“Humans are animals and have always been animals. Back when we knew we were animals, we created our name; we called ourself “people” a word equal to bear, salmon, bird, air, stone….. This was back when we saw ourselves as part OF the web (not at the center!) In those days we saw the “other” as a relative, heard their language as song of wisdom and we spoke to them as if we weretheir children. Those that fed us, we made offerings to. Those that inspired us, we told their ancestor stories. Those that we co-evolved with became our teachers, elders, family. These stories became our own stories. We built our spiritual language on their teachings…… Greatest among these teachers is Apis- especially the honey-makers and comb builders that lived as Superorganism. Of course, I say this as an Ambassador for the Bee, since the bee has chosen me to sing her song to the world. A simple honor she gave to me when I was a young child; Once a long time ago, I pressed my ear to the side of a hive and heard their generous, vulnerable, potent hum. The Bee spoke to me as she has to millions who have heard their call. She called me sister and it brought tears of wonder to my child-self eyes. Today I am grown, we live in different times, and what was the tenderest gift has grown within me and I feel grateful to be learning how to share their voice with the world. Despite the difficulties, our pollinator family, like all of Nature, is still working to heal that which is broken. If we listen, they will show us how to return to when were animals, and we will sing in concert, one day, again…”

Laura Bee Ferguson

is the Founding Director of the College of the Melissae –an online and on-the-ground sacred beekeeping school and activism platform based in Oregon, West Coast USA.  In her work, Laura blends her heart’s desire for activism with her soul’s sensitivity to the world and she speaks internationally on sacred beekeeping and how we can and must save the bee to save ourselves.  She is an educator, teacher, speaker and activist and draws on her dual degree in Anthropology and Religious Studies (BA Macalester College) as well as 15 years as a beekeeper. She blends together cutting-edge natural beekeeping methodology and practices with cross-cultural, spiritual and mythological perspectives.
For fun Laura Bee works on her novel, paints, wildcrafts, creates herbal medicines and probably spends too much time canoodling with her chickens on her ¼ acre farm.
For more information about her program:  collegeofthemelissae.com