend. Or just you and the Earth."

Here's a story about a lovely solo event that Katherine Etters did on the occasion of our very first Global Earth Exchange in 2010. 

I started my ceremony at 6:00am on the trail of Darby Creek at Skunk Hollow Preserve in Pennsylvania. I was alone that morning as I made an altar around two trees along the creek.
 
Within the altar I made the Radical Joy bird and placed a bottle of creek water with the words, Peace, Love, Balance, Joy, Gratitude, Beauty, Wisdom, Holy Water, Healing, Energy, Clarity and Light written on it in the middle.
 
I sang, drummed, and gave gifts of cornmeal and tobacco to the creek, as I prayed for healing to the waters everywhere.
 
I left the flag hanging and postcards at the altar for foot traffic to see throughout the day.
 
I had several friends participate in spirit; including a group participating in a sweat lodge and sending prayers for all the groups making beauty around the world.
 
At the end of the day I returned to collect the items and leave the site as it was before I arrived. I returned the rocks around the altar to the water and had a closing ceremony. It was obvious that others had stopped to observe and even participate in their day.

The Global Earth Exchange is a day for giving a gift of beauty back to a place that's given a lot to humans. Please join the world in making beauty for the Earth. And, remember, you're not really alone when you're in a place you love! 

To discover other stories of inspiring people, stories, photos, and ideas, subscribe to
The 9th annual Global Earth Exchange is Saturday, June 17! On this day people all over the world go to damaged places they care about, share their stories, and make a simple gift of beauty for the place. Our theme this year is...

Sharing Love of Place
q
For more information and to register, see our website.
 
Just in time for the Global Earth Exchange!

New from Radical Joy for Hard Times founder
Trebbe Johnson:
a book filled with ideas for creating simple, imaginative, collaborative gifts of beauty for hurt places in nature and in your community! 
   
To order click here.
Radical Joy for Hard Times is a global community of people dedicated to finding and making beauty in wounded places. Reconnecting with these places, sharing our stories of loss, and making acts of beauty there, we transform the land, reconnect people and the places that nourish them, and empower ourselves to make a difference in the way we live on Earth. 
Donate to help Radical Joy


Each week Radical Joy Revealed comes to you free of charge with inspiring stories and suggestions for living with endangered places in creative, life-affirming ways. It takes thought, imagination, and a sense of timing to uncover and write the stories, choose just the right images to accompany them, and prepare them for distribution, and we could use your financial help. Please show your support of Radical Joy Revealed by making a tax-deductible donation to our non-profit organization.

Know someone else that would be interested in our organization?
Not yet signed up to receive our  emails?

Copyright © 2016. All Rights Reserved.