A Call to Awareness

The earth is at the same time mother.
She is mother of all that is natural,
     mother of all that is human.
She is the mother of all,
     for contained in her are the seeds of all.
The earth of humankind
     contains all moistness, all verdancy,
     all germinating power.
It is in so many ways fruitful.
All creation comes from it. Yet it forms
     not only the basic raw material for humankind,
     but also the substance for the incarnation of God's son.

--Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179)