September 2013

I trust that you’re surviving the intense astrological effects that have been happening this past month or so. While I’m not into astrology per se I’m fortunate to have colleagues who are and who keep me posted. It seems that this has been a time of going deep and releasing the old issues, belief systems, values, memories, pain, etc.

Whatever has been stored within for a long time has been provided the ideal conditions astrologically for their release, providing a resultant opportunity for a great deal of healing. If you are observing turmoil and stress in the world around you then you are witnessing signs of change happening – as has been predicted by the Mayans, Nostradamus, Edgar Cayce and many others.

If you doubt that change is happening globally then all you need do is look at what is happening with the weather patterns. I’m attaching a youtube link that actually shows real earth changes are occurring right now!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xV1izxKcnn8

This week a section in one of Sydney’s daily newspapers focused on the Green Global Awards and this article listed quite a number of businesses that are leading the way in sustainability, environmental regeneration and innovation.

What really caught my eye though is an article entitled ‘Hippies Got It Right’. The article described how Nimbin, a small colorful community, that is well known for its alternative and sustainable lifestyle, finally received recognition for its focus on living sustainably, food self-sufficiency and community living. Many years ago the community recognized the need for food security. The manager of the community centre is quoted as saying:

“(Our environmental initiatives) have been seen as more of an alternative mission, but now they’re things that are seen as quite sensible.”

Examples of what this alternative community has achieved in about 40 years include: a thriving community centre, farmers’ markets, establishment of a solar farm, small to medium scale local food production and supply, environmental initiatives that result in job creation and much more.

It is interesting to note that this community, once touted as being for hippies and those who are alternative, is now cited as being a leading example to the rest of the country in terms of greening, conservation and sustainability. Maybe there is a great deal that we can all learn from alternative communities that have been established. Maybe living alternatively might even be better for our overall health and wellbeing?

Community focused living results in a shift from the ‘me’ mentality into a ‘we’ collaborative arrangement. It’s a well-known fact that when there is disaster and chaos in a country, city or region that the population works together to support those affected. Studies indicate that morale and attitude improve when there is a sense of togetherness, where there is a sense of working towards the same outcomes that benefit everyone.

It is not necessary to actually live in a community that is set up the way that Nimbin is in order to participate in community. Currently I belong to Slow Food (www.slowfood.com) which is a global community that focuses on reclaiming our traditional ways of growing, sharing and storing food produce, which in turn reduces reliance on the large multi-national food corporations, supermarket food chains etc.

There are other global, national and local communities that may just offer you an opportunity to share and contribute your expertise, and from which you may also learn and develop new skills that generate feelings of satisfaction and joy.

The intense astrological energies of the past month or so are already waning now that the equinox has just passed. From what I understand we are now moving into a phase of expansion and greater opportunities for change, a time for manifestation and dream realization.

If you experienced the intense energies of the past month or so you might now be ready to shift from going within to looking outwards at the larger picture and to creating changes you’ve long desired.

Some simple, but highly effective, strategies that support changing the energies include:

Giving gratitude daily for all that you have, including giving gratitude for the things that you would like but are still to manifest. Remember to express gratitude as if they are already in your life!
Spending time in silence daily – this is to enable you to hear the voice of your soul, which will then provide the guidance needed.
Spending time in nature daily, preferably in bare feet. Allow your feet to touch the earth, to feel her strength and to feel her filling your body with strength and healing.
Giving generously of your time to yourself first and then to others. By this I mean ensure your needs are fulfilled so that you do not feel resentment when others demand your time and attention.
Explore options for growth and change. Find what excites you – this provides opportunity for moving in new directions, for finding peace and excitement about living during a time of significant change.
Create a vision for the future. What are the changes and improvements you see? As you create this vision you will find that the universe supports you in making the changes needed to create your vision.

Most likely you also have your own special techniques that support you when times are tough and when you are faced with challenging changes. Use whatever strategies that work best and leave you feeling comfortable within. Remember that changes don’t always occur according to your schedule. Universal timing and planning take precedence!

In recent years I’ve been observing a miraculous trend occurring! In many countries there has been a gradual shift towards growing vegetables, fruits, berries and herbs in home gardens. This trend is a reversal from the big agri-business mono-culture cropping, which was once touted as the solution to feeding the world’s masses.

That huge experiment, as we are all rapidly becoming aware, has been a total failure and disaster. Mono-cropping and bio-engineering of seeds and plants has resulted in the denuding of essential minerals and trace elements from soils; the continual erosion of Earth’s top crust (topsoil) and the incredible depletion of prosperity in the farming community.

There are declining harvests in those fields that are being mono-cropped. We are now experiencing a critical lack of diverse food crops available for general consumption. ‘The Good Food Revolution – Growing Healthy Food, People and Communities’ by Will Allen is a great read for understanding the history of our farming industry.

Like many individuals in recent years I’ve yearned to live a more sustainable life. No matter where I’ve lived I’ve been fortunate to have a small garden in which to grow vegetables and herbs. In addition, access to Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs and local farmers’ markets has ensured that to some degree I’ve enjoyed high quality organic produce. This is a brief video clip that shows just how a family has been able to create a more natural and sustainable way of life —

http://fitlife.tv/1-man-produced-6000-pounds-of-food-on-110-acre/

When I encounter individuals who are living off the grid (without public utilities), who have sufficient acreage to plant a vast array of foods and who are truly living the ‘reduce, reuse and recycle’ principles the desire to do more surfaces.

On a deeper level the desire to return to a simpler and healthier lifestyle is emerging – as I believe is occurring for many other individuals. In recent years, while living in New York I encountered countless people who expressed a desire to return to living off the land, not necessarily to establish a farm, but instead to become more self-reliant and more closely connected to the cycles of nature. Here in Australia I also observe the desire for community, co-operation, collaboration and sharing of resources.

Living in Bondage

Yet, in the midst of this reverting to a simpler life we are still in bondage to systems that demand we live a certain lifestyle. Here I refer to the endless feeling of being stuck in a rut, working for The Man, needing to pay for basic living costs, having limited choice options, being reliant on choices that are pre-determined by corporations, having a mortgage and generally not seeing a way out of the co-created reality that is primarily dependent upon a crumbling financial system.

And, let’s be totally honest, our financial system isn’t working. The high level of debt experienced by the average person attests to this. We are gearing our lives to a system that enslaves and keeps us in bondage – and all the time we hope (and pray) that the financial situation improves.

While we continue subscribing to dated and failing systems (and beliefs) we continue creating more of the same. Winning the lottery isn’t likely to happen for the majority of people so what can we do to begin feeling more empowered and in charge of our life?

De-cluttering is Essentail

The first thing I often recommend is letting go of clutter. This may relate to physical clutter that is over-crowding your living space. It may be emotional and mental clutter. It may possibly even be the clutter of a life that is overly filled with activities and people, which keeps you from finding the space and time in which to reflect and clarify your priorities.

Just clearing the physical clutter leaves space for new energy to flow into your life. While it may be difficult to let go of books, music, clothing and personal stuff it is surprisingly restorative and energizing to do so.

Undertaking practices such as yoga, tai chi, meditation and living in the moment supports the de-cluttering of both emotions and mental processing. De-cluttering these is critical to the process of gaining clarity and stepping into a new phase of empowerment. It is only by letting go of extraneous stuff that clarity and insightfulness can occur.

Differentiate Wants and Needs

The second suggestion is to become clearer in relation to ‘wants’ and ‘needs’. Our society has adopted consumerism as a major lifestyle priority. Yet, I doubt this provides lasting satisfaction. In most instances the high that is evoked when a new product is purchased quickly diminishes. This means that additional consumerism is needed to maintain that artificial high. Instead, I recommend asking a couple of simple questions when contemplating yet another act of consumerism: “Do I need this?” and “Do I want this?” Once there is a clear and obvious response it becomes easier to say ‘no’ to the wants and to focus on needs only, thereby leaving energy and time to be gainfully employed in other satisfying and fulfilling activities.

Find Your Passion

Another suggestion for creating a state of self-empowerment and simplicity is to engage in activities that excite and generate a feeling of passion. Finding just what your passion is can be challenging as societally we’ve been conditioned to doing specific things because they’re expected of us. How often are we given the option to explore and experience our true passion? Connecting with what excites you, brings you joy and for which you feel a huge commitment is vitally important to wellbeing and physical health.

Beginning the process of living simply, and possibly even alternatively, requires knowing oneself well. This can only be attained through a process of cleansing and removing the impediments or blockages that keep you trapped in the predominant paradigm of conformity and playing by the rules that have been set arbitrarily by tradition and dated belief systems.

It’s time to make changes that benefit you, society and the world at large! This is not a time for dithering thinking that possibly next month or next year is the time to begin. We are living in a time of major change on all levels. Consciously making changes on the personal level supports changes on globally.