REVIEW BY PEGI EYERS
From her own experience and deep bond to the cycles and elements of the natural world, artist Maia Heissler has written a beautiful handbook for connecting with nature’s beauty and magic. Blending spiritual memoir, nature writing and DIY modalities, Maia’s goal is to re-sensitize people to the wisdom of nature and inspire us to love the Earth. She includes cultivated gardens in her discourse, as they ground us in the wonder of the “green fuse” - the regenerative and nurturing power of all green growing things. As our teachers and outdoor classrooms, gardens can be a peaceful sanctuary as well as a joyful and ever-changing means of personal expression. Maia’s narratives show how spending time in nature directly observing can lead to magical and oracular experiences. Her beautiful rune stones ("Lifestones") came about by allowing space for the deep meaning inherent in the movements of animals, birds, insects, wind and water; and the shapes of leaves, seed pods, roots and branches to come to her as insights that she translated into beautiful symbols. Maia also shares stories of the “wild places and wild things” she visits regularly and communes with as co-creator, setting up sacred sites such as a labyrinth walk and a “remembering tree” for obituaries. She offers great ideas for bringing nature indoors by creating personal altars, and for the crafting of items such as candleholders, planters, walking sticks, mobiles and spirit houses that emulate the interconnectivity of wild nature. Wild Things for the Soul is a timely and significant contribution to the genre of eco-literature!
 | Pegi Eyers is the author of "Ancient Spirit Rising: Reclaiming Your Roots & Restoring Earth Community," an award-winning book that explores strategies for intercultural competency, healing our relationships with Turtle Island First Nations, decolonization, recovering an ecocentric worldview, rewilding, creating a sustainable future and reclaiming peaceful co-existence in Earth Community. Amazon.com Stone Circle Press |
