Shela Tarwater
Neera Ann Bird Singh
Neera Ann Bird Singh
Shela is the Creator of the Maiden Mysteries and the fierce Protectress of our wild innocence. She guides our intimate stories of raw, fiery passion into tender, loving purpose. Her life has been a continuous experience of self-initiations. Having her innocence stripped away at a young age and feeling like a lone wolf on her path for most of her life, she yearned for community and only found fragments of it in the patriarchal narratives that dominated her inherited worldview. After serving eight years in the US Air Force followed by a ten+ year career in the legal industry, becoming a mother at 35 is what ignited her path of remembrance. She went back to college at 35 and obtained her BA in Liberal Arts. She considers herself a life learner exploring the mysteries of ancient and modern teachings that are available to us all. For over 15 years, Shela has devoted her life to community building centered in our daughter's eternal becoming. She is the lead facilitator of the Seed Sisters and initiatory adventure guide and mentor. You can find her @walking.with.spirit along the edges of the ancient forests and the golden prairies in Osage County.
Shela is the mother of Kiran (15 years). Contact Shela at (918) 200-7929 or pranamamatulsa@gmail.com
Neera Ann Bird Singh
Neera Ann Bird Singh
Neera Ann Bird Singh
Neera is a Water Keeper of the Maiden Mysteries. She brings 25 years of experience in the fields of environmental, peace, and social justice education to her mentoring work with Roots of Wonder. Neera is the lead facilitator of the Renegade Maidens, and mentor of mentors. She is dedicated to encouraging young people in times of change. Neera is a founding board member of Rose Rock School in Norman, Ok. A dedicated storykeeper with family roots around the world, she believes stories of our ancestors' resilience and perseverance must be passed down to youth for them to blaze their best futures. Neera also provides consultation to parents and businesses who desire a child-centered approach to education that honors the uniqueness of each child. When not working with the Renegade Maidens, you will find Neera working with her bees, and tending flowers on her urban micro-farm, @fatbeeflowerfarm in Tulsa, OK.
Neera is the mother of Tala (19 years) and Ua (16 years). Contact Neera @ (918) 780-1518 or birdsingh@gmail.com
Emily Oakley
Sierra Kramer
Sierra Kramer
Emily sows the seeds, nourishes the soil, tends the roots and grows delicious organic veggies on her family farm, Three Springs Farm in Oaks, OK. She is a leader and speaker on a wide range of topics including organic farming and environmental activism.
Emily’s volunteer work has covered school gardens, increasing access to healthy food, promoting farmers’ markets, organizing young farmers, fighting for organic integrity, protecting water quality, and preserving ancient trees.
Emily is the mother of Lisette (12 years).
Sierra Kramer
Sierra Kramer
Sierra Kramer
Sierra fills our spaces with magic and whimsy. She nurtures the sprouts and our creative imaginations. She is an artist who sprinkles our community with Stardust and tender trust. She is also our compassionate leader in all our community building and fundraising efforts.
Sierra is the founder and Queen Bee at HoneyBee Schoolhouse.
Sierra is the mother of Beatrix aka Bebe (16 years)
Our Origin Story
We began as a Waldorf inspired parent-child group and a community center.
In 2012, Neera had just completed her Lifeways Early Childhood Certification program and she was asked by a friend to share what she had learned with a group of friends. Neera said yes, and from there a small group of mothers and their children began gathering in her yard on Brookside to play together, have a snack and story time, and do seasonal crafts. Across town, Shela was opening a community space with some of her favorite women. Their center focused on the care and keeping of community through holistic offerings such as yoga, music, permaculture and more. Unknown to them, this was the beginning of something much larger than expected. Neera and Shela became instant companions and began weaving their stories into the Great Mystery.
We grew into the Roots of Wonder Child and Nature Program, and the Tulsa Learning Community, a homeschool co-op.
Neera and Shela began working and growing together, knowing there was something beyond their comprehension at play. They deepened into trust, pulling the threads in spite of all the trials and tribulations that came along with the intimacy and vulnerability of community building. Hearts were broken. Hearts were mended. Some friendships deepened while others went on their way. They kept following their hearts.
More seeds sprouted: Under the Canopy, Honeybee Schoolhouse, Invincible Girls Club and Wild Blossom Schoolhouse.
Around the same time, seeds were sprouting all over Tulsa with inner stirrings and exploration of new models of education centered in our children and our community. People asked to come observe what we had created. Fierce, tenderness and mothering endurance continued to pull at our heart strings. Twelve years later, with menopause breathing down our strong backs, we find ourselves here in this moment. Our hearts filled with gratitude. Our minds filled with wonder. And our many hands joined together, ready and willing to make our next phase of this work lighter.
The Maiden Mysteries are rooted in wonder.
We live in a time of the Great Turning. And we are listening. We are deepening and trusting in this mysterious unfolding. As our daughters transform from children to teenagers and women, we are moving forward in our small ways to create change. It has become abundantly clear that our children need us to walk with them in integrity and hope for better world.
Welcome to Roots of Wonder. In addition to our modern-day girl's coming of age program, the Maiden Mysteries, we align directly with and support community endeavors who share our community values.