It’s Earth Day, and this is being celebrated in many places around the globe (see Earthday.org ). In our own small town, the people of vision were out on a cold day in their booths giving away small trees to celebrate Earth Day. There were many examples of innovation and many contributions to the awareness that we all need to grow. My husband came home with heirloom seeds from someone’s garden. He was full of excitement about people building their vision for a new energy economy. I am happy to know that our children in Australia were celebrating too.
Ironically, the time is blessed and challenged all together for me by our recent inspiration from a conference for Conscious Capitalism just three weeks ago and the surprising collective challenge of the bombings at the Boston Marathon. Watching my own and other’s reactions, I am thrown into thinking about how being more conscious includes Emotional Intelligence. The stimulation of both events leads to a similar commitment. How do we respond from a mature place when the world surprises us?
I read many important messages from friends on Facebook after the tragedy in Boston. I wanted to share one message from Richard Moss. Rather than assigning the blame to what we call terrorists, we can know that “It is the behavior of those who do not know how to invent themselves in a healthy way in the face of their own pain. They do not know how to stop being the victims of their pasts. They do not know how to grow themselves through a conscious engagement with their own beliefs and feelings. At this time when it is so easy to spin in thoughts that only create unhappiness in us, I call upon us to consecrate ourselves all the more to feel pure grief and compassion, but not let ourselves for one second become the victims of thoughts that poison our bodies and spirits. Don’t let the act of the weak-minded make you weak-minded. They want us to bow before the altar of fear, but fear is not worthy of us. Only the awareness that sets us free of our own punishing thoughts and teaches us how to meet fear in a way that releases us to greater love and faith is worthy of us.”
If we “keep a higher mind” when we are challenged, just like the heroism and courage that occurred in Boston in response to the tragedy, we can to grow collectively. The courage of ordinary citizens on the scene was remarkable. I have to say, these are the kinds of events and times that call out the best in us.
Our good fortune at Growing Spaces is that we so often are a part of wonderful projects, with wonderful people who are doing such creative things in the world. One of our most recent clients is AspenPointe, in Colorado Springs. We met their president, Jonathan Liebert, at the Conference for Conscious Capitalism in San Francisco; just standing on the curb, waiting for the shuttle. Imagine our surprise, while celebrating the folks we get to work with, when he revealed that one of our Growing Domes was going up literally “as we speak” at his facility. Their mission of “Empowering clients. Enriching Lives. Embracing Purpose” is so congruent with our own, that it was an instant celebration to get to know one another in person.
“One of the largest nonprofits in Colorado Springs, AspenPointe traces its roots back to 1875 when it was called the Springs Relief Society. That organization, which delivered coal, lumber and clothing to the needy, was the genesis of what today has 12 organizations that serve more than 30,000 individuals and families each year through services in mental health, substance abuse, employment & career development, education, housing, jail diversion/reintegration, telephonic wellness and provider network services.”
AspenPointe envisions “a community that embraces everyone’s sense of purpose by eliminating barriers and promoting a culture of well-being.” Check out their promise for an inspiring time! http://www.aspenpointe.org/
It is heartening to me that so many individuals and organizations are rising in a sort of Food Revolution to respond to the need for balance on our planet which lends to healthy lives. So many resources are offered online. One resource is a summit offered by famed father and son team, John and Ocean Robbins, who wrote the book “Diet for a New Planet.” I was surprised to see that their webinar is being promoted by the Beatles’ Paul McCartney in his statement, “The planet is under pressure and our choices have never been more important.” The Food Revolution Summit is an informative and empowering platform which highlights ways to set a new pattern for the future of the planet. See http://www.foodrevolution.org/. Little did we know that our food choices help the health of the planet as much as our bodies!
