I regard this book as a gentle read. I initially didn't leave a review because I didn't have strong opinion or analysis to express. However, it is worth mentioning that Lupa gives excellent qualitative descriptions about ecological topics like bioregions, along side descriptions to help you open yourself to seeing the world in a spiritual like. It's wonderful to not only think about the natural world as a home, but to break it down by address--I'm in the Beaver Lake watershed in the Boston Mountains, a part of the Ozark Mountains within the Mississippi greater watershed.

Some spirituality books can be too "off" for me, which is part of the reason why I describe this book as "gentle." Lupa's views or her narrative don't grate me and are actually close to my own beliefs. Applying the concept of totems as a lens to see the world with evokes a sense of history, personally and culturally. Maybe some criticize that it's cultural misappropriation, but once upon a time, no matter where your ancestors were, they likely worshiped totems. No one culture owned the idea. I think revitalizing and personalizing the idea is a good way to appreciate so much about the world--human and natural, material or spiritual. ( )