Laural Virtues Wauters

Laural Virtues Wauters

Facilitator, writer, artist, mentor.

 

"By exploring the roots of our personal and collective stories, we gain a deeper understanding of ourselves. When we see ourselves as the creators of our reality we become active participants in the co-creation of our world". 

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I was born in Frankfurt Germany and adopted as an infant by Americans working for the CIA in post WWII. I developed a deep connection with the trees in Germany, especially the oak, ash, beech, plane and chestnut who have guided me as long as I can remember. 

 

In 1961 we moved to the United States, just before my seventh birthday. After we settled in the Midwest, it became apparent that these trees would become my first American friends. The cedars/arborvitaes were sweet and protective; the weeping willows were mothering, while the oaks, box elders and ash felt like grandparents encouraging me to crawl into their embrace. 

 

Growing up in the 60's & 70's, my focus shifted to becoming an advocate for equal rights, women’s rights, civil rights and the rights of the disabled. After college, I joined VISTA (Volunteer's In Service To America) as a community organizer for underprivileged children and teens. After VISTA I became a developmental disabilities coordinator/counselor. I also provided emergency intervention services for people struggling with mental illness, abuse or addiction. In the 80's I lost both of my adoptive parents, got married, had a child and changed my career path to communication arts. In the 90's I was reunited with my birth mother who told me the story of how I came into this world, and how I was forcibly taken from her. My birth mother had named me Carmen Sylvia, which meant “guardian tree,” unfortunately she passed away nine months after I found her. A few years later I became the President of a 42-person advertising agency after the sudden suicide of my friend and mentor. My refuge during this time was 40 acres of land filled with weeping willows, arborvitae, box elder and apple trees. It was here that we raised our son. 

 

The morning after 9/11/2001, I was determined to untangle the shared roots of world belief to heal the fear and separation that surrounded us. I began researching the origins of belief from 40,000 BCE to present day within each continent. This led me to look deeper into the story of the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge to better understand why "knowledge" was forbidden. As I continued diving into its origins, I realized that this knowledge came from nature and how we became disconnected from it.

 

In 2007, I left my career to pursue a path of reconnection. I'm not a natural writer, but I began writing as a way to organize my thoughts. Ten years later I moved to the Pacific Northwest, with my husband of 40 years to live near our son and his family. This new chapter has blessed me with the joy of becoming a Grandmother. It was here, among the redwoods, Doug fir and madrone that I created Tree Spirit Tarot. I am currently collaborating with Lanvi T. Nguyen on a series of children's books: The Everlasting Forest. 

 

It is my dream to inspire and empower others to reconnect with nature and how we are all related to each other. I believe trees are the ones who will help us to remember our roots.

 

Namaste (respect) and Munay (love) to all.

 

Books I have written: 

• Tree Spirit Tarot - Return to the Garden of our Soul

• Mandala Chakra - Awaken the One Within

• The Everlasting Forest - A Worldly Adventure

• The Guardian Tree - The True Story of Carmen Sylvia

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Weblogs:

•  www.treespiritwisdom.com

•  www.mandalachakra.com

•  www.everlasting-forest.com

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For more information contact: lauralwauters@gmail.com