Fastfood Footprint

This is kind of a shocker, well, for the uninformed fast-food nation, at least. But in the debate on global climate change, this especially concerns those from the side who choose to keep eye and ears closed, who believe that SUV's aren't capable of damaging the climate as much as scientists attest ... well they're partly right. The SUV consumer obsession in America just took a backseat to Wendy's, MickeyD's and the Whopper, watch how in Jamais Cascio's Six Degrees: The Carbon Footprint of a Hamburger.

Blessings for Borges

... Phil Borges, that is. Who is he? you ask. He is one of my favorite photographers, and he specializes in Indigenous Portraiture. From Afghanistan, Kenya, Tibet and Thailand, to Native America and Mexico, Peru and Ethiopia; I just want to make sure you all know about him, as he continues to be an inspiration to me.

And his photos are exquisite. He is one of many things pushing me towards a new inspiration, stay tuned, I will soon reveal: my intentions.

But today, keep in mind that --

"[C]ivilization has ceased to be that delicate flower which was preserved and painstakingly cultivated in one or two sheltered areas of a soil rich in wild species […] Mankind has opted for monoculture; it is in the process of creating a mass civilization, as beetroot is grown in the mass. Henceforth, man's daily bill of fare will consist only of this one item. "

-- Claude Levi-Strauss

"They Starve in Their Splendor..."

I have to both apologize to Ali of Sunflower Eyes-Moonbeam Mind, for stealing her posting subject "Blankets for Land" and thank her so much for bringing this to my attention. Being a Canadian herself, Ali writes about the protests against the 2010 Olympics in BC, because of the mass deforestation occurring to make way for the impressive ski resorts and traffic-ready highways required for such a global feat. Which I am ashamed to say, I hadn't even considered. I, who like to think I am somewhat environmentally savvy, must confess I was in complete oblivion to the obvious destruction such a contractual agreement bestows into the hands of land developers. She further writes "that people (many of whom are native) are being kicked out of low income houses as rent increases and condos are being built in their place." In other words, that the millions upon millions of $ going towards new construction and design could be going to help the poor and mishandled, the evicted and the lost, yet, as is par for the West, we merely sweep them under the rug. And we have been doing this since we came and stole this country. Which, like Ali, I believe that we did. With tricks and massacres, false treaties and "blankets for land."


(Buffy Sainte Marie singing: My Country Tis of Thy People, You're Dying)

Again, like Ali, being Caucasian, e.g. of mixed blood from the Old Atlantic World, there is a guilty tug that comes from inside the sinews... I often feel responsible in a way. I want so much to be able to walk among them, to learn from them, to help in any way they deemed me capable. But I'm white, and because of this, an issue arises and so does a bloody history. Sometimes I just wish I had dark hair, just for my blood to be not so blatantly visible.

I strongly believe that the indigenous peoples of this earth are the Heart of the planet, no matter to where it is that we have shoved, dragged, relegated, buried & forgotten them. They are the ones still tied to the old energies. Their understanding of life is so much more complex than most have ever given them credit for. Or continue to ignore... because of our own ignorance (aha).

And this post from Sunflower Eyes-Moonbeam Mind, comes upon the tail winds of some other news I was so enthused to hear: that the Republic of Lakotah, being "the predecessor sovereign of Dakota Territory as evidenced by the Treaties with the United States Government, including, but not limited to, the Treaty of 1851 and the Treaty of 1868 at Fort Laramie [...] formally and unilaterally withdraws from all agreements and treaties imposed by the United States Government on the Lakotah People." Meaning that, as of December 17, 2007, they are beginning their secession process from the United States of America. I think this absolutely wonderful and amazing. And I am sorry to see as much white backlash as there has been about the issue and how poorly educated many are about the state of the indigenous peoples and the racist, bigoted mentality that infests too many of us like a crippling plague, spiritually, intellectually or otherwise.

So what can I add to this? Being white, being European. Do I, like Ali asks, apologize? Say: I'm Sorry...? Yes. I do. I kneel at the knee of elders and ask for forgiveness, for all the wicked and the thiefs that run in my bloodline. Most Natives act with the awareness of 7 Generations. Meaning, I can apologize for 7 before mine, which makes that approximately 140 years. It's definitely not the beginning of violence on behalf of the colonizing, imperial Atlantic world but if I can heal anything, I can only do so now, with the knowledge that I have and with the small trickle of grace that may be garnered in being a part of right action and the desire to heal and create a better life and world heart and mind, together. Maybe the first step needs to be stepping back, not into the past but just enough to see the larger picture, to seek the higher perspective and to abolish selfishness as a course of action. To choose compassion, instead...and when I read:

"If you live on this land, and you have ancestors sleeping in this land, I believe that makes you a native to this land. It has nothing to do with the color of your skin. I was not raised to look at people racially. What I was taught is that we're flowers in the Great Spirit's garden. We share a common root, and the root is Mother Earth." Oh Shinnah

It brings peace, and it brings me hope.

Thus, in this light, I have every intention to support their secession. This means that 5 states will be affected by the founding or re-founding of a New Nation: Wyoming, Montana, North and South Dakota and a large swath of Nebraska. They have extended their hand to any living in these states to come and join them in creating a new government, a new way of being and a new way of relating to each other, in general. This, to me, feels so indicative of the coming Shift in Consciousness, which is both ordained and inevitable but has so many running scared, while others are learning there is no where to run, nowhere to go, but up... up to a higher efficiency, energetically or relationally, by coming face-to-face with their s#^@ and realizing that it must be dealt with. I hope that this occurs. I hope that this brings the US State Department into some kind of integrity (fat chance, I know) and relinquishes what we have stolen back to its rightful owners...

Russell Means, one of the leaders of the American Indian Movement speaks out on this topic explicitly at the Lakota Pine Ridge, South Dakota-Lakotah in Oglala, SD at the Porcupine School.



Mitaku Oyasin! <<We are all related.>> I choose to be free and to be responsible.

Priorities

Found this online -- thought is was a brilliant way to put things in perspective...

Where should our thoughts go? Where do our priorities lie? What is so very sad is that everything on this list is preventable. Drunk Driving -- everyone knows: don't do it. Second hand smoke? 'Nuff said. Diabetes -- completely reversible, cancer does not have to be a reality in anyone's lifetime, smoking? again. Heart disease. Even the terrorism, to some degree. We could change the world... and why don't we? Because many do not know they they are immense and powerful.

Today on this lovely day for loving each other
what if we made a pact to actually send love out to everyone? To focus on the kind of world, body, lover, life we would like to have? Instead of griping why it isn't how we hoped? We are the creators and the mover-shakers -- we are the dreamers.

Remember: "Your life has an inner purpose and an outer purpose. Inner purpose concerns Being and is primary. Outer purpose concerns doing and it is secondary. Your inner purpose is to awaken. It is as simple as that. You share that purpose with every other person on the planet - because it is the purpose of humanity.
Your inner purpose is an essential part of the purpose of the whole, the universe and its emerging intelligence. Your outer purpose can change over time. It varies greatly from person to person. Finding and living in alignment with the inner purpose is the foundation for fulfilling your outer purpose. It is the basis for true success. Without that alignment, you can still achieve certain things through effort, struggle, determination, and sheer hard work or cunning. But there is no joy in such endevor, and it invariably ends in some form of suffering."
-- Ekhart Tolle

And I just can't get that Buddha story out of my head...because there is actually a tale of Buddha and his young disciple, who comes forward and asks what he may do to experience Nirvana... Buddha says — love everyone in the world as you love me. And so the disciple bows, accepts the grace of the Master and goes off to achieve his direction. After some time he returns to the Master and the Buddha asks him how goes his quest and the young man bursts out in confession that he can love everyone in the whole world but two people and Buddha asks, which two? And he said my wife and my brother, because they had an affair and both have abandoned my company, my heart is broken and I cannot forgive them. And the Buddha is silent for a moment and then he says. Very well, Disciple I release you of your task: you no longer have to love everyone in the world as you love me.... He says: You only have to love just those two.

What would happen if this became our practice? I know this sounds hippster-ish but it is a very valid intention, and we obliterate ourselves with our food practices, our thought and body practices... what would happen if we could love into the world. Heal, perhaps? Expand. Grow. Love. Just love... what would happen then?

Endgame by Derrick Jensen

This is a great two hour talk (in two parts) that has Jensen go through the premises in his book Endgame Part 1: The Problem with Civilization, which is easily attained through Amazon.com. Also on the agenda is an article, which, although it came out this past November, I missed it. And thought, if I had missed it, maybe some of you had too. It's called Earth's Eighth Continent, and you can access it by clicking it. What can I say? I want to make it easy for you.

Part 1:


Part 2:

Be a Light Unto Others

Woody Harrelson Interview from "RAW for 30 Days"



Woody Harrelson & Morgan Spurlock clip from "RAW for Life"

FrequenSea

This is so incredible: you'll just have to trust me and discover FrequenSea yourselves. Please take 15 minutes and hear what they have to say. I wonder how this compares to David Wolfe's "Ocean's Alive" product, or krill oil. Anybody have any ideas or knowledge in these areas?

Food Not Lawns!

The Homegrown Revolution!



Urban Homestead



and please, if this sets you aglow, even a little, then visit the website, click Path to Freedom, to get there.

Green Grow The Rushes O!

I am writing today to inform you (and perhaps share in the inspiration) of this intention. I have been watching some David Jubb videos recently and he was saying that we have harvested 90% of the shade of the planet -- in that it is no longer there.

I found that this went very much in kind with Derrick Jensen talking about the vast Cedar forests that used to shade the Middle East, and even our Old Growth and Redwoods in the Pacific Northwest. We have deforested most of the planet to support our civilization and global expansion. What are the consequences of this, you may ask?

Besides fewer trees to balance the amount of CO2 in the air, it causes our water levels to drop. It causes Iraq and Iranian and Palestinian water shortages and high salt soil. How can you solve the problem? Plant more trees, it will raise the water table again, making viable thousands of acres for growth and sustainability. If you do not think this is possible, check the blog entry on Composting, specifically the last video Greening the Desert for the evidence of this.

There is so much abundance on this planet, but distribution is so faulty and corrupted, it causes so much fear. There is enough of everything for everybody, but we must change our mindsets about our home and our relationships with each other.

This is why I was so happy to find out about The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation, which is a nonprofit charity that describes their mission as one "dedicated to planting edible, fruitful trees and plants to benefit the environment and all its inhabitants. {Their} primary intention is to plant and help others plant a collective total of 18 billion fruit trees across the world (approximately 3 for every person alive) and encourage their growth under organic standards. "

This is just so wonderful. I am so inspired by this and am glad David Wolfe is getting involved; I think we all should. He's the reason I even know about this foundation and you all should definitely check it out. Watch the video on the website, for sure.

Endgame, Derrick Jensen & Your Threshold

This information is at once immobilizing and inspiring: And so I am passing it on and asking everyone to question their own threshold? When, in what circumstances, and where do you -- will you choose to do something? Be present to your own gifts.

The Threshold:


Whatever It Takes:


Pathology of the Personal:


The 3rd Alternative:

Global Juice Feast 2008!

Thanks to Courtney Pool at Radical Radiance for reminding me to post about this: "The EPIC Global Juice Feast 2008!!" I am also adding my voice to this announcement, to my readers now so you can all start thinking about if you might be interested in joining us!

People from all around the world, including David and Katrina Rainoshek (who will be doing 92 Days) are going to be juicing it up together and transforming their health, lives, and of course, the World!

It will start in March of 2008, right about springtime, which is one of the best times to time to be cleaning your self-house, and a time for new beginnings and new life.

As Courtney writes: "This could be your chance to really take action to that health, body, life and world you've dreamed of, and the support and fellowship of other feasters during this event will be precious. I won't be doing another long juice feast then, but I WILL be joining in on at least the first week and the last week of the Global Juice Feast. You may want to join David and Katrina and other feasters on a full 92 Day Feast, but if you just want to scope it out, feel free to join for part of it, and I'd love for anyone who wants to do something shorter to join me on my shorter feast. It is going to be amazing!"

I'll be doing it as well. So come and join us!