How do we create a life-sustaining society?

“I call heaven and earth to record this day to your account, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both you and your seed shall live. – Deut. 30.19”

We know. We have more than enough scientific evidence and plain common sense to know that we are currently choosing death. Not the death of the planet, but of a sizable chunk of the human race, if we perpetuate the Industrial Growth Society model. Whilst some will debate which technologies, which political leaders, which alternative energy sources are best placed to save us, the underlying truth seems to be that we will first need to change how we see and think and relate. But how? And what sort of changes are needed?

I feel blessed to have just spent a weekend with a group of about 50 warm hearted and enthusiastic people from the UK, France, Belgium and Catalonia. These people are not afraid to give, even in the face of unrelenting denial, apathy, aggression and fear emanating from those around them.  We were engaged in facilitator training in a form of group work that helps to change mindsets and build sustainable communities. It’s called “The Work That Reconnects.” Thank you Alex, Dearbhaile and Maitrisara for leading us and doing the groundwork.

The spiral of the Work That Reconnects – gratitude, honouring our pain for the world, seeing with new eyes and going forth – is a process of acknowledgement and affirmation, creating a safe space, reframing, inspiring and motivating that will be familiar to many coaches. What this work offers is a set of exercises that are flexible enough to be incorporated into group coaching sessions and workshops that range in length from 1 hour to several days. They can be used for mediation, team-building and group healing.

Joanna Macy, who first developed the Work That Reconnects, says in her book “Coming Back to Life” that she wants to provide people with concepts from systems science, deep ecology and spiritual traditions to illumine our individual and collective power to play a part in the healing of our world. She also stresses the importance of recognising our interdependence, not just with each other but also with our ancestors and our descendents.  

“Although it doesn’t feature in the day’s headlines or evening news, a silent revolution is occurring, bringing unparalleled changes in the way we see and think and relate. I imagine that future generations will look back on this period and call it the time of the “Great Turning.” It is the epochal shift from a self-destructive industrial growth society to a life-sustaining society.” Joanna Macy.

To use one of Joanna’s open sentence exercises: “One of the things I love about being alive today is…”  that the Work That Reconnects is available to all.

www.turntowardlife.tv/joanna_macy_workshop_video/about.htm

www.joannamacy.net