(c) Patricia Dines, 1998. All rights reserved.
Those dark winds that creak and howl in the musty corners of our world? The careening trees echoing as they make way for highways and Econo-Marts? The stealth of silent toxics that burrow into our cells and create sparklers of disease and death, labelled as mysterious by those unwilling to see their obvious cause? Or the slow but steady slipping away of our democratic authority to the powers of greed, corporate personhood, and globalization?
Ah, yes, we surely live in painfully interesting times, and it's no wonder that so many shake their heads in dismay, pulling the covers over their head and refusing to cry.
But do you also feel...
The ever-sparkling of light, weaving through the web of life, through every cell of our bodies, in every being and thing on this magical planet, catching on rainbows and dewdrops in the morning light of eternity? Do you hear the calling mind to mind, heart to heart, that leads to so many shared acts of creation and consolation, large and small? Do you feel the infinite encouragement that, no matter what, spring stubbornly comes again and again, painting Life's eternal portrait in celebration and delight? Isn't it wonderful how even what is lost and flawed and lonely can find solace and inspiration in the path of this blossoming?
In considering the world today, then...
Do we need to choose between seeing the dark or the light, the problems or the blessings? Do we need to say either that the situation is hopeless or that it's already won? Or can we see with True Sight the ever-emerging portrait that is both dark and light, both challenges and opportunities, and know that as the truth after all?
The difficult issues of the world are not "negativity" ...
To just be avoided, nor are they further evidence for despair. Instead they are, like the sniffles of a cold, symptoms of the challenges we all face in being both spirits and animals on this earthly plane.
The underlying quandaries are real. How can we balance the needs of the individual vs. those of the community - the needs of today vs. the needs of tomorrow - the needs of humans vs. the needs of the environment upon which we depend? How can we know our personal power and creativity while respecting and nurturing those of others? Huge issues, yes - but also what marvelous questions to challenge the evolving creations that we are!
Avoiding these Life issues...
Doesn't make them go away. Instead, they fester into diseases with larger and more horrifying symptoms until finally we turn to heal them - and in the process may be shocked to find that they are not as hopeless and scary as they seemed - and that they hold delightful growth and healing opportunities underneath!
To be truly alive is to see both the dark and light,...
And to welcome the invitation in each moment to begin anew the story of our individual and shared journey on this tempestuous conjuration we call Earth. Each moment is indeed an act of creation, and we can play a starring role.
What a delight to choose in those moments to feel the light revealing the dark and inviting it to be whole - in ourselves and every corner of the world. What a joy to act as part of the healing, to learn and teach in every step, pulling the endless scarf of wisdom through the magic portal that is our soul.
How nourishing to remind and remember the divinity of all - including "us", including "them" - and coax that to unfold, to the amazement of our ever-softening heart, and our ever-deepening understanding.
This is the ground, the vision...
Upon which I seek to build this column each month. Yes, I will relay news, facts, resources, and specific actions you can do to help create a healthier, less-toxic world near and far. But I also want to respect the emotional and spiritual component of living in these times, and support us all in taking advantage of the opportunities that our current world crises present for our personal and shared growth and manifestation. For I believe that by broadening the context, our path becomes more clear and meaningful, and we get increasingly better at helping to create a happier, more fulfilling life for all.
Column Topics
Here's a brief taste of the kinds of topics I plan to explore in this precious space. (Your input, ideas, and participation are very much welcome and appreciated!)
* The most common toxics that steal our health and our lives - where and in what way - and how we can take our lives back again
* Specific methods that people are using to work with Nature's self-balancing processes in gardening, agriculture, and more - to make their work easier, less-toxic, and more respectful of life and our communities.
* Who the leaders are towards this toxic world, and how we can support and work with them - for unity is where our power lies.
* How the largest mass experiment with the DNA basis of life ever is now happening worldwide and at a grocery store near you - hidden from our view! - and what we can do about it.
* How we can take effective political action that lasts - rather than reliving the same battles again and again.
* How we can work together to create a less-toxic world in all arenas of our lives - home, school, work, play, food, agriculture, and more.
I hope you'll be inspired by what you read here - that it feeds your understanding and your soul - that it gives you a constructive channel for your frustration and a healing context for your despair - and that it gives you practical tools to be part of the solution, in your own sphere and beyond.
Alone we may not be able to create the healthy world of our dreams - but together we can witness the blossoming of this planet as it was always meant to be.
"All aboard!!"
(c) Patricia Dines, 1998. All rights reserved.
Patricia Dines is founder and president of Community Action Publications (CAP), a volunteer, community-supported organization which creates and distributes information that supports constructive action toward a healthier, less-toxic world for all. CAP has a number of current projects, including "The Organic Traveler's Guide to the Wine Country." This Guide, available at local stores or through CAP, makes it easy for locals and travelers to support less-toxic agriculture, here and beyond. For more information or to participate in CAP's work, contact CAP at (707) 829-2999 or PDines@compuserve.com.
* Citizens Change the Direction of the Proposed National Organic Rules. Because of the flood of citizen comments in opposition to their proposed organic rules, the USDA has said it will significantly modify them and re-propose them for public comment. They've currently counted 275,000 comments, far beating their last record of 25,000. Organic folks in Washington are now acting to help the USDA get the details right this time. What you can do: (1) Write to Vice-President Al Gore and other national politicians, emphasizing that the final rules must support 100% organic principles and a strong NOSB (National Organic Standards Board). (2) Support the many organizations watchdogging the details of this process for us.
* Pesticide Industry Tries to Delay Pesticide Reform. In 1996, the national Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) was passed unanimously, directing long-needed reforms to the pesticide regulation system. The pesticide industry is now working to delay implementation of these reforms by calling for more studies and saying farmers can't survive any changes. What you can do: Write President Clinton and your Congressional representatives, asking that they push for the FQPA to be implemented now. We've waited long enough!
* Florida Reporters File Whistleblower Suit. Two Florida reporters charge that Monsanto and Fox Television prevented airing of their revealing story about Monsanto's rBGH (genetically-engineered cow growth hormone), in a seven-month ordeal that ended in their firing. This is a clear example of the ongoing suppression of information that keeps Americans from making informed decisions about matters vital to our well-being. Americans for Democracy (AfD), nationally and locally, are supporting these reporters and informing citizens of the case. What you can do: (1) For more information, see the web site http://foxbghsuit.com/index2.htm. (2) Contact AfD's Liz Denny (575-9311) or CAP to participate in local actions.
* Denmark Considers Total Pesticide Ban. In response to calls from members of the parliament to make the country totally organic by 2010, the Danish government has initiated an assessment of the impacts of a total pesticide ban in the country by the Danish Environmental Protection Agency. The report was begun in late 1997 and is due the end of 1998. How inspiring! (Source: Pesticide Action Network.)
For more information on these stories, or to report news of your own, contact (707) 829-2999 or PDines@compuserve.com.
(c) Patricia Dines, 1998. All rights reserved.
This entire website is (c) Patricia
Dines, 1998-2007. All rights reserved.
Page last updated 04/05/07
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