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A brave new world? Waking up to the environmental crisis

Posted on September 5, 2019

“It’s so much worse than we thought, Lis.” I woke one morning to see my husband’s face creased with worry. He had that look in his eye reserved for the worst of news. He’d gotten into bed after I’d fallen asleep the night before. The temptation to wake me to share his burden had been […]

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What a glorious autumn day - the leaves were having a riot! There's so much potential for reflection and release on these refreshingly crisp days, where the trees tutor us in the ways of letting go. 🍂 "Traditionally, the birch was used to make brooms, to sweep away the old. It was used to birch criminals and beat the bounds of the parish, driving out evil spirits. It invites us now to name the spells that bind us, the old patterns, the negative and self destructive beliefs that hem us in and weigh us down and turn our anger upon them, sweeping them away like the autumn gales. It invites us to attend to what we cling to and why." Environmental Arts Therapy and the Tree of Life: Ian Siddons Heginworth. 🍂 This is an invitation, not just as individuals but as a planetary community. Let's ask ourselves the big questions - why do we cling to this toxic system that is destroying our only home? What do we need to relinquish to avoid catastrophe? Which practices do we need to restore? 🍂🍂🍂 🌱 "At the core of our consciousness is a wellspring of caring and compassion; this aspect of ourselves - which we might think of as our connected self - can be nurtured and developed. We can deepen our sense of belonging in the world. Like trees extending their root system, we can grow in connection, thus allowing ourselves to draw from a deeper pool of strength, accessing the courage and intelligence we so greatly need right now." Active Hope: Joanna Macy & Chris Johnstone. We are in the midst of a global crisis. No one person can save us. It's time to reach out, reach within, join forces, share our gifts, raise one another up. We are one earth - with one huge problem! But the crisis isn't the climate, not in its truest essence. It's spiritual. We've forgotten we are more than individuals. It's time to reclaim our interdependence, and heal the earth 🌱 4 yr old: you like making galas (😍) don't you mummy? Me: I do. They're good for the soul. 4: what's a soul? Me: good question! Um...(crap!) It's the part of us that feels and connects with everything else in the world. 🍂 Interconnectedness. The thing we return to when we take away all the crap that we don't need but have been led to believe we do. 🍂 "To live more simply is to unburden ourselves - to live more lightly, cleanly, aerodynamically. It is to establish a more direct, unpretentious, and unencumbered relationship with all aspects of our lives: the things that we consume, the work that we do, our relationships with others, our connections with nature and the cosmos, and more. Simplicity of living means meeting life face-to-face." Duane Elgin - Voluntary Simplicity.