Earth Care Community

I need community and collaboration, and everything I'm reading this week is reinforcing that reminder. I have felt alone for a while now, mostly because of my own isolation and limitations, and inability to organize a community to work with. Now that I have a group to act with, I need to rise to the occasion!  

 

Agenda:

1. Read "The Earth Keeper's Handbook"

2. Proaction and reciprocity plans

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. She says 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."

We begin with self-acceptance, and building a healthy ego - one that keeps us integrated into our community - so we feel calm, self-confident, humble, generous, and empathetic.

Okay, I am clear that I need collaboration and community, humility and compassion. What next?

She says that it is the mainstream culture that makes me feel shame, guilt, and fear. "How can we find our way back to full aliveness? ... The path inevitably begins with going inward..." My self-protection bias keeps me from making the connections I need. When I can voice my fears out loud it will give "breathing room to my soul". Acceptance and kindness for myself is the foundation for change. 

So maybe voicing my sadness and rage to my Ongo group will help me to be free of the restrictions of anxiety, grief, judgementalism, and cynicism? 

2. Proaction and reciprocity plans:

On Wednesdays I often journal a bit about the future, and my dreams and goals: What GREAT things do I want to accomplish? How will I serve people? How will I use my talents? How will I stretch myself? How can I become an “island of excellence”? What is essential?

Then I try to define achievable, meaningful goals and prioritize the goals and tasks with the greatest long-term impact.

My fall goals are to gather a core group of active individuals who want to work on earthcare projects; Take a theme that the group is excited about and write and plan my own kind of education and craftivism; expand my personal growth and study in clean water and clean air.

This next week I hope to:

1. Continue to research the bill to restrict neonics pesticides; write an action for targeting their sale.
2. Research actual butterflies to try to feed in my garden, and plan plantings; begin to plant and transplant.
3. Write how to plant a butterfly garden.
4. Write next week's action newsletter, and find possible group work party.
5. Continue my water research: Conservation, and plastics.
6. Switch soon to air quality research.
7. Draft a new Earth Care pamphlet for Nov. 2.