Conversations That Matter: Rainforest Trail Run — a powerful antioxidant

Credit to Author: Massey Padgham| Date: Fri, 22 Nov 2019 15:00:09 +0000

Chief Dan George talked of “the beauty of the trees, the softness of the air, the fragrance of the grass.”

The forest, according to Peter Wohleben, is a social network connected by a wood wide web. In his book, The Hidden Life of Trees, he says trees talk to one another, they share food, they take care of one another and they support each other. He says it’s no surprise that the saddest trees are those that have been enslaved in isolation in human constructed systems. Those trees lose their ability to communicate and connect, the result is compromised health and a shorter life span.

So, too, with humans.

We know the devastating impacts of isolation on babies. We know the devastating impact on communities that are cut off or intentionally isolated. Canada’s Indian Act isolated First Nations in a way that has compromised their health and life expectancy.

Rosalin Miles thought there was no better way to take a step toward better health and reconciliation than in a rainforest. Working with a wide range of health care and sports organizers and organizations, she launched the Rainforest Trail Run, a 5K event that celebrates First Nations cultures and promotes wellness through movement.

The inaugural event took place on Sept. 29 and was immediately proclaimed a great success as an event, as a coming together and as a step toward reconciliation.

We invited Miles to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the healing power of a community in motion in the cradle of Mother Nature.

Conversations That Matter is a partner program for the Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue at Simon Fraser University. The production of this program is made possible thanks to the support of the following and viewers like you. Please become a Patreon subscriber and support the production of this program, with a $1 pledge here.

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