by Lavertyt | Sep 1, 2020 | #MétisMindful
I am taught through stories and lessons that we have a natural desire to work and contribute. The old people believe that engaging in our labours in a positive manner builds our character and infuses our products with the energy needed to sustain us. The...
by Lavertyt | Aug 18, 2020 | #MétisMindful
The old people were masters at maintaining a respectful relationship with their environments. They remind me that we have to experience both abundance and scarcity to learn the skills of conservation. Balance is learning to live without fear of one or the other, but...
by Lavertyt | Aug 11, 2020 | #MétisMindful
Summer provides many opportunities to come together and spread ourselves out on the ground with all we need for body and soul. Although picnics are a very common sight in our communities, we sometimes forget the inherent value of celebration. Métis history can seem...
by Lavertyt | Aug 4, 2020 | #MétisMindful
The moon in August is known as “Flying Up Moon”. This time when young birds are trying their wings and practicing flying is ripe with lessons for the thoughtful observer. As I watch, I am reminded of how important it must be for birds to know that they are birds....
by Lavertyt | Jul 28, 2020 | #MétisMindful
Berry picking in the summer was about more than nutrition and medicines. In fact, the old people tell me that the bonds forged between the young girls and the elders during this activity formed the backbone of the community. The positive energy, laughter and deep...
by Lavertyt | Jul 21, 2020 | #MétisMindful
The old people remind me that community isn’t something they were taught. They were not told to gather wood or light a fire, but they gathered wood and lit fires to help each other feel warmth. Summer is a time of abundance and work, but our love and respect...
by Lavertyt | Jul 14, 2020 | #MétisMindful
Summer was a time when traditionally, families work together to harvest fish in nets and then spend hours processing and smoking them. The fish would be used for long paddles, winter stores or income and the time spent working together served to build and strengthen...
by Lavertyt | Jul 9, 2020 | #MétisMindful
A Summer full of growth and connections can fly by in a blur. I am told that if we learn to sit with the world in such a way that we can come to hear the creaking of the raspberry branches as they bend under the weight of the developing fruit, then we will have...
by Lavertyt | Jun 30, 2020 | #MétisMindful
The old people remind me that while summer is a time of explosive energy and intensive work, it is also a time that requires great patience and trust. Like our winged relatives we must wait for our eggs to hatch in their own time, trusting that we have done all that...
by Lavertyt | Jun 24, 2020 | #MétisMindful
We greet summer this week with deep breaths, open hearts and engaged minds. As with each season, summer brings very specific wonders and learnings. The old people tell me that summer is the time of growth, development and abundant energy and if we keep hard work and...
