E35 | Aaron Johnson | Roots of Liberation: Remembering and Rewilding Together

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“What does it mean to be close? What does it mean to put your hands on the Earth and to let the Earth be on you, recognizing how much we are the Earth?”

— Aaron Johnson

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A YEAR TO LIVE

TICKETS TO RISE & REVITALIZE

HEARTHWOVEN SUBSTACK

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Aaron Johnson shares powerful insights from his journey of embracing tenderness and closeness as transformative orientations for healing and activism. He opens up about how the grief of his father’s death cracked open his emotional capacity, allowing him to reconnect with deeper, more sensitive parts of himself that had long been neglected by both the American overculture and his individual upbringing. We explore how the simple act of slowing down to truly see and be with each other becomes a radical, healing gesture—how proximity and intimacy are essential for dismantling oppression and building deep, rooted connection.

Aaron describes how "closeness" nourishes our ability to connect with our bodies, our hearts, and each other in ways that can lead to collective liberation. He reflects on his childhood, the silence around sensuality and tenderness, and how these qualities challenge societal norms—especially within Black masculinity. Through his practice of touch and somatic connection, Aaron offers a pathway toward greater wholeness, both within ourselves and in our relationships with Earth and one another. We also discuss how stepping away from the demands of capitalism allows space for deeper connection and intimacy, and how rewilding, both personally and collectively, is key to healing ancestral wounds. Aaron emphasizes the importance of creating inclusive spaces for people of colour in nature-based gatherings, which are vital for fostering co-liberation and community evolution.

Find Thematic Show Notes Here

Connect with Aaron:

Instagram

TEDx Talk

Dark and Tender Film Trailer

Chronically Undertouched Project

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