"From Grief To Action"

"Live to the point of tears."
- Albert Camus

The fog was lifting in Southern Marin. I had just spent the weekend at this year’s Bioneers Conference; inspiring, alarming, captivating and motivating! Everyone there seemed quite clear about what our political leaders are unwilling to see. Our planet and all her inhabitants are in great peril and business as usual is only going to accelerate the process. The future is in the hands of the people! The science community has been warning us. Even they are surprised at how quickly climate change is accelerating.

The speakers spoke with great heart and conviction. There were many deeply touching stories of progress and possibility mixed with the overwhelming news that time was running out… We must decrease our carbon output to 350 ppm by 2020 and even then we face great challenges. As I listened to each speaker tears streamed down my face, I was overwhelmed with emotion, and my throat was constricted, like a snagged scream wanting break free. I thought my feelings of grief were more than I could bear. The challenges on the horizon seemed so huge. How can we mobilize the political, social and individual will to meet them?

"There is no grief like the grief that does not speak."
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Eco philosopher and Buddhist scholar Joanna Macy says, that going to pieces, however uncomfortable, can open us up to new perceptions, new data, and new responses. (see Macy article in this issue) But, I don’t want to go to pieces. I am afraid of losing control, ashamed to cry in public, and being seen as weak… And yet I know from experience that surrendering to my grief will free up the energy and will within myself to be in action, to speak my truth and to truly make a difference. It takes enormous energy to keep the grief down. What if we met our grief fully and could free up that potential energy? But, how do we grieve the loss of a species, a culture, or the potential destruction of all life on earth?

No amount of denial can change the fact that something major is happening on our beautiful blue planet. It doesn’t matter if you don’t believe it is as bad as the overwhelming majority of the science community thinks, tune into your body, awaken to the parts that are numb. My process for this is movement – it’s a joyful catalytic process – that reconnects me to the natural rhythms of life. As Gabrielle Roth, founder of 5Rythms, says put the body in motion and you heal the psyche. Our collective shop and deny culture needs healing. Can we break ourselves open enough to truly feel what’s happening? Are we willing to fall apart so that we can reinvent ourselves in a way that supports a positive evolutionary future?

"There’s a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in…"
- Leonard Cohen

There is a tendency in many of us to want to deny the dark parts of our lives. But, this is like trying to grow a plant in concrete, the roots need humus, darkness and dead matter to get the nourishment to flower and flourish. We could compost our grief, creating fertile ground to grow a new dream for all life. Our house is burning, forget the flat screen TV, the computer, and photographs on the wall. Our children need us to teach them what it means to be free, to be real, to feel, to love and to serve the common good. That is what we need to plant in the garden of our hearts… and that’s what we will need to do to rescue a planet in peril. It all starts with cracking open the heart. You know that! Be still and feel the truth in it. Don’t give in to resignation, apathy and shallow desires. The desires of the heart are so much bigger, so much more rewarding so much more healing, for ourselves, others and our planet. Thich Nhat Hanh was asked, “what do we most need to do to save our world?” His answer was this: What we most need to do is to hear within us the sounds of the Earth crying.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can
change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever does."
- Margaret Mead

In his book, Blessed Unrest, Paul Hawken has chronicled the largest movement in the history of human kind. It is a global uprising of environmental and social justice advocates that are determined, connected and in action. We are not alone and we can prevent the destruction of all life on this planet. We have all the tools and technology to do it. We only need the collective will to make it happen. Don’t blame the problems on our elected officials, they are caught up in the old dream, the “American way”. You and I are citizens (no we are not consumers by birth – we are citizens of nature – and it is time to awaken to our r-evolutionary roots) let the leaders follow us in truth and wisdom to mobilize as never before, to create, share and manifest a dream that works for all life and for the children of future generations…

After my weekend with the Bioneers I realized that I had to attend the most important diplomatic gathering in history, The UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. Our leaders need to hear our voices, see our commitment and to know that we the people will not be stopped. The stakes are too high. This is the time to be in action. So I will spend most of December in Denmark reporting to you on what is happening. You won’t find the people’s story in mainstream corporate media, but you will in my blog and on KVMR’s Conversations.

I invite and encourage all of you to join me in having your voice be heard. If you would like to find out how you can support this project please write and let me know how I can best serve you.

With great love and appreciation,
michael

"Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness.
Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills
countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too.
A whole stream of events issue from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents,
meeting and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way."
- William Hutchinson Murray

Back