— by Susan Eirich, PhD —
We are more powerful when we include all of us in our thinking; the unique energies and intelligences of humans, animals, plants and the Earth itself. An orchestra with only one overwhelming sound does not have the power of a full orchestra with all voices in harmony, focused together on one result. In this case, the result is finding a way to live together in peace and joy on our Earth. A single type of intelligence cannot give all the answers. A single perspective has serious limits. Understanding that we live in one large community – the community of life, and operating from that perspective will lead to better results than separating life into arbitrary units such as human, tree, mouse, grass, fish, and working in the interests of any one of these. Disharmonious, disorganized or split off energy leads to weak results. A laser light is powerful because it is coherent.
It is power in a different way than we often think of it; the power of love and inclusion; joy and hope. This power opens us to possibilities and helps them come to fruition. So simple in principle. So profound in implication and results. So difficult to implement in our current world and so critical to do so anyway.
So how do we do this? We have set up our website to encourage discussion and find solutions together, always including the perspectives of other living beings. This is not easy for us humans. We naturally go to human and intellectual thinking, even those of us immersed in the natural world. We have to educate against that tendency and think more broadly; more mindfully; aware of all the life around us, and support each other in this effort.
Please share with us your thoughts, ideas, successes you have heard of in the comment section.
Some food for thought:
*What would happen if we truly expanded our sense of community to include all living beings, and how might we do that?
*Might it be a good idea to tithe 10% of our income to the natural systems that sustain us, giving where we think it most useful?
*Gather in local groups to see what we can do near home? Have each person take an area that can affect wildlife such as the ever-increasing building of roads? Mapping our local community with wildlife in mind so we don’t interrupt critical passages or water sources so we live together, with consideration for other life?
*Work with the local educational system to help children know where their food and clothing comes from and support the earth by buying the most sustainable way possible?
Can we pull it all together in a strategic “business” plan for the earth, which we are managing anyway, just very badly?
We at Earthfire, human and animal and land, look forward to hearing from you?
Dr. Susan Eirich is the Founder and Executive Director of Earthfire Institute Wildlife Sanctuary and Retreat Center. A licensed psychologist, biologist and educator, her goal is to widen the circle of conversation about conservation to include the voices of all living beings.
