Ways to Be More Present: Indigenous Wisdom from Kaitlin Curtice (Best Of)
Mar 30, 2025
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Discover the healing power of reconnecting with your inner child and Mother Earth. Learn how listening to your body’s signals can enhance mindfulness and promote presence. Explore the impacts of purity culture and colonization on identity through personal narratives. Delve into everyday acts of rebellion that restore wholeness and self-identity. Understand the profound journey of intergenerational healing and the importance of nurturing both personal and collective histories.
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Quick takeaways
Listening to our bodies and embracing concrete strategies can enhance our humanity and presence in daily life.
Reconnecting with our inner child and honoring our relationship with Mother Earth fosters personal healing and wholeness.
Engaging with nature and even talking to house plants can serve as accessible practices for nurturing presence and embodiment.
Deep dives
The Importance of Hydration and Energy
Staying hydrated plays a critical role in maintaining energy levels throughout a busy day. Dehydration often goes unnoticed until physical symptoms arise, which is why finding a convenient and enjoyable solution can make a big difference. A notable option highlighted is Healthy Hydration Plus from Terra Origin, which not only tastes great but is also enriched with essential electrolytes. These electrolytes help maintain fluid balance and promote detoxification, making it easier to stay energized and focused.
The Benefits of Spring Retreats
Springtime presents an excellent opportunity for a refreshing getaway that diverges from the usual routine. Choosing an Airbnb for accommodation can enhance the experience by providing a home-like environment, allowing for relaxation and comfort. One personal experience shared involved a peaceful countryside cottage, steeped in natural beauty and tranquility. This type of retreat fosters quality time with loved ones while offering the freedom to unwind and engage in personal activities like cooking and reading.
Understanding Identity and Decolonization
Caitlin Curtis, an Indigenous author and speaker, emphasizes the need for individuals to explore their identities in light of decolonization. Her journey includes revisiting childhood experiences marked by disconnection and trauma due to factors like family dynamics and societal expectations. The conversation reveals how trauma can lead to disembodiment, as people shift away from their true selves in response to external pressures. Caitlin provides practical tools for engaging with one's identity through storytelling, allowing people to reconnect with their heritage and transform their understanding of self.
The Impact of Purity Culture
Purity culture, a significant element of Caitlin’s upbringing, has far-reaching consequences on personal development, particularly concerning identity and body image. Defined by high expectations of sexual purity and restrictive behavior, it often leaves individuals feeling ashamed of their natural desires. Caitlin discusses how this cultural framework not only affected her personally but also intersects with generational trauma within Indigenous communities. This highlights the need to reevaluate such societal norms to foster a healthier self-perception and understanding of identity.
Reconnecting with Mother Earth
Caitlin points out the critical relationship between individuals and the Earth, advocating for a shift in perspective towards the natural world. She stresses the importance of recognizing the Earth as a living entity deserving of care and respect, contrary to the commodified view often held in capitalist societies. Engaging with nature, whether through simple acts such as birdwatching or more profound connections like climbing, provides avenues for healing and understanding one's place in the ecosystem. Ultimately, nurturing a reciprocal relationship with nature can lead to greater individual and collective well-being.
1. How to listen to the signals our bodies give us, and other concrete strategies to hold on to being human.
2. The healing power of honoring and reconnecting with our little girl selves and with our Mother Earth.
3. How, if all else fails, we can practice presence and embodiment by talking to a house plant.
4. The traumatizing effect of purity culture, colonization, and assimilation, and how to come home to the wholeness of our core nature, desire, and wisdom.
5. Concrete, everyday acts of rebellion that help us regain what we lost, and restore us to who we really are.
About Kaitlin:
Kaitlin Curtice is an award-winning author, poet-storyteller, and public speaker. As an enrolled citizen of the Potawatomi nation, Kaitlin writes on the intersections of spirituality and identity. She is a wise and vital voice on decolonizing our bodies, faith, and families, and the freedom and peace of embodiment - finding wholeness in ourselves, our stories, and our lineage. Her new book, Living Resistance: An Indigenous Vision for Seeking Wholeness Every Day, examines the journey of resisting the status quo by caring for ourselves, one another, and Mother Earth – and is available now. Find her on Twitter and Instagram at @kaitlincurtice.
