How can we shift to a manner of living that serves biodiversity on our planet?

Here’s thoughts from the inspiring, dedicated environmentalist John Seed OA.

John Seed is co-founder of The Rainforest Information Center and has spend many decades implementing effective strategies to save untold hectares of rainforest across the globe.

John has also guided humans to recognise their delusions of separateness from the planet, to access more truth, and become more powerful in protecting, regenerating and transforming the systems currently destroying our planet. He does this using a body of work known as Deep Ecology. John studied and collaborated with Joanna Macy to help bring the notion of “systems living” into the minds and lives of many many people (author included).

‘No glib or easy solutions for this extinction crisis’ – John Seed video (2 minutes)

“If you board the wrong train, it is no use running along the corridor in the other direction.“
– Deitrich Bonhoeffen

The 6th mass extinction process on Earth is well and truly underway

This mass extinction is due to the dominant species on the planet, us.

Here’s a brief article providing an overview of the previous five extinction processes on Earth.

It will stir a few emotions and questions.

Such as:

• omg! wtf? (etc)
• What does this extinction mean?
• How do we come to terms with this?
• What will we do differently because of this?
• What influence can we have if it’s all underway anyway?

Reading about previous extinction processes prompts me to wonder; what will survive, and then thrive, once this extinction process is complete?

“Getting off the train” requires us to thinking in a new way.

How can we step outside of our current way of living? To think, act, and therefore construct life in way that is regenerative and nourishing for all?

One way is recognising that we are contributing to the future of the planet with everything what we do, think and say. That WE ARE THE PLANET creating the way it is.

The key exciting element here is that WE ARE BECOMING CONSCIOUS.

It’s only with this greater awareness that we can make more informed choices about WHAT WE CONTRIBUTE to life at this time.

For example:

We can choose to move away from destructive, violent mentalities of blame, shame, guilt, greed, hatred, vindictiveness etc.

We can move towards regenerative, creative mentalities of hope, flow, joy-filled commitment, clarity, action, imagination etc.

How can we change the way we think?

Firstly, we need to make time and prioritise this over the zillion activities and thoughts that consume our days. How about turning off the TV or radio for a while? Watch the wind play with the plastic bags (or more ideally through the trees!!)? Strive to do less, consume less and be more, be kinder and more directed in our energy expenditure. Practice gratitude.

Ask yourself powerful questions

We can voluntarily start to ask ourselves powerful questions. We don’t have to wait until the pressure is so great and the impacts of the ecological crisis are being acutely felt (when really by then it will be too late)

Read this LIST OF POWERFUL QUESTIONS. This list was generated from Sparkle Detox the World workshops with 150 people (with thanks to professional change facilitator, Amy Hart from The Soul of Business)

Actions that can help us to change more easily – actions that help our brain pathways to shift.

Activities proven to help you to shift your way of thinking – to enhance your neuroplasticity – include:

• Fasting – Enhances stem cells. To fast safely, check out the preparation system that has embedded Deep Ecology thinking within it: Sparkle Detox Course
• Meditation – See Buddhist techniques for proven steps and find a good teacher
• Exercise – High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) helps us to create new neural tracts, which equals new ways of thinking. Get some insight from an exercise
• physiologist for the kind that’s good for you.

For a 21 day process to guide you towards shifting your personal and planetary trajectory, check out Sparkle 21 Day Det0x

This video was made at UPLIFT festival Byron Bay in 2012 as part of a series of videos produced by Sally Mathrick Sound Medicine.

Uplift Connect provides more juicy insights and thoughts.