Ritual for Glaciers
Map
Map
Story & Experience
We were in awe of the beauty of the lake and its surroundings, but our experience there was a bitter-sweet sensation. It is not permitted to enter the lake or go off the marked paths. On the one hand we appreciated that this beautiful place is being protected and on the other we felt that there was a barrier, we were physically separated from the surrounding web of life through rules, we could look but not touch! I couldn’t stop thinking that it is now we humans who are the devils that have cursed the rivers and lakes of life with our way of life.
It was a beautiful day in a beautiful place, but I personally found it difficult to feel the magic I usually associate with the summer solstice. It took us quite a while to find a place where we felt we welcomed enough to pause, connect and reflect on the changes that are happening in Switzerland. Finally a large, flat, table-like rock next to a flowing river called out to us.
After reflecting on what is happening in Switzerland around climate change, the four of us silently and respectfully collected given elements from the forest floor and started to create. We also included some glass and a used paint tube that we found.
We prepared our offerings, individually at first, and little by little a communal piece of art started to emerge where we were able to express our feelings about what is happening to the glaciers and other places in Switzerland.
As we left behind our creative offering, there was a sense of feeling more connected to the lake and the landscape. The trees, the moss, the whole forest seemed more vibrant than before, and now it seemed that many places were suddenly available to do more Global Earth Exchange Rituals.
We were in awe of the beauty of the lake and its surroundings, but our experience there was a bitter-sweet sensation. It is not permitted to enter the lake or go off the marked paths. On the one hand we appreciated that this beautiful place is being protected and on the other we felt that there was a barrier, we were physically separated from the surrounding web of life through rules, we could look but not touch! I couldn’t stop thinking that it is now we humans who are the devils that have cursed the rivers and lakes of life with our way of life.
It was a beautiful day in a beautiful place, but I personally found it difficult to feel the magic I usually associate with the summer solstice. It took us quite a while to find a place where we felt we welcomed enough to pause, connect and reflect on the changes that are happening in Switzerland. Finally a large, flat, table-like rock next to a flowing river called out to us.
After reflecting on what is happening in Switzerland around climate change, the four of us silently and respectfully collected given elements from the forest floor and started to create. We also included some glass and a used paint tube that we found.
We prepared our offerings, individually at first, and little by little a communal piece of art started to emerge where we were able to express our feelings about what is happening to the glaciers and other places in Switzerland.
As we left behind our creative offering, there was a sense of feeling more connected to the lake and the landscape. The trees, the moss, the whole forest seemed more vibrant than before, and now it seemed that many places were suddenly available to do more Global Earth Exchange Rituals.
Why this Place?
Deborence, Switzerland
As we were planning our trip to Switzerland to visit our son, a large section of the Birch Glacier broke off wiping Blatten, a 592-year-old village, off the map. That day we decided to dedicate our Global Earth Exchange Ritual to the Swiss glaciers.
Switzerland is experiencing significant warming due to climate change, with temperatures rising faster than the global average, causing the glaciers to melt and the permafrost to thaw. Since we didn’t want to damage the glaciers further, we chose to do our global earth exchange ritual at Lac Deborance in Switzerland.
Lac Deborance was formed after two rockfalls in the 18th century blocked the course of the Derbonne river. The landslides were said to be the work of the devil, and the mountains were renamed the Devils Mountains. Since the lake was thought to be cursed, nature was left alone for a long time.
Now, many years later, the pristine Derborence Valley is a nature reserve, full of alpine trees and flora and fauna. Perhaps this place would this be a sign of hope and resilience for climate change in Switzerland?
Act of Beauty
Our individual pieces of artwork gradually grew into a common piece of art. 4 sad faces were represented on stones. In the centre there was the sense of growth and hope as a treelike structure emerged from a used tube of orange paint and pinecones seemed to bloom in the direction of the river.
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