Last night, the Florida Springs Welcome Center in High Springs was filled to the brim with guests for our Sacred Springs Stories event, co-hosted with the Rights of Water and organized by Lucinda Merritt. The evening began as beautiful music filled the air from flutist Jim Durocher, setting a reverent tone for the divine storytelling that was to come. Special thanks to Michael Monroe for filming the event.
Internationally acclaimed artist Margaret Ross Tolbert spoke about her travels in Turkey and gave an overview of the history and culture that surrounds springs in turkey and Greece. Her travels and art are documented in her breathtaking new book, Proje SU.
Gainesville painter and calligraphist Joon Thomas spoke about growing up in Iran and the culture of Persian springs reverence that includes incredible shrines and rituals. Joon’s work can be found online at Palmstone Studio and World Calligraphy.
University of Florida anthropologist and assistant research scientist in the School of Forest, Fisheries and Geomatic Sciences Wendy-Lin Bartels spoke about her heart opening travels in Indonesia and experience observing devoted ritual at a sacred spring in Bali.
Seventh generation Floridian and artist Johnny Dame spoke about his deep connection to the Ichetucknee River, and the sacred synchronicity that lead him around North America. With a heritage of English, French, Spanish and Choctaw, Johnny conveyed that storytelling, prayers, and ceremonies are central to maintaining and enhancing the balance of harmony between people and the natural world.
Former Florida Park Service Ranger, photographer/videographer, musician and artist Steven Earl spoke about his first encounter with the Ichetucknee River and the experiences that inspired him to create his book, Ichetucknee: Sacred Waters. Steve’s presentation included a musical performance with a handmade instrument that no one in the room will soon forget.
Writer, Sacred Springs Stories event coordinator, and this incredible evening’s Master of Ceremonies Lucinda Faulkner Merritt spoke about her phenomenal first visit to the Ichetucknee River, and the interconnections between people and water in Tibetan Buddhism.
Rollins College Visiting Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies Victoria Machado spoke about how we can use the concept of the sacred to understand our local water ways. She spoke about the power of relationships in furthering environmental stewardship.
Florida Springs Institute Advisory Panel member Robert Ulanowicz spoke about his work in theoretical ecology, examining how science and religion are intimately related. His book, The First Incarnation: Hope in Reality, is a rich examination of the existence of God through science.
Between each speaker, we sat in meditation on the messages that we received from these influential storytellers. I left the event feeling a tremendous sense of gratitude for each person in the room and the undeniable feeling that springs are sacred. I can still hear the echo of Johnny Dame’s powerful words:
It is time we “Raise Up the Culture of the Springs”.
By: Haley Moody
