Ramona Moonflower on protecting the Redwoods in the 90's, using forest therapy to re-connect to place

The Ground Shots Podcast

This episode of the Ground Shots Podcast features a conversation with Ramona Moonflower Rubin, an activist and forest therapist living in the Bay area of California.

Ramona Moonflower Rubin walks a path woven of science, spirituality and activism connecting human and ecological health. Ramona studied Cultural Ecology at the University of Santa Cruz and has a Master's in Public Health from the University of Michigan. She founded Healing Forest Guide to facilitate a deep conversation about how we experience and relate to the natural world. Ramona lives in Berkeley California on Chochenyo Ohlone ancestral land at the ancient settlement of Huchiun. She teaches from her diverse fields of study: ecology, permaculture, California native plants, sustainable agriculture, nutrition, public health, integrative medicine, cannabis science, ethnobotany and forest therapy. Based in her Judaic heritage and influenced by Buddhist, shamanic and earth-based traditions, Ramona’s approach to spirituality is open and grounded in welcoming the sensory experience of the present. Her ceremonial practice is based on the conviction that other beings embody an intelligence, and that it is our sacred heritage and right to interact with and experience this intelligence.

I sat down and had a brief conversation with Ramona after we both participated in the march to Oak Flat this past February with the Apache Stronghold primarily organized by the local San Carlos Apache folks. The march to Oak Flat is a prayer-focused walk with the intention of bringing awareness to an unlawful copper mine trying to make it's way on sacred Apache land.

In this episode with Ramona we talk about:

Ramona's environmental activism work being involved in protecting old growth Redwoods in the 90's in northern California

the different motivations behind the Redwood campaign Ramona was involved with in the 90's

different ways of approaching direct action

the connection between Salmon and the Redwoods

how the potential for grief increases the more we feel connected to the land around us in a society that does not feel that same connection

forest therapy

Links:

Follow Ramona on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/r_moonflower/

Ramona’s website: http://www.healingforestguide.com

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Theme music: 'Sweat and Splinters' by Mother Marrow

Interstitial music: ‘The Gray Sea’ by West of Roan

West of Roan’s website: http://www.westofroan.com

Hosted by: Kelly Moody

Produced by: Kelly Moody and Opia Creative