Deep in Yosemite National Forest lies Lake Eleanor, a clear mountain lake that has been a family touchstone for decades. My husband and I first backpacked there when our children were in diapers, and though we hadn’t returned in ten years, we chose it as the place to celebrate his 60th birthday.
Driving from Groveland toward the trailhead, I tried to recognize familiar landmarks, but much of the forest had changed. Years ago, a devastating fire swept through, burning so hot in places that even the soil was sterilized. Entire hillsides were stripped of life. And yet, as we hiked toward the granite shores that would be our home for several days, I noticed signs of renewal—small pines rising from the ashes, young forests in various stages of succession.
Among the white skeletons of burnt trees, I saw clusters of pine “babies”—just about our height—springing up like Christmas trees. Some had come from cones cracked open by the fire’s heat. Others, I imagined, were nurtured into being by a single survivor: one tall, vibrant pine that stood alive and green amidst the devastation.
I found myself fantasizing that, as the fire approached, the surrounding trees sent their resources through the underground fungal network to shore up this one—choosing her as the most likely to endure. Now she bore the responsibility of scattering cones across the hillside, seeding the next generation. It struck me as a sacred sacrifice: the fallen trees, still giving in death; the lone survivor, standing as custodian of renewal; the babies, carrying forward the forest’s future.
The scene reminded me of the Shambhala Warrior prophecy shared by Joanna Macy: when destructive forces threaten life, each of us has a role to play. Like the trees, we can gather our resources, stand where we are, and contribute our unique part to the healing of the whole.
Rethinking Sacrifice
The word “sacrifice” often conjures images of pain and loss—heroes giving their lives, ordinary people enduring hardship for the greater good. But at its root, sacrifice means “sacred offering.” What if we reclaimed that meaning? What if we saw sacrifice not as deprivation but as an act of love, of letting go for something greater to emerge?
From that perspective, offering what we value can be joyful. And when we live from abundance, what we give away may not diminish us at all—it may return multiplied.
Sacrifice, then, can mean living authentically, offering our gifts fully, and contributing to the regeneration of life around us.
Discovering Your Dharma
But how do we know what our “sacred offering” is? How do we discern the work that is uniquely ours to do?
Deepak Chopra, in The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, describes this as the Law of Dharma:
- We are here to discover our true self.
- We are here to express our unique talents.
- We are here to be of service to humanity.
I believe most of us long for this—to express our gifts with love and kindness, to live with purpose, to contribute to the whole. And yet many wrestle with doubt: Who am I, really? What is my true work?
This is why I created the Soul Destiny Blueprint—a way of reflecting your soul’s essence back to you and activating it in your energy field. When we remember who we are at the deepest level, we can live and work from alignment, offering our lives not from fear, but from love.
Work as Sacred Expression
Kahlil Gibran, in The Prophet, wrote:
“You work that you may keep pace with the earth and the soul of the earth. … When you work you are a flute through whose heart the whispering of the hours turns to music. … When you work you fulfill a part of earth’s furthest dream, assigned to you when that dream was born.”
Every blade of grass, every oak, every lone pine tree has its place in the song of life. So do we.
The forest teaches us: cooperation, interdependence, co-creation. Our lives, like the trees, are offerings. When we live authentically, our very being becomes a gift—one that nourishes others and helps regenerate the whole.
🌱 Your Sacred Offering
Take a moment to reflect:
- What is your “lone tree” strength—the gift within you that endures even through fire?
- Where in your life are you being called to offer yourself more fully, not as a burden, but as a sacred contribution?
If you long for clarity on your soul’s unique essence and the work that is yours to do, I invite you to explore your Soul Destiny Blueprint. This fully customized reflection reveals your soul’s encoded purpose and activates it in your energy field, helping you live and give from deep alignment.
You can request your Soul Destiny Blueprint here: Receive Your Soul Destiny Blueprint »
