We are the ones we have been waiting for.

A Message from the Hopi Elders

You have been telling the people that this is the Eleventh Hour.
Now you must go back and tell the people that this is The Hour.

        Here are the things that must be considered:

Where are you living?
What are you doing?
What are your relationships?
Are you in right relation?
Where is your water?
Know our garden.
It is time to speak your Truth.
Create your community.
Be good to each other.
And do not look outside yourself for the leader.

This could be a good time!

There is a river flowing now very fast.
It is so great and swift that there are those who will be afraid.
They will try to hold on to the shore.
They will feel like they are being torn apart, and they will suffer greatly.

Know the river has its destination.
The elders say we must let go of the shore, push off toward the middle of
the river,
keep our eyes open, and our heads above the water.

See who is there with you and celebrate.

At this time in history, we are to take nothing personally, least of all
ourselves!
For the moment we do, our spiritual growth and journey comes to a halt.

The time of the lonely wolf is over.
Gather yourselves!

Banish the word struggle from your attitude and vocabulary.

All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration.

We are the ones we have been waiting for.

The Elders,
Oraibi, Arizona
Hopi Nation

 

The River We Are In

The fires in Los Angeles and Colorado show us that disruptions are becoming more frequent and intense. Disaster no longer comes as an occasional shock; it is a steady undercurrent of life at this time. The cascading impacts of climate-driven disasters—fires, floods, heatwaves, and storms—remind us that resilience cannot be built after the fact. It must be cultivated now within the fabric of our communities.

When disaster strikes, relief efforts are often temporary, and long-term recovery is uneven. What remains constant is the reliance on our local community. The stronger the social fabric we weave now, the more resilient we will be when disruptions come.

In this work, we are not just preparing for challenges. We are building something more enduring: a foundation of trust, care, and mutual aid that sustains us through both the hard times and the good. This is the essence of our Islands of Sanity and the greater Archipelago of Hope we envision together.

The Building Blocks of Resilience

The building block of community is relationships.
The building block of relationships is trust.
The building block of trust is communication.

To create an Island of Sanity, we begin by strengthening our connections—with one another, with the resources already present in our communities, and with the vision of the thriving future we seek to create.

 

This Month’s Focus: Mapping Our Community

As the Hopi Elders remind us, it is time to create your community.
This month, we begin with a simple but powerful practice: mapping the people, places, and resources that form the foundation of our local resilience.

Your Reflection Prompt – who are we?

Take some time to contemplate:

• Imagine we’re designing a dream community. What kinds of people and resources would make it resilient and thriving?
• If a disaster struck, how would a prepared and connected community respond? What would it look like?

Write a short paragraph envisioning your dream community. Consider asking others in your Island to do the same. There are no right answers—this is about discovering the values, hopes, and resources we each bring to the collective.

Your Action Step: Mapping the Present

1. Map Your Assets

• On paper or digitally, create a map of your community. Focus on:
  • People: Who do you trust and rely on? Who trusts and relies on you?
  • Places: What spaces support connection (e.g., libraries, community centers, gardens)?
  • Resources: What tools, supplies, or systems are already available to your community?

2. Identify Strengths and Gaps

• Reflect on:
  • What strengths do we already have as a community?
  • What gaps do we need to address? (e.g., skills, relationships, tools).

3. Start Building Bridges

• Reach out to one or two people in your community who could play a key role in your Island of Sanity. Begin a conversation about what resilience means to them and how you might work together.

The Power of the Archipelago

Each Island of Sanity is unique, shaped by its people, culture, and needs. Yet together, as an Archipelago, we are stronger. The connections we build now—between individuals, neighborhoods, and communities—will form the resilient networks of tomorrow.

In the coming months, we will continue to strengthen our Islands and explore how to connect them, creating a living system of mutual support, innovation, and hope.

Closing Reflection

As we let go of the shore and slip into the river, let us celebrate those who are with us and open our arms to those who will join us. This is the time to gather, to build, and to connect.

We are the ones we have been waiting for.

Let us create, in celebration and in sacred action, the Archipelago of Sanity.