Heart Springs Sanctuary
Heart Springs is a 4.5 acre Sanctuary with four ponds and a stream located in Lancaster County, PA. The co-stewards, Jen Frey and Marcus Sheffer, engage in co-creative partnership with the Nature Spirits to create a place where ALL Beings are Sacred, safe and honored.
After looking for several years, Jen found this special place and moved here in the spring of 2017. The first year was mostly spent getting to know the Land and the Nature Spirits. Marcus joined the project in the summer of 2019.
Since moving here, both the amount and variety of flora and fauna has greatly increased, which is quite noticeable.
At Heart Springs Sanctuary we engage in co-creative partnership which means:
Our goals are to:
Increase biodiversity,
create habitat,
and revitalize the Land.-
Demonstrate how co-creative
partnership with Nature cultivates
a more sane, just,
and thriving future. -
Create a gathering place to
celebrate life, remember our
interconnectedness,
and heal together. -
Be an educational hub,
fostering the innate connection
between humans and Nature. -
Act as a place of refuge,
providing Hope and Love
for all who enter.
Co-Creative Partnership in Action
The Nature Spirits Speak
Before Jen moved to the Sanctuary, she identified an area of the Land to focus on. However, when she connected with the Nature Spirits, they insisted that she work in another area. As she explored this section, she discovered that there was once a burn pile there, but now the area had become a dump with Plants growing amongst old doors, broken furniture, and other junk.
It took almost a year to remove all of the trash from this area. Surely now Jen can move on to the project she was wanting to work on. The Nature Spirits said no, this project wasn't completed yet.
Solutions Offered
Shortly after this, an enormous rainstorm slammed the area causing a nearby road to buckle and wash out. The previously dry drainage culvert was suddenly overflowing with water, soil, fertilizer, and other chemicals from the neighboring farm. This toxic mix poured into the area that Jen just cleared and from there directly into the Creek.
It became apparent that this newly cleared area wanted to be a rain garden. The purpose of this garden was to slow down the water, prevent sediment from flowing into the Creek, and shift the energy of the water molecules flowing through here.
All wonderful ideas, but Jen had never created a rain garden before and this was an enormous garden. For over a year, she continued to gather information from the Nature Spirits, but was too overwhelmed to take action. Then Japanese Hops moved in, blanketing this area and giving Jen an ultimatum.
Rain Garden Creation
Japanese Hops gave Jen the courage to follow the guidance that the Nature Spirits gave her. The first step was Hops wrangling. She and Marcus gathered enormous piles of Hops. At one point Marcus rolled them up like a giant carpet. The Nature Spirits were clear that they needed to have fun while they did this work. If they were angry or upset, they were to stay away from the rain garden because the energy was too precarious.
As they cleared the Hops from the rain garden site, they discovered that most of the other Plants were smothered. Which meant they were able to start building the garden rather quickly. Jen, Marcus, and some helpers spread several truck loads of compost. For months, Jen had been gathering the Plants that the Nature Spirits requested be planted here.
Just as the last Plant was placed into the new rain garden, it started to rain. To Jen and Marcus's delight they were able to see that the rain garden was already helping. Phase three was complete.
Magic of Synergy
Many more phases were to come. A retention pond was built to again help slow the water down and especially to gather the run-off from the farm. Crystals and artwork were placed in the rain garden to help strengthen the energy. Every year, more bushes and trees are planted between the rain garden and the creek. Pathways are mown to encourage the water to spread out and meander.
Within a year or two the vibration of this area stabilized enough that people could spend time there no matter their emotional states. Not only has this project helped to slow the water, it also added food and habitat for our more-than-human kin. And greatly enhanced the beauty of Heart Springs Sanctuary.
Jen would never have thought to create a rain garden here without the help of the Nature Spirits who guided every step. They knew what the Land needed most. When we connect with and listen to them, we find solutions sometimes even to issues we were unaware of and always create a better outcome than what we would do on our own.
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