By Hazel of Little Wolf Gulch.
Here we are without much certainty.
More observation recommended.
And we are writing in English, an authoritarian mess.
Let’s do our best to condition our discussions.
We can make tentative observations about what we are experiencing but we should offer those as gifts to our community.
Political and systems observations are appropriate as long as we place them in the context of discussion. Can we do this politely?
The poem we chant before lighting fires in Social Forestry is this:
We are idiots!
We do not know what we are doing!
Please forgive us. We are doing the best we can.
I am finding that if I do not send out a frantic e-mail and let it compost, it transforms quickly and is not recognizable in two days. We are experiencing a storm of useless information. And when we want to blame someone, or want to demand that someone else does something to fix it, we should be careful.
We need to change our selves.
The big overly complex systems are failing in so many ways. This we should not be surprised by. They were over extended and false and rigged all along. We might want to study David Flemming’ s Lean Logic? I am feeling and experiencing a phase change and by systems thinking that means we cannot predict the future, especially from our position in this fast changing now.
None the less I want to predict RELOCALIZATION. This is serious stuff.. The most important work we can do right now is local and social. Let us find ways to support each other. And plant big gardens..
I am surmising that spending a lot of time complaining about big systems and political positions will not get us very far unless we are really lacking entertainment.
This is the crazy time. We are living in a psychic storm.. We do not have the science about this pandemic that we need to make plans.
And we are isolated and confused. At least I am willing to readily admit such. But we do, as crazy permies, have the systems training and design practice to pay attention and not jump to conclusions. Let us be kind to one another.
Compassion is a good perspective. Sympathy and empathy is real and very natural. But keeping our own center and staying in open observation is key to being useful to our communities.
I trust this homily will be helpful. I am hopeful that we are all prepared to assess reality carefully. Take a deep breath and go for a walk if you can. The spring flowers are lovely and we are still getting some rain. All the best to you and yours!