One reason I’m taking this course is the idea in webinar 1 that we can live consciously through apocalypse and somehow embrace apocalypse as a kind of natural process of renewal. I’ve done more work to integrate the “taking powers” into my worldview/consciousness. I happen to agree with the ecologist Craig mentioned in webinar 2 that we’re “cooked,” although we may not be well-done yet (just medium). But I find no rational way to think otherwise being aware of the science and observing the lack of effective, collective change to-date. By all reports, the business as usual scenario is the one we’re in, and a certain amount of collapse is already built into the system.
I don’t expect winter-grown California/Florida/South America/European grown vegetables to be arriving at my local market throughout the rest of my life. At some point, my view is things will start to disintegrate and we can talk about it now, but it will be extremely difficult to live through, and many on this planet won't. I have dreamt this all my life and I’m wondering how many others have as well. It shows up constantly in our books and movies. I have to agree with Craig's assessment that apocalypse is the theme of our time.
I’ve tried to internally reframe my life work around building the infrastructure for the replacement civilization, while not knowing exactly what that will be. I love that the seeds of it are sprouting everywhere so that new ways can replicate and evolve through future generations. My hope is somewhere, somebody will survive and even if it takes tens and hundreds of thousands of years, there may be a return to abundance. The Earth takes the long view it seems, so I must learn to as well.
I guess that doesn’t sound very hopeful, but to not be only focused on ecological death and destruction (rationally) is actually a relief to me. I struggle a lot with grief - so much beauty out there to lose. I admit, I also suffer from a loss of mythic consciousness. I’m curious to see what happens during this course. I’m actually excited about participating in this conversation. I'm curious about a solution that is working with myths to evolve out of failing paradigms thus preventing making all this collapse literally, physically manifest; or at a minimum, allows someone, somewhere to survive. It feels to me like this idea could work.
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Yes, it's a struggle to find hope in these times. I often remind myself that when climate scientists and ecologists voice despair, they are also talking about the limitations of the Big Machine scientistic paradigm. It can't calculate a good future out of all this, but the psyche's possibilities, and Earth's, are beyond calculation. Dreams hint to me that a lot of this isn't up to us, and that we are called to stay conscious in this liminal space of uncertainty until new possibilities arise.
Leslie,
just read your post and found myself staring at the screen for a long time, so wanting to reply and so humbled by the emotional truth in your writing. so I just want to thank you for your honest, heart-filled sharing.
"The Earth takes the long view it seems, so I must learn to as well." I am going to keep that close to my heart for a long while. It reminds me of the quote as well in Craig's presentation that said something about: I will not give up until the Earth gives up. In both cases, your quote and hers, the reminder that I can be mentored by the Earth's attitude towards this situation is a very profound insight.
Thank you Leslie. We are so lucky you are part of this experiment in a learning community.
Willene
So beautifully said, Leslie. To have a fellow traveler such as you on this journey we are all taking together, is consoling. What can we do but sing together as the change comes? A couple years ago I was receiving information from a group called Post Oil (http://postoilsurvival.blogspot.com), and at the time I was too busy raising my daughter to look deeply or to have the courage to face the devastation and loss while raising a young human being. Now that she is an adolescent, I'm doing all I can to avoid her and so have tons of time to face my grief. Joke. Mostly. Anyway, it will be great to learn from and with you over the course of the course. //claire
Thanks Claire. Fascinating website. Someone is thinking through this! It will be fascinating to see how we bring our skills together to form communities once we really must to survive. For example, I have neighbors trying to keep the knowledge of how to train draft horses alive, along with a few others in the Hudson Valley. Never thought much about that myself. Likely we have all kinds of untapped and unused capacity. And, I'm sure your adolescent appreciates your avoidance strategy! (ha, ha)