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One of the goals of our work at Save Mount Diablo is to connect people with nature.

We do this work so people can benefit from nature and develop a love for nature so that they will want to help take care of our natural world. Love is the basis of good stewardship, and love comes from a direct and meaningful connection with something or someone.

Nature heals; time spent in nature can have numerous physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual benefits.

We’ve partnered with various organizations to take people out onto our lands so that they can spend time immersed in Diablo wild lands.

Most recently, we led a group of women from Shepherd’s Gate and ARM of Care on an educational hike and reflective solo at Save Mount Diablo’s Curry Canyon Ranch.

After this experience, Kim Carroll, Board Vice President at ARM of Care, wrote a wonderful reflection on the group’s experience at Curry Canyon Ranch.

Read Kim’s reflection below.

A Day at Curry Canyon Ranch

by Kim Carroll

The group gathered by a pond at Curry Canyon Ranch to experience the area with the staff at Save Mount Diablo. They reminded us that nature is for us all to enjoy, that nature heals.

The buzzing of the bees around the tarplants at the start was unnerving for some of the ladies.

After a few minutes, they noticed that the bees had a job to do and would do so if undisturbed. The bees were not out to get them, the buzzing became more comforting and less disturbing as they relaxed and felt safe.

ARM of Care was created to provide trauma-informed Art, Recreation, and Movement programs for those who have been sexually exploited or are at risk of exploitation.

Our goal is to help those we serve to find their voice, discover their own self-care activities, and develop resilience from their experiences.

We had a wonderful experience exploring the treasures of Curry Canyon Ranch with some residents and staff from Shepherd’s Gate. . . .

Nestled in this beautiful setting, the ranch provided us with quiet, closeup views of the mountain’s twin peaks, majestic oaks, a babbling creek, a secluded pond, and a variety of wildlife.

The women had a chance to quiet themselves and experience the healing effects of nature and connectedness with the land.

Ted Clement, Sean Burke, and Frenchy Hendryx were our guides. They spoke of the animals living in the area, and their interconnectedness. They helped us see how the land supports all living animals and how the animals (including us!) support the land.

Ted had us all reflect at how quiet the area was when we first arrived, and yet after about 30 minutes or so we all noticed a euphony of reverent sounds, the bees, the crickets and grasshoppers, the red-legged frogs waiting in the pond, ground squirrels chirping, songbirds singing, woodpeckers. . . . even the sound of jets flying high above seemed to have a place in our space during the solo.

We had a time to journal and reflect on what we saw, and what we could hear and how we felt especially in light of these two questions:

What is nature?

What is my part in nature?

Some of the responses shared were:

Nature is my home, I’m its steward

Nature is a healthy place, a sacred place for connection

I turn to nature when I’m stressed, it grounds me

All pieces come together into alignment  

It is a wondrous latticework providing a framework for sustained and vibrant life on many levels

Hug a tree, it is a portal to quiet alignment

I am Nature, not more than Nature—there is connection

Nature is accessible, especially in our area. The more we see ourselves as part of nature, the more we will be empowered to care for it and ourselves.

A big thank you to the staff at Save Mount Diablo for partnering with ARM of Care in giving such a wonderful experience that the women will remember and use to help them see that they are a part of a greater whole and can help others see the beauty around them.