Sacred Places, Trees, and Songs

Awakening on Ute Mountain The ultimate experience of our conference last year on the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation was our journey to the tribe’s spiritual center on that peak that resembles a sleeping warrior. As a non-Indian, I wouldn’t be allowed to set foot on that sacred ground but the tribal council had granted us permission and sent several tribal members to guide us.  What I witnessed and felt that day was so moving that I have refrained from speaking or writing about it. But I woke up this morning after reliving the journey in my dreams with a new understanding and the urge to tell about three moments during the day. At this confusing and  despairing time most of us are living through, I feel compelled to share.  The Injured Eagle After we gathered at the foot of the mountain and sent up prayers for our journey, we piled into vans and started up a winding road. Suddenly, we came to a stop. Looking out my window, I saw the silhouette of a large bird hopping by the ...

 It has been a dry water year on the Front Range. For the six months since October 2025, precipitation has been only 45.5% of normal in Boulder County, according to CSU’s Colorado Climate Center. Firefighters are on high alert. Chainsaws reverberate through local stands of trees. The electrical utility warms that it may cut off power to whole neighborhoods during windy times.  And yet, I am strangely sanguine about avoiding big fires. While most foresters and municipal or regional entities are carrying out widespread thinning and cutting of trees, I am saying, “Wait a minute, let’s think this through.” Before we raze stands of old growth trees and healthy forests, let’s consider whether we are throwing the baby out with the bathwater.  Bulldozing firebreaks and toppling the canopy doesn’t really mitigate the risk of fire in many cases. Oftentimes, the culled trees are left in stacks, a fire hazard just waiting to ignite. Chainsaws and other power equipment can cause spark...