How Indigenous Wisdom and Bioregional Thinking Can Guide Us Home
By Angie Scheu
In our fast, screen-saturated world, we have grown disconnected from the very thing that gives us life: the land. Many of us don’t know the names of the trees around us (our volunteer Mort Schmidt writes a fantastic Tree of the Month article!), the watershed beneath our homes, or the original stewards of the soil we walk on. We are not separate from the Earth—we are a part of it.
As climate change intensifies and ecosystems grow ever more fragile, we’re being called not just to act sustainably, but to think differently. That means shifting our mindset from ownership to relationship, from consumption to reciprocity, and from extraction to care.
Relearning How to Belong to our Place
For generations, Indigenous communities around the world have lived in deep relationship with the land—not as owners, but as kin. Land is not “property.” It is a teacher, a relative, a living being.
As Potawatomi author Robin Wall Kimmerer reminds us in Braiding Sweetgrass:
“All flourishing is mutual.”
This worldview isn’t just poetic—it’s practical. It teaches us how to live in a way that is additive, not reductive. How to listen. To give back. How we already belong. And, how to thrive.
Why Bioregionalism Matters
Bioregionalism is the practice of living in harmony with the natural characteristics of your local region—its watersheds, soils, native plants, foodways, and cultures. Instead of thinking in terms of the borders we assign or the “markets” we serve, bioregionalism asks:
- What sustains life here?
- Who lived here before colonization?
- What does this land need—and what can it teach?
It’s a mindset shift that re-roots us, grounds us, and invites us to care for the places we call home.
Mindset shift has been a topic of discussion since the beginning at Simply Living. We want to invite our community to an upcoming discussion to explore this topic in-depth. It is our hope that through our expert facilitator, Kelly Clark, we can bring ourselves in closer relationship with the land that sustains us.
Explore Bioregionalism
Saturday, June 21, 2025 | 
CoHatch Upper Arlington | 
2:00 – 4:00 PM
Come ready to listen, learn, and engage with others who care deeply about the future of this region—and the planet.
Register Here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/explore-bioregionalism
Additionally, we are grateful to offer the experience of reconnecting with the land through our knowledgeable guide, Cindy Lanese. Through her nature walks, Cindy will guide you to reconnect and unwind.
Nature Walks With Cindy Lanese
Sunday, June 22, 2025 | Antrim Park | 2:00 – 4:00 PM
Register Here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/nature-walk-with-cindy-lanese
5 Simple Ways to Shift Your Mindset to the Land
- Learn to recognize one native plant and/or tree in your area.
- Thank the land before harvesting, hiking, or eating.
- Compost your food scraps to feed the soil.
- Walk the same trail each season—observe its changes.
- Support or donate to Indigenous-led land and water protectors.
Final Thought: Remembering Our Place
This time in history asks us to move from domination to dialogue, from separation to stewardship. The Earth doesn’t just need saving—it needs remembering. By shifting our mindset to the land, we’re healing relationships. We’re rekindling belonging. We’re re-rooting ourselves in the only home we have. We’re “investing” in our future and that of generations to come.
Simply Living has been building a more sustainable Central Ohio since 1992. Let’s walk gently together—on this land, in this time, and with intention.
