Nature-Culture Brainstorm

I'm making slow progress on my big passion project, writing a book about Nature-Culture. The research of a new topic - water, drought, and pollution - has been slow work. I've only made a dent and it's soon going to be time to move on to air!

Agenda Today:

1. Read "The Earth Keeper's Handbook"

2. Compassionate Observer practice

3.

 Five days of passion

1. Read "The Earth Keeper's Handbook":

I've just begun this book by Loren Swift (2019), subtitled "Assuming Leadership in a New World." The premise is that lack of care for each other (people) results in lack of care for the earth. "This book details the practical steps to shift the paradigm internally from conflict to cooperation and to make the same shift in relationships and in group endeavors." Well, that is the work I need to do this fall and winter.

The first section is The Way In. Chapter 1 is The Inward Journey. Her premise is that our own "inner landscape" is like mycelium, an invisible matrix of connection to everything, so going inward is the way to reconnect. "Deep self-connection affords us a wide range of insights via our expanded awareness."

She proposes a new approach to mindfulness: a path of deep acceptance; an internal shift that allows room for whatever arises, without judgement. We start with self-acceptance, and a three-part "Compassionate Observer" practice.

2. Compassionate Observer practice:

Compassion is a part of me, in my core. Do this meditation once a day. My goal is to practice this until it becomes a sweet, comfortable way of being and doing:

1. The first step is a Kindness Meditation: Begin with slow, meditative breathing, then begin to visualize light filling me with loving-kindness on the inhale, and release tension on the exhale.

1. Next, body awareness: Scan my body and notice any tight or constricted places. Breathe into these without trying to change them. Bathe these spots in loving-kindness with my breathe. Notice the feelings that arise and release them.

1. Next, mental awareness: Each time a thought arises, notice it and allow it to disperse. If I have a reoccurring thought, look to discover if there is a feeling accompanying it, and give it compassionate attention without attachment; simply witness the thought and feeling until they relax their grip and drift away.

When the mediation is over, I can journal about it or just acknowledge and celebrate the accomplishment of doing what I intended. 

3. Five days of passion: 

These five days (Thursday through Monday) are the best block of time I have to obsess. Yesterday I got started with the creative component, and today I I will plan for Nature-Culture flow and writing through the next week.

My Nature-Culture theme this month is water, drought, plastic and pollution, and rain gardens:

• Write about how to be an ally for the water that flows through your land; also stormwater rain gardens and water-wise planting.
• Send out an Earthcare News letter with ideas for advocacy and restoration work.
• Plan how to support and lead the EC group; write about the theme "Our Garden, Our Earth" and ways to stretch ourselves with minimal effort.
• Paint butterflies in the bathroom
• Garden: Mulch new butterfly beds, improve soil fertility, remove invasive plants, plant cover crops.
• Write about awareness and eco-spiritual practices with bodies of water; plan a water-walk.
• Design a new craftivism butterfly tag for the train trip, and a butterfly pin to sew.
• Write about water wisdom; Rethinking cleaning supplies (because of streams); plastics, oil, what else?
• Plan for my own cleaning supplies and plastics.
• Write about plastics advocacy and education, trout-friendly education and craftivism; 
• Plan fall themes, projects, and skills for teaching Nature-Culture to kids - Outdoor preschool!
• Visit water - test an awareness ceremony.