Thanks so much Gill for your warm welcome. How devastating that must have been to see the slaughter of the rainforest. So poignant one lone tree left. And you the only one to be seeing this. A very hard awakening.
I wonder if you will dream tonight? . Our dream life is very responsive to stimulation and interest. Let me know !
I relate to Jane's response. I do what I can: I live very simply, buy second hand, grow vegies, don't travel for pleasure, sign petitions, phone my politician, volunteer in an op shop, march when i have the strength, etc, and I try to encourage others to do the same, through my writing. All the while I carry the sense of should be doing more, powerlessness, grief - mixed amongst enjoying the small pleasures of daily life, focusing on the good, on the life of the trees, the sunset, the birdsong. I feel challenged when I hear that individual action is no longer enough, and can only hope that our individual actions, all of them, in their many forms and strengths, can help heal this planet so in need of love and care.
Oh Brigid this is so beautiful and raw, thank you. I so relate to your description of the ways our feelings of powerlessness and grief intermingle with pleasures and delight in the world we inhabit, on a daily, if not hourly basis. What you also write really highlights how some climate action messages do not always land well. Individual and collective action are not binaries - when you grow your veggies and buy second hand, as I do too, we take individual and collective action. Human behaviour changes mostly because of peer action, so committing to personal earth caring actions, and talking about them where appropriate, feeds into cultural change. It may seem slow and undramatic but its utterly essential. Living with love and respect for our natural world is something we pass on to others, especially the young ones in our lives ( although they may also be the ones to teach us as they have less conditioning about seeing our world as an unimportant backdrop to their lives). We cannot make the big and necessary political changes without valuing what has been devalued in consumerist cultures. Our personal contribution is to welcome and enact this, as you do. No one can ever do 'enough' when it comes to climate action but every 'something' that feeds your soul ( and soil!) and respects life is part of the healing. x
I'm so excited to be able to read your thoughts on a regular basis - yay for your Stack! Much to muse on in this post. My own awakening that something wasn't right was visiting Kalimantan in 1991 and driving from the port to the capital - over 300km of clear felled rainforest, with literally only one tree visible on the whole drive. I was heartbroken but nobody else I was with even seemed to notice. I'm so intrigued by your dreams. I very very rarely remember mine - I feel like I'm missing out! :) xo
Oh Sally I am so grateful to have found your writings ( thank you Jane Pike !) For the longest time now my work has been to rewild gardens with indigenous plants , to create habitat for insects, birds , small creatures, sanctuaries for people too. My dream is that in time all gardens are wild , and, back to back, can create great green corridors from ocean to mountain ( I’m in South Africa) . If I look around too much I am overcome with despair and grief - so I put my head down and carry on with this life’s work and passion . One garden at a time , one person at a time - I’m sure this makes a difference . Joanna Macey’s work “ Active Hope - the work that reconnects “ has helped me enormously too .
Sally, you are such an inspiration. I have so much to learn from you, and am excited to do so 💛 These words are so powerful-- I'm still processing and thinking. I know my own writing- although not directly speaking of the climate crisis- has been motivated by the same (internal) urgency to do something proactive, to spread and respond with care. I feel grateful to have conversations with so many wonderful people, yourself included, who share our heartbreak but beyond that, are acting in ways that are both powerful and tender. Thank you for all of this xx
Thank you Jane, you are a great inspiration to me, writing as you do with such openness of heart and reverence for our living world.
Your feedback is so helpful as I am figuring out what to write here and how. It seems from everyone's comments this theme of action is close to our hearts, while our minds grapple with what is wise? healing? possible? enough? Your words 'both powerful and tender' bring yet more dimensions to this. Looking forward to exploring with others here how this might translate in many different ways
this is such an important piece of writing. i will respond further as time goes by, for now, it leaves me inspired and reflective. with fond regards, brigid
Keep asking and your dreams will answer is my experience . Have your notebook ready ! I am sure with your openness and willingness you will feel pulled to a path of engagement over time. Let us know ! Go gently with your grief 💚
Dear Jenny, I am so glad you have found your way here. I LOVE your vision and commitment for wild corridors joining mountain to sea, can you imagine how much wildlife will find homes there , above and below ground? And the great thing is each garden matters. Will you be documenting or have anyone help you document changes? We are lucky to be close to Sydney University here so have a Professor and her students regularly documenting our insect growth in the Food Forest and Community Garden. When kids visit they love identifying the bugs! Learning as we go. Joanna Macy is a Living Treasure for us all
Thank you Sally for this. As I was reading it felt like the story of your path, and how with that dream in 2008 you had a “ crux “ moment which pushed you off that path, and onto this one. It didn’t feel like a huge sidestep, more of a firm step but in a slightly different direction. Please correct me if I have read it differently to how you meant it.
Part of me envies you - I would like to experience something as shocking as your dream was to you, something that will shunt me onto something I am certain it is what I am here for.
But I am where I am, and that hasn’t happened to me yet. I hear about communities that have suffered enormously from climate change, but it feels far from me. I also hear your words about indigenous peoples who see climate change as the latest in a series of tortures inflicted by colonialism, which makes me feel sorry and guilty, but again, is far away from me.
Our carbon footprint at home is quite low, using ground source heating, solar panels, not flying. But these feel like easy things, which we have because we can afford to, unlike most people who are suffering the worst effects.
My journey or pathway now is inwards, as I learn who I am, having spent the first six decades of my life mostly on autopilot. And on this journey I get sustenance and company and love from those who reach out, such as you and Jane Pike, and countless others, and for that I am enormously grateful.
Thank you Jane for your thoughtful and honest response. I do feel grateful for this dream awakening I had and the clarity it gave me over time about my life direction over the last 15 years. Dreams like this come rarely, only when the psyche feels the need to strongly call out. It sounds to me that you are very much in the place you need to be for this time in your life, doing what your psyche is calling out for. I know you are involved in land care and restoration which is vital, as it supports the ecosystem you are within while sequestering carbon. Indigenous leaders often say they do not want us to be burdened by personal guilt, but what matters most is our commitment to caring for Earth for the wellbeing of all, while challenging unjust systems as best we can, through voting etc. It may seem like your actions are small but the movement to care for Earth through local actions and awareness is growing fast, so you are one of many helping to effect systems change through how you live. Thanks so much for your participation here.
Thanks so much Gill for your warm welcome. How devastating that must have been to see the slaughter of the rainforest. So poignant one lone tree left. And you the only one to be seeing this. A very hard awakening.
I wonder if you will dream tonight? . Our dream life is very responsive to stimulation and interest. Let me know !
I relate to Jane's response. I do what I can: I live very simply, buy second hand, grow vegies, don't travel for pleasure, sign petitions, phone my politician, volunteer in an op shop, march when i have the strength, etc, and I try to encourage others to do the same, through my writing. All the while I carry the sense of should be doing more, powerlessness, grief - mixed amongst enjoying the small pleasures of daily life, focusing on the good, on the life of the trees, the sunset, the birdsong. I feel challenged when I hear that individual action is no longer enough, and can only hope that our individual actions, all of them, in their many forms and strengths, can help heal this planet so in need of love and care.
Oh Brigid this is so beautiful and raw, thank you. I so relate to your description of the ways our feelings of powerlessness and grief intermingle with pleasures and delight in the world we inhabit, on a daily, if not hourly basis. What you also write really highlights how some climate action messages do not always land well. Individual and collective action are not binaries - when you grow your veggies and buy second hand, as I do too, we take individual and collective action. Human behaviour changes mostly because of peer action, so committing to personal earth caring actions, and talking about them where appropriate, feeds into cultural change. It may seem slow and undramatic but its utterly essential. Living with love and respect for our natural world is something we pass on to others, especially the young ones in our lives ( although they may also be the ones to teach us as they have less conditioning about seeing our world as an unimportant backdrop to their lives). We cannot make the big and necessary political changes without valuing what has been devalued in consumerist cultures. Our personal contribution is to welcome and enact this, as you do. No one can ever do 'enough' when it comes to climate action but every 'something' that feeds your soul ( and soil!) and respects life is part of the healing. x
bravo for this wisdom, which brings encouragement, and smile to my heart. we are all in it together! xxx
I'm so excited to be able to read your thoughts on a regular basis - yay for your Stack! Much to muse on in this post. My own awakening that something wasn't right was visiting Kalimantan in 1991 and driving from the port to the capital - over 300km of clear felled rainforest, with literally only one tree visible on the whole drive. I was heartbroken but nobody else I was with even seemed to notice. I'm so intrigued by your dreams. I very very rarely remember mine - I feel like I'm missing out! :) xo
Oh Sally I am so grateful to have found your writings ( thank you Jane Pike !) For the longest time now my work has been to rewild gardens with indigenous plants , to create habitat for insects, birds , small creatures, sanctuaries for people too. My dream is that in time all gardens are wild , and, back to back, can create great green corridors from ocean to mountain ( I’m in South Africa) . If I look around too much I am overcome with despair and grief - so I put my head down and carry on with this life’s work and passion . One garden at a time , one person at a time - I’m sure this makes a difference . Joanna Macey’s work “ Active Hope - the work that reconnects “ has helped me enormously too .
Sally, you are such an inspiration. I have so much to learn from you, and am excited to do so 💛 These words are so powerful-- I'm still processing and thinking. I know my own writing- although not directly speaking of the climate crisis- has been motivated by the same (internal) urgency to do something proactive, to spread and respond with care. I feel grateful to have conversations with so many wonderful people, yourself included, who share our heartbreak but beyond that, are acting in ways that are both powerful and tender. Thank you for all of this xx
Thank you Jane, you are a great inspiration to me, writing as you do with such openness of heart and reverence for our living world.
Your feedback is so helpful as I am figuring out what to write here and how. It seems from everyone's comments this theme of action is close to our hearts, while our minds grapple with what is wise? healing? possible? enough? Your words 'both powerful and tender' bring yet more dimensions to this. Looking forward to exploring with others here how this might translate in many different ways
this is such an important piece of writing. i will respond further as time goes by, for now, it leaves me inspired and reflective. with fond regards, brigid
Thanks Brigid, always value your feedback, and very grateful for all the ways you have inspired me
Keep asking and your dreams will answer is my experience . Have your notebook ready ! I am sure with your openness and willingness you will feel pulled to a path of engagement over time. Let us know ! Go gently with your grief 💚
Dear Jenny, I am so glad you have found your way here. I LOVE your vision and commitment for wild corridors joining mountain to sea, can you imagine how much wildlife will find homes there , above and below ground? And the great thing is each garden matters. Will you be documenting or have anyone help you document changes? We are lucky to be close to Sydney University here so have a Professor and her students regularly documenting our insect growth in the Food Forest and Community Garden. When kids visit they love identifying the bugs! Learning as we go. Joanna Macy is a Living Treasure for us all
Thank you Sally for this. As I was reading it felt like the story of your path, and how with that dream in 2008 you had a “ crux “ moment which pushed you off that path, and onto this one. It didn’t feel like a huge sidestep, more of a firm step but in a slightly different direction. Please correct me if I have read it differently to how you meant it.
Part of me envies you - I would like to experience something as shocking as your dream was to you, something that will shunt me onto something I am certain it is what I am here for.
But I am where I am, and that hasn’t happened to me yet. I hear about communities that have suffered enormously from climate change, but it feels far from me. I also hear your words about indigenous peoples who see climate change as the latest in a series of tortures inflicted by colonialism, which makes me feel sorry and guilty, but again, is far away from me.
Our carbon footprint at home is quite low, using ground source heating, solar panels, not flying. But these feel like easy things, which we have because we can afford to, unlike most people who are suffering the worst effects.
My journey or pathway now is inwards, as I learn who I am, having spent the first six decades of my life mostly on autopilot. And on this journey I get sustenance and company and love from those who reach out, such as you and Jane Pike, and countless others, and for that I am enormously grateful.
Thank you Jane for your thoughtful and honest response. I do feel grateful for this dream awakening I had and the clarity it gave me over time about my life direction over the last 15 years. Dreams like this come rarely, only when the psyche feels the need to strongly call out. It sounds to me that you are very much in the place you need to be for this time in your life, doing what your psyche is calling out for. I know you are involved in land care and restoration which is vital, as it supports the ecosystem you are within while sequestering carbon. Indigenous leaders often say they do not want us to be burdened by personal guilt, but what matters most is our commitment to caring for Earth for the wellbeing of all, while challenging unjust systems as best we can, through voting etc. It may seem like your actions are small but the movement to care for Earth through local actions and awareness is growing fast, so you are one of many helping to effect systems change through how you live. Thanks so much for your participation here.