|
|
Hello , how are you doing, as the season changes? There have been a few fits and starts, with a 'false autumn' following on from the heatwaves, but autumn
is definitely on the way now! Back to today - when we've had another look at Restoration in the context of Deep Adaptation, I would also like to continue sharing insights and understanding from Kimberley
Hare, who does fantastic work in the climate space, based on Three Principles. I've had the privilege of attending several of her programmes and they are outstanding. All this year we've been looking at aspects of each of the 4Rs of Deep Adaptation which considers ways we might best live with the enormous disruption that even now we are seeing with climate change. We're spiralling back to Restoration today - what have we lost,
that we could usefully bring back? Here are a couple more things to consider. Firstly, a greater concentration on what we can make by hand, and what craft skills we can restore. I recall an item on the news recently about the shortage of stone masons, and what efforts are being made to revive and preserve this ancient skill. I'm delighted to see there is an apprenticeship for stone masonry - definitely going the right way here! And I came across a lovely book about the history and origins of quilting and patchwork recently, which made me realise how much can be done with so little. I suppose cooking from scratch also counts here too! What comes to mind for you, that you
might like to do? Then there's community food growing - as my father's generation always did and thought it nothing unusual; everybody did it. I've started this in a small way myself, with apples, plums (not so good this year), courgettes, tomatoes, a few peas, a lot of aloe plants, and I find the joy of it is worth all the effort. And allotments are very popular these days, with waiting lists in many places. It's good to see this happening, and even better if we all get involved. Oh
and I've just remembered the herbs on the kitchen windowsill... The Inside Out understanding I was privileged to meet Kimberley a couple of years ago in the context of exploring Three Principles and how they work with facing climate change. For the
rest of this year, I'll sketch out some of the main principles (no pun intended!) One of the fundamental insights is around this question - where does our experience come from? At first, it seems that our circumstances produce our feelings. I'm scared
because I've lost my job, I'm sad because he's left me, I am in despair because the climate is ruined. Yet this understanding shows that it actually works the other way round, from the inside out. Our experience comes from our thinking in the moment, even though it might not
look like it. We feel our thinking, and this takes place 'in here', not 'out there'. Once we 'get' this (and there are certainly levels of 'getting it') there is a huge sense of freedom, whatever it's about. For me personally, when I face difficult things, like the prospect of irreversible climate change, serious illness and any number of other scary 'things', I now find a kind of peace in knowing that my thought is not always true and that feelings
change from moment to moment. And that what happens, happens only now, in this moment. Sydney Banks, who identified the Three Principles, said, that if people only learned not to be afraid of their feelings, that alone would change the world. It's easy to feel that if you're not out on a march every day then you are not doing your bit for climate - yet seemingly small actions like signing petitions and making our voices count,
also matter. So I'd like to share a petition that I've signed recently, especially in view of the fact that we now have a new PM. These Regulations are under threat and need to be saved. They protect more than 1000 species, such as curlews, dormice, wild cats, fen orchids, porpoises, and they make sure that before a new development or infrastructure project begins, there is a proper assessment
of environmental risks before it can go ahead. If it looks likely that a plan will harm a protected site or species, the Regulations kick in and make sure that plans are changed to protect nature. Here's the link if you'd like to add your name. Well I think that will do for now, ! If there’s something else you’re seriously interested in, let me know by replying to this email and I’ll do my
best to find out about it for you. Why not also keep in touch with me on my main list too: go here (updated links) to subscribe safely. As ever, you can see previous issues of this newsletter in the archive here, to better appreciate the context. You can subscribe there too if you haven't already. (Tip: All best viewed in landscape if you're on your mobile.) Meanwhile, please spread the word and share this email, as it's so urgent now. Stay well, keep safe, and I'll be in touch again in a couple of weeks, mostly the first and third Mondays of each month. All best wishes, Barbara If you don't already know me, you might be wondering who I am and what moves me to create this series. Well, I am an accredited executive and personal Coach,
which basically means I help people to think deeply about their own personal situations and then to act on their thinking.
I have a particular interest in well-being, resilience and effectiveness, and in recent years I've become personally and shockingly aware of the climate emergency and related issues. I'm not a climate or sustainability expert - just a very concerned human.
And so, with many coaching colleagues, including Synergy Global, I want to do what I can to spread information, inspire hope and encourage action. See the buttons above for more.
|
|
|
|
|
|
