I was born in Frankfurt Germany where I lived next to an enchanted forest til the age of seven. It was there that I became aware of the wisdom that trees wished to share with us.

In 1961 we moved to the United States and settled in the Midwest. It soon became apparent that trees would also become my first American friends. The cedars/arborvitaes were sweet and protective; the weeping willows were mothering, while the oaks, box elders and ash felt like grandparents encouraging me to crawl into their embrace. 

Growing up in the 60’s & 70’s, my focus shifted to becoming an advocate for equal rights, women’s rights, civil rights and the rights of the disabled. After college, I joined VISTA (Volunteer’s In Service To America) where I worked as a community organizer for underprivileged children and teens. After VISTA I became a developmental disabilities coordinator/counselor. I also provided emergency intervention services for people struggling with mental illness, abuse or addiction. In the 80’s, I changed my career path to communication arts and by 1997 I was the president and creative director for a full-service branding agency in Green Bay, WI. During this time I lived in the country on 40-acres with my husband and son. I was surrounded by the beauty of weeping willows, box elders, poplars, junipers and arborvitaes as well as apple, pear, cherry and plum trees.

The morning after 9/11/2001, I was determined to untangle the shared roots of world belief to help heal the fear and separation our world was feeling. I researched the origins of belief and world religion from 40,000 BCE to present day within each continent. This led me to look deeper into the story of the Tree of Life vs the Tree of Knowledge to better understand what “knowledge” actually meant and why it was forbidden. As I continued diving into its origins, I realized that this knowledge had to do with our deep connection to nature.

In 2007 I left my career to immerse myself in the healing arts of the mandala, indigenous energy medicine and cross-cultural healing modalities. I began facilitating healing circles, retreats and mandala classes. This led to the creation of Mandala Chakra – Awaken the One Within.

In 2017 I moved to the Pacific Northwest with my husband Paul Wauters, to live near our son and his family. It was here, among the redwoods, Doug fir and madrone that I created Tree Spirit Tarot – Return to the Garden. Recently, I began collaborating with Lanvi T. Nguyen on a series of children’s books, based on the Everlasting Forest – A Worldly Adventure. Along the way I also wrote my autobiography The Guardian Tree – The True Story of Carmen Sylvia..

It is my dream to inspire and empower others to reconnect with their true nature through the stories that trees hold for us.

Namaste (respect) and Munay (love) to all. 

Laural 

Education: Laural holds both a Bachelors of Social Work (BSW) and a Bachelors of Communication Arts (BA). Laural is also a graduate of the Four Winds Healing the Light Body School of Energy Medicine created by Alberto Villodo. She is a certified mandala facilitator through Dr. Judith Cornell (Rajita Sivananda) and a mesa carrier based on the teachings of Andean maestro Tupaq Ttito Kuntur (Adolfo Ttito Condori). 

Mandala Chakra – Awaken the One Within contains 49 hand-drawn mandalas that correspond to the seven chakras of our energetic anatomy and organized into seven categories based on seven unique perceptual states.

To learn more visit: www.mandalachakra.com

Tree Spirit Tarot – Return to the Garden of our Soul, tells the archetypal stories of 78 trees as they relate to the Tarot. Trees are wisdom keepers who hold space on our journey to oneness.

Tree Spirit Tarot book available at: Amazon

Tree Spirit Tarot deck available at: Printers Studio

Everlasting Forest – A Worldly Adventure, transports readers around the globe as they meet the legendary Forest Friends and learn their stories. These tales will invite children and elders alike to gather together and share in the wonder of the natural world and the thrill of adventure! To learn more visit: www.everlasting-forest.com

The Guardian Tree – The True Story of Carmen Sylvia, is my autobiography that I began writing after I was reunited with my German birth mother. She passed away 9 months later leaving me with unanswered questions as well as confirmation of the path I was on .