“When the inner joy Mother Grounded by her daily interac-
Teresa spoke of, the joy of
tion with foxes, bears, wolves, lynx,
compassionate service, is
bobcats, cougars, coyotes, buffalo,
married to a practical and
badgers and other animals cared for at
the Institute, Eirich seeks to help her
pragmatic drive to transform
own species share in the indescribable
all existing economic, social
beauty of the human/animal eye-to-
and political institutions, eye and heart-to-heart connection that
a radical and potentially
she and her small staff experience. A
all-transforming holy force is
moment-to-moment spiritual practice
McCabe Coolidge
born. This radical holy force
of communing with nature and listen-
five years to help feed the hungry of all
ing in the silence for something larger
I call sacred activism.”
ages: Healthy Snacks for Hungry Kids,
gifts Eirich with an ability to give words
~ Andrew Harvey, author
Souper Douper Soup Circles and a lo-
to thoughts and ideas that come from
and activist
cal chapter of Empty Bowls, a national
a deep inner place. “The directive
initiative. “We’re all about addressing
that comes from the silence within is
problems when they are small, so that
different and evolves in a way that I
the ancient tradition of gleaning in
only small, manageable solutions are
wouldn’t plan for if I was only working
their Floyd, Virginia community. They
necessary.”
from the intellect,” she explains.
explain that in biblical times, the edge
McCabe cites Dorothy Day (1897-
One of the best stories that poign-
of a farmer’s crop was left unharvested
1980), who started a soup kitchen
antly conveys the sacred animal/human
to provide food for the poor. Through
in New York City in the 1930s as his
interaction experienced at Earthfire
their Portable Produce project, begun
inspiration, as well as Catholic Workers
involves Thunder, a 17-year-old wolf
two years ago, overplanted crops, as
Communities, where he was active in
that laid for several days unconscious
well as bruised or marked produce that
the 1980s. Day’s activism began with
in the wildlife garden, beyond the sight
can’t be sold, find new purpose.
an internship at Faithful Fools Street
of other wolves, ready to slip away to
During growing season, the quali-
Ministry in San Francisco, inspired and
the spirit world. The vet knelt beside
fying produce picked and donated by
co-founded by Rev. Kay Jorgensen, a
Thunder and stroked his fur as he gave
Unitarian minister.
a merciful injection. In the second that
the once strong and regal wolf died, as
Contact Portable Produce, Wildfire
his soul passed from his body, all 30
Pots, Winter Sun-302, S. Locust St., Floyd,
wolves at Earthfire gave up their griev-
VA; 540-357-5657;
PlentyLocal.org.
ing howl.
“The vet was shocked to feel the
Susan Eirich, Animal-Human
sound resonate within his body,” recalls
Interaction Activist
Eirich. “Even though Thunder’s pack
was nowhere near the garden, they felt
Susan Eirich, Ph.D., has been in love
his passing and wanted to say goodbye
with animals for as long as she can
Karen Day and wish him well on his passage. This
remember. Her motivation for rescuing
is what it’s like for humans and animals
local farmers graciously appears on the
them, however, arrived unexpectedly.
to live in a quiet, meditative space
doorsteps of Coolidge’s Wildfire Pots
First, an unforgettable, scrawny kitten
where, undisturbed, we can feel their
pottery studio. There, volunteers sepa-
was dropped off at a farm she was rent-
essence and they can feel ours.”
rate and deliver it, along with donated
ing in Kentucky; then, she made friends
freshly baked breads, to individuals
with a wolf-hybrid dog that led her to
Contact Susan Eirich, Earthfire Institute,
and families who are without transpor-
Jean Simpson, a wild-animal trainer
P.O. Box 368, Driggs, ID; 208-456-
tation. Surplus fruits and vegetables
who shares her deep connection with
0926;
EarthfireInstitute.org.
are canned or frozen. The project has
animals.
already doubled in size, now regularly
Together, the two women estab-
serving 60 recipients.
lished Earthfire Institute, a 40-acre wild-
Impressed by the enthusiasm of the
life sanctuary and retreat center on the
100 community volunteers who have
western slope of Grand Teton National
eagerly joined the effort, the duo ex-
Park, near Driggs, Idaho. “Earthfire was
plains their modus operandi in simple
built to expand our sense of connection
terms: “We pay attention to a problem
with all living beings,” says Eirich, “and
and address it.” That’s evident in Day
to contribute to what we believe is the
and McCabe’s initiation of three more
unfolding story of the transformation in
local projects underway in the past
humanity’s relationship to the commu-
nity of life.”
Susan Eirich
natural awakenings March 2010
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