We are on a sacred journey to awaken the dream of regeneration for the entire Colorado Basin. In the first week, we met with people of the headwaters up in the high mountains of the Rockies.
Now we have been invited into council with the people of Grand Junction where the great Gunnison River enters into confluence with the Colorado River.
I held a tobacco ceremony to seek guidance from the ancestors
This is a powerful way to travel — weaving landscapes alongside the water that has been doing so for millennia. We can feel the depths of this way of relating seeping into our bones. The waters speak with each other with blessings from higher places that are carried down below.
Speaking with members of the First Congregation Church in Grand Junction
As we speak for regeneration of the Earth, hearts are opened in new ways. I think the members of the First Congregational Church of Christ in Grand Junction were surprised to receive us. How could they have guessed we would bring the message of planetary collapse and landscape regeneration to their town?
It was deeply inspiring to see their reactions. Pride in local projects. Love for their landscape. A feeling that more can and must be done. The seeds of awakening have been planted here.
Feeling into deep time at Colorado National Monument
We took a vital break for contemplation by hiking around the Colorado National Monument — a true testament to the power of water and time. The rocks exposed here are hundreds of feet tall. They are what remains after millions of years with water carrying sediments to the sea.
These landscapes are interwoven with the flows of the Colorado River. Everywhere we look we can see the consequences and significance of her life-giving waters. We dream of regeneration for these landscapes and the landscapes respond with vibrance and flourishing.
Bees dance among the desert flowers
It is spring in the mountains and life is buzzing with exuberance. We saw many flowers drinking in the sky. Insects dancing with activity. Signs of water in the morning dew. There is so much power for deep connection in the desert.
A gift of water gathered from the Crystal River up in the mountains
We carry with us offerings from the birthplaces of water. They will arrive to the Sea of Cortex along with us in about a week. For now, we journey into the desert to feel the tapestry of waters that have shaped the epic canyonlands of Utah and Arizona. Fingerprints of the Colorado River are everywhere to behold.
If you would like to be involved in the regeneration of the Colorado Basin, sign up here to receive updates. You can also donate to help cover our travel expenses if you feel moved to do so.
Thank you and onward, fellow humans.
Joe Brewer is co-founder of the Design School for Regenerating Earth and author of The Design Pathway for Regenerating Earth. He will be accompanied by Penny Heiple and Benji Ross on this sacred journey in service to the Colorado Basin.
