Self Reliance

While self reliance is usually understood to be a positive quality, I believe it is generally misunderstood. Many take it as self-sufficient but this word is totally misleading, and in fact can not be. I have heard of men who have gone into the wilderness and lived for some years without human contact, perhaps they may be called self-sufficient but only for a short while, and even then they were only able to do what they did as a result of the teachers they had and the tools made by others. Humans need community, and upon the community we rely. It is our nature.  Within this context self reliance has a positive understanding when referring to the confidence one has as we come to know and manifest our "true" self.

Community exists at every level from the Family to all of humankind and beyond. Without community we die. Though the body exists we are dead on the inside. It is only within a community that we may achieve true happiness; that is, the feeling of self fulfillment.  However, many have forgotten this truth or perhaps never even properly understood its meaning which has lead to the predicament we have. Gaia is hurting. I believe she will survive, but many question if humans as well as many other species will. In the past I may have taken this position, but today I am convinced that it is our destiny to create, as Charles Eisenstein puts it, "the more beautiful world our hearts know is possible" and communities like TJT (Transition Joshua Tree) are the reason why.   We are in transition. As Elizabet Satouris  suggests we are like the hungry caterpillar  consuming everything it can until it ceases and ultimately becomes the beautiful butterfly.  In the human realm change is often resisted and therefore may be painful, but it need not be so if we embrace it with the faith of a child and the Love that is the essence of who we are.

Separate we are alone, together we are a community.  The local community is necessary - it nourishes the body, mind and soul, but the ultimate goal must be the connection with all Life - with Gaia herself. If we consider the intelligence at the cellular level connected to every other cell in the body communicating to create the amazing thing called the human we must be humbled; yet it is in this way as we join with others that we will bring about that "beautiful world".  Be the change!

May the Force be with you,

Norman

Figuring Things Out

I got a new phone and I expect my experience is not unique. In fact, I believe it represents a universal human experience - understanding how something works.  of course, how people feel about the process varies.  Some people avoid anything new, perhaps, because they do not enjoy figuring things out; others love it - they can hardly wait, and even stand in line to get it first. How will it be different? Will it really change the way I do something, maybe even the way I think. Most of us are somewhere between these extremes.

I was happy enough with my old phone which definitely has a learning curve, at least for me. It was my first "smart" phone although I was familiar with the touch screen from having an iPad. Also, it was an iPhone and so it was a familiar operating system. I would still be using it except for the fact that the rural location I am in does not receive all the networks. The one I had worked sometimes but very slowly and even the phone was uncertain. Then a friend came with a phone that worked great with excellent speeds so a logical choice was to change. The only challenge was that I had to get a new phone. Well, actually I didn't have to but the cost would have been crazy for me, and I couldn't wait to look for a reasonably priced used iPhone since my current plan was expiring the next day. I didn't believe it was reasonable to pay another month for something that wasn't working when I could actually pay less for something that did and get a free phone.

So here I am having to figure it out again. as I thought about this I realized that this is the essence of the "Journey". From birth and before we are taking in data that our amazing brains make sense of and we "learn", and its always a unique experience for everyone. Unfortunately, our natural desire to learn, to know, to understand is often not encouraged, and many resign themselves to ignorance because they have come to believe they are unable to know or understand many things; yet examples abound of those who refused to accept the labels of society. Often, less educated formally, they pursue their desire with a thirst for the knowledge they need.  Sometimes known but usually not, these people abound. Generally, I enjoy learning but for some reason I'm not feeling it right now with this phone. Besides, Android? Robots with human form? Are they serious or is it just a joke. I would like to know that. Maybe I'll look it up on wikipedia. I'm sure they'll know.

Of course, figuring out a phone is trivial compared to the bigger questions such as, who am I, what is my purpose in life and how to be happy.  Many ancient traditions have addressed these questions in some manner for thousands of years, and today, books, movies, music and the Internet do as well; yet the number of unhappy people especially in America seems to be increasing based on a variety of indicators.  Nevertheless, there is also ample evidence everywhere that Transition is taking place. On the margins of nearly every institution are those pioneers paving the way, while in small communities everywhere people are joining together with the simple belief that we are all connected and there is a better way to live.  "Won't you join us"!

Be the Change!