We acknowledge that we are gathered on the traditional and unceded territory of the Pomo and Lake Miwok people who have cared for and tended this land since time immemorial. Truth and acknowledgment are critical to building mutual respect and connection across all barriers of heritage and difference. We begin this effort to acknowledge what has been buried by honoring the truth. We pay respect to their elders past and present.

Please take a moment to consider the many legacies of violence, displacement, migration, and settlement that bring us together here today.

For hundreds of years, this land and its springs were a sacred healing place for the region’s Native people. This was during an era when different groups may have fought over territory or resources. But the paths to these springs and their surrounding land were collectively held as neutral territory, and members of all Nations knew they could come here safely, enjoy the waters, and abide in peace.

Around 1856, a non-Native named James M. Harbin is believed to have taken control and ownership of this land; and the names Harbin Hot Springs and Harbin Mountain come from him. The land changed hands and character several times over the ensuing 100 years.

In 1972, the then-neglected property was purchased by Robert Hartley. In 1975, the ownership of Harbin Hot Springs was reorganized, as Hartley sold it to Heart Consciousness Church, Inc., the non-profit religious organization that continues to own the property and run Harbin Hot Springs today as a retreat center.

During the Valley Fire of 2015, millions of mature shade trees and huge swaths of forest were destroyed. But throughout the entire devastation of the Valley Fire and its tumultuous aftermath, Harbin’s springs continued to flow.

This responsibility requires sincere dedication and a deep commitment to care for the land and water. Our stewardship has an even deeper sense of urgency and inspires even more dedication after witnessing the fragility of the land. The renewal that comes from tender, nurturing hands offering love and attention to the Earth is miraculous.