An Experiment

There’s a need I’m sensing especially in my women connections, but also with a number of men, to have more support as we traverse this collapsing Empire. Because there are so few us who are fully up to speed, and because we are spread over vast geographies, we can’t meet on a regular basis to sit, face to face, and offer one another the kind of safety and attention that we deserve and that would fully support us. What we have instead are telephones and email and blogs.

We’ve talked, Tim and Andy, and I, about setting up a discussion forum and I’ve put the word out to a few people who have said they would like to help but no one has really stepped forward to set it up.

So I’ve decided to try an experiment. Instead of using my blog space only as a place where I post long, edited, essay-like pieces and then send out a notice to those who have signed up to be notified that I’ve posted something new, I’m going to post shorter, less well-developed, more journal-like entries and invite people to post their own experiences.

I will notify those who have asked to be notified of blog postings only this first time as I don’t want to jam people’s inboxes several times a week. If you want to see how this goes you can check in on your own as you care to.

If there is indeed a great need for this sort of interaction then after a couple of weeks we’ll have a sense of that and we can decide how to best proceed.

I’m going to suggest some guidelines for this:

1) That we be mindful that the intention of this interaction is to give and receive support. Using the 12 step tradition as a guide, I suggest we speak of our own experience, strength and sense of possibility and refrain from criticism, attempts to “fix” one another, or judgment. It is certainly fine to respond to one another in the spirit of “what you wrote touched this in me…”

2) That we also be mindful of length of posts. We all probably need more time outside in the real world of plants and animals and weather and less in front of computer screens. If we write with the intention to get to the heart quickly, our posts will likely be read and responded to more fully. Also posts that utilize spaces between thoughts are easier to read and digest.

3) I will moderate the comments. That means if a comment strikes me as mean or critical or thoughtless I will not post it.

So, here’s my first offering to this experiment:

At the beginning of her latest post on Peak Oil Blues, Kathy offers a quotation from Proverbs: “Where there is no vision the people perish.”

Whenever I read an aphorism or proverb I think about how bound it is to the culture it came from. That gives me some possible context for questioning the embedded and unexamined assumptions. In this case I resonate with the wisdom and also see that the wisdom in it applies to us who are in this culture. Vision may not have been so necessary in a culture that was tribal and land-based. The concept of vision implies a conscious desire to create change. We have been indoctrinated with false notions of “progress.” I think this is part and parcel of our culture. We constantly want change because this is such an unsatisfying culture to be living in.

So the wisdom that “Without vision the people will perish” is wisdom that pertains specifically to this culture. There IS wisdom to having vision in this culture or we will perish in the gloom of current reality. In What A Way To Go, near the end, Tim says there is a great energy created when we hold two things simultaneously: an accurate assessment of where we are and a clear vision of where we want to be. He then goes on to say that the people of Empire have neither. Obviously I agree.

What a Way To Go pretty fully nails down the assessment of where we are. We hint at where we want to be but suggest that “the happy chapter” if there is to be one, will have to be written with the rest of the community of life.

For those of us who are fully in touch with “where we are” the next step it seems is to find a vision for ourselves that speaks to where we want to be. Then the trick is to hold both simultaneously in our hearts and minds: both the heartbreak and grief, and at times panic, of the current situation, and also a vision of how we want to be, how we want life to be. Holding vision as possibility but not using vision as a sophisticated form of denial of what IS, is challenging.

This idea comes from Robert Fritz’ book, The Path of Least Resistance. The image that is helpful in understanding this idea is that of a rubber band stretched between two objects. On one end is “current reality” and on the other is “vision.” The stretch between the two can be experienced as “creative tension.” If we hold both current reality and vision simultaneously, but keep our commitment to the vision then the tension will tend to resolve in the direction of the vision. If the vision is too far away from current reality the rubber band will snap which leaves no tension at all. If, on the other hand, all vision is lacking, or too close to current reality, then the band is slack. In that case there is no tension or energy to support creativity. And finally, if there is no accurate assessment of current reality then vision is just fantasy, ungrounded. There’s more to say about all of this, of course, because it’s a compelling model and image. But that’s what Robert Fritz’s book is about.

So this is the vision that I began writing in my journal this morning:

“I have a vague vision of a group of people who live very simply, who pursue a life together, who cooperate with their landbase in order to meet their basic needs for food and shelter. They have time to play and dream and grow spiritually.

What does that mean? What comes to mind is an image of children playing. Why do children play? Well, they play because there is intrinsic satisfaction and fulfillment in mastery. For children, play is all about mastery and the joy of increasing facility in whatever they are engaged in.

I want a life with time to play with others in spiritual pursuits: where we explore how to be more conscious and loving in our relationships and communication; grow more adept at working with, rather than against the laws of Life; become more attuned to what those laws or priniciples are; create a life that is one joyful activity after another, much as I witness the life of the birds and squirrel outside my window.”

How is it with you? Do you have a vision? Is it grounded in current reality? What are the challenges to doing that? How do you get/give support to those around you? Are you lonely for others to embark on this journey with?

Blessings and courage to find vision that is grounded in reality,

Sally

27 Responses to “An Experiment”

Tim Says:
December 13th, 2007 at 1:39 pm
Good start, sweetie. Sounds fun.

When I think of vision, I often get caught up. My assessment of current reality, and my assessment of the consequences of current reality for future reality, is often so bleak and dire that I can’t find any room to squeeze a vision in there!

It helps me to remember that neither current reality nor future reality is or will be monolithic. it will play out in a million different ways, in a million different places.

And it helps me to remember that it’s not what the vision is, but what the vision does.

And it helps me to remember that my vision need not be one of sticks and stones, of physical reality, or even of doing. It can be a vision of being.

So I envision a world where human beings are being in a sacred place, in a sacred process, where they are being related, whole, connected, and living as co-creators with the universe. I envision a world where the lessons of control and domination have been learned. I envision a world where we remember who we were, see who we now are, and step into our potential as worthy members of the Community of Life.
Tricia W. Says:
December 13th, 2007 at 3:02 pm
Hello Sally,
Thank you for writing this and attempting to solve the problem of bringing people who are in the know of the state of things together to solve and create a future we can not only live with but thrive in. (Under the circumstances its pretty daunting.)

Cameron & I met you and Tim in Lawrence Kansas when you came to show the movie and do a talk. Since then Cameron and I have been taking in everything we can about the situation at hand and any solutions and ideas anyone has had about our situation. I have almost finished Culture of Make Believe by Derek Jensen & Cameron has been doing a lot of blogs on Population and Global Climate Change. We even hosted a showing of What A Way… at our house last weekend but the weather kept most away. (We are going to try again after the holidays.)

Mostly our discussion now is between each other and a few select others. We recognize how difficult it is to try and get folks of like minds together on this. We are focusing a lot on our individual and collective plans for our future. My main breakthrough about this was about Play and I’ve been thinking about play alot in the past year and creativity. Derek Jensen gives an analogy in Culture of Make Believe about McDonaldazation and the machine we all function within and how if you add creativity to that, (i.e. go into McDonalds and order a hamburger medium rare with mayo on the side.) it shuts the system down. My own job right now, its impossible for me to be creative and to be myself- and when I am, its discouraged. (Luckily I overheard another person being brazenly herself no matter what - which is frowned on by everyone here, and made a great friend! )

I have a friend that threw out a question to those groups “in the know” like a local sustainability group and the Ishmael groups here, about your role in a “tribe” or group of people. And how we can’t just desire to get a group of people together and create a tribe JUST to create one. Each member has to have a talent, interest, role etc. And he asked everyone to remember back to when they were a child. What were you doing most then? What was your role in the group usually? (If I wasn’t solitary with the local dog/ checking out the daisy’s in the back field, I was the one folks came to hang out with one on one or to talk over issues or problems with. My friend was always organizing a play or a group to dance. We still hold these roles it seems today.)

Another friend recently said when he was a kid, going into the tunnel palace’s and slipper slide tubes, he would make the most intimate and close connections in that little world.

I definitely agree, play is where people connect not only with their selves but with others. So my new vision of my future is starting to be open to creating opportunities and experience for Play and Creativity in my life and others.

As for a way to get everyone together easier- as internet tools go, I find a lot of folks seem to really like Yahoo Groups. We have an Ishmael group, a Derek Jensen group AND a Burning Man group here in our area and it seems to be a bit over kill because we all seem to want similar things. (So creating another group might just be equally over kill…) I think just connecting to local groups such as these and getting involved - not just communicating online only- is definitely a way folks could find some support and connection.
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I thank you and Tim so much for opening my eyes to the bigger picture. And thank you for continuing to blog. I would be happy to share links to our blogs and any contact info to some local likeminded groups in Kansas if anyone is interested.

Sincerely,
Trish
Kathy McMahon Says:
December 13th, 2007 at 9:02 pm
Trish, I was the kid that walked on the rocks between a line of trees that separated one lot from another, and made up stories. I laid in bed late at night, and made up stories. I’m still making up stories, and they sometimes make me laugh and I have to finish them to find out what happens in the end.

That earlier vision, Sally was part of the story. I must tell you a bit more, because you asked. It’s the story of why there wasn’t enough barley, and why the Baker asked for more. There was a thief in the community. To be exact, there were three of them.

Billy, Bob and Barbara had their own vision to make a really great beer, so they slipped into the barley storage, and took a lot of it. They brewed it, and it was so great, they started bartering it (gouging really) and the word quickly got around that they got a really great tasting beer happening over on Elm Street. The Baker found out too, soon enough.

They, and their families, all went to a council of Restorative Justice (www.iirp.org,) and were heard. The entire agreement was a bit long to post here, but the short version was that they would (1) give the Baker some of the beer; (2) put in work hours comparable to the loss she described by not being able to make the bread; (3) become primarily responsible for growing the replacement PLUS 1/3 of the stolen barley and finally; (4) grow additional barley to keep and expand the beer business. Everyone was satisfied with what happened, and went home.

In my vision, we remain foolishly human, despite wanting to be holy. We irritate each other, tolerate boredom, are selfishly self-centered, and remarkably generous for no apparent reason. We lie to ourselves and each other, but our connections are so intimate, our escape so impossible, we simply must get back to resolving the conflict, and seldom does it result in the harsh punishment of banishment or prison. There are usually better ways.

There are people who’s work we gladly take over so that we can leave them time to sing to us or write to us or create great works of art. We live a life so “up close and personal” that it feels impossible to have any privacy, to keep secrets, to be unfaithful. There are holy fools and brewery thieves. There are psychologists that love chickens and there is the drunken Baker who throws a big Restorative Justice party with the beer she was given. There are birthday cakes and heartbreaks. There are tragic deaths and unexpected births. There are clothe baby butt wipes and clothe adult butt wipes that no one could have once imagined using, just like in my vision, no one can imagine flushing drinking water down the toilet.

Just the ramblings of a madwoman who likes to tell stories…
Fred Says:
December 13th, 2007 at 10:22 pm
Dear Sally,
When I heard the idea of this “vision thing,” I was prepared not to like what I read. But your vision touched me deeply. First, what it wasn’t… It wasn’t a typical male vision of a plan for the future about how Gore would lead the world in environmental correctness. No, your vision was an intuitive reading of what you hold in your heart. It was deeply spiritual. It was of life lived simply, in harmony with others and the planet, at a pace that would be hospitable to your spirit. Your vision is a wonderful picture of the biblical image of Shalom. It is a place where we not only honor and protect children, but also the Child within us.
We live in an age dominated by Ego, where the power is always fueled by massive amounts of fear, imagined, real and manipulated. It seems to me we run away from the fear by seeking to establish control, so the energy is turned to grasping for superior position, power, wealth, knowledge. The irony is that none of these truly satisfy our deeper longings for intimacy and love. If we are to move toward sustainability, I am convinced we will have to do a lot of work helping people to let go… let go of the addictions to power and the false things that money provide to distract us from the deeper fears inside us. How do we let go of Hummers and second homes, vacations to Rome, and eating meat once a day? So many little things; so much resistance to overcome.
At times I am nearly filled with despair at the challenges before us. Will we be able to successfully move from adolescence to maturity? Thankfully, I am a spiritual man and I have spiritual resources to sustain me. It helps to know there are others thinking along similar lines. Peace, Fred
David Hartley Says:
December 13th, 2007 at 10:43 pm
Hello Sally

Your idea of a forum for interacting with like-minded people is a great idea. We have all grown up in whatever kind of Culture, but they are all in different ways Prisons of the Soul — Pyramids of Control and submission to an Authority outside of the Self, because we start off Life thinking that the Culture Prison we happen to find ourselves in is Real and all there is. So we try to survive the best we can in this “Reality” and we end up selling our Souls/Minds to the Highest Bidder. Then, as we grow older we begin to realise, in varying degrees and at different speeds, that we are being exploited and manipulated by the “System”. So we initially become disillusioned and cynical and slowly it dawns on us that we can respond to Life in more meaningful ways and we explore … which is what this Forum will help us achieve in a Spirit of Comraderie(all being part of the Whole of Life, rather than individuals competing to survive) . Well done and I look forward to sharing my Travel through Life and hearing how others have.
Tom Ness Says:
December 13th, 2007 at 11:57 pm
Sally and Tim,
During the circle discussion in Ashland, Oregon I think I surprised everyone by saying that I had known instinctively that civilization had it all wrong since I was in the third grade. Actually I must give credit to two publications for awakening me to alternative ways of living, of filling my child’s imagination with “vision” of how I really wanted to live.

The first was a series of articles in Life magazine in the 50’s called “The Epic of Man”, eventually published as a large-format picture book in 1961. In it were magnificent original paintings of stone age men courageously bringing down big game, and of neolithic village life: people making tools and clothing, the bounty of hunting and gathering being brought back to the camp, children playing, all in a close-knit extended family tribal group and surrounded by pristine natural beauty. In my bones I knew that this was my rightful heritage, stolen from me by this civilization I was trapped in.

The second was a book titled _Og, Son of Fire_ that my third grade teacher read out loud to the class. It was about a pair of caveman friends named Og and Ru. Their lives were so *real* compared to mine — they had adventures, faced dangers, got to live in the elements with the wild animals. Again, instinctively I knew that this was how I wanted to live, and that modern life was a cardboard cut-out of the real thing. I made my first stone axe at the age of eight.

Neither Time-Life books nor my third grade teacher thought they were putting subversive ideas in childrens’ heads, but that was the effect on me. If we want to have a vision of where to go, of what works, perhaps the best p