Collisions of Earth and Sky: Connecting with Nature for Nourishment, Reflection, and Transformation

Health and wellness coach Barr (What Comes Next) offers strategies for reconnecting with nature in this gorgeously written outing. Nature helps humans connect to greater forces, writes Barr, as well as lets them tap into their inner “humanness” and become “better planetary citizens.” Barr, who acknowledges that she writes from Minnesota on Dakota nation land, notes “the land holds stories I will never know”; connecting with nature involves examining the self and the land’s deep history. In three sections, readers are guided on this quest. In “Origin,” Barr talks about examining one’s cultural and familial histories, along with the history of the land one inhabits, and especially its Indigenous roots. “Journey” suggests using nature as inspiration to unlearn harmful thought patterns and inspire personal change; while “Returning” emphasizes remembrance—drawing strength from the earth’s stories and one’s own. The author weaves her memories throughout—a childhood spent amid the prairies of South Dakota; adulthood in the iced-over winter landscapes of the Midwest—imbuing the account with a sense of awe. Barr’s sensitively written book combines practical guidance with ample opportunity for personal reflection, while taking care to foreground readers’ social and environmental responsibilities. This will be a welcome offering for anyone looking to commune with the natural world. (Jan.)