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Pitch

Collaborate with Earth directly about any effort and ask, How can I be more harmonious with Earth, asking less of Earth and more of myself?


Description

Summary

Invite the Earth to offer wisdom, feedback and knowledge towards one's life or project.  Consider the Earth a collaborator in all efforts and welcome a deeper relationship with one's eco system, one's own body, as part of our effort to live more harmoniously within Earth's natural order evolved over centuries, successfully supporting Life for the Good of All.


What actions do you propose?

Proposal:   (What)   I propose that all individuals, groups, businesses, agencies, spiritual communities bring into consultation, the Earth with all work and projects.  Welcome the Earth as a collaborator. 

In meetings, set a chair with the Earth, represented by a globe or a paper “Earth,” on it and consult.  Ask what the Earth wants to tell us, as we develop our ideas and plans so that our efforts are in harmony with her nature and design.  Ask what impacts our plans might have on the Earth and in particular on the climate.

Where: Anywhere and anytime you are willing to raise questions and listen.  Go out in nature, spend time there and raise questions and listen.  Allow your Sacred Imagination to contribute.  Then listen to what one another hears and share with open hearts and minds.

Questions one can pose:    (Phrase them either for a time frame of “today” or “this month” or “this year”)

How can this group or I better my carbon footprint to bring atmospheric levels of CO2 and methane to safe levels?   How can some aspect of Earth support me in this?   How can I better support the Earth in her carbon work?

How can this group or I strengthen my caring relationship with the Earth and better my communication?  How can you Earth guide me in this?

How can I better design my day, my daily life, my work, my contributions or creations so they truly contribute to the Good of All and especially support Earth’s systems?    How can I consult with you Earth to do this?

How can I ask more of myself and my energy and less of the Earth and Earth’s energy sources today?   Can you help me in this dear Earth?

Who can this apply to:   All ages of people everywhere.

When:   can be used at any point in anyone’s life or any meeting or gathering.

Why:  Mainstream culture, especially in US and Western Europe has divorced itself and citizenry from Earth and Nature in government practices, in education and as part of business oriented to profit.  It is time to put the Earth back into our lives.  It is our ignoring of Earth’s process and natural order which have gotten us in this mess along with the resulting “for profit” business and “Me” orientation instead of embracing “Me” within” an orientation of “for the Good of All.’

How:  Each group determines the form of entry into the process of listening and each individual determines their own intention and purpose.  There are many entry processes such as guided meditation[i], guided body work, music, drumming and dance, wilderness therapy, direct connection with a specie, gardening, picnics in nature and so on.  One can learn to communicate and commune with the Earth in many ways and invite participation from the Earth into one’s life, heart, mind, business, etc. just through an open heart, mind, and by setting an intention.

Just as healing practitioners can communicate directly with plants[ii] for healing patients, so one can talk with trees, animals, etc. for the purpose of healing our lives and restoring the Earth.   Indigenous people do this all the time and have for millennia as an integral part of Life.

There exist multiple streams of inquiry to hear the voices of the Earth and to ascertain the Intelligence the Earth can impart to our lives.   We already have the voices of scientific data. This proposal is about gathering information and processing data in an additional way, through the innate human technology and through the technologies that have co-evolved with the earth and the evolution of mankind.

This can be done anywhere in the world, by any people.   There are innumerable people who do this in every community across the globe, who can be called upon for encouragement and guidance. 


[i] See Thich Nat Hahn article Take Refuge in Mother Earth

[ii] Stephen Harrod Buhner, Secret Techings of Plants, eg. P. 135


Who will take these actions?

 

Individuals, groups, businesses and agencies, spiritual gatherings.  Those with experience in Earth communicating can offer their skills in guiding groups.

The Director of Our Sacred Earth, Bonnie Sundance, is offering to work with 3 groups in Boulder County who request assistance.  She will custom design and lead a series of Earth Connecting Communication experiences in 2-3 sessions with each group during the months from April through August, 2016 so they can include outdoor experiences.  

From that initial work, she will formulate curriculum materials to assist individuals from other groups in a training workshop to learn and then return to their groups to guide the work.    She will convene seasonal community forums for people to talk about their experiences and what they have heard, learned from the Earth, and how they have applied it.  This allows for cross-fertilization and improvement in our abilities to include the Earth as an active part in all that we are intending and doing.


What are the key challenges?

Obstacles that might cause challenges:  Cultural beliefs and skills in being able to do this kind of consulting with the Earth directly, in the manner of indigenous peoples.   Accustoming groups to bring in alternative forms like meditation, movement, singing, etc. may find resistance.  If so, it is important to include forms that allow people to express this discomfort and work to transform it.


What are the key benefits?

Better and deeper connection with the Earth brings joy, confidence, a sense of being grounded and feelings of certainty.  The Earth imparts her intelligence in many ways to each of us and the more we can align ourselves with her intelligence, and the energy of trees or water the more harmonious we become with her natural order. 

If we include and put the Earth first, recognizing her natural order, our projects and lives will produce greater harmony and alignment, consideration of others, respect for all life, sharing, and so on.    We will be living in alignment within the nature of Sacred Creation.  If we talk about this process and our experiences with one another, we will assist a shift in our cultural milieu towards one more Earth harmonious.


What are the proposal’s costs?

The cost to us as individuals to collaborate with the Earth will be an expending of more willingness to put energy into our relationship with Earth, into doing for ourselves rather than expecting from and taking from the Earth.

We have to be willing to loosen our grip on a culture which has been in denial about the costs of "business-as-usual" to the Earth, to species, to humans.    We have to let go of being a consumer and convenience culture and become an Earth Caring Culture directed to the Good of All Life.

We will accrue a different kind of wealth of connection, respect, harmony and a sense of interconnectedness with all Life, which is immeasurable.

The plan through Our Sacred Earth to create custom designed work with 3 groups, develop curriculum materials and convene community forums would involve printing costs, room rental, publicity communiques and outreach to community.  The total costs would vary depending on size of groups, how much cost they could pick up or in-kind services offered, paying facilitators, etc.  The cost might vary from $800 to $2,800.


Time line

It's up to the ability of people to engage with these ideas, pass them onto others and creatively play with communicating with all forms of nature which can pass on their intelligence to us directly.

It's up to all of us who engage in this project to expand our willingness to share these experiences and their results with one another.

Our Sacred Earth welcomes your feedback on the Contact Page of the web site:

www.Our-Sacred-Earth.org


Related proposals

Value not set.

References

This proposal has been inspired from many experiences and sources.  I am very grateful to all those who are working in this Earth  communication realm and sharing what they are discovering.

Our Sacred Earth Programs co-facilitated with Earth: www.Our-Sacred-Earth.org(in Boulder, Denver Colorado)

Take Refuge in Mother Earth   http://www.mindfulnessbell.org/wp/2014/09/dharma-talk-take-refuge-in-mother-earth

How Nature Sees Us by Cathee Courter with Peter MacGill and Communication with Nature guidance  http://www.weness.org/nature/oldmanmountain/nature's-response-old-man-mountain-shamanism.html   

Secret Teachings of Plants, in the Direct Perception of Nature by Stephen Harrod Buhner

Haudenosaunee Giving Thanks Address to the Natural World: http://www.nmai.si.edu/environment/pdf/01_02_Thanksgiving_Address.pdf

Eco Psychology courses taught through Naropa University

Joanna Macy Center    http://www.naropa.edu/academics/jmc/     and the Work that Reconnects

Council of All Beings created by Joanna Macy and offered through Our Sacred Earth as well as Naropa's new Joanna Macy Center.

Wilderness therapy programs as those with Kris Abrams: www.womenswilderness.org/product/live-a-joyful-life-a-nature-based-therapy-group-for-women

Biomimicry education and creations through Janine Benyus  www.Biomimicry.org

Eco Dharma Sangha and OneEarthSangha.org

Shambhala Climate Salon in Boulder

Bioneers Salon in Boulder:    coloradobioneerssalon@hotmail.com

Boulder Rights of Nature - Heart to Heart Program   http://boulderrightsofnature.org

Pachamama Alliance at   www/Pachamama.org 

The Starhouse Earth Meditations -- Boulder, CO  http://www.thestarhouse.org

The Whidbey Island Institute in Washington State

Other Proposals in Climate CoLab:    Boulder County Climate Alliancevioletamanoukian

This Alliance creates a physical and virtual infrastructure for collective impact through cooperation among all climate related stakeholders.  (The Collaborating with the Earth dovetails with this project in which Earth can be heard and collaborate.)