Creating a New Human
Thomas Berry, cultural historian and scholar beautifully addresses our global situation and the shift in consciousness that is needed, and, is happening in his remarkable book ‘The Dream of the Earth’. His respect for Indigenous wisdom and insights coming from forward thinkers in the fields of physics and system theory, invites us to take seriously the possibility that we are entering another phase of human/earth evolution. One that will require what he and others refer to as the ‘creating of a new human’. I have pondered this deeply and the challenge that this offers me.
We have all developed our sense of reality based on the ‘cultural story’ we were born into. One culture might say that ‘success at any cost’ is the highest achievement of a culture. Another may say that ‘care of the Earth at any cost’ is the highest achievement. One’s life is then fashioned after these beliefs. But what is YOUR truth?
Charles Eisenstein in his great book, ‘The More Beautiful World Our Hearts Know is Possible’ speaks to the stories of the Industrial age that are destroying millions of years of evolutionary wonder in a remarkably short period of time. We are all so aware of the human caused extinctions, eco-system devastations, increased hostility and rampant fear, water shortages showing up in the most unexpected places, etc.
One of the projects for those participating in my Wild Earth, Wild Heart 8-month Mentorship is to vision the world that they want to be part of creating, and write about it from the lens of that story already here. In other words, they are writing it from the perspective of living in that reality already. Doing this offers the opportunity to question ways of living that may not be true for oneself and may simply be the result of cultural indoctrination. A story that has little to do with one’s core beliefs and values – ‘Well, everyone else is believes this, so I will to.’ When we ‘imagine’ the more beautiful world it works like a beacon of light, something to aspire to, giving one the courage to stay true to what one values in life when times get tough.
One such cultural indoctrination is that the Earth is a dead ball of rock and we can do what we like to it and there won’t be ramifications. Yet, so many are waking up to what indigenous peoples have known for centuries – that the Earth and every part of Her creation is alive. To deeply ponder this changes the story we have all been fed since babies. Change the story, you change the human. So what kind of story are you giving your life-force to? Is it one that supports the on-goingness of life and thinks in terms of generations to come? Or is it the story that says that man is the ruler of all creation and we can do what we want to it? Thomas Berry suggests that Earth herself has a dream. It seems wise to discover what that is, align ourselves with it and let our creativity emerge from our deep sense of Interbeing – the way the Earth thinks.
I find myself deeply pondering my belief systems in my everyday practical life – how I treat my body, my relationship with my husband and friends, how and what I eat, my choices when buying something, my relationship with every aspect of nature – be it a mighty Maple tree or a tiny bug that finds it’s way into my house. Who am I in relation to all of this? What is my purpose? How do I support the ongoing life processes?
I believe that the creation of a new human, one where the theory of ‘Interbeing’, or interconnection, is no longer a ‘theory’ but is one’s living reality, requires deep contemplation, practices that inspire and awaken the memory that I know lives in all of us of our oneness and a community of life-thinkers. And why do this? Because how many people are truly happy with the world as it is. Oh, we can turn and look the other way, but not for long. We are part of this living Earth and as hard as we may try to ignore the pain that is all around us, we feel it in our bones and blood. Disease is on the rise, the future is unstable and how many people are truly happy rushing around trying to make enough money to pay for ‘things’, so they can one day be happy?
I believe we all know that there is something desperately wrong with this picture. The current story says ‘who are you to make a difference’. Well, if not you – who, if not now – when. The power is in each person’s hands. All we have to do is dream it in alignment with the dream of the Earth – and it will come. It’s always about choice.
Just a few thoughts…..
In peace and love,
Lorenna