Each month, we select one of our Impact Tribe members to be our “Daring Member of the Month.” This month, I’m highlighting someone whose wisdom, insight, truth, support, and inner beauty radiates so brightly throughout the Impact Tribe. She goes above and beyond, not only in her commitment to transforming the planet and the people on it, but in how she makes the people in her life feel so seen and heard. 

Meet Vanessa Tavernetti

Vanessa Tavernetti, co-founder of Earth Magic Academy, is a life purpose guide who helps people connect with the Earth and Spirit to feel more grounded, focused, nourished and confident in their purpose.

Together with her husband Rhett Tavernetti, Vanessa teaches the practical and spiritual aspects of connecting with nature, strengthening intuitive gifts, and homesteading skills. They are passionate about helping their clients align with their purpose through spirit-led readings, energy clearings, blessings, and custom ceremonies for life transitions.

For more than 20 years, Vanessa has been devoted to helping adults, children and families tap into the powerful medicine of Nature and Spirit. As a school garden consultant, facilitator and teacher, she has set up hundreds of school gardens in the San Francisco Bay Area working with Alice Waters’ School Garden Movement, and earned the Jack London Teacher of the Year Award.

She has trained thousands of educators worldwide through the Occidental Arts and Ecology Center’s School Garden Teacher Training Program on developing school curriculums around gardens, and currently teaches in the Contemplative Education and Environmental Studies Departments at Naropa University.

Today, Vanessa and I will be discussing:

• How connecting to your intuition and your relationship with the Earth can lead you to understanding your purpose better
• How, by understanding your purpose, you can live life with more joy and happiness
• How living a life of joy and happiness can help the planet
• How you can live your purpose no matter your current job or position

Q: How did you get started in your business?

Vanessa’s work is incredibly unique, and she has a story to match. Where she grew up, she witnessed lots of people die from cancer related to environmental issues. At a young age, she also had a near-death experience that helped her truly realize what her purpose on this planet is. 

The main goal of her work is to inspire people to go out, in any environment, and connect with the nature around them. One thing she realized early on is that people don’t tend to trust the messages they receive from the Earth. Her and her husband work to show people the interconnectedness of the Earth, the Spirit, and humans.

Q: Who do you work with, and what’s the most common problem you help them overcome? 

Her business is unique in that she has multiple ideal clients, and she strives to serve a wide variety of people. She notes that the common denominator of everyone she serves is that there is a noticeable feeling of disconnection – either from yourself, others, or the world at large. 

Though it has become a norm in our culture to feel disconnected, Vanessa aims to help people truly fill up their inner selves, or whatever it is they’re seeking inside – and she does this through helping people discover their connection with the Earth and Spirit. 

Q: Why are we so disconnected and what does that look like? 

The reason why we’re so disconnected runs deep through the roots of our culture, starting with the mindset that we are individuals who need to do everything on our own. Some of the biggest ways this shows up are anxiety, overwhelm, depression, and isolation – all symptoms of the illusion of disconnection. 

Q: If we feel disconnected or lost, how can we ease that turmoil and find our path/purpose? 

Get still. Vanessa’s biggest tip for anyone who is currently feeling lost on their path is to be still. Ask yourself where your body and mind are, and take a moment to genuinely reflect – this will allow you to see the bigger picture, and to see the next steps you need to take. 

We live in a culture where everyone wants to have everything planned out all the way through. But in reality, all you need to do is take the next step and the rest will be revealed to you in time. We don’t have to have everything all figured out! 

Vanessa always tells her clients that our “big boss” is Spirit, and the Earth. Every single decision she makes comes with wisdom from those two places. 

Q: How do you get guidance from Spirit and Earth? 

Once again, be still. Both Vanessa and Rhett have a deep connection with the Earth and Spirit – actually, we all do, but not all of us realize it. When they sit still and be in nature, things become so much clearer in their lives. There’s less distractions, and more awareness that’s possible. 

Q: How does the Earth help you with finding your purpose?

It’s important to realize that the Earth does not need to be saved – it’s really the humans that need to be saved. So, by going out into nature and letting the noise fall away, you'll begin to gain clarity on why you’re here on this planet at this time, and uncover the gifts you have to offer. When we can be in connection with that, and living on purpose, the Earth will be enlivened because the people are enlivened. 

There are so many people just going through the motions, but is that really what your heart and soul are calling forth from you? If not, it’s time to go out into nature, get still, and get clear. 

Q: How can finding your purpose lead you to more happiness and joy?

Your purpose doesn’t necessarily need to be your business – but rather how you show up in the world. I (Jessie May) spent many years believing that my business was my purpose, and putting the other parts of my life on the back-burner. I got to a point where it was truly time to take an honest look at how I was approaching my business and my purpose, so this topic hits close to home for me. 

For anyone listening who does feel like their business is their purpose, Vanessa has a message for you. She’s recently been trying to discover balance, and how it shows up in nature. But what she’s found more of is harmony – nothing in nature is perfectly even or aligned for more than a minute. So, rather than looking for balance, it’s important to find harmony in your life. Finding this harmony instead of balance allows us to follow a more flowing, linear form as opposed to breaking our days into hours. It’s all about having the awareness of where we spend our energy, and which parts of our lives need more energy at any given time. 

Vanessa believes that most people’s purpose is related to love, and bringing love to this planet at this time. Once you discover your purpose, then comes joy. Rather than “I have to do this,” you’ll find a mindset of “I GET to do this!” When you show up in a way that brings you joy, you get to share that joy with others, who then get to pass it on to others in their lives. 

Q: What does “daring” mean to you?

Daring, for Vanessa, is getting still. She’s found that in our culture right now, it’s incredibly daring to take intentional time in nature and be still with ourselves to re-harmonize. Beyond that, it’s important to listen and act on the messages we’re being told from the Earth and Spirit – even when it goes against what might look better on paper, or what’s “normal” in our society. 

Q: What are you most excited about in your business right now?

Vanessa and Rhett are currently launching their entire rebrand and new website that we’ve been working on together throughout the past few years. She is also starting to enroll women into her year-long women’s program that goes through the archetypes of women, the cycles of the season, deep nature connection, and so much more. 

You can learn more about Vanessa’s work and programs on her website here.

If you want to join Vanessa and other amazing members in the Impact Tribe, we would love to have you! When you join the Impact Tribe, you get access to a library of biz-booming courses, next-level coaching, branding resources, and an inspiring, uplifting community of women on a similar path as you. Learn more and join us today at this link.