Mālama ka ʻĀina — Care for and Protect the Land
Inspired by Braiding Sweetgrass
The teachings within “The Honorable Harvest” and “What Can We Give” remind us that every act of taking from the Earth is an opportunity to give in return. When we harvest, forage, or receive from nature, we enter into a sacred relationship — one built upon gratitude, respect, and reciprocity.
As we walk among the plants, we are invited to slow down and listen. To learn the ways of those who care for us, so we may care for them in return.
Guidelines for the Honorable Harvest
Know the ways of the ones who take care of you so that you may take care of them.
Introduce yourself.
Be accountable as one who comes asking for life.
Ask permission before taking, and honor the answer.
Never take the first, never take the last.
Take only what you need.
Take only what is given.
Never take more than half.
Leave some for others.
Harvest in a way that minimizes harm.
Use what you’ve taken with respect.
Never waste.
Share freely.
Give thanks for what you have been given.
Give a gift in reciprocity for what you have taken.
Sustain the ones who sustain you.
Trust that the Earth will last forever when honored this way.
Living in Balance with Mother Earth
When we awaken to the truth that Earth provides all that we need — food, medicine, air, shelter, and beauty — we begin to unlearn the consumer mindset taught by modern society. We move from ownership to relationship.
To live with balance is to remember that every purchase, every harvest, every breath carries energy. When we act with awareness, the world around us responds with abundance.
“We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors;
we borrow it from our children.”
— Native American Proverb
Ways to Mālama ʻĀina Every Day
Avoid Plastics
Plastics harm the moana (ocean), coral, and all beings within it. Choose glass, bamboo, hemp, or other biodegradable materials — gifts that return to the Earth without harm.
Buy Organic & GMO-Free
Even when labeling feels uncertain, our dollar is a vote. Each conscious choice strengthens the demand for sustainable and mindful growing practices.
Support Local
When we buy local, we nurture community and reduce the energy cost of transport. We nourish both the land and the hands that tend it.
Prayer
Our mana — life-force energy — grows stronger when we live in love rather than fear. Every breath can become a prayer: for clean water, for thriving forests, for peace. Prayer infuses the Earth with our vibration of gratitude.
Walk Barefoot
Earthing reconnects our bodies to the electromagnetic pulse of the planet. The soil recognizes us. The animals sense our peace. The land feels our presence once again.
Talk or Sing to Plants
Your voice carries healing frequency. Speak gently, sing freely. Your plants, your pets, even the soil respond to your vibration. Sound becomes ceremony; your words, medicine.
A Gentle Reminder
There is more than enough on this Earth for every being to live well — but not enough for each of us to take more than we need. When we act with care, balance, and gratitude, the Earth responds in kind.
You are light. You are love. You are a blessing — not separate from Mother Earth, but an expression of her heart.
“The Earth is our oldest ancestor —
the one who remembers us before we were born.
Her pulse moves beneath our feet,
her breath fills our lungs.
When we walk gently, give humbly, and live in gratitude,
we return home to her —
and she welcomes us as her own.”
References
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
With Love, Irma Rose
