LIGHT BULB MOMENTS!
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- Created on Monday, 21 November 2016 21:16
- Written by Marian Moore
Marian @ Krysan
Planting Golden Seeds in Northumberland, Tyne & Wear, and Durham
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L I G H T B U L B M O M E N T S
It is said that it takes a minute to like someone, an hour to love someone,
but a lifetime to forget someone.
December 2016
Dear Friends
GAIA
After an absence of several months, I'm back and happy to be so. What follows is a medley of quotes from a back issue of Reality News (March 2006). And rather apt I think as they deal with a rather unique take on life found on the website of the Gaia Foundation of Western Australia. The Foundation is part of an international network of individuals and groups that share concerns with living more sustainably on the Earth.
'Gaia' - was at that time a word new to me and one that I had noticed in passing when I stopped grieving and set out on a personal journey of spiritual exploration. The Gaia Foundation is committed to three objectives: personal growth, community building, and service to the earth.
Plenty of light bulb moments here! On the home page of the aforementioned website, I found a logo that I, for one, can relate to. It is of six geese fling in V-formation across a circle surrounded by a styluses double spiral. Each of these elements has a symbolic meaning. So, first, I'll concentrate on the circle.
The circle has been used for eons as a symbol of the earth - Gaia itself. It represents the great circle of the horizon that we carry with us where we go. A wise man's take on this is told on the front over of this issue of Reality News, as follows.
The Holy Circle.
'Then I was standing on the highest mountain of them all, and round about me and beneath me was the whole hoop of the world. And while I stood there I saw more than I can tell and understood more than I saw, for I was seeing in a sacred manner the shapes of all things in the spirit, and the shape of all shapes as they must live together life one being. And I saw the sacred hoop of my people was one of many hoops that made a circle, wide as daylight and as starlight, and in the centre grew one mighty flowering tree to shelter all the children of one months and one father. And I saw that was holy.'
But anywhere is the centre of the world.' BLACK ELK: Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux 1863 - 1950
Why Spiral?
This is what I wrote in 2006. As we move through projects months by months,so we ourselves are transformed, and the circle becomes a spiral. We find that the end is really the beginning. Can you see now what T S Elio wa S getting at, what'gaia' means, and what I am so excited about? Now, I'll try to answer the question, 'WhyGeese?'
Why Geese?
"MILTON OLSEN (a naturalist) said it's very interesting that particularly with geese, we have a lot to learn about living and working together."
Fact One: As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the birds following it. By flying in a V-formation, the whole flock adds 71 per cent feat flying range than if the bird flew alone. Many cultures recognize that there is a lot that one can do by oneself, but the power of what we can done with a collective is quantum. It's a mega step, a mega movement. The lesson from this fact: people who share a common direction and a sense of community can get where they're going quicker and easier because they're traveling on the thrust of one another. That's universal collective lesson.
Fact Number Two: Whenever a goose falls out of formation it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to fly alone and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird in front. Lesson: If we had as much sense as a goose, we will stay in formation with those that are headed where we want to go and be willing to accept their help, as well as giving our help to others.
Fact Number Three: When the lead goose gets tired, it rotates back into the formation and another goose flies at the point position. This is an invaluable lesson for us to apply in all group work. It pays to take turns doing the heard tasks related to leadership. Lesson: With people so it is with geese, we are interdependent on each other's skills and capabilities and unique arrangements of gifts, talents, resources, or what indigenous societies call the 'good, true and beautiful'.
Fact Number Four: The geese in formation honk from behind to encourage those in front to keep up their speed. Lesson. We need to make sure that our honking from hind is encouraging. And something else. In groupie where there is greater encourage encouragement against great odds, the production is much greater. That is - the power of encouragement.
Fact Number Five. When a goose gets sick,, or wounded, or shot down, two geese drop out of formation and follow it down to help and protect it. These will stay within until it is able to fly again or dies. They they launch out again on their own with another formation or catch up with the flock. Lesson: If we had as much sense as geese, we too would stand by each other in difficult times as well as when we are strong.
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And so, as we begin to learn about group of animals and their patterns, perhaps we have some tools, techniques, methodologies about community and about collective work and group work.
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Welcome!
Dear Marian
Two commands
A human being is commanded regarding two things: not to deceive oneself, and not to imitate one's fellow. Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotz
http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=Fe9d_&m=1lvCc1yUFYlX2P&b=ITDO47xjwerhlhP38aaZdw
Warm regards,
Richard Lang
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The Shollond Trust, 87B Cazenove Road, London,N16 6BB, UNITED KINGDOMTwo commands
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ENDS