I Have a Dream For The New Normal
The world in flow.
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A year ago, I awoke to find my life’s work threatened. Earth and humanity seemed to be hurtling towards oblivion. The view I had shared with patients - you can be more, there is always something that can be done, something to be learned from our traverse on Earth - was being questioned.
What was the point of being more, when decision-making and risk assessment was taken away?
What purpose our connection with the Earth, when piles of plastic, masks, and toxic hand sanitizer were rapidly choking our planet?
What purpose physical health when already low levels of human connection were being further quashed?
Our humanity was slowly ebbing, while safety and kindness were hijacked by authorities wanting our compliance. Through these times, those who were brave enough to question the narrative out loud sustained me.
Simon Thornley, Sunetra Gupta — Despite being vilified, you keep asking questions and doing the research.
Ivor Cummins — You crunch the numbers and tell it like it is.
Zac Bush — Your insights and writing lift the soul.
Johannes Kerkorrel (RIP) — So many years after you exposed us to resistance, you transported me back to Afrika.
Solastalgia, Regeneration & Flow
The word solastalgia describes the distress felt by individuals due to environmental change, usually human-induced. Indeed, ecological grief is now a subject of research. Maybe humans are beginning to understand that our biology responds to the total environment and that restoring “ecosystems balance” for person, place, and planet can help us exit the Anthropocene. For our individual and collective survival, we need to be in balance with the planet and exit the destructive era of human impact on Earth.
Regeneration slowly started appearing in my consciousness and feeds. I came across a body of individuals with a dream for the future. Individuals that are not bought by corporate or totalitarian promises. Desiree Driesenaar, Seth J. Itzkan, Featherandbone, Dr Suzanne Simard, and the original regenerative farmer Joel Salatin amongst them.
Flow State has taken on existential gravitas and been described as “a state of optimal experience characterized by complete task immersion, effortless intention, intrinsic reward, and increased perception of control” promoting adaptation to increasing stress. Is it possible for our collective consciousness to be in Flow towards regeneration?
From the soil with its microbes and mycorrhiza to the sun and its energy, perhaps we can focus our intelligence on the regeneration of the ecological balance of nature with the Flow State guiding us. Perhaps we can let go of the ego that has suggested we can subjugate nature.
These ideas give reason not to descend into mind-numbing novelties. Life is too short to stay in the middle. Life is too short to chase the latest contrivance designed to keep us distracted. I do not consent.
Maybe we can use technology to modulate our worst human traits so that regeneration cannot be bought for the benefit of a few or hijacked by those wanting to keep us quiet, selling us trinkets.
Maybe we can sit with our sensations, our anger, and our reactions, rather than immediately blocking an opposing view; seeking to understand, before being understood. The more rigid a society, the more damaging the conflict. Maybe we can practice flexibility in our views, coming together in Flow, and having a conversation with the other side.
The Dream
No longer will progress be about the domination and expansion of one species. Progress will be about the regeneration of individuals, communities, and the environment. Progress will be about human and energetic Flow on our planet and beyond.
There will be life and death, there will be sorrow and joy, there will be difficult decisions to make. Without difficulties there is no growth and purpose is for naught. With daring and bravery, we can heal our solastalgia; from destruction, there will be regeneration.
With this dream, we can continue our life’s work and purpose.
