Why is it important for people to have a connection with Nature?
To quote Chief Seattle, “Man did not weave the web of life, his is merely a strand in it. We are a part of nature and nature is a part of us.” While philosophically and poetically these words sound wonderful, science has now confirmed that our connection to nature is essential for health and wellbeing, from the obvious elements of sunlight, clean air, and clean water to a very tangible pulse of the planet. Moreover,our body clocks are calibrated to the rhythms of the earth, in what is called chronobiology (also known as circadian rhythms). Our bodies run on a 24-hour clock and sunlight plays a huge role in the proper secretion and regulation of many hormones. We are made up of nature and the natural elements which are essential for healthy living. In this age of high technology where people are becoming addicted to their gadget screens, we are losing our precious connection to the natural world and this will greatly affect our overall health and well-being.

Earth Songs: Mountains, Water and the Healing Power of Nature

Why did you decide to create “Earth Songs”?
I first created the film “Earth Songs” for people undergoing chemotherapy in the hospital setting. Many hospitals across the country have in-house cable programming for their patients (so they don’t have to watch all the fear-based adrenaline rush programming on the networks). The healing properties of the body don’t do well in perpetual flight-or-flight. “Earth Songs” also found an audience with the US Army’s Wounded Warrior program, with soldiers who have PTSD and TBI. But another reason that I made this movie is that I am really concerned with the state of the world today, specifically the environment. People are going to protect only what they love, and I wanted people to fall back in love with Mother Earth, hoping that this film might help in this process.

How did you choose the locations that you filmed?
I have traveled a fair amount in my life and I tend to go to the places that are beautiful, as this fills my spirit. Before I started filming, I made a dream list of all the places I wanted to go, including many places I had been before (Hawaii, Alaska, The Caribbean, South America, New Zealand, Canada, etc) . The list was quite long, far more extensive than my budget would allow (the entire movie was self-funded…before Kickstarter was ever on the scene, I might add). One place I went to was Iceland. I saw a photo in a book of this amazing waterfall, and I thought to myself, I don’t know where this is, but I am going… Iceland is amazing. So is Greenland, as is Hawaii, and Patagonia, Chile. We live in a beautiful world. My goal was to bring some of the most beautiful places in the world to people who might never get a chance to see them.

What would a typical day look like for you while filming the documentary?
The film schedule varied depending on where I was. Most days I was up before sunrise and back in the hotel room or tent well after sunset. The best light to film in is around sunrise and sunset.  About one-fourth of the movie was filmed very near where I live, and many shots were filmed from my backyard (I have an amazing view of Rocky Mountain National Park from my bedroom window).  I had a lot of great luck filming with regard to the weather…not many rainy days, which was nice.

I’m sure it would be difficult to pick one location that is your favorite so I won’t ask you to do that.  But what are a few of your favorite locations that you filmed and why?
There is a real peace in nature, sometimes feeling like you have the whole place to yourself. For this reason, I went to places where there were not a lot of people/tourists. (How many people do you know who have been to Greenland or Iceland?)  Kauai is my favorite island in the world, but Greenland is absolutely breathtaking…..a real treasure.

Did you have any interesting encounters with wildlife while filming the documentary?
After the first year of filming (mostly mountains and water) I realized I needed to film some wildlife.  The problem is that members of the wildlife kingdom don’t audition, nor do they do second takes. Patience is key, but even then…  I have some neat stories about the mountain lion and lynx, as well as the humpbacks and hummingbirds, but I will save those stories for the talk after the screening.

Brian Luke Seaward, produced and director of Earth Songs: Mountains, Water and the Healing Power of Nature

You lead trips to one of the greenest places on Earth – Ireland.  How do you encourage attendees to create connections with nature while on retreat?
Just like the body has meridians and chakras, the planet has an energy grid with various energetic points. These energy lines are most well known as ley-lines (in Ireland they call them Faerie Lines). Throughout Europe many of these points of energy are recognized as sacred sites. In fact, many of these energy points are adorned with stone structures (stone circles, dolmans, etc.). Today, some even have churches (even cathedrals) built over them. In the trips we take to Ireland, we travel to many of these sacred sites and hold what I call sacred ceremonies. I often read a poem or two from the collected works of John O’Donahue. We do some healing work (e.g., healing touch, reiki, bio-energy work). We have dedicated time for meditation (both as a group and individually) and we also include some traditional Irish music. The overriding intention is love and compassion for the earth at these various points and I have some neat stories about this that I will share, too. It’s a lot of fun, really. Some people go to Ireland for photos and Guinness. Not only do we include this as part of the trip, but we also share love and compassion, something Mother Earth is in great need of these days.

This documentary is now being used in various stress management programs -can you tell us a little bit about this?
“Earth Songs” is not only about the healing power of nature; it is a healing experience and that was the point of making this movie, to have a healing experience. As such, it is being used in many corporate wellness programs as a type of guided mental imagery. In this fast-paced lifestyle we live in (even in Seattle), it is important to take time to catch our breath. The two most popular places people take vacations includes mountains and the ocean, two locations that help bring our personal problems back into proportion.

The awe of nature. Photo by Brian Luke Seaward.

What do attendees have to look forward to when screening the documentary with you, the director?
There is something special about seeing a movie as a group experience. I am hoping that we can use the collective energy of the audience to augment the healing process and share this energy/consciousness throughout the world.

And having done several screenings, I have found that people really like to hear many of the behind the scenes stories. For example, they ask how I got Michael York to do the narration. How did I acquire the amazing musical score? How were some of the scenes shot?  What are some of my favorite healing stories that have come back to me as a result of viewing the film?

Thanks, Melissa, for this invitation to come to Seattle to your conference and I look forward to this wonderful event.

To learn more about Brian Luke Seaward, visit www.brianlukeseaward.net

To purchase your tickets to the “Earth Songs” documentary screening on March 7th at 7:30pm, click here.