We talked about the proposed tar-sands project in Canada, just north of us, which would include pipelines running through our state. According to Tom, the lawyer, this would expand oil extraction from around 65,000 barrels\/day to 900,000. All to feed America\u2019s growing thirst for oil. Obama supports it. Our Democratic governor and senators support it. Jobs. Economy. Security. What about the indigenous people of Canada? What about the ground water? What about Global Warming?<\/p>\n
Tom mentioned that at times like this he wishes he could just drive his little SUV (a Toyota, I believe) off a cliff: \u201cIt\u2019s just so frustrating to know I\u2019m a part of this. And what\u2019s going on in the Gulf.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meghan, our resident psychologist, talked about her worries that \u2018mindfulness\u2019 might be only for the elite; essentially cut off from people who need it most. She said that\u00a0psychological\u00a0services are like this, readily available to many people, but often not the severely disabled (mentally, emotionally) or the poorest people. She spoke of recent work on emotional wellbeing in times of trauma and the heart-felt wish to just go<\/i>\u00a0to Haiti these last few months to implement<\/i>\u00a0this work where it\u2019s needed most. \u201cBut,\u201d she said with a sigh, \u201cit\u2019s just not happening down there.\u201d<\/p>\n
For my part, I spoke of the integration of our ideas <\/i>about ethics and wisdom and our actual<\/i>\u00a0ethics, what we do <\/i>each and every day in our lives. \u00a0Tom agreed that yes, we kind of need to be led by our heads and then, maybe years down the line, we need to relearn through our actions. This year, for instance, I\u2019ve <\/span>\u2018resolved\u2019 to pay much closer attention to where my things and food are coming from<\/span>; essentially to be a more mindful consumer. I\u2019ve called it \u2018local living<\/a>.\u2019 (I\u2019ve also recorded a video discussing this a bit. It will be online via the 4th blog swap<\/a> soon)<\/p>\n It\u2019s been an education, for sure. It began with mere ideas like \u2018interconnectedness\u2019 and Thich Nhat Hanh\u2019s \u2018interbeing\u2019 and ahimsa or non-harm. It also involved a whole framework of supporting concepts and ideas, like karma: the notion that our actions have consequences. And ignorance, the idea that we probably don\u2019t even recognize what all of those consequences are<\/i>; what little ripples in the universe we are causing, or what ripples in our minds<\/i> we are causing. And then mindfulness. Mindful of my actions, mindful of what experiences might be arising based on past actions, mindful of the world around me and how I am helping to co-create it. All of it.<\/p>\n We parted with plans to meet again next week. And perhaps to invite one more person each. But we all worried that too big a group, or introducing the wrong person, might upset the delicate balance. We\u2019ll see what happens. It does make me a little sad(der) to be leaving so soon \u2013 about 6 weeks \u2013 for Taiwan and then England\/India. But I still smile, knowing I\u2019ve planted some good seeds.<\/p>\n
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