As Within So Without

I've just finished watching a 10 part series on the auto-immune system created by Jonathan Otto. I found it very informative and have been implementing some of the suggestions it makes. A lot of it discusses the connection between what we eat, our lifestyles and our health.

image courtesy of Pixabay

As I was watching, it occurred to me that what helps our health usually helps the health of our planet. For example, pesticides harm our health and the soil, factory farmed meat harms our health, animals and our environment, and living in polluted areas damages our respiratory systems and our air.

Sometimes I wonder if this is what karma is really all about.

Nothing we do happens in isolation. We are but a thread in a vast tapestry; what we do matters. We are one small part of a constellation of relationships, communities, events and world views. And who we are and what we do affect them all. We're part of a bigger picture that we help to create.

image courtesy of Pixabay

Everything -- everyone -- has a past and a future beyond their present form. There are consequences, impacts and context to all we do, from where we spend our money to how we choose to live and who we spend our time with.

Where we spend our time, money and energy helps the world -- and ourselves -- heal or degrade. We fuel our lives with clean energy or fossil fuels that impact our planet in different ways. We buy fairly traded goods and say no to slave labour. We bank at credit unions and keep our money in our communities. What we do makes a difference.

When we look at life as a big tapestry, what are we weaving? Do our actions lead to a healthier, happier, more just world? Do they deliver personal and planetary health? Is our personal realm a place of kindness and understanding that invites others to also weave something beautiful?

When we expand our personal boundaries this way, I wonder if it creates more happiness and meaning on both the inside and the outside. When we do our part to create joy, health and beauty in the world, even in small ways, my sense is that it comes back to us. In these demanding times, it's worth being intentional about the way we live our lives, and the impact they're making.

image courtesy of Pixabay

Getting Real in the New Economy

If you're anything like me, you're probably pretty conscientious. But, let's face it, in an economy as predatory as ours, it's an uphill battle even for those of us who make our beds in the morning, floss regularly and show up on time.

In this economy, others I know who are equally conscientious do all kinds of crazy things to stretch their money. Times are tough and, with the ever increasing concentration of wealth into fewer hands, getting tougher. And we're doing the best we can.

image courtesy of Pixabay

So let's get real. We need to survive this savage period while helping others to get through it unscathed. Here are a few things we can do.

For one, let's lose the new age chatter. Forget about manifesting. While the money is evaporating all around us and going to the pockets of the very rich, it's going to take more than magical thinking to get us out of this predicament. We're in a situation that's like monetary musical chairs, on a crumbling ecosystem. This is serious, and we've got to get serious too.

And let's skip the tough love. We're already getting enough of it from the economic realities we're immersed in. Let's support each other and create trusting, caring relationships. We need all the support we can get these days.

Immersing ourselves in community goes a long way. Together we're creating solutions, making new friends and building support networks. Community gardens, environmental groups, tool sharing, free stores -- the more ways we find to share, the better off we all are, and the less isolated we feel.

image courtesy of Pixabay

And let's pat ourselves on the back for the good decisions we've made, for the tenacity we show at checking the job boards daily, keeping our resumes current, and finding creative ways of getting by.

And for taking care of ourselves. In an economy that doesn't give a damn about anything except profits, it's a strength to eat well, to care for our appearance, and to make our well being a priority.

Morale boosters are a must these days. Some of the things that work for me are eating good but simple food, putting a few fresh wild flowers around the house, and indulging my creativity when I can. I find that putting some effort into my personal appearance elicits a positive response from others too.

Finding free, fun things to do can make a big difference. Playing cards or board games, going for hikes, having friends over for dinner, going to free nights at the museum, and getting involved with community groups helps everyone involved feel good. Focusing on the things we enjoy helps to take the edge off. It's easy to be intentional about this when we realize that most of us are struggling with money, time or both. We can all do our bit to lift each other up.

image courtesy of Pixabay

One of the most meaningful things we can do is keep the big picture in mind. Since we're alive, we're the place of power between generations. We're the ones who can make a difference, honouring those who came before us and being in service to those to come.

Getting through these tough times is our challenge. How can we transform the world around us? How will we find better ways of living on our debased planet? What small steps can we take to influence our world in a good way?

There are small things we can do to make a difference like shopping at second hand instead of box stores. We can also give away what we don't need, live more simply and find free and second hand sources of the things we need. We can redefine our values, grow food, and build community.

And, whatever we do, let's be kind to each other. Most of us put on a happy face, and we don't know what kinds of hardships others are experiencing. Kindness is like a salve when we're all being chafed by a rough world. Here's a song to inspire kindness and appreciation for the world around us.

Collectively, we need to find a way to make a just transition to a cleaner, greener society. The basis for our emerging society needs to be kindness, fairness and sustainability. Our relationships are what will make the difference. We need trust and goodwill more than ever. The way we conduct ourselves now is the foundation for the new society we're helping to bring about.

Congratulations on surviving these brutal times! I look forward to the better times we're creating together. And, who knows? You might just be the one who makes all the difference.

image courtesy of Pixabay

Our Need for Coherence

Recently, I saw a meme that got me thinking. It was a picture of someone surrounded by electronic devices, taking in all kinds of random information.

It made me wonder about our need for coherence. Part of losing our sanity is losing a worldview that makes sense to us. If life is just a bunch of random, meaningless stuff happening, what's the point? It seems like a disempowering and disheartening way to live.

Image courtesy of Pikwizard

When I think of the most wildly popular politicians on the international stage, Bernie Sanders and Jeremy Corbyn come to mind. Both are a branding nightmare. Not only are they both getting on in years, but apparently Bernie's grumpy and Jeremy's kind of weird. And those things make me love them all the more. They're just regular folks who have a coherent worldview that they have lived, which gives them credibility, and make their visions immediately understandable.

I think we have a deep need for a coherent outlook on life that is fair, constructive and that makes sense. Fake news and excessive marketing are an assault on this basic need. They pollute our understanding of the world.

Wanting a better future for those who come after us is a time honoured and noble aspiration that was once a part of most people's worldview. Where did it go? This isn't something we hear about much these days, even though it's the driving force for so many of us. Think the boomers don't care? Think again. Many have grandkids. Of course most of them care. They want their children and grandchildren to thrive, and a world that will allow them to.

One of my favourite attempts to create coherence is the Leap Manifesto. It's the result of divergent groups who are all working hard towards a better future who have hammered out some goals they can all agree upon. Having been part of many similar groups -- and sick of the distrust and infighting among them -- I love this.

Collectively, we have the wealth, the technology and the ability to create the kind of world we would want to leave to our kids and grandkids. But I think a lot of us -- especially the people who are running the show these days -- have an insufficiently broad and coherent worldview. People in power have a responsibility to those who elected them to provide a healthy society, a thriving environment and a stable economy. But they seem to be beholden to money interests, fossil fuel companies and massive corporations. People chasing profits have a way of missing the fundamentals.

In some ways, I feel sorrier for these people than for the rest of us who are struggling under them. Where is their humanity? How does it feel to be that greedy and uncaring? What do they tell their kids about the future?

Image courtesy of Unsplash

Our basic humanity is what makes life meaningful and enjoyable. Forget about the pursuit of happiness: what will make us feel good is caring relationships with others, and that means doing the right things. If your relationships are based on deal making, then they're not very substantial, and at some level we all know that.

A coherent worldview is one that is based on values like genuine caring and concern for the future, and it's something we can base our actions upon. If we care about having a livable future and value our water, air, and land, we'll work hard towards replacing fossil fuels with clean energy.

We can see people's level of commitment to these things in our communities by what they do, but we're not seeing that in a lot of our political representatives. When they're persuaded by corporate interests, they're selling themselves out as well as the people they represent.

So how do we create coherence in our lives?

Here are a few ways I filter information:

• I'm clear about my values, especially when it comes to a healthy society and planet, and a future for coming generations.
• Does something benefit the many and not just a few? 
• Is it kind and constructive?
• Is my news coming from a source I trust? Fake news muddies the waters.
• What does my gut tell me? If it leaves me with a pit in my stomach, there's probably something not quite right.
• What would the effect of an idea be a hundred years from now? Would the world be a better place because of it?

 I believe having a coherent worldview brings personal peace. Our values are our North Star, and coherence flows from them.

Image courtesy of Pixabay

Thinking Like A Mountain

Recently, I've been rereading the old classic Thinking Like A Mountain by John Seed, Joanna Macy, Pat Fleming and Arne Naess.

Only in hindsight did I realize what a formative influence this book had on my worldview. For me, reading it was an environmental and philosophical coming of age. It presented a broad enough container to hold the depth and breadth of the plight of our home planet and its inhabitants, and the full range of emotions that accompany this awareness.

image courtesy of Pixabay

In some ways it reminds me of Brian Greene's The Elegant Universe in scope, although its subject matter deals with time, the state of our planet, and our complex inner landscapes.

The thinking it inspires is what's needed for the times we're living in. We have the solutions to our problems, but are experiencing a profound failure of imagination. We're trapped in the very mechanisms we've created that our eating away at our future.

This theoretical container came just in time for me. My heart is breaking with the knowledge of the new lows our societies have reached. I understand how people in Nazi Germany didn't want to believe its people were capable of the legendary horrors inflicted upon those they considered undesirable at the time. We want to believe in the decency of our public officials. How do we look clearly at the extent of the cruelty and corruption we're facing so that we can find effective ways of confronting it? Because we must confront it.

We need to work through our denial, grief and disbelief to get to a place where we can turn things around. We can do it. It means we'll have to empower ourselves and each other and work together in ways we never have before. The future is in our hands, and we can't drop the ball on this one.

We've never had such powerful tools. With the internet we can share what works and what doesn't instantly. We can stay informed and keep each other up to date. We have alternatives to cruelty and destruction. We can turn off the TV, and put our energy into solutions instead of fear and anger. We can create the kind of future we'd want to live in. There are so many ways to seize our power. Lets do this!

image courtesy of Pixabay

Because We're Alive, We Are the Place of Power

Because we're alive, we are the place of power. Future generations are counting on us, as are our ancestors, many of whom dedicated themselves to making a better life for us. We're the ones able to act on their behalf because we are alive.

Taking the long view, we'll need all the love, smarts and resources we can muster to keep our souls from shrivelling and to do what's right. It's up to us to protect our planet, and to bring about a better future for all of us.

We need to cut through the fake news, refuse to be divided and not get suckered into the blame game. We're here to find and support each other as we stand up to politicians who've broken their promises, and to the billionaires who have tainted our politics, media and cultures.

photo courtesy of Kyle Cottrell

Let's face it: most of us are unacknowledged by our media. We're portrayed in all kinds of unflattering ways, but we see ourselves reflected in trends that aren't media driven: the popularity of Bernie Sanders and Jeremy Corbyn, the increased number of vegans, the popularity of 'buy local' campaigns and gardening, the tiny house movement, the thousands who take to the streets over injustices, and our love of community. 

We don't need validation by the media when we have each other. We need to reclaim our public spaces, tax dollars and voting rights, and correct the systems that have caused anguish for so many. Let's discuss the future, grieve together, share food and find new ways of expressing what we want so our many kindred spirits can find us and join in.

Branding doesn't work for us; we're learning, growing and evolving from the ground up. We welcome people from all races, nationalities, religions, genders, gender identifications, ages, classes and movements. All have insights and abilities to contribute, and all are worthy of respect and inclusion. Let's demonstrate the peaceful, wise and sensible way forward in all its many forms.

Let's stop those pipelines and end fracking, and get on with clean energy, proportional representation and decent standards of living for all. Let's protect our land, water and air together and stop exploiting each other. It's time to create a harmonious way of being with each other and with the magnificent planet that sustains us.

It's our duty as citizens – as human beings – to seize this critical historic moment and to work together in ways we never have before. If we're alive, our lives have meaning. It's our job to protect and restore our world. 

Future and past generations are counting on us. And we're going to have a wonderful time together while we envision and create the future we want.

photo courtesy of Kinga Cichewicz

Introducing a hero: William McDonough

"Waste equals food."

What if that statement guided all resource use decisions - biological and technical?

For Bill McDonough it does! Co-author of the book "Cradle to Cradle" and featured in the film "The Next Industrial Revolution", Bill McDonough is transforming the way things are manufactured.

From Wikipedia: William Andrews McDonough is an American architect, founding principal of William McDonough + Partners, co-founder of McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC)with German chemist Michael Braungart as well as co-author of 'Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things also with Braungart.^[1] McDonough's career is focused on designing environmentally sustainable buildings and transforming industrial manufacturing processes.

I first heard Bill McDonough on the CBC Radio program, "Ideas" and my first reaction was suspicion. Here was a man who wasn't particularly in favour of recycling! He also works with Nike, Ford, Herman Miller and a number of other companies. If you believe that corporations are the root of all evil, the way many in the environmental movement do, these things sound a few alarm bells.

However, many of us drive cars and wear running shoes. Since they're a fact of life, doesn't it make sense to make their processes more green?

Anyways, after hearing the interview I got the book, "Cradle to Cradle" from the library and reading it made me into a convert.

I later watched the film "The Next Industrial Revolution" and Bill McDonough became one of my heroes. I ordered it from his website a number of years ago, and hope it's still available.

What he and his associates do is look at the systems and chemical components of the industrial manufacturing process and transforms them in ways that benefit our environment. When you think of the scale of the effects this has, it's huge! And necessary!

I hope you'll check out "Cradle to Cradle", and that you'll take a look at Bill McDonough's website: http://www.mcdonough.com/.

If you're in need of some hope and inspiration, here it is!

Reference books

Hello.

If you're also interested in straw bale houses, here are some books you may enjoy and that may help you: