If you are seeing the truth about what is occurring on this planet, in whatever sphere (political, corporate, economic, climate change), than the only thing is to take individual action such that there is no longer a psychological split between what is true and what you would like to believe is true. We can’t keep backing up media lies by sitting on our hands waiting for another Daddy to come along and make everything OK. No guru, no politician, no organization, no belief system of any kind is going to change the simple fact that only those individuals who see what’s up and act outside of what is generally acceptable, taking a flying leap into the unknown and attempting to live what they know is true, are going to survive this disaster known as the human experiment.

We are designed to evolve, just like all species, but the programming we receive from cradle to grave has us all thinking in looping video/audio tracks that spell out how we are to live in society, and it is enslavement to being a cog in the machine. How to get out of the machine? How to no longer be a mind-numbed robot? It’s a radical step that’s needed, and it is too scary for most to contemplate. It brings up too much fear for most. But every great teacher has said that though we live in the world, we must not be it’s slave, so gotta step out of the box and be free.

My partner an I are attempting to contact like-minded others who are ready to act, whose highest priority is to be the awakening necessary. And to ride out the current changes, which are coming no matter what at this stage, survival is key. So where?

After much research it seems that the most severe cataclysms are occurring in the areas towards the poles. New Zealand and Australia, Indonesia and Japan, India and China, all are experiencing drought, earthquakes, floods, and all types of extreme weather. In the states, it’s either water shortages and hurricanes in the south and west, or frigid cold, blizzards, and tornadoes across the mid-west and east. And it’s getting more extreme.

Though there seems no areas immune to the possibility of radiation from increasing solar flares, it seems mid to high elevations in tropical climates with old growth rain forest near the equator are the best bets. So we are looking for land in the highlands of Costa Rica and want to attract others who are ready to hunker down and build a sustainable life. We intend for the focus to be awakening, using silent sitting as the only reasonable method. We do not have a teaching, just an understanding that only through silence can the original blueprint of a real human being come forth from the veil of sleep created by the decades of programming by our social systems and governments. Unless one gets a glimpse outside the program (some liken it to the Matrix as illustrated in the movie by the same name), one will think, speak, and act within it’s influence, not realizing how pervasive it is in the consciousness of mankind as a whole. Until the bubble pops, the illusion is perceived as real and governs our course of action.

Ready to pop the bubble? We figure if just a handful of people come forward who are serious about getting out of the system, we can pool our energies and create a model of what is possible for others. So if you are REALLY serious about taking action, contact us at swaminow@yahoo.com, sell your objects, and get your buns down here to Costa Rica. Time is of the essence.

Hmmm, yes, very possibly so. I hope somehow people are growing in receptiveness to some of the fundamentals. (e.g., “Happiness does not come from material consumption…”) I hope it doesn’t take an all out crisis to engender such receptivity. Interesting references. I think I have some new reading material for my ever expanding list.

In1970 Ram Dass engaged in collaboration with Lama to produce the book “Be Here Now”, and later served as a trustee for several years as well as hosting many summer retreats. Over the years, many have served Lama as teachers, guides, trustees and elders. Along with Ram Dass, they include Murshid Samuel Lewis of the Chisti order of Sufis who is buried at Lama, Stephen Levine, Jack Kornfield, Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, Father Thomas Keating, Robert Bly, Baba Hari Dass, Natalie Goldberg, Bhante Gunaratana, Rabbi Zalman Schachter and Joshu Sasaki Roshi.

Most of these people I’ve read, some I’ve heard talk, and one, Kornfield, is the teacher of several of the people I’ve studied with. (Yeah, been through the chasing the guru period — turns out they are everywhere.) All these folks are products of the 1960′s, and a central point of what they teach is that satisfaction, happiness, and “the good life” is not to be found in material consumption beyond what you need to get by.

Ram Das said it in a very 60′s style in Be Here Now, “an early Bible of the Hippie generation.” Jack Kornfield uses more modern language in After the Ecstasy, the Laundry (simply a great title).

To me, what might be called the “deeper learning” people like this teach is a large part of the solution to world’s ills.

We’re fossil-fuels addicts, that’s all. And it is becoming very clear to me that no human society on this planet is prepared to quit the habit. Take a look around, what do you see? A society that is becoming more and more car-friendly? A planet that is becoming more and more aeroplane dependent? I think so.

As for future generations: well, these people are being raised and bred by the worst polluters of all times. In terms of simple sustainability skills, we’re teaching our children nothing. Our present generation of children and youth have learnt to take a variety of eco-destructive activities and practices for granted.

Now, I wonder: what will be the most probable outcome of this?

http://energybulletin.net/3757.html

I recently read a short article in a Norwegian newspaper, saying that the CO2 emissions from individuals living in the Norwegian countryside was higher on average than the emissions from urban dwellers.

Here’s an American example of the same trend.

“For thousands of years religious leaders and philosophers have written about how “less is more” when it comes to personal happiness — yet here we are floating aimlessly in an endless sea of consumption.”

Heh, that hits the nail on the head. I wonder if people think those religious leaders and philosophers are just wrong, or just kidding, or what? Well, I suppose it’s the difficulty in resisting immediate gratification, even though it’s really not very gratifying after a time (as the McKibben article shows).

“Supposedly the Buddha said (circa 500 BCE) it would take about 2,500 years before people in mass came to such a realization. That would be about now.”

Hmmm…

I think you’re right about experimentation. It seems the powers that be resist it if it suggests any threat to profits. Dave Iverson has a post up about Jared Diamond’s book Collapse, which talks about short term, reactive decision making on the part of politicians:

http://forestpolicy.typepad.com/ecoecon/2007/03/jared_diamond_o.html

That’s closely related, I think, as a part of the reluctance to experiment when an idea might involve considering the long term. i.e., the emphasis is usually on relatively short term profits, I think.

I’ve read a portion of your post on “Darwin’s Other Idea,” and need to read the rest, but it’s perfect that the guy who brought us survival of the fittest promoted, on the other hand, a system of compassion, love, and the like. I wonder if that can be packaged to gain any traction.

Eisler’s book looks good. Right now I’m reading Molly Scott Cato’s book, Market, Schmarket, which seems to provide a good, clear introduction to the view that capitalism is broken. I’ll be interested to compare her alternatives to those of Eisler and McKibben.

Not sure I really want to be a farmer either, but it does sound like there may be more of a market for them in the future.

Oh, and no problem on the multiple posts. I think I left the right one. I did inquire about the preview window, btw. The admin people at wordpress.com said it would be a feature the “theme” designer would have to build in. I asked about it on the blog of the designer of the theme I’m using, but didn’t get a reply. He does put out upgrades of the theme from time to time, so if he builds in a preview window it would be a matter of getting the wordpress people to make the upgraqde available, which can be problematic as they then get people complaining about changes. Time will tell, I guess.

“that the ethos of growth is a world-wide phenomenon, that really has nothing to do with political-cum-ideological jargon.”

Definitely.

“the growth culture of the western world very quickly became the order of the day. It is, I believe, what really puts a mark on our times. A “trade mark”, so to speak. One on which a global political consensus has been reached.”

Goos point. It’ one of the few things on which there’s consensus even across very different political lines. That makes for a tough obstacle to overcome.

“As a political slogan, “Growth is madness!” is insane.”

Heh, yeah, I probably won’t be winning many elections right now.

“in which all the people of this world can readily – and smilingly – admit to the apparent fact that the consumption of fossil-fuels was a grave mistake!”

It seems rare for anyone to acknowledge that even modest consumption of fossil fuels is unsustainable. But that is so.

As for future generations, thinking of the long run like that will not be tolerated! ;-/

As a participant in the later part of the 60′s counter-culture I admit to missing it terribly, not the silliness or the excesses (well, some of them) but, as you put it, the ethos. The sense of connectedness, openness, and caring for each other and the planet was far more tangible than it is today in spite of the increase in gross “wealth.” Even if this is a classic example of me nostalgically rewriting the past, the idea is still sound.

Consuming and accumulating more stuff is such an addiction. With the variety available today, if you actually do notice the diminishing returns related to acquiring or using one thing, you can easily switch to another. (In fact the overwhelming “excellence” of marketing these days will demand it of you.) It’s very difficult for most of us to realize that the law of diminishing returns applies to all things.

Supposedly the Buddha said (circa 500 BCE) it would take about 2,500 years before people in mass came to such a realization. That would be about now.

The notion of endless economic and population growth is just crazy, but this is inherent in the capitalist thinking and system.

We cannot survive as a species if we do not control our growth and activities, and the effects on the planet.

In the Sixties, we began to look at alternate models for economics, and socialism presented possibilites for radical change and experimentation.

I think we must be willing to experiment, and not be locked too much in dogmatic formulas. In doing so, we might literally fail to see the forest for the trees, or, worse yet, we might kill the forest!

Until John gets us a “preview window” I’ll try not to get fancy in posting — only to prove my incompetence.

I’ve asked John to delete the duplicates.