Today is Blog Action Day 2008.
The topic is poverty.
I have been thinking a lot about what motivates us in life, about whether peace is possible in the world and about how the current monetary systems conspire to make it very difficult to end poverty as so many people want, because of what those systems value.
It all seems so simple to me – maybe I’m missing something ?
If the systems were changed to the sort I spoke of in the piece I wrote on Thursday last – A New World Order, and our values changed, then we would be motivated to pursue what is naturally part of our ultimate desire: self actualisation – which is vitality, creativity, self-sufficiency, authenticity, playfulness and meaningfulness. Poverty would be eradicated by these systematic changes because the ‘new’ values would be valuable values rather than ones derived from impoverished values like fear ie people are often greedy because they fear a lack of or that there will not be enough; and under such changed values, systems and circumstances, peace would be perfectly possible.
There is so much good work going on in the world. Yesterday I attended an incredibly powerful seminar presenting the work of AGLI – African Great Lakes Initiative led by David Zarembka and his daughter Joy. Their project is doing very successful encounter and peace and reconciliation work with many people in Burundi, Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.
I have been supporting One Voice, and tomorrow they are screening Encounter Point, a multi-award winning documentary, produced by a Palestinian, Israeli, South American and North American Team. See what Israelis and Palestinians are willing to do to end the conflict in their land.
There is a movement afoot on my agenda to draw together all the good work of the world and help give some direction to the growing number of voices globally who now have the means, through the technology that we now have, to recognise our collective energy, to raise our collective consciousness, and to focalise the sort of world we want to live in.
To get lots of vitality, creativity, self-sufficiency, authenticity, playfulness and meaningfulness this coming weekend – 17/18/19 October 2008, if you live in the bonnie land that is Scotland, you could do no better than to head on over to the Isle of Bute for this month’s An Tearman Dvelopment Weekend where you will be assured the warmest of welcomes and some wholesome and healthy and delicious home cooking. The chickens have come home to roost since some rescue chickens have been given a new home in the wonderful wallled gardens, a new border nurturing lavender and rosemary adds to the already abundant sensory appeal of this special place, and the air and quality of the light never cease to intoxicate.
Please say if you are going, you will realise it is essential for catering and preparation purposes:
Email: bute4mo-antearman[at]yahoo[dot]co[dot]uk
Phone: 01700 500554
If you are inspired to seek some music, movement, meditation and general personal celebration please contact me about an event called: ‘Love Emerging‘ that I am facilitating in The River Retreat space next Wednesday, 22 October 2008.
Life can change very suddenly or very gradually. Stay on your toes, whilst flowing and gliding through the changes gracefully and joyfully – of course, and look for the good in every situation. If you sit very quietly and peacefully and look deep into your heart you will feel your connection to all life.
“Let each human being, within the limits of the possible be self-supporting; let every one take intelligent thought for the morrow; and if a human being supports themself and acquires a surplus, let them use a part of that surplus for the unfortunate; and let each one to the extent of their ability help their fellow-human beings. Let them do what they can in the circle of their own acquaintance to rescue the fallen, to help those who are trying to help themselves, to give work to the idle. Let them distribute kind words, words of wisdom, of cheerfulness and hope. In other words, let every human being do all the good they can, and let them bind up the wounds of their fellow-creatures, and at the same time put forth every effort, to hasten the coming of a better day.”
Robert Ingersoll (adapted)
Be well, go well, keep well.
In peace and love allways,
Mandy.
If you like the feel of this of this website, please tell others about it so they can feel good too. “Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.” (Buddha)
