The Ultimate Question: What Can We Do?

From looking over the messages on this list I noticed that:

1. Its been a while since someone has posted something on such pertinent list.
2. People are becoming overwhelmed by all the problems that are cropping up all over the world.  Whether its the environment, war, starvation, global pollution, etc. they all fall into the problems category.

From my own perspective, I have noticed interesting correlations between what my clients are experiencing within their bodies and what is happening on a global scale.  I will address this in a later blog.

One of the main issues that I have noticed is many pulling back from or ignoring the problems because they don't know what to do or how to do it. The thinking may be that by not participating, one can't be blamed or that nothing can be done on such a small scale.

In actuality, I think what Rev. James Parks Morton said in 1990 at the Second Global Forum in Moscow captured the truth of it perfectly:

“The problems we're dealing with really can't be isolated. If we're talking about the environment, by definition the environment doesn't respect boundaries. Boundaries are man made.”

If we look at our society we isolate ourselves from our environment constantly whether by walls, clothing or attitudes.  It has been centuries since we have lived with the land instead of on it.  This can and has naturally caused a rift or separation between us and our environment and its this rift that we widen when we step back from what we see today.

Understandably, if we look at all the worlds problems as a whole they are overwhelming and unmanageable.  What can one person do, let alone someone who doesn't have political power or unlimited finances?  I believe the answer is contained in Rev. James Parks Morton's quote as well.

If the environment respects no boundaries and we are the ones constructing the walls between what is around us and how we interact with it, then it can be said that by modifying our perspective, actions, habits or some other part of our life's routine, we can drastically impact our environment.  We are not separate from it after all.  This shift doesn't have to be profound, in fact its probably going to be more effective if it is a simple, low impact change that is the catalyst from which all other transformation occurs.

For example, in my own life, I try to help the environment by recycling.  Unfortunately, this doesn't seem to be enough based on current environmental statistics.  So, I started paying attention to the moments where I don't or can't recycle.  What I noticed was that every time I traveled, I would throw everything away unless the hotel or restaurant, etc. had a recycling program.  If they didn't it all went to the landfill.  That's when I started bringing home as much of the recyclables as I could in my luggage, carry on etc.  Mostly this consists of paper and cardboard ( metal doesn't travel well through security :) ).  It is a small movement towards a larger goal and that is how it starts.