I’m breaking free from industrial clothing! For nearly a decade it has been my dream to break free from all synthetic clothing, all fast-fashion, all clothing made in factories. It’s been my dream to feel truly connect to my clothes – to know not just where the fiber comes from but to know even the threads, the buttons, the dye to create the colors and every single ingredient of my clothes. It’s been my dream to know the people involved in the clothes and have mutually beneficial relationships with them rather than exploitative relationships. This year I am many steps closer to accomplishing my dream. In May I celebrated getting rid of my last synthetic fiber/plastic clothing. It has been about four months now of owning only natural fibers. This summer I worked with an apprentice, Abbey Waterworth, and she helped me to create my first items of clothing with linen and cotton that we sourced. She made ten items of clothing and we really enjoyed the apprenticeship together. Thank you Abbey! Now I am naturally dying the clothes that she made. I’m in my homeland of Northern Wisconsin and in this photo I am standing with my mom in her yard. Behind us is a black walnut tree and in this bucket are 128 walnuts that I will make a dye bath from to dye my pants, shorts, socks and bag brown. I am so elated to be a part of this process. I already loved black walnut trees and have been enjoying eating the nuts for the last year. My relationship is deepening with this plant relative through working with it as a dye. As I wear these clothes for the years ahead I will feel a strong relationship to these trees. Wherever I go I will carry the joy of the walnut tree that grows at my moms house in Ashland. There are few things that have brought me more joy than to be building this new Earth skill. I feel myself growing closer to Earth and further away from industry and corporations through this process. One step at a time I am breaking free. Soon everything I wear will be a representation of this liberation. I will share a photo soon of my black walnut dyed clothing. Love, Robin PS. Say hello to my mom, Marsha!
I am so close to achieving complete liberation from industrial clothing and to owning solely homemade, natural fiber, naturally dyed clothing! When I was a child I would feel so excited about getting a new clothing item. That excitement hasn’t existed for the last 15 years or so. But now, I feel more excitement than I’ve ever felt before! There is such connection and intention in every single clothing item I am wearing. Everything I’m wearing in this photo is homemade, naturally dyed and made of natural fibers, except the sweater. However even the sweater I have naturally dyed with black walnuts. I feel SUCH a strong love for and connection to the black walnut tree now. I plan to spend the rest of my life in love with this plant friend. Soon, I hope to embark on the experiment of dying my shirts green with weld and woad, two plants that I just learned about this year. This is all part of my dream to return to Earth one day – to become soil – along with the simple, natural clothing on my body. I have shared extensive details about my path of liberation and reconnection to my clothing, including photos of the black walnut dying process and wearing each of the items. You can read this at www.robingreenfield.org/clothes Love, Robin
Will I ever get married? There are many questions that I do not have a definitive answer to, but the answer to this is a very clear “no”. There are numerous foundational reasons why I have chosen not to be married. I have summarized them here and write in much more depth in this article: www.robingreenfield.org/marriage The government will never be involved in my love. I do not need or desire a contract that states my love on paper. I refuse to make my love a monetary transaction. Today much of marriage has become an industry. I do not adhere to any religion and do not involve any religion in my love. I find it unlikely that I will ever know for certain that someone will be a match for the rest of my life. Circumstances change. I have committed to earning below the federal poverty threshold for life. I have also vowed to not pay federal taxes. There would be no tax deductions or financial benefits to marriage for me. I am not having children. At the age of 25 I had a vasectomy. I have chosen a path of impermanence. I have designed my life so that I can return to the soil at any time. This is a strategic design that I chose when I dedicated my life to being of service to Earth and humanity. I strategically designed my life so that no governments or corporations could have leverage over me. I have chosen to have no humans who are dependent on my existing. At any time I can go to jail or take risks in my activism, that would be much more challenging if I had people dependent upon me. I have also chosen a path of non-delusion or truth and I understand that much of the current constructs and societal norms for marriage are based on delusion and lies created by corporations and governments for their own financial gain or power control. I have met my needs in other ways than marriage. Perhaps you could say that I am in a marriage with humanity. Perhaps you could say that I am in a marriage with Earth. Will I ever have a partner for life? Quite possibly. But I will never be married. I honor every human’s needs for love, for belonging and to matter. I honor this in more depth in the article. Love, Robin
Dear Friends, I’m trying. I really, really am trying. I’m trying to live a life of integrity and to be a positive influence. It’s hard. Every day is hard. I was born into a dominator society and although I have had many positive influences, each day it is a struggle to simply live in harmony with my fellow humanity and Earth. The society I am surrounded by does not make it easy. Each day I go against the grain of society in most of what I do. And on top of that, to try to utilize my life to be of service to others, to empower them, to bring meaning and purpose into their lives… It’s hard. Many days I’m just struggling to meet my own basic needs. Sometimes it is food and shelter. Sometimes it is love and a sense of belonging. Sometimes it is adventure and autonomy. I often don’t manage to communicate as compassionately as I’d like to or give them the time and energy they’d like. I’m rarely able to accomplish what I’d like to. There’s so much more that I want to do to be of service, but I so often find myself stuck in the logistics and management of life. So please Dear Friends, remember that I struggle too. I am really doing the best that I can. And although I truly love myself and am truly happy with who I am, I am constantly striving to improve. I feel that my true calling is to simply be a human of service. A servant to Earth and humanity. Not in a sacrificial way, but from a place of true joy. From a place of fully living out my purpose in life. I feel that my calling is to be a leader, but first and foremost by being me and sharing who I am. By letting my life be my message. I’ve been doing this for the last 12 years and what I plan to do for as long as I’m alive. I’m learning. I’m growing. I’m trying really hard and I’m happy with where I’ve come. I know who I am real well. And for the most part it doesn’t effect me much when people create stories in their mind about me. But it’s a challenge when what I’m seeking more than anything else on Earth is truth… And that I am living in truth to the best of my ability. So Dear Friends, I ask for your patience and for you to remember that I am a human who suffers just like everyone else. Love, Robin
For the next two months this is where I will be, living simply and sustainably! I’m living off the grid in this little cabin, near the shores of Lake Superior. There is no electricity here. My warmth comes from the wood stove. I cook and make my herbal teas over the wood stove too, as well as the propane stove. My water comes from the artesian well two miles away and is some of the purest water on Earth. I must use my water wisely here as I need the help of a friend with a car to fill my five gallon jugs when they are empty. I am eating the foods that I harvested during the summer and fall. My diet is based on wild rice, fish, venison, dried mushrooms, ferments, herbs and spices, herbal teas, mushroom teas, fruit, plus the fresh fruits and veggies I get in town. I’m still foraging an abundance of nanny berries, high bush cranberries and apples even after many freezing nights. This cabin is a two mile bike ride from the town of Cornucopia, population ~98 on the shores of Lake Superior. Nearly every day I bike to the lake to swim. The water temperature is now 45 degrees and I am in a great flow of immersing in this water. There is only about 9 hours of daylight and it is decreasing daily, but I make the most of these hours of light I have. In town there is a community center that has wifi, which is how I charge up my battery and share these messages with you. I am dedicated to writing full-time right now and the words have been flowing out with clarity. I am elated to share many insights with you and to be putting the foundation of my life of service out into writing. If you’d like to read this newly published writing, you can visit my website. I am also writing my Food Freedom book. This is where I am spending the next eight weeks in much silence and solitude (except for a 10 day silent meditation I am embarking on in December). It is incredibly quiet and peaceful here in the woods and this space is free of distractions. I am grateful to have this simple place to call home while tending to the space for a new friend while he is traveling. I will share more with you in future posts. Love, Robin Read the new articles at www.robingreenfield.org/blog
For the next two months this is where I will be, living simply and sustainably! I’m living off the grid in this little cabin, near the shores of Lake Superior. There is no electricity here. My warmth comes from the wood stove. I cook and make my herbal teas over the wood stove too, as well as the propane stove. My water comes from the artesian well two miles away and is some of the purest water on Earth. I must use my water wisely here as I need the help of a friend with a car to fill my five gallon jugs when they are empty. I am eating the foods that I harvested during the summer and fall. My diet is based on wild rice, fish, venison, dried mushrooms, ferments, herbs and spices, herbal teas, mushroom teas, fruit, plus the fresh fruits and veggies I get in town. I’m still foraging an abundance of nanny berries, high bush cranberries and apples even after many freezing nights. This cabin is a two mile bike ride from the town of Cornucopia, population ~98 on the shores of Lake Superior. Nearly every day I bike to the lake to swim. The water temperature is now 45 degrees and I am in a great flow of immersing in this water. There is only about 9 hours of daylight and it is decreasing daily, but I make the most of these hours of light I have. In town there is a community center that has wifi, which is how I charge up my battery and share these messages with you. I am dedicated to writing full-time right now and the words have been flowing out with clarity. I am elated to share many insights with you and to be putting the foundation of my life of service out into writing. If you’d like to read this newly published writing, you can visit my website. I am also writing my Food Freedom book. This is where I am spending the next eight weeks in much silence and solitude (except for a 10 day silent meditation I am embarking on in December). It is incredibly quiet and peaceful here in the woods and this space is free of distractions. I am grateful to have this simple place to call home while tending to the space for a new friend while he is traveling. I will share more with you in future posts. Love, Robin Read the new articles at www.robingreenfield.org/blog
When I say “I am on stolen Native Land” the main pushbacks I get are: 1. You didn’t do it. It was people a long time ago. So you shouldn’t feel guilty or hate yourself or hold any responsibility. 2. You’re just virtue signaling. 3. The Native people fought with each other and took land from each other too. 4. This kind of thinking and talking only creates more division and hatred. 5. The Native people don’t believe in land ownership, so land couldn’t have been stolen from them. 6. We are all Indigenous so none of this really applies. 7. Then leave if you are on stolen land… For anyone who has responded similarly, know this: I’m not saying you did anything wrong. I don’t think you are a bad person. I am not mad at you. I know that all people, including Native people, have done harm at some level to other humans. I am sharing this from a place of love in my heart. Love for you. Love for me. Love for all Native people. Love for all humanity. I am sharing this from a place of personal responsibility. I’m not telling you that you should do or have to do anything. This is about me more than it is about you. We will never be free as a humanity or as a nation if we do not acknowledge our past that got us here today and work towards unity with this past in mind. Because the past isn’t the past. It formed the present. It is the present. It is TODAY for the Native people of this land. To respond with any of the above statements, is to avoid the many truths alive in our history and in our present. Most likely it is a response based on having read just the title of my post or possibly having skimmed without digesting the information. If anyone is looking for critical thought and to live TODAY(not in the past) in a manner that is more harmonious as a humanity, then I encourage them to read this article fully with an open mind. Take some deep breaths first. I see you. I love you. Love, Robin (link in bio to read)
A Year Without Sex or Romance As 2022 was transitioning into 2023 I made the decision to take a year away from sex and romantic relationships. I’d like to share my reasons for this choice as well as some of my experience ten months into the year. First though, I would like to acknowledge that this topic is quite personal and it is vulnerable for me to speak on sex and romance so publicly. At the same time this decision is central to my development as a human and a leader of integrity. I believe that our society would exist in more harmony if our leaders – and all people – spoke with more transparency and acted with more integrity in their romantic and sexual relationships. I have summarized my reasons here and write in much more depth in this article: www.robingreenfield.org/sex So, why did I choose to spend this year without sex or romance? To deepen my connection with Earth and with the plants and animals we share this home with. Romance takes substantial time and energy and these resources are limited for me. I have been putting that time and energy into my relationships with Earth, plants and animals. To deepen my connection with humanity and to pursue a more universal love. I am in love with humanity and I desire to deepen and solidify that love. I desire to live in a state of universal love for all. This will only come with intentional and dedicated practice. To deepen my connection with myself and find completeness within. A central purpose in my life is to be complete and whole. As a leader, I believe this is part of my best strategy to be of service. Since childhood I have depended on sex and romance for my completeness. To break my patterns of over-sexualization women. I was born into a society that over-sexualizes women and I am a product of that society. Now it’s my responsibility to break free and heal my inner relationship with women. To overcome the sexist biases within me. I have deeply engrained biases of how men are more superior than women. I am intentionally spending more time with women in ways that deprogram these biases and creates new values around women. For more depth, read the article on my website. Love, Robin
I live on stolen Indigenous land – Turtle Island – the land commonly called the United States. I was born in a town that they told me was Ashland in a “state” that they told me was Wisconsin. Long before it was Ashland or Wisconsin it was land that Anishinaabe/Ojibwe people lived in reciprocal connection with for many hundreds of years. The Anishinaabe people have remained stewards and continue to be stewards of this land today. I was born on Lake Superior which is Gichigami in Ojibwemowin. I grew up and each year I return to the small town of Ashland which is located on land between The Bad River Band and The Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. The Anishinaabe creation story shares that they arrived on this land after following the Megis shell to the food that grows on water – Manoomin or Wild Rice. This land was stolen from the Indigenous people through colonization and genocide. This acknowledgment is of both the present and the past, because the past is part of the present. The colonization by the early settlers/colonialists has shifted in form but is here today in the US colonialist, capitalist, imperialist political system, prison and military-industrial complexes, police forces and many everyday societal constructs. I am committed to publicly acknowledging these truths in my personal life and in my service to society. I am committed to supporting – through utilizing my resources, connections, finances, energy and time – efforts of Indigenous self-determination and reclamation of traditional ecological knowledge, language, food sovereignty and other notions of Land Back. At robingreenfield.org/landback (link in bio) I share my commitments to support Indigenous friends and communities. (swipe for photos) Chi Miigwech to Native people, past and present, who steward all land on our shared home, Earth. For white people and people of privilege, I encourage you to make an action plan to support Indigenous communities. See the resources section for guidance as well as general resources for education and understanding. The article shares in much more depth and I welcome you to read further. There’s so much more to say… Love, Robin
I live on stolen Indigenous land – Turtle Island – the land commonly called the United States. I was born in a town that they told me was Ashland in a “state” that they told me was Wisconsin. Long before it was Ashland or Wisconsin it was land that Anishinaabe/Ojibwe people lived in reciprocal connection with for many hundreds of years. The Anishinaabe people have remained stewards and continue to be stewards of this land today. I was born on Lake Superior which is Gichigami in Ojibwemowin. I grew up and each year I return to the small town of Ashland which is located on land between The Bad River Band and The Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. The Anishinaabe creation story shares that they arrived on this land after following the Megis shell to the food that grows on water – Manoomin or Wild Rice. This land was stolen from the Indigenous people through colonization and genocide. This acknowledgment is of both the present and the past, because the past is part of the present. The colonization by the early settlers/colonialists has shifted in form but is here today in the US colonialist, capitalist, imperialist political system, prison and military-industrial complexes, police forces and many everyday societal constructs. I am committed to publicly acknowledging these truths in my personal life and in my service to society. I am committed to supporting – through utilizing my resources, connections, finances, energy and time – efforts of Indigenous self-determination and reclamation of traditional ecological knowledge, language, food sovereignty and other notions of Land Back. At robingreenfield.org/landback (link in bio) I share my commitments to support Indigenous friends and communities. (swipe for photos) Chi Miigwech to Native people, past and present, who steward all land on our shared home, Earth. For white people and people of privilege, I encourage you to make an action plan to support Indigenous communities. See the resources section for guidance as well as general resources for education and understanding. The article shares in much more depth and I welcome you to read further. There’s so much more to say… Love, Robin
I live on stolen Indigenous land – Turtle Island – the land commonly called the United States. I was born in a town that they told me was Ashland in a “state” that they told me was Wisconsin. Long before it was Ashland or Wisconsin it was land that Anishinaabe/Ojibwe people lived in reciprocal connection with for many hundreds of years. The Anishinaabe people have remained stewards and continue to be stewards of this land today. I was born on Lake Superior which is Gichigami in Ojibwemowin. I grew up and each year I return to the small town of Ashland which is located on land between The Bad River Band and The Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. The Anishinaabe creation story shares that they arrived on this land after following the Megis shell to the food that grows on water – Manoomin or Wild Rice. This land was stolen from the Indigenous people through colonization and genocide. This acknowledgment is of both the present and the past, because the past is part of the present. The colonization by the early settlers/colonialists has shifted in form but is here today in the US colonialist, capitalist, imperialist political system, prison and military-industrial complexes, police forces and many everyday societal constructs. I am committed to publicly acknowledging these truths in my personal life and in my service to society. I am committed to supporting – through utilizing my resources, connections, finances, energy and time – efforts of Indigenous self-determination and reclamation of traditional ecological knowledge, language, food sovereignty and other notions of Land Back. At robingreenfield.org/landback (link in bio) I share my commitments to support Indigenous friends and communities. (swipe for photos) Chi Miigwech to Native people, past and present, who steward all land on our shared home, Earth. For white people and people of privilege, I encourage you to make an action plan to support Indigenous communities. See the resources section for guidance as well as general resources for education and understanding. The article shares in much more depth and I welcome you to read further. There’s so much more to say… Love, Robin
I live on stolen Indigenous land – Turtle Island – the land commonly called the United States. I was born in a town that they told me was Ashland in a “state” that they told me was Wisconsin. Long before it was Ashland or Wisconsin it was land that Anishinaabe/Ojibwe people lived in reciprocal connection with for many hundreds of years. The Anishinaabe people have remained stewards and continue to be stewards of this land today. I was born on Lake Superior which is Gichigami in Ojibwemowin. I grew up and each year I return to the small town of Ashland which is located on land between The Bad River Band and The Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. The Anishinaabe creation story shares that they arrived on this land after following the Megis shell to the food that grows on water – Manoomin or Wild Rice. This land was stolen from the Indigenous people through colonization and genocide. This acknowledgment is of both the present and the past, because the past is part of the present. The colonization by the early settlers/colonialists has shifted in form but is here today in the US colonialist, capitalist, imperialist political system, prison and military-industrial complexes, police forces and many everyday societal constructs. I am committed to publicly acknowledging these truths in my personal life and in my service to society. I am committed to supporting – through utilizing my resources, connections, finances, energy and time – efforts of Indigenous self-determination and reclamation of traditional ecological knowledge, language, food sovereignty and other notions of Land Back. At robingreenfield.org/landback (link in bio) I share my commitments to support Indigenous friends and communities. (swipe for photos) Chi Miigwech to Native people, past and present, who steward all land on our shared home, Earth. For white people and people of privilege, I encourage you to make an action plan to support Indigenous communities. See the resources section for guidance as well as general resources for education and understanding. The article shares in much more depth and I welcome you to read further. There’s so much more to say… Love, Robin
I live on stolen Indigenous land – Turtle Island – the land commonly called the United States. I was born in a town that they told me was Ashland in a “state” that they told me was Wisconsin. Long before it was Ashland or Wisconsin it was land that Anishinaabe/Ojibwe people lived in reciprocal connection with for many hundreds of years. The Anishinaabe people have remained stewards and continue to be stewards of this land today. I was born on Lake Superior which is Gichigami in Ojibwemowin. I grew up and each year I return to the small town of Ashland which is located on land between The Bad River Band and The Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. The Anishinaabe creation story shares that they arrived on this land after following the Megis shell to the food that grows on water – Manoomin or Wild Rice. This land was stolen from the Indigenous people through colonization and genocide. This acknowledgment is of both the present and the past, because the past is part of the present. The colonization by the early settlers/colonialists has shifted in form but is here today in the US colonialist, capitalist, imperialist political system, prison and military-industrial complexes, police forces and many everyday societal constructs. I am committed to publicly acknowledging these truths in my personal life and in my service to society. I am committed to supporting – through utilizing my resources, connections, finances, energy and time – efforts of Indigenous self-determination and reclamation of traditional ecological knowledge, language, food sovereignty and other notions of Land Back. At robingreenfield.org/landback (link in bio) I share my commitments to support Indigenous friends and communities. (swipe for photos) Chi Miigwech to Native people, past and present, who steward all land on our shared home, Earth. For white people and people of privilege, I encourage you to make an action plan to support Indigenous communities. See the resources section for guidance as well as general resources for education and understanding. The article shares in much more depth and I welcome you to read further. There’s so much more to say… Love, Robin
I live on stolen Indigenous land – Turtle Island – the land commonly called the United States. I was born in a town that they told me was Ashland in a “state” that they told me was Wisconsin. Long before it was Ashland or Wisconsin it was land that Anishinaabe/Ojibwe people lived in reciprocal connection with for many hundreds of years. The Anishinaabe people have remained stewards and continue to be stewards of this land today. I was born on Lake Superior which is Gichigami in Ojibwemowin. I grew up and each year I return to the small town of Ashland which is located on land between The Bad River Band and The Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. The Anishinaabe creation story shares that they arrived on this land after following the Megis shell to the food that grows on water – Manoomin or Wild Rice. This land was stolen from the Indigenous people through colonization and genocide. This acknowledgment is of both the present and the past, because the past is part of the present. The colonization by the early settlers/colonialists has shifted in form but is here today in the US colonialist, capitalist, imperialist political system, prison and military-industrial complexes, police forces and many everyday societal constructs. I am committed to publicly acknowledging these truths in my personal life and in my service to society. I am committed to supporting – through utilizing my resources, connections, finances, energy and time – efforts of Indigenous self-determination and reclamation of traditional ecological knowledge, language, food sovereignty and other notions of Land Back. At robingreenfield.org/landback (link in bio) I share my commitments to support Indigenous friends and communities. (swipe for photos) Chi Miigwech to Native people, past and present, who steward all land on our shared home, Earth. For white people and people of privilege, I encourage you to make an action plan to support Indigenous communities. See the resources section for guidance as well as general resources for education and understanding. The article shares in much more depth and I welcome you to read further. There’s so much more to say… Love, Robin
I live on stolen Indigenous land – Turtle Island – the land commonly called the United States. I was born in a town that they told me was Ashland in a “state” that they told me was Wisconsin. Long before it was Ashland or Wisconsin it was land that Anishinaabe/Ojibwe people lived in reciprocal connection with for many hundreds of years. The Anishinaabe people have remained stewards and continue to be stewards of this land today. I was born on Lake Superior which is Gichigami in Ojibwemowin. I grew up and each year I return to the small town of Ashland which is located on land between The Bad River Band and The Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. The Anishinaabe creation story shares that they arrived on this land after following the Megis shell to the food that grows on water – Manoomin or Wild Rice. This land was stolen from the Indigenous people through colonization and genocide. This acknowledgment is of both the present and the past, because the past is part of the present. The colonization by the early settlers/colonialists has shifted in form but is here today in the US colonialist, capitalist, imperialist political system, prison and military-industrial complexes, police forces and many everyday societal constructs. I am committed to publicly acknowledging these truths in my personal life and in my service to society. I am committed to supporting – through utilizing my resources, connections, finances, energy and time – efforts of Indigenous self-determination and reclamation of traditional ecological knowledge, language, food sovereignty and other notions of Land Back. At robingreenfield.org/landback (link in bio) I share my commitments to support Indigenous friends and communities. (swipe for photos) Chi Miigwech to Native people, past and present, who steward all land on our shared home, Earth. For white people and people of privilege, I encourage you to make an action plan to support Indigenous communities. See the resources section for guidance as well as general resources for education and understanding. The article shares in much more depth and I welcome you to read further. There’s so much more to say… Love, Robin
I live on stolen Indigenous land – Turtle Island – the land commonly called the United States. I was born in a town that they told me was Ashland in a “state” that they told me was Wisconsin. Long before it was Ashland or Wisconsin it was land that Anishinaabe/Ojibwe people lived in reciprocal connection with for many hundreds of years. The Anishinaabe people have remained stewards and continue to be stewards of this land today. I was born on Lake Superior which is Gichigami in Ojibwemowin. I grew up and each year I return to the small town of Ashland which is located on land between The Bad River Band and The Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. The Anishinaabe creation story shares that they arrived on this land after following the Megis shell to the food that grows on water – Manoomin or Wild Rice. This land was stolen from the Indigenous people through colonization and genocide. This acknowledgment is of both the present and the past, because the past is part of the present. The colonization by the early settlers/colonialists has shifted in form but is here today in the US colonialist, capitalist, imperialist political system, prison and military-industrial complexes, police forces and many everyday societal constructs. I am committed to publicly acknowledging these truths in my personal life and in my service to society. I am committed to supporting – through utilizing my resources, connections, finances, energy and time – efforts of Indigenous self-determination and reclamation of traditional ecological knowledge, language, food sovereignty and other notions of Land Back. At robingreenfield.org/landback (link in bio) I share my commitments to support Indigenous friends and communities. (swipe for photos) Chi Miigwech to Native people, past and present, who steward all land on our shared home, Earth. For white people and people of privilege, I encourage you to make an action plan to support Indigenous communities. See the resources section for guidance as well as general resources for education and understanding. The article shares in much more depth and I welcome you to read further. There’s so much more to say… Love, Robin
I live on stolen Indigenous land – Turtle Island – the land commonly called the United States. I was born in a town that they told me was Ashland in a “state” that they told me was Wisconsin. Long before it was Ashland or Wisconsin it was land that Anishinaabe/Ojibwe people lived in reciprocal connection with for many hundreds of years. The Anishinaabe people have remained stewards and continue to be stewards of this land today. I was born on Lake Superior which is Gichigami in Ojibwemowin. I grew up and each year I return to the small town of Ashland which is located on land between The Bad River Band and The Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. The Anishinaabe creation story shares that they arrived on this land after following the Megis shell to the food that grows on water – Manoomin or Wild Rice. This land was stolen from the Indigenous people through colonization and genocide. This acknowledgment is of both the present and the past, because the past is part of the present. The colonization by the early settlers/colonialists has shifted in form but is here today in the US colonialist, capitalist, imperialist political system, prison and military-industrial complexes, police forces and many everyday societal constructs. I am committed to publicly acknowledging these truths in my personal life and in my service to society. I am committed to supporting – through utilizing my resources, connections, finances, energy and time – efforts of Indigenous self-determination and reclamation of traditional ecological knowledge, language, food sovereignty and other notions of Land Back. At robingreenfield.org/landback (link in bio) I share my commitments to support Indigenous friends and communities. (swipe for photos) Chi Miigwech to Native people, past and present, who steward all land on our shared home, Earth. For white people and people of privilege, I encourage you to make an action plan to support Indigenous communities. See the resources section for guidance as well as general resources for education and understanding. The article shares in much more depth and I welcome you to read further. There’s so much more to say… Love, Robin
I live on stolen Indigenous land – Turtle Island – the land commonly called the United States. I was born in a town that they told me was Ashland in a “state” that they told me was Wisconsin. Long before it was Ashland or Wisconsin it was land that Anishinaabe/Ojibwe people lived in reciprocal connection with for many hundreds of years. The Anishinaabe people have remained stewards and continue to be stewards of this land today. I was born on Lake Superior which is Gichigami in Ojibwemowin. I grew up and each year I return to the small town of Ashland which is located on land between The Bad River Band and The Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. The Anishinaabe creation story shares that they arrived on this land after following the Megis shell to the food that grows on water – Manoomin or Wild Rice. This land was stolen from the Indigenous people through colonization and genocide. This acknowledgment is of both the present and the past, because the past is part of the present. The colonization by the early settlers/colonialists has shifted in form but is here today in the US colonialist, capitalist, imperialist political system, prison and military-industrial complexes, police forces and many everyday societal constructs. I am committed to publicly acknowledging these truths in my personal life and in my service to society. I am committed to supporting – through utilizing my resources, connections, finances, energy and time – efforts of Indigenous self-determination and reclamation of traditional ecological knowledge, language, food sovereignty and other notions of Land Back. At robingreenfield.org/landback (link in bio) I share my commitments to support Indigenous friends and communities. (swipe for photos) Chi Miigwech to Native people, past and present, who steward all land on our shared home, Earth. For white people and people of privilege, I encourage you to make an action plan to support Indigenous communities. See the resources section for guidance as well as general resources for education and understanding. The article shares in much more depth and I welcome you to read further. There’s so much more to say… Love, Robin
Wow! For one month, @robjgreenfield wore every piece of trash as a suit. And for a good reason… #singleuse #plastic #bettersociety #pollution #plastic #inspiration
It is October 30th and it is now below freezing daily. The wanter temperature is a very brisk 52 degrees. I am still swimming. I am still foraging. I am still barefoot. I am grateful to experiencing the seasonal transition here on the shores of Lake Superior. I am eating salmon from the lake almost daily, fresh fruits and veggies from the land and wild rice (Manoomin) from my labor this late summer and fall. I am drinking herbal and medicinal mushroom teas. I am taking saunas and taking care of my body. Thank you to all who commented on my last post. I am very grateful for your support. I’d like to share some insight for all who care about me. Yes, I shared that “I’m trying really hard” and that “Every day is hard.” No matter how clearly I write when I express challenges, many people assume that I am unhappy or unwell. I am simply sharing my struggles, like each and every one of us have. I am simply being a real human being. Overall I am very content. My basic needs are met. I am hopeful and excited for what is to come. I am making substantial progress in my writing and my service and I feel inspired daily. I am so grateful for everything that I have. I am in love with life! I love you all very much, Robin
The water of Lake Superior courses through my veins. When I am not here I yearn for this land and this water, sometimes for months on end. After a summer in the Asheville, North Carolina region in the outdoor shelter, I followed the deep calling to journey north for the fall season. Fall has arrived and the night temperatures are now in the 30’s and 40’s and the days are in the 50’s. The water temperature is a brisk 55 degrees and I bathe in these waters a few times each week. Cold water is one of my most powerful medicines. I am still barefoot every day. If my feet are cold I put on two layers of wool socks. I have worn shoes only a handful of times (a borrowed pair). I am aiming to make a warm pair of shoes from materials from the land. I intend to stay in my homeland into the winter, perhaps until December or January. I have been staying with a friend on the edge of my hometown of Ashland and I am now seeking a cabin where I can spend the next few months largely in solitude. I came to my homeland because it is a place where I can find peace and quiet. It is a place where I can focus deeply on my service, while maintaining my connection to Earth. My main focus now is writing. I have about 40 articles to write, many of which I’ve planned to write for over five years. These writings include resources to help others on their journeys of liberation as well as deep dives into my strategies and philosophies in life. I am also writing my Food Freedom Book, which I now intend to release in early 2024. I working diligently to bring all my service into a high state of integrity, honing in my vision and updating much of the content what I have published over the last decade. I am also on an exciting journey of transitioning to all homemade, natural fiber, naturally dyed clothing. I am planning my activism campaigns for 2024 and hope to leave my homeland having caught up on much of my work and having set the foundation for an impactful year of service ahead. I am striving to live in a state of mindfulness and presence and am focused on finishing everything I have on my plate so that I can move forward in a higher state of being. Love, Robin
Fall has set in and I am still barefoot. With day time temperatures in the 50’s and nights in the 30’s and 40’s I’ve managed to be out barefoot both day and night. When my feet are too cold I wear wool socks and double them up if desired. For the last decade it has become my new norm to be barefoot yet, I still remember the day when I began asking the question, “Can I walk barefoot?” One step at a time I broke free from shoes and deepened my connection with Earth and with my own body. Today I share my top tips to strengthen your feet and go barefoot more often. Start on easier surfaces – your house, lawns, public parks, sandy beaches, groomed trails and smooth sidewalks and roads. Work up to more challenging terrain – bare Earth with lose rocks and sticks, beaches with pebbles, sidewalk and roads that are rougher. Don’t push yourself beyond your limits – Do push your comfort zone but not your limits. Walk a little further each week – first just a minute, then down the block, then a mile, a little more and a little more. Wear socks instead of shoes for protection – no expensive barefoot shoes are needed. Thrift store socks will protect your feet. Layer up for more protection. Put your feet on the heat – walking on hot surfaces builds soles. Get out a little earlier in the spring to start building your strength back sooner. Stay out a little later in the fall to keep the momentum going. When testing your limits of cold, keep your feet dry Know that some cuts and scratches are ok Break free from societal norms – more than the sensitivity of your feet, you are likely to be held back by societal norms. Break free. Give gratitude your feet – Be grateful for your feet. Love your feet. Your feet are not ugly. Take care of your feet Design your life around being barefoot Build community around being barefoot One step at a time it is possible to walk barefoot more and in doing so reconnect with Earth and reconnect with yourself. As with any skill, walking barefoot takes practice and effort. To go deeper, read my new article: www.robingreenfield.org/barefoottips Love, Robin — Photo by Sarah Tew @sarahtewphotography
How I Deal with “Internet Trolls”… Being a person who’s very active on social media and in the media, I deal with a lot of people. Over my last decade of activism I’ve received hundreds of thousands of comments or possibly even millions. I’ve read many of them and I’ve responded to a lot of them too. Some of the commenters praise me and some of them deplore me. Some of them know me real well and have been following me for a decade and some of them know nothing about me at all. Now some of these commenters really give it to me. They really have something to say about me. Some would call these people Internet Trolls. In the past, they had the power to hurt me, but not anymore. In this new article I share how I deal with Internet Trolls… www.robingreenfield.org/trolls (link in bio) Love, Robin
“Do not aspire beyond your scope and your own being.” This is one of the lessons that Pitchi, the robin bird taught to the Anishinaabe people long ago. When I read these words in Ojibway Heritage I felt a deep resonance. Here was the robin bird, the very bird that I was named after, sharing with me one of the most simple, yet powerful lessons. And this lesson aligned with exactly what I had come to realize over the last few years. I have been trying to do too much. I have been aspiring beyond what I am capable of and I have been spread too thin. I thought I could do it all. In order to do more, I must do less. I am pausing much of my programming for now – Free Seed Project, Community Fruit Trees, Websites for the People, Films for the People, The Food Forest Starter Bundle and The Grow Your Own Toilet Paper Initiative. Since 2013, my activism has been to embark on extreme adventures that immerse me in issues that I am passionate about and that take others on the journey with me. I explore and I share my exploration through writing, speaking, videos and interviews with the media. At the same time I bring millions of people along on this journey. I am truly living my purpose in life, which is to live a life of truth and integrity, while inspiring, educating and empowering millions of others on this same path of truth and integrity through sustainable living. I will be returning to putting my highest integrity and focus into my activism. In 2024 I will focus on living in a deep state of integrity with Earth, humanity and our plant and animal relatives. I will carry out numerous activism campaigns. I will write, speak, produce videos and do interviews with the media. I will support other humans in service. I will meet with colleagues and collaborate in spreading messages of positive change. Through living my message I will positively influence many of the fellow humans who I meet I have written an extensive article sharing much of my experience and lessons from the last five years of taking on more than I could and coming back to balance. If you’d like a deeper insight into my life of service you can here: www.robingreenfield.org/scope Love, Robin
