reflections from the earth circle: an interview with jarmal arnold

can you tell us about yourself and your roles at SUSU? 

i am a soul that is on a mission to fulfill my purpose. this has been the fundamental mission of my entire life. what is my purpose? what I’m I here to do? that’s what led me here to what we now call vermont, which eventually led me to SUSU. my intention is to be purpose-driven and ancestrally driven every day. the work i do at SUSU is very layered: where there is a need, i look to support. my commUNITY work at SUSU is integral to my growth and development at this point in my life. i listen to the elements as I am working. i am in constant conversation with the ancestors and this land, and this connects to my land work and any maintenance that needs to get done. i am also holding the role of youth and belonging director. i’ve been called to that work since I was young.

what brought you to earth stewardship and land protector work?

i realize now that, for me, there has always been a knowing in connection with the earth. even when I was in the city, i would always look up at the sky, the clouds. in the city, there aren’t a lot of trees or a lot of spaces where Mama Earth is really in her fullness. so the opportunity to move to vermont was really rare for a kid raised on the west side of baltimore. that opportunity opened up a greater sense of remembering what I’ve always known. i have always connected to the earth: i was never afraid to journey into the woods or jump in the river or explore. so what brought me to this work was a knowing that I’ve always had. and it took being brought to a place like SUSU to turn up the volume of that connection - that knowing. 

what’s been one of the most prominent messages from the land that you’ve received at SUSU?

one of the biggest messages my ancestors are telling me to speak to is that the land, the elements, nature, and the earth will always send you guidance, or we could say warning, or messages. and one of the biggest lessons is that we are the land. every part of our bodies is made up of the earth: our bones are mineral, our blood is water, our breath is air. the land will always speak to you and give you a heads-up or guidance if you listen - if you are willing to listen. when I’m on the land and away from distractions, the land will often give me permission to be open up enough to meditate. and when I’m in the space, the answers to questions that have been in my spirit for years will pop up. so the earth is also a place to receive clarity. fire does that for me too. the ancestors will also speak to us through fire.

is there anything else you want to share?

i want to be a conduit for my ancestors. we live in a society that has been fabricated based on how our bodies and minds work. there have been a lot of studies and tests about how the human body operates. what I want to say about that is this: allow ourselves to sincerely be open to change and transformation. sincerely and authentically. trust yourself, trust your process, trust your journey, trust your knowing. and before you give yourself to the external world, explore your inner self first so that you are aligned with your intuition. don’t do it for social media or for other people. do it for yourself.