TL;DR (Too Long Didn't Read): Here with a monthly update on Zaya! We've been busy growing our community and having some deep talks with those in the intersection of environmentalism, wellbeing and culture on our Twitter.

Join our next event this Thursday 7pm Berlin, 1pm NYC, 10am LA on Preserving Plants and Protecting Biodiversity with the founder of Plant Gang.

Want to do a fun experiment?: Choose one of the following numbers that resonates most with you: 5, 7, 2. Have you chosen a number? Read to the end to find a message left for you by a little spirit animal.

Nature, Culture and Wellbeing at a Glance 🌿 

Read the latest articles our team has come across ✌️

Biophilic design can make us healthier and more resilient to climate change

Biomimicry looks to nature’s forms and processes to solve design challenges like reducing energy and water consumption, preserving ecosystems, and managing waste.

Read more about it here

This is no way to be human

Individuals higher in nature connectedness tend to be more conscientious, extraverted, agreeable, and open … nature connectedness has also been correlated with emotional and psychological well-being.

Read more about it here

Finding our way back to the land

From biblical farming practices to ancient wayfaring, these communities are reviving their cultural traditions to sustain body, mind, and planet.

Read more about it here

Upcoming Events

When: Thursday June 23, 2022 @ 7pm Berlin | 10am LA | 1pm NYC

Where: Twitter Spaces @ZayaDAO

This Thursday we will be chatting to the founder of @PLANTGANGxyz - a decentralized community that is building a virtual herbarium and collecting scientific 3D model images from real-world scanned plant specimens. We will be talking about the beauty of nature and the importance of recording and displaying it in virtual worlds for open academic research not held back by social, economical or geographic limitations.

Learn more about Plant Gang here

The Vault of Wisdom 🐚

In our most recent event, Nadeya spoke with Cannabis and Consciousness researcher, Sebastian Marincolo on how to use cannabis to better empathically understand others and to have more deep and meaningful insights.

Listen to the replay here

In this discussion, Dr. Wang talked about how we can apply philosophical concepts to health. He explained how nature and life forms are related to the 3 sections of the body; the sky representing the upper body, life forms such as animals and plants representing the middle body, and the soil/earth representing the lower body. If there is an ailment in one section of the body, a direct way to treat it is through seeing the body as one functioning ecosystem - similar to nature. Instead of treating the body in separate parts, you treat it as a whole system.

Replay the livestream here

What type of topics do you enjoy learning about?

Psychedelics, spirituality, medicinal plants/fungi? Take our quick 1 minute survey to help us learn more about you and what you love.

Connect with fellow Zayan's 🍄 !

We've set up a group chat on Telegram where you can connect with other Zaya community members around the world. Here you can join discussions cored around healing and regenerating the earth, receive notifications on events, and other fun things in the making.

🔮 Choose one of the following numbers that resonates most with you: 5, 7, or 2

Did you already pick your number? Great! Read below to see what message your chosen animal spirit has for you!

5: The Stingray: Developing confidence, sense of self, or "spine"

The stingray card represents a pivotal point in personal growth. The moment has come when the stingray must decide between the old (easy, comfortable, and familiar) and the new (challenging, uncomfortable, and unfamiliar). Pressure from family and friends makes the decision even more complicated. No matter what choice is made now, it's inevitable that this dilemma will surface again and again, as the force of dharma growing within the stingray is too strong to ignore. When in balance: eager, wants to grow. When out of balance blames others, quits. To bring into balance: move through the discomfort.

7: The Black Egg: Speaking from an authentic voice, the truth

The Black Egg contains one of life's essential treasures - the truth. Inside of it resides no confusion, excuses, small talk, noise, or lies (not even white ones). This living and breathing vessel harbours only that which rings true. When this essence is in balance we speak slowly and clearly. We are drawn to activities like writing, reading, teaching, singing, or perhaps public speaking. Sounds draw us in, books draw us in. We start asking questions like, "What do I know true about myself?" "What is true about the world?" When the energy of the Black Egg is not yet accessed, we speak from an unsure place. We say things others want to hear, gossip, or repeat stories to justify our subpar behavior. We might even try to convince ourselves that we have no inner truth at all. The energy of the Black Egg hovers and waits for us to reconnect. It is available at every moment, in every situation. It's the epicenter of truth, the birthplace of our voice.The Black Egg and the Fifth Chakra. The subtle essence of this card resides at the base of the throat chakra, at the vishuddha chakra. The ancient sages saw this center as the hub that governs our speech and expression. Vishuddha translates as "especially pure." The balance of this center is important for all of us, but especially essential for writers, editors, musicians, and teachers.

2: The Nightingale: Fearless voice, speech, communication, or song

The song of the Nightingale is otherworldly. This simple brown bird, almost unnoticeable among the flashy plumage of other birds, transports its listener to the realm of poetry. Nightingale energy is with us when we write, compose and especially when we sing. It reminds us that music heals the deepest wounds. This card indicates a need to open the bridge between the heart and the voice. Is there something you need to say? How long has it been since you sang? Turn it up, write it down, and let it out. When in balance: sings, speaks freely with kindness. When out of balance: shy, lump in throat. To bring into balance: music.

Stay tuned for more updates! We will regularly be hosting amazing events and workshops both in-person and online over the next weeks. To get all the latest news on events, follow us on Twitter and engage with fellow Zayan's!