We cannot know the intuitive force of this world
but we can hear its silent call – and heed.
I ran down the hill to drink from the river.
I fell and tumbled on the way,
and hot blood sprang from my knees and elbows,
making the river red.
The mighty wolf mother cradled me there.
I roamed with the buffaloes
then migrated south with the cormorants
and became a pond to be drunk up myself.
I am the cup of life like we all are.
One of these days I will evaporate
and dance with the clouds
then return as a raindrop
to nourish your garden.
One of these days
I will find my way home.
—
Justus Wachs is a participatory action researcher, poet, and PhD candidate at McGill University in Montreal. Combining contemplative practices with creative methods like poetry, storytelling, and meditation, his work explores how inner transformations of values and worldviews can inspire collective action and systemic change. With a decade of environmental activism and creative facilitation, Justus engages with sustainability-focused activists and organizations to foster transformative learning and address socio-ecological crises.
