In this trembling moment… is it still possible to face the gathering darkness and say to the physical Earth, and to all its creatures, including ourselves, fiercely and without embarrassment, I love you, and to embrace the burning world? ~Barry Lopez, from the essay “Love in a Time of Terror”
Embracing Fearlessly the Burning World
Dear Subscriber First Name
In my June newsletter The Invisible Now Made Visible Everywhere I was writing about the darkness and pollution covering the East Coast because of the wildfires burning in Canada and how we could see these flames as our own fire. Since then we have witnessed Southern Europe going up in flames, and just in the last week, our own island of Maui has been hit very hard. And the Canada wildfires are still burning. So..
How do we embrace fearlessly this burning world?
In that essay, Lopez reveals the insight he receives while on a walk in the Australian desert landscape: that most of the trouble that afflicts human beings in their lives can be traced to the failure to love.
“Evidence of the failure of love is everywhere around us… If we are to manage the havoc – ocean acidification, corporate malfeasance and government corruption, endless war – we have to reimagine what it means to live lives that matter, or we will continue to push on the unwarranted hope that things will work out. We need to step into a deeper conversation about enchantment and agape, and to actively explore a greater capacity to love other humans… “
“It is now more important to be in love than to be in power… “
“It is more important to live for the possibilities that lie ahead than to die in despair over what has been lost.”
“In this trembling moment… is it still possible to face the gathering darkness and say to the physical Earth, and to all its creatures, including ourselves, fiercely and without embarrassment, I love you, and to embrace the burning world?”
I invite you to ponder this question, write about it in your journal and walk with it in your next meandering walk. What insight will you get?
With love,
Anne-Marie (born 317.73 ppm) August 17, 2023 (420.59 ppm of atmospheric CO2 last week, up from 417.36, last year, safe level 350)
PS: Climate action starts within. Where are you on that journey? Read below about a very special eight-month journey with Sensory Awareness teacher Lee Klinger Lesser, and remember to check out my coaching programs.
This is an extraordinary time full of vital, transformative movements that could not be foreseen. It’s also a nightmarish time. Full engagement requires the ability to perceive both. ~Rebecca Solnit
If you or somebody you know is looking for support to fully engage in life in these challenging times, remember that I am available for free consultations.
Choose Life: Responding to These Times with Courage, Compassion and Love with Lee Klinger Lesser
My friend and teacher, Lee Klinger Lesser, is offering again her eight-month journey (October 23 to June 24) of engagement and responsiveness, relying on the practice of Sensory Awareness to nurture and sustain an ongoing response to the Climate Crisis. This eight-month journey offers an embodied path of connection and responsiveness to meet the impact of climate change in all of our lives. As we nurture joy, equanimity and appreciation of life we will strengthen our ability to face these huge dilemmas. Relying on the practice of Sensory Awareness and the support of the community we create together, we will dedicate our energy to discovering and cultivating the most loving contributions we can each make from our own unique gifts and capacities. We will learn from and be inspired by each other and the work of people around the planet.
