What the f___ is going on?

I am very curious about this question. Why do so many people like pages and make comments on Facebook, tweet away on twitter, sign on-line petitions and join mailing lists? What do they think is the point?

This pseudo sort of activism, armchair action, has little or no substance in the real world. It’s too easy to sit at home clicking around the internet leaving supportive comments here and there in your cyber wake.

But what does it actually achieve, I wonder?

Soothes our Conscious

Perhaps it soothes our conscious about not acting? I think the time for this sort of conduct is over. We need to shatter this collective denial . Either you are in or you are out, but please don’t pretend to be an activist if you are not. The clue is in the name!

More than your fingers need to be in motion.

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

Edmund Burke

In the words of Greta Thunberg “change is coming whether you like it or not.”  It is simply not possible to continue to live as we do on this finite planet. We have to change and that will require doing something.

To change the system we have to change ourselves.

Where to start?

If you are up for it where do you start, how on earth do you decide what to do?

Follow what calls you, see where it takes you. Prepare to be challenged.

My Story

My story began a number of years ago while studying permaculture. I learned about Global Warming and Peak oil and how our whole economy runs on oil. Look around your life and try to find something that does not depend on oil for it’s manufacture and processing or transportation. Not much, if anything hu? 

Transition Towns

The Transition Town movement seemed to offer the answer. Transition away from our oil dependent, carbon belching lives, ASAP. Oil is going to run out and it warms the atmosphere. It’s a no brainier right? Despite that it felt impossible to gain any real traction for the ideas.

Limiting beliefs

Shortly I found myself challenged by chronic illness in the form of CFS. Although my stress about the state of the world was undoubtably a contributing factor, underlying limiting beliefs were the real problem.

Eventually our bodies tell the truth. We cannot continue ignoring the facts.

The fact was that limiting beliefs and childhood traumas were making me ill. My recovery showed me that, this personal healing work is essential for planetary healing. The two are deeply connected.

Inspire people

Recovered, off I went again trying to inspire people to change. Surely all these years on people would be ready and willing to DO something to create a better life on earth. Well, apparently not.

Rethink time. Hey, maybe I was doing the wrong thing? Could I be off course?  I decided to slow down and listen (I didn’t stop completely of course, because I am after all, a chronic over doer, in recovery).

Listen

However, I was able to pay attention to my inner voice, the quiet but persistent message within nudged me towards another way to be of service to the earth.  Painfully I had to face my feelings of being overly responsible. I easily take on too much, feeling like it’s all up to me. Argh! The uncomfortable truths we have to face in stillness.

On the up side, facing these realisations is freeing, and brings me/us/you closer to our true  authentic contribution to healing what ails our world. This is radical self care.

What can you do?

Now, I need to say here that I know plenty of people who are doing things, yea to you. Thank you, I bow to and honour your work. To some, I am in awe of your dedication to making the world a better, fairer and more beautiful place. Thank you.

BUT…………yes there’s a big but coming.

What are you doing? 

• Are you aware but apologising because you are not actually willing to change?
• Do you try to convince yourself that it’s not that bad?
• Are you afraid to face the truth, too scared to go there?
• Do you think it’s up to the Government and so long as they don’t act, you won’t act?
• Are you too tired, too broke, to busy, too something?
• You think recycling and re-using your cup is enough?
• Are you going to stop something next time, next week, next month or maybe next year?

Facing our resistance

I can tick all of the above. At some point I have done or said all of them. Facing this resistance and our excuses and addictions to western life is tough.

We’ve had it so good for so long. Perhaps this is what the f___ is going on. We’d rather recline, click, feel faintly guilty and carry on leaving it all to the others than confront our truths.

Of course we support the protestors in London and elsewhere.….but me, well…..?       

Well…….what is your answer, what about you?

Listen

Are you willing to listen?  What is it that calls you?  Will you dare to follow that inner cry? Will you face the challenges it brings? Are you ready to change?

I believe we all have a very important and unique role to play in healing our world. If we listen deeply to what calls us we begin to play our note. We add our particular pitch to the melody of a new human way of life on earth.  

This is radical self care in action.

Each Note

God picks up the reed-flute world and blows.

Each note is a need coming through one of us

a passion, a longing-pain.

Remember the lips

where the wind-breath note originated,

and let your note be clear.

Don’t try to end it.

Be your note.

I’ll show you how it’s enough.

Go up on the roof at night

in this city of the soul.

Let everyone climb on their roofs

and sing their notes!

Sing loud!

Rumi.