Planting New Seeds for the Earthlodge Center

Ok.  So you all know me and I want to make sure that you also know the Earthlodge and understand why it's important to me.

The Earthlodge Center for Transformation is an urban sanctuary located on Long Beach's Westside. It is 10,000 square feet of lush jungle with 75 plant species including stinging nettle, sage, and mulberry bushes in addition to avocado, lemon, fig and apple trees. It is truly a sight to behold. The Earthlodge is a community health and wellness center founded by Queen Hollins, a Black Queer Elder and Sage. For years, it was funded right out of her own pocketbook and heart. If someone needed a meal, she'd cook it and serve it. If someone needed respite in the form of a moment by the fire or a bed to sleep in or a place to pitch a tent for a couple of days she said yes. If someone needed a healing either spiritually or mentally or physically she would bring her bag of tools and medicine and go right to work. 

While Queen still operates very  much in the same way, the Earthlodge is growing, serving more and more community members and increasing our programmatic offerings. It can no longer fit inside of Queen's pocketbook.

For example, our Drum Wellness Circles have begun attracting groups of up to 40 participants and are now hosted both  onsite at the Earthlodge as well as out in community, a testament to the power of and the need for the healing vibrations of the drum; QTBIPOC Sangha,  is about to celebrate it's 3rd anniversary of bringing curated mindfulness experiences both on the land, in the community and online, where it has been connecting to participants all over the country. Hands on the Land engages the support of volunteers, both young and old, to help maintain the land and to plant and harvest, while experiencing the healing power of connecting to nature, something so important for people living in urban communities where there isn't a lot of green spaces to safely enjoy.  Seasonal Ceremony, the linchpin of all our programming, still attracts the largest group of participants proving to us that nature-based wellness practices and mindfulness not only resonates with the community but is the medicine that so many of us need in these volatile political and environmental times. 

So why is the Earthlodge important to me? Because I use these services. All of them, and my life is better for it. I get my hands on the drums and in the dirt and I understand first-hand the power of this medicine.

Please give to keep the medicine coming.

Love and Blessings,

Cynthia