Greetings from Ojai,
In recent months we have learned a new word that is worth sharing, worth remembering, and worth deeply contemplating.
It is a word that says so much, so profoundly, so concisely. It provides both instruction and a pathway forward, offering much-needed guidance in a time of profound uncertainty.
The word is rematriation, defined as “a return to a spiritual way of life with respect for Mother Earth.”
While the concept may not be new, the word has been in popular use for less than 10 years. Derived in part from repatriation, meaning “to bring or send a person or an object back to the country of birth or origin,” rematriation simultaneously draws us further back to remember a time before country and ownership and also deeply into the future with the imagination of what such a way of life might look like, emerging through present times.
We honor the many teachers, and especially the indigenous peoples who have been embodying and calling for rematriation for as long as anyone can remember, long before there was a word for it.
And we can see, in hindsight, that although we didn’t have a word for it, this has been a central aim of The Ojai Foundation since the beginning. We continue to center stewardship and right relationship with all of life, and join with others to contemplate what rematriation means for us, for these times, for all of our places, the sacred in all.
Thank you for being with us in this discovery.
The Executive Stewardship Circle
P.S. If anyone knows more on the origin of this word, please write to us to share what you know.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Visiting Hours
After an extended hiatus, we are thrilled to open the gates for Visiting Hours on select days. Pre-registration required.
October 24, 2021, 9:00 am – 2:00 pm. Register.
Please RSVP by clicking the links above and completing registration on our website.
Guided Nature Immersion – Forest Bathing for Health & Wellness with Elena Ríos
Rooted in ancient human practices of nature connection that are reflected in Indigenous Knowledge all over the world, this guided nature immersion is designed to assist you in slowing down, and finding your own way of being in relationship with nature, the land, and all its inhabitants. You will be given directions, in the form of invitations , to assist you. By observing with all of your senses, and “bathing” in the sunlight, shade of a tree, fresh air, and the organic compounds released from plants such as terpenes and immune-boosting phytoncides, you may begin to notice things in a way that you may never have noticed them before. Ends with a ceremony of sharing tea and some healthy snacks. There is no right or wrong way to do it, just come and be yourself! Elena Ríos is an ANFT Certified Nature & Forest Therapy Guide. Limited to ten people. Registration required.
Sunday, October 17, 2021 8:30 am – 10:30 am. Register.
Sunday, November 14, 2021 8:30 am – 10:30 am. Register.
Please RSVP by clicking the links above and completing registration on our website.
Volunteer Days of Service
Spend a day in community and in practice while giving back to the land.
Sunday, October 24, 2021. Register.
Sunday, November 14, 2021. Register.
Please RSVP by clicking the links above and completing registration on our website.
NEWS
Join Our Team
TOF is hiring. We are looking for a full-time Registrar & Office Manager. This position works onsite and is responsible for welcoming guests, program registrations, and day-to-day office operations. Learn more and/or apply here.