Leah Rampy, author, educator and retreat leader, discusses her work and recent book release“Earth and Soul: Reconnecting Amid Climate Chaos”. She emphasizes how facing the reality of climate change and loss can help us open our hearts and "come to our senses" , allowing our grief to empower us in reconnecting to the living world. Leah integrates ecology, spirituality and personal practices in guiding others to deepen this relationship. In this conversation, we also discuss the epidemic of loneliness, the importance of community, the concept of indigeneity and the challenges of finding one's place in a changing world. We hear all about the co-housing community in West Virginia where Leah lives with her husband, and her involvement with the Church of the Wild-Two Rivers, a place to find hope through community and connection with nature.

Topics Discussed· Leah discusses her book· Working with Al Gore & Biodiversity for a Livable Climate· Eco-Anxiety and Eco Grief· Older vs. Younger Generation Perceptions of Climate Loss· The Loss of Spring· How Being Busy Distances Us from the Earth· The Paradigm of Human Superiority· Our Language towards Nature· Distance or Disconnection· The Beauty of Worms· The Co-housing Movement· The Epidemic of Loneliness· A Community of Like-minded People or Like-hearted People· Indigeneity and Connection to the Land· Active Listening to the World Around Us· How Science Helps Us Understand Our World· The Tricky Thing about Hope· Age Diversity· Retreats and Pilgrimages

Episode Resources:· Read “Earth and Soul: Reconnecting Amid Climate Chaos” by Leah Rampy· Biodiversity for a Livable Climate· Shepherd Village· The Church of the Wild· Read the Lady Farmer Article "St Brigid The Lady Farmer”· Listen to The Good Dirt “The History and Folklore of Bridgid: Saint, Legend and Lady Farmer with Kathy Spaar”· Listen to The Good Dirt “185. Reimagining Our Place in the Landscape: Eco-Spirituality and Rewilding with Mary DeJong”· Read "Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest" by Suzanne Simard

Connect with Leah Rampy· Website: https://www.leahmoranrampy.com/· Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leahrampy/· Join Leah’s Mailing List: https://www.leahmoranrampy.com/subscribe.html━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━🌻 About Lady Farmer:· Subscribe to The ALMANAC, a Lady Farmer Newsletter & Community· Visit Our Website· Follow @weareladyfarmer on Instagram· Email us at thegooddirtpodcast@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail!Call 443-459-1950 and ask a question or share what the good dirt means to you!Original music by John Kingsley. Editing and podcast production by Fast Forward Production.🌿 The Good Dirt Producers:· Wendy Gray