The Great Turning - Crisis or Opportunity

I call this, the Cloud Machine. It travels up the side of the hill from the Domtar mill, which is down along the shores of the Thompson River, not far from where to two rivers converge. The mighty North Thompson River and the South Thompson River merge and this is how the Shuswap people named Kamloops, BC, Canada. T’Kumloops (Kamloops) means, meeting of the waters. This convergence of the rivers is also known as a sacred channel of great energy.

The ‘Cloud Machine’ is said to emit 80% condensation and 20% pollutants. On certain days in Kamloops, you can smell the mill, if the wind is blowing your way. However, the emissions are far less than what was emitted almost 20 years ago. With a sense of curiosity, I like to pause and watch the cloud formations. Perhaps because when I was a youth, I loved to admire the shapes of Popcorn. Each fluffy and exploded kernel seemed a worthy creation to be photographed. In my early twenties, ‘National Geographic for Kids’ beat me to it! So presently in adulthood, the emissions of the Cloud Machine continue to intrigue my imagination and as well sadden me.

Currently, our global community is acknowledging the impact of the Economic Crisis. However, that crisis is not separate from the ongoing Environmental Crisis. As we watch the news, headlines and statements affect us such as:

“The Greatest Economic Challenge of our time” – Barak Obama“
"Global Meltdown” - George W. Bush
“Tighten our Purse strings” - Conservative Party of Canada
“Weathering the Storm” - Kamloops Daily News

Other strong words referring to the economic crisis used are; Cuts, Loss, Collapse, Breakdown, Plunged, Declined, Deficit, Depression, and Recession ...OMG

Alright.. ~Breathe ~ Did you notice how these words can physiologically affect you? What happened to your body? Did your chest feel tight? Did your mood seem down? Did it seem like you would rather not read on about this kind of stuff?

If you can, gaze out a window into the landscape or if not, close your eyes and visualize a beautiful place ~Breathe~

It is more common for our Global Community to be sucked into a vortex of Fear-based thinking as the current Economic and Environmental Crisis sinks into our Collective Consciousness. As this happens, it causes emotional reactions in our people, such as an increase in anxiety and depression and /or numbing and apathy.

Now consider the following words that can affect our perceptions or perspectives:
Crisis .......................Opportunity
Consumption ..............Simplicity
Profitable .................Sustainable

"When you change the way you look at things,

the things you look at change."

-Wayne Dyer

The economic collapse is naturally connected to consumption and abuse of our planet’s resources. Therefore, consciously reconnecting to nature will inspire our creativity to see opportunities to sustain the Earth’s resources and simply provide for our future generations.

Through the past few decades and currently, Canada’s famous environmentalist David Suzuki has continually spoken about ‘renewable energy’ and that we need to ‘change our mindset’.

If you listen carefully to the Media, you may currently hear only a few comments or stories in the news that mention,

‘We need to think creatively and work collaboratively...’

This is what we need to focus on, so our global community feels energized and motivated to shift from the, Industrial Growth Society to a Life Sustaining Society. The name for this transition is, ‘The Great Turning’’. 4

Joanna Macy 4 is a deeply respected Ecophilosopher grounded in Buddhism and Systems theory. She has created a groundbreaking theoretical framework for personal and social change, as well as a powerful workshop methodology for its’ application. Her group methods are known as the ‘The Work That Reconnects’. Her work helps people transform despair and apathy in the face of overwhelming social and ecological crises to constructive, collaborative action. It brings new ways of seeing the world, as our larger living body, freeing us from assumptions and attitudes that now threaten the continuity of life on Earth.

Joanna Macy states,

“The most remarkable feature of this historical moment on Earth is not that we are on the way to destroying the world-we've actually been on the way for quite a while. It is that we are beginning to wake up, as from a millennia-long sleep, to a whole new
relationship to our world, to ourselves and each other."

http://www.turntowardlife.tv/streamingmedia/10_joanna_macy_brief_interview/index.htm
Joanna Macy on ‘Embracing Pain’ of the world (3 min)_____________________________________

The stories from Dr. Seuss captures the imaginations of young and old people. His books for older children contain great teachings about the ‘Industrial Growth Society’ and the effects of consumerism, consumption, and depletion of our environmental resources.

Such as in the story, ‘The Lorax’, that is about the cutting down of the Truffala trees to make sneethds and ‘anything else that anyone needs’. The story ends with a child holding the last seed of the Truffala trees.

So go get a cup of Tea

and watch this amusing and thought provoking video
with the heart of a child, and the mind of an adult! :0)

Perhaps you will find a seed or two to inspire you!

The Lorax -by Dr. Suess (Theodore Suess Geisel)

(To be viewed in 6 segments)

We are all in the same boat

floating on the stream of consciousness.

It is time to go with the flow

and enter ‘The Great Turning’.

It is the essential adventure of our time!

But..Don't jump into De-nile Without De Lifejacket! ;0)