Category: Uncategorized

Thermal coal, used in energy production, is the single greatest contributor to climate change (http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/gases/co2.html) and to trans-ocean pollution. BC banned the use of thermal coal for power production in 2007. The International Energy Agency says that if we are to have any chance of avoiding a climate disaster, 80 percent of remaining thermal coal reserves needs to stay in the ground.

For those wanting to take action on climate change from an ethical and spiritual place, the Canadian Memorial United Church Sustainability Circle presents this evening featuring discussions, presentations and ritual at the Centre for Peace with guest Kevin Washbrook, Director of Voters Taking Action on Climate Change. Contact: Rosemary Cornell, cornell@sfu.ca

March 17th, 2014 7-9pm in the Great Hall at the Centre for Peace 1825 West 16th Avenue (cross street is Burrard)

Free admission – Donations gratefully accepted

Caring for the Earth. Chester Ronning Series March 4 on-line session. Positive experience!  Thanks to Rev. Dr. Dittmar Mündel and Carmelle Javney and Tiff McNaughton and the ds106 folks and Leslie Lindballe for an inclusive, thought provoking evening.   My first on-line and blogging experience – so I have a learning curve to master, but due to time constraints I thought I would try to participate this way.

And the Vancouver group even said ‘hello’!    To answer the closing Q…‘the song that sung to me most’ was the contention that:

1.  the extractive companies have become the imperial power and
2. A different discourse is possible – one that sustains life.

For some reason, this was not self-evident to me. Thanks everybody.

“Remember that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return.” These were the softly spoken words of the female priest as she lightly drew the simple dark cross of ash on my forehead. This was the first time I had ever participated in an Ash Wednesday service, and I smiled at the floor as I walked back to my seat. The words of the priest echoed through my heart like the sound of singing in a cement stairwell. I did not feel anything overwhelming, but the words, like the sermon before it began to seep down through my soul to my feet, and made my them feel heavy. I could feel the pull of imaginary rootlets digging through the wood floor into the foundation of the church, the earth, the dust from which my body is made. I do not know about the resurrection of my body in some future paradise, about heaven; but I do know that my body resurrects, daily, minute by minute through the air, water and food that flows through me. Observing Lent, is not about giving up a marginally addictive substance or vice, it is the deep waiting before the blessed sacrament of spring, where the liturgy of Earth will perform itself again as it has over 4.5 billion years. Lent is the no-thing before the Great Flaring Forth of the universe 13.8 billion years ago. It is feeling speechless at the fact that ten thousand stars lived and died to forge the atoms that form my body so that I could watch a sunset, fall in love, or step into a church and sing praises back to the Process that meandered over eons before it said “Jason Brown.” Perhaps this is the purpose of ritual, to write our stories into our bodies and to knit those bodies into a blessed community.

As ‘Babylonians’ in captivity it can be really hard to see there is another way than the way of Babylon.  So I have appreciated the work of the Story of Stuff organization that shows us another way.  They suggest that we are tied into ‘more’ as the goal of our society.  They suggest that we look at ‘better’, better healthcare, better education, better quality of life as the goal.

In a similar vein tonight, the idea I really appreciated was the notion that what our head thinks is our God is not necessarily who it is.  What we rely upon is our real God.  Our society today relys on ‘progress’.  We measure life as good by whether we are progressing or not and we accept the cost of progress without examining it too closely.

Can we build a better life for all if instead of progress we all relied upon compassion?  What if we measured how good life was by how much compassion we gave and received?  Compassion not only for human but non-human creation as it nurtures us.

Thanks for having the evening telecast.

We don’t ask systemic questions enough. A child dies of tetanus poisoning because of poverty issues – subsistence farmers can’t afford shoes. Or costs of pharmaceuticals are out of reach of the countries that produce them for the global economy. I have heard it said that the first right of entitlement is the right not to know.

Today’s the day! Last week the planning team met and hashed out a few details and ideas… and today Caring For All Creation begins. Those of you meeting in person in Vancouver and Victoria will soon be acquainted with Carmelle and Dittmar (on the right). Leslie (on left) and I, Tif (beside Les) will be cheering you on from sunny, cold Alberta.

You’ll notice a post regarding resources for the gatherings. Generally these will be posted after each week begins- following your exploration of the topic with the large group, and to support your work together in small groups. Feel free to comment and post about those resources and to share other articles, clips, etc. that you know of.

So let me be the next person to say: welcome! I’m glad you’re here, and I so look forward to learning with you this spring!

Greetings all, from a frozen Alberta prairie

During the final Spirit of the Land class, students reflected on the journey the course took them on.  Connecting with family and tradition, with land, earth and water, with each other, and with themselves, each student took a moment to share a brief glimpse into the transformative power of interdependence.

Tif’s Presentation

Sam’s Presentation

Natasha’s Presentation followed by her excellent recipe book!


Adventures Living Naturally

Leah’s Presentation

Kerstyn’s Presentation

Kate’s Presentation

Joelle’s Presentation

Jennifer’s Presentation

Hans’ Presentation

Geordie’s Presentation explaining his artwork below

Erika’s Presentation

Eagle’s Presentation

Dittmar and Sarah’s reflections

Carolina’s Presentation

Alyssa’s Presentation

Ally’s Presentation

Early in the Spirit of the Land class, we were fortunate enough to visit the Coen farm for a tour of Takota’s fledgling forest permaculture project.  The day was brilliant!  Full of wonderful sunshine, glorious vistas, and fine fellowship in the stunning Coen home.  While Camrose can be considered a rural city, it is still a city, and the chance to get right into the middle of nature is such a grounding and replenishing experience.  This film footage sat in my hard drive for some time and I wondered how I could share it with you all.

Well, fast forward to the Spirit of the Land conference and Takota’s talk about his experience in meditation with a plant.  When we decide to pursue right relationship – be that with the natural world or with each other – there is a certain amount of guilt that we experience for our past actions.  This can be so heavy it hinders our ability to move forward in joy and connection.  For myself, I have this quote – we spend in foolish mistakes the energy that will later be returned as sage-like wisdom.  If you are to carry the guilt of your 22 year old decisions, you must also lighten yourself with the liberating decisions you will make at 44, 66, 88, 110!

For Takota, it was by simply spending time in solidarity that he found liberation from the paralyzing experience of guilt.  I hope I have done it justice.

And please visit the farm’s website!  www.grassrootsfamilyfarm.ca

We are the invisible majority!

There is a growing unease in all of us as the effects of our lifestyle on the environment becomes ever more present.  If you’re here on this site, I need not mention the multiple ways our modern lifestyle is taxing the natural world beyond its means.  I’m not here to tell you where we are, but where we can go together.

I’m excited to tell you that this site is becoming a gathering place for those who are creating community around values that place the natural world at the center of our systems of meaning.  For too long we have taken a human invention – the economic system – and subordinated the natural world to its rules.  We did not create, nor can we recreate the natural system, but we CAN recreate the economic system if we dig into the deep soil of our lives and pull to the surface those rich values of connection, respect, frugality, and love that promote cooperation, harmony and life.

This spring the work of Spirit of the Land will continue in Vancouver and Victoria with the Caring for All Creation course.  This offers others the chance to share the work we did in Fall 2013, and continue the work through live broadcasts of meetings and sharing the journey on this blog.

By gathering together we are able to promote that longing for a healthy relationship with our planet we all share.  We can be inspired by the work we are all doing individually to come into right relationship, and build a sustainable system on the strength and tenacity of grass roots.