Reading this latest issue of Resurgence, I felt impulsed to share with you:
'Mary Patterson is the Education for Sustainable Development Co-ordinator at Kingswood school in Bath, UK. She emailed Resurgence to share a poem by Tamsin Ireland, aged 14. Tamsin is an active and influential member of the school's Sustainable Development Committee and her innovative poem shows how important it is to see things from the right perspective. This poem won the 2009 Young People's Climate Change Conference competition.
We have to see things the right way round
There is no hope
It is not true that
It is always possible to get out of bad situations
We must acknowledge that
We have made many mistakes
Although in the past
We knew the consequences
We didn't change then even though
The air grew thicker and
Made the seas rise
Because of our lack of care in 2009 we
Have nothing left
It is wrong to believe that we
Can make a difference as individuals
All around the world people should know that we
Cannot bring back what we had
Even though we
Made an effort
As people together we
Became less and less powerful
The droughts,the hurricanes, the floods
Grew larger and larger
And our will to make things right
Disappeared completely before 2020
Selfish attitudes
Make things difficult for future generations
Some ways we found to create energy did not
Ensure that our children can live as well as we do
We must
Turn Things Around
Confused? Now read the poem from the bottom up again'
Let us take inspiration from Tamsin's work for us as a CCC community for 2010 and the next decade :-)
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Paul Hawken
Dear all,
Paul Hawken delivered this wonderful commencement speech at the University of Portland earlier this year. If you want to be inspired and be reflective for a moment read it by clicking here. Or if you want to know more about Paul Hawken, click here - Paul Hawken - to visit his website.
Enjoy,
René
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
CCC ...continuing the conversation - NEWS
Hello dear co-creators:-)
The next CCC is indeed in flow and the dates are now set for 18-21 May 2010 in the Wales Millenium Centre in Cardiff.
We are currently working on the preparation and themes for our conversation, already we are receiving innovative and exciting seeds and ideas for formation from amongst the collective - thankyou. We anticipate being able to share our invitations early in the New Year.
Meantime, we invite you to continue to be with us as co-creators...here is a poem that I was inspired to write following a shared experience with one from our connective collective, Karen Izod...
A Century of Time
Sitting, sharing, laughing and crying in the sunshine
Listening to the trickling, soothing song of the fountains
Noticing, feeling loved, peaceful, held, heard
Inquiring about the tradition and the trajectory.
Who am I; who are we; why are we
In this particular passage of time…now here?
Amongst the textures of slate, redbrick, stone, copper, glass and steel
Next to the inspirational offerings of the welsh craftsmen and women
Wondering about the century of time that is captured here
And what songs have indeed been sung over the horizons gone…
And in between,
The gleaming, proud tower and beacon of light, flowing with source.
What is this bold reflection mirroring to us now
in this moment of millennium time?
Christine Davies 10th Sept 2009, Cardiff Bay
The next CCC is indeed in flow and the dates are now set for 18-21 May 2010 in the Wales Millenium Centre in Cardiff.
We are currently working on the preparation and themes for our conversation, already we are receiving innovative and exciting seeds and ideas for formation from amongst the collective - thankyou. We anticipate being able to share our invitations early in the New Year.
Meantime, we invite you to continue to be with us as co-creators...here is a poem that I was inspired to write following a shared experience with one from our connective collective, Karen Izod...
A Century of Time
Sitting, sharing, laughing and crying in the sunshine
Listening to the trickling, soothing song of the fountains
Noticing, feeling loved, peaceful, held, heard
Inquiring about the tradition and the trajectory.
Who am I; who are we; why are we
In this particular passage of time…now here?
Amongst the textures of slate, redbrick, stone, copper, glass and steel
Next to the inspirational offerings of the welsh craftsmen and women
Wondering about the century of time that is captured here
And what songs have indeed been sung over the horizons gone…
And in between,
The gleaming, proud tower and beacon of light, flowing with source.
What is this bold reflection mirroring to us now
in this moment of millennium time?
Christine Davies 10th Sept 2009, Cardiff Bay
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Continuing the Conversation with Intent
In each age, men of genius undertake the ascent. From below, the world follows them with their eyes. These men go up the mountain, enter the clouds, disappear, reappear. People watch them, mark them. They walk by the side of precipices. They daringly pursue their road. See them aloft, see them in the distance; they are but black specks. On they go. The road is uneven, its difficulties constant. At each step, a wall, at each step a trap. As they rise the cold increases. They must make their ladder, cut the ice and walk on it, hewing the steps in haste. A storm is raging. Nevertheless they go forward in their madness. The air becomes difficult to breathe. The abyss yawns below them. Some fall. Others stop and retrace their steps; there is a sad weariness. The bold ones continue. They are eyed by the eagles; the lightning plays about them: the hurricane is furious. No matter, they persevere.
Victor Hugo
Victor Hugo
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
shout Yes!
The invitation: It doesn't interest me what you do for a living.
I want to know what you ache for
and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing.
It doesn't interest me how old you are.
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool
for love
for your dream
for the adventure of being alive.
It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon...
I want to know if you have touched the centre of your own sorrow
if you have been opened by life's betrayals
or have become shrivelled and closed
from fear of further pain.
I want to know if you can sit with pain
mine or your own
without moving to hide it
or fade it
or fix it.
I want to know if you can be with joy
mine or your own
if you can dance with wildness
and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes
without cautioning us
to be careful
to be realistic
to remember the limitations of being human.
It doesn't interest me if the story you are telling me
is true.
I want to know if you can
disappoint another
to be true to yourself.
If you can bear the accusation of betrayal
and not betray your own soul.
If you can be faithless
and therefore trustworthy.
I want to know if you can see Beauty
even when it is not pretty
every day.
And if you can source your own life
from its presence.
I want to know if you can live with failure
yours and mine
and still stand at the edge of the lake
and shout to the silver of the full moon,
"Yes."
It doesn't interest me
to know where you live or how much money you have.
I want to know if you can get up
after the night of grief and despair
weary and bruised to the bone
and do what needs to be done
to feed the children.
It doesn't interest me who you know
or how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand
in the centre of the fire
with me
and not shrink back.
It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom
you have studied.
I want to know what sustains you
from the inside
when all else falls away.
I want to know if you can be alone
with yourself
and if you truly like the company you keep
in the empty moments.
I want to know what you ache for
and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing.
It doesn't interest me how old you are.
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool
for love
for your dream
for the adventure of being alive.
It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon...
I want to know if you have touched the centre of your own sorrow
if you have been opened by life's betrayals
or have become shrivelled and closed
from fear of further pain.
I want to know if you can sit with pain
mine or your own
without moving to hide it
or fade it
or fix it.
I want to know if you can be with joy
mine or your own
if you can dance with wildness
and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes
without cautioning us
to be careful
to be realistic
to remember the limitations of being human.
It doesn't interest me if the story you are telling me
is true.
I want to know if you can
disappoint another
to be true to yourself.
If you can bear the accusation of betrayal
and not betray your own soul.
If you can be faithless
and therefore trustworthy.
I want to know if you can see Beauty
even when it is not pretty
every day.
And if you can source your own life
from its presence.
I want to know if you can live with failure
yours and mine
and still stand at the edge of the lake
and shout to the silver of the full moon,
"Yes."
It doesn't interest me
to know where you live or how much money you have.
I want to know if you can get up
after the night of grief and despair
weary and bruised to the bone
and do what needs to be done
to feed the children.
It doesn't interest me who you know
or how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand
in the centre of the fire
with me
and not shrink back.
It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom
you have studied.
I want to know what sustains you
from the inside
when all else falls away.
I want to know if you can be alone
with yourself
and if you truly like the company you keep
in the empty moments.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Entrainment and the Rhythm of Life:
"Everything moves in rhythm. Atomic particles, waves of electrons, molecules in wood and rocks, grass and trees, amoebas, mammals and birds, fishes and reptiles, the earth, the moon, the sun and stars...and we ourselves. All are dominated by rhythm.
"In us, as in all animals, the heart is most noticeably rhythm; but the blood pumped by our heart, along with the organs, muscles, and sinews nourished by our blood, also move in rhythm, whether we're conscious of it or not. Our breath, the most obvious manifestation of our inner condition, quickens or slows according to our state of mind or level of physical excitement.
"The world is thus alive with a myriad of rhythms. 'Entrainment' is the process by which these rhythms fall into synchronization with each other.
"Rhythmic entrainment is one of the great organizing principles of the world, as inescapable as gravity. It explains how one rhythm works with another, and how separate entities, from molecules to stars, will fall into rhythm as automatically as a pulse beats or a butterfly flaps its wings.
"If you set two out-of-sync pendulum clocks side by side, by the next day they'll be keeping time together. In fact, it looks as if they want to be locked into sync with each other. When you adjust the knobs on your radio, your adjusting the set's oscillators: when they come reasonably close to matching the frequency of a station's signal, they suddenly lock and pulse together, and your program jumps into focus.
"Everything moves in rhythm. Atomic particles, waves of electrons, molecules in wood and rocks, grass and trees, amoebas, mammals and birds, fishes and reptiles, the earth, the moon, the sun and stars...and we ourselves. All are dominated by rhythm.
"In us, as in all animals, the heart is most noticeably rhythm; but the blood pumped by our heart, along with the organs, muscles, and sinews nourished by our blood, also move in rhythm, whether we're conscious of it or not. Our breath, the most obvious manifestation of our inner condition, quickens or slows according to our state of mind or level of physical excitement.
"The world is thus alive with a myriad of rhythms. 'Entrainment' is the process by which these rhythms fall into synchronization with each other.
"Rhythmic entrainment is one of the great organizing principles of the world, as inescapable as gravity. It explains how one rhythm works with another, and how separate entities, from molecules to stars, will fall into rhythm as automatically as a pulse beats or a butterfly flaps its wings.
"If you set two out-of-sync pendulum clocks side by side, by the next day they'll be keeping time together. In fact, it looks as if they want to be locked into sync with each other. When you adjust the knobs on your radio, your adjusting the set's oscillators: when they come reasonably close to matching the frequency of a station's signal, they suddenly lock and pulse together, and your program jumps into focus.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
