Cultivating reciprocity in our lives can be achieved through simple practices that help foster a sense of connection, gratitude, and responsibility. Here are some suggestions:

Express gratitude: Take time each day to express gratitude for the gifts and blessings in your life. This can be done through journaling, silent reflection, or sharing your gratitude with others. Acknowledge the ways in which the natural world supports and nourishes you, and express thanks for those relationships.

Offer reciprocity to nature: Engage in acts of reciprocity towards the natural world. This can involve caring for plants, tending to a garden, or participating in environmental conservation efforts. Take actions that demonstrate your respect and responsibility for the Earth, such as reducing waste, conserving resources, and supporting sustainable practices.

Practice active listening: Develop the skill of deep listening—to the natural world, to others, and to yourself. By actively listening, we cultivate an awareness of the needs and perspectives of others, human and non-human alike. This allows us to respond with empathy and reciprocity in our relationships.

Engage in ceremony or ritual: Incorporate ceremonial practices into your life that honor and acknowledge the interconnectedness of all beings. This can involve creating personal rituals that involve offerings, prayers, or meditative practices that foster a sense of reciprocity and reverence for the world around you.

Learn from indigenous wisdom: Seek out and learn from indigenous cultures and their wisdom. Read books, attend workshops, or engage in conversations with indigenous peoples who are willing to share their knowledge and teachings. Respectfully listen and learn about their reciprocal relationships with the land, plants, animals, and ancestral traditions.

Share your gifts and talents: Recognise your unique gifts, talents, and skills, and find ways to share them with others and the Earth.

Root your offerings: When you visit a family member or friend, is there something you can take along as an offering that aids in their connection and belonging? Can you cook them something from berries you’ve foraged, or create something meaningful for their home?

Seasonal altars: Creating art and altars of reverence seeps into reciprocity in the ceremonial sense. Can you do this to give thanks to nature, celebrating each season. Can you involve others in the process and initiate a practice of deeper presence and connection?

Share human celebration: Music, song, conversation, food, togetherness… where can you create more of these fundamental aspects of the human experience, so often lost in modern lives?

Here are some resources that can help you explore indigenous perspectives and teachings:

Books:

The Story is in Our Bones: How Worldviews and Climate Justice Can Remake a World in Crisis, by Osprey Orielle Lake

"Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants" by Robin Wall Kimmerer

"The Four Sacred Gifts: Indigenous Wisdom for Modern Times" by Anita L. Sanchez

"The Wisdom of the Native Americans" edited by Kent Nerburn

"Original Instructions: Indigenous Teachings for a Sustainable Future" edited by Melissa K. Nelson

“Nature and the Human Soul’ by Bill Plotkin

Websites and organisations:

The Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN) International engages women and feminists across the gender spectrum worldwide in policy advocacy, on-the-ground projects, direct action, trainings, and movement building for global climate justice.

INDIGENOUS MEDICINE CONSERVATION FUND

Native Land (https://native-land.ca/): An interactive map that allows you to explore the indigenous territories, languages, and treaties of different regions.

Indigenous Environmental Network (https://www.ienearth.org/): An organization focused on environmental justice and indigenous rights, providing resources and information on indigenous wisdom and practices.

Cultural Survival (https://www.culturalsurvival.org/): A nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating for indigenous peoples' rights and sharing their cultures and knowledge.

American Indian College Fund (https://collegefund.org/): A resource hub that supports Native American students and provides information on indigenous cultures, including their wisdom and teachings.

Indigenous Voices and Lectures:

TED Talks: TED often features talks by indigenous speakers who share their perspectives and wisdom. Searching for keywords like "indigenous wisdom" or specific indigenous speakers can lead you to insightful talks.

Indigenous Podcasts: There are several podcasts that amplify indigenous voices and share their stories and teachings. Examples include All My Relations, Coffee with My Ma, Matriarch Movement, Green Dreamers, For The Wild, Bioneers, and our podcast, Rooted Healing.

Community Events and Workshops:

Look for local events, workshops, and conferences that focus on indigenous culture and wisdom. These can be opportunities to learn directly from indigenous elders, knowledge keepers, and community members.

It's important to approach these resources with respect, recognising that indigenous wisdom is deeply rooted in specific cultural contexts and should be learned with cultural sensitivity and humility.