Tag: History

Blue Moons, Time Outs and Ma’s Tough Love

Leave a comment

Originally posted on a former blog called Zen and the Art of Radical Detachment on September 5, 2012; from El Paso, Texas after WOOF’ing in New Mexico. ~ G

The shifting energies of the blue moons [two in a row] are usually seen as rare events — the next month to witness this phenomenon isn’t until July of 2015.  It is difficult to imagine what the moon will witness us going through then as it is to imagine where it will see humanity two months from now.

Here in El Paso, working with an executive producer who reports on Occupy events around the country, I am lucky to experience how the culture is shifting — which still feels to most to be underground, but it is exciting to witness it bubbling up and creating conversations that have been long overdue.

Are they too late?  I can’t say that with certainty and I don’t think anyone can.  If there is one thing I have learned about change — is that it is the only constant — and it comes with a lot more chaos than structure.  I’m finding [again] it is best to embrace my understanding of the Tao and simply go with the flow and offer my assistance where I’m able while witnessing history unfold.

My time in New Mexico taught me many things about our notions of change, especially when it comes to the concept of time — a man-created structure.  Clever, yes — but applying this structure to nature’s rhythms is counter-intuitive.  I learned this from the goats, chickens and ducks, whose days begin with the sun and follow it’s natural progression throughout the day, all season long.  They are the timekeepers.  That alone is a lesson in respect for nature — then when you realize how far removed most people are to this knowing, to never witness this most ancient arrangement nature has with the sun and moon, it makes you sad for them.

It also makes you compassionate toward anyone who is disconnected from it.  I think this rhythm is the heart of humanity when it comes right down to it.

We’ve always been meant to live in harmony with the song of the land.  But we have been hearing the screeching, sour notes of industry so long that many have forgotten the song.  Indigenous peoples still sing it and you can hear it in your heart if you are still enough to listen.

Empire is like having to live with an abusive father [or Uncle Samsara], all the while longing to be with mother.  Knowing that when we care for her, she reciprocates.  She provides and nurtures us back to health when we are ill and she is always there — we, however, will not be.  And it has always been this way.

Man continues to rage and break chains against the knowledge of his own death without realizing it is part of life — part of the ancient arrangement with nature.  Without her, history would not exist — the stories, the struggles, the love, the joy — we would not exist.  The human experience from the first cave drawings to the Mars Rover are all owed to the fact that we existed on one living planet in the vastness of the universe — one we will no longer be able to explore because we have squandered the resources to do so.  In a drunken petroleum rush for the ‘look what I can do’ search for ‘human excellence’ — she has been sending us a message that we are not excellent — no matter how much greenwashing, back patting and chatter about ‘exceptionalism’ we hear trumpeted in those sour notes.  The message is becoming ever clearer that we are in for some tough love.  As evidenced by the record heat and drought this summer.

Personally, I am not upset by her message.  I understand it because of my connection to the earth and because I understand science — which is her language. [Don’t confuse science with technology.]  Science is the language of truth — and men have butchered it with religion, politics and commerce since time immemorial.  Mother nature is about to sit us all down in the corner for an epic ‘time out’ — and we’re going to have a very long time grounded from our toys to think about what we’ve done.

When?  Again, certainty isn’t a term I use often — like guarantee.  But if current history is any indicator of future behavior, we’re going to continue to behave like brats, hurt people, break stuff, take stuff that doesn’t belong to us and rage a bit longer.  Like the ‘terrible twos’, Western civilization is throwing its final embarrassing tantrum before mom puts us in that corner for the last time.  Those who listen and heed her message are preparing.  Some are preparing better than others. It’s not a contest.  All you can do about change is get ready for it the best way you know how, with what you have available and go with it.

Unfortunately, the ‘best way’ in this country looks a lot like violent revolution.  Fighting to keep a broken system that is teetering on the verge of collapse seems ill-advised rather than an educated, compassionate look at the reality of global collapse which will impact everyone on the planet.  I think even Mr. Spock would agree that was logical but I think we lack more than the political will — we lack the ‘supposed’ adults to have that conversation.  Which is why I think it is important to gather the wise ones, spiritual leaders and healers to the table now.

As Chief Oren Lyons stated in his eloquent speech to the UN, the four words we all must pay heed to now more than ever, implement individually as well as bring to our communities: Value Change for Survival.  It is simple, really.  Only our industrial, state-structured brains complicate what is not complicated.

It’s the bottom line of bottom lines.  What do you value?  Are you, yourself willing to change for your own survival?  The survival of your species?  If we don’t break this denial and make these changes, will she allow us to stay?  If we allow this system we’re addicted to continue unabated, I’m not certain she will.

What is certain?  The sun will continue to shine and every moonrise will play on our mother’s face whether we are here to cast shadows upon her or not.  I am certain she owes us nothing.  I am certain we owe her everything we are.  I am certain she will collect.  She always has. . .if ancient history is any indicator.

Greece Is The Word

The following lengthy quote is from a learned Greek scholar:

“So revolutions broke out in city after city, and in places where the revolutions occurred late the knowledge of what had happened previously in other places caused still new extravagances of revolutionary zeal, expressed by an elaboration in the methods of seizing power and by unheard-of atrocities in revenge.  To fit in with the change of events, words, too, had to change their meanings. What used to be described as a thoughtless act of aggression was now regarded as the courage one might expect to find in a party member; to think of the future and wait was merely another way of saying one was a coward; any idea of moderation was just an attempt to disguise one’s unmanly character; ability to understand a question from all sides meant that one was totally unfitted for action. Fanatical enthusiasm was the mark of a real man, and to plot against an enemy behind his back was perfectly legitimate self-defense.  Anyone who held violent opinions could always be trusted and anyone who objected to them became suspect.  To plot successfully was a sign intelligence, but it was still cleverer to see that a plot was hatching.  If one attempted to provide against having to do either, one was disrupting the unity of the party and acting out of fear of the opposition.  In short, it was equally praiseworthy to get one’s blow in first against someone who was going to do wrong, and to denounce someone who had no intention of doing any wrong at all.  Family relations were a weaker tie than party membership, since party members were more ready to go to any extreme for any reason whatever. These parties were not formed to enjoy the benefits of established laws, but to acquire power by overthrowing the existing regime; and the members of these parties felt confidence in each other not because of any fellowship in a religious communion, but because they were partners in crime.  If an opponent made a reasonable speech, the party in power, so far from giving it a generous reception, took every precaution to see that it had no practical effect.
Revenge was more important than self-preservation, And if pacts of mutual security were made, they were entered into by the two parties only in order to meet some temporary difficulty, and remained in force only so long as there was no other weapon available.  When the chance came, the one who seized it boldly, catching the enemy off his guard, enjoyed a revenge that was all the sweeter from having taken, not openly, but because of a breach of faith.  It was safer that way, it was considered, and at the same time a victory won by treachery gave one a title for superior intelligence.  And indeed most people are more ready to call villainy cleverness than simple-mindedness honesty.  They are proud of the first quality and ashamed of the second.
Love of power, operating through greed and through personal ambition, was the cause of all these evils.  To this must be added violent fanaticism which came into play once the struggle had broken out. Leaders of parties in the cities had programmes which appeared admirable – on one side political equality for the masses, on the other the safe and sound government of the aristocracy – but in professing to serve the public interest they were seeking to win the prizes for themselves.  In their struggle for ascendancy nothing was barred; terrible indeed were the actions to which they committed themselves, and in taking revenge they went farther still.  Here they were deterred neither by claims of justice nor by the interests of the state; their one standard was the pleasure of their own party at that particular moment, and so, either by means of condemning their enemies on an illegal vote or by violently usurping power over them, they were always ready to satisfy the hatreds of the hour.  Thus neither side had any use for conscientious motives; more interest was shown in those who could produce attractive arguments to justify some disgraceful action.  As for the citizens who held moderate views, they were destroyed by both extreme parties, either for not taking part in the struggle or in envy at the possibility that they might survive.
As the result of these revolutions, there was a general deterioration of character throughout the Greek world.  The simple way of looking at things, which is so much the mark of a noble nature, was regarded as a ridiculous quality and soon ceased to exist.  Society had become divided into two ideologically hostile camps, and each side viewed the other with suspicion.  As for ending this state of affairs, no guarantee could be given that would be trusted, no oath sworn that people would fear to break; everyone had come to the conclusion that it was hopeless to expect a permanent settlement and so, instead of being able to feel confident in others, they devoted their energies to providing against being injured themselves.  As a rule those who were the least remarkable for intelligence showed the greater powers of survival.  Such people recognized their own deficiencies and the superior intelligence of their opponents; fearing that they might lose a debate or find themselves out-maneuvered in intrigue by their quick-witted enemies, they boldly launched straight into action; while their opponents, overconfident in the belief that they would see what was happening in advance, and not thinking it necessary to seize by force what they could secure by policy, were the more easily destroyed because they were off guard.
Certainly it was in Corcyra that there occurred the first examples of the breakdown of law and order.  There was the revenge taken in their hour of triumph by those who had in the past been arrogantly oppressed instead of wisely governed; there were the wicked resolutions taken by those who, particularly under the pressure of misfortune, wished to escape from their usual poverty and coveted the property of their neighbors; there were the savage and pitiless actions into which men were carried not so much for the sake of gain as because they were swept away into internecine struggle by their ungovernable passions.  Then, with the ordinary conventions of civilized life thrown into confusion, human nature, always ready to offend even where laws exist, showed itself proudly in its true colors, as something incapable of controlling passion, insubordinate to the idea of justice, the enemy to anything superior to itself; for, if it had not been for the pernicious powers of envy, men would not so have exalted vengeance above innocence and profit above justice.  Indeed, it is true that in these acts of revenge on others men take it upon themselves to begin the process of repealing those general laws of humanity which are there to give a hope of salvation to all who are in distress, instead of leaving those laws in existence, remembering that there may be a time when they, too, will be in danger and will need their protection.”

Although the passage is descriptive of contemporary events in Greece, it was written by Thucydides about 2,500 years ago.  Actually, it could apply throughout history.  How soon until it arrives on our civilized shores?

________________