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25.01.2022 Disenchantment - another hindrance to cultivating peaceful relationships As mentioned in a previous post, fear is a major hindrance to cultivating peaceful relationships. One other hindrance to cultivating peaceful relationships is disenchantment - disenchantment with life. Disenchantment gives rise to a loss of hope for a future worth living. When we look around the global village and see what Thomas Berry has described as the almost suicidal path of humans in their de...struction of Earth and in their violence and indifference to one another we may become so disheartened and wearied that we simply give up. At such times, there is one practice which may be extremely helpful in turning disenchantment to re-engagement. The practice is that of conscious grieving - allowing ourselves to grieve the mess we humans are making; including our own part within that. Conscious grieving paves the way to acceptance. Acceptance opens the way for what is truly possible. As we enter a new year - and a new decade - may we each seek to do what we can, with what we have, where we are (Roosevelt) in terms of cultivating peaceful relationships.

25.01.2022 Physical distancing instead of social distancing The following came through my inbox the other day from Michelle and Joel Levey. It caught my attention and in response, I have chosen to embrace the shift in term from social distancing to physical distancing. I have found that the shift has released a sense of pressure that had arisen within me and I am more open to exploring new ways of social connection in this time of the need for physical distancing. If a living system ...is suffering from ill health, the remedy is to connect it with more of itself. ~ Francisco Varela Given how important it is for our health and well-being to maintain a feeling of connectedness, we have been encouraging our friends and colleagues to begin to shift memes and start using the phrase physical distancing instead of social distancing or self-isolation. Indeed, many research studies over the years have actually identified feelings of isolation and social disconnection as presenting the highest risk factors for poor health, low resilience, and vulnerability to disease. At this time, when it is both wise and compassionate to be physically apart, we need even more than ever, to nurture our social connection instead of social distancing or isolation - both of which can be diminishing of our health and vitality. Depending on how we individually and collectively, embrace the opportunities/challenges of these complex times, this could actually be a time for developing greater social connectivity, even intimacy, and more heart to heart, deeply meaningful time together, than many people may have experienced in their entire lifetime. Grief, bewilderment, unknowing, vulnerability, or feeling imperiled all have the potential to wake us up, to clarify what we really value and care about, and to focus our attention and priorities. From Michelle & Joel Levey, http://WisdomAtWork.

25.01.2022 Words of wisdom - attributed to the late Chief Seattle (1786-1866) of the Suquamish and Duwamish tribes of what is now the state of Washington in the north-west of the USA: "This we know: all things are connected like the blood that unites one family Whatever befalls the earth, befalls the sons and daughters of the earth. Humankind did not weave the web of life; they are merely a strand in it. Whatever they do to the web,... they do to themselves." (I changed the pronoun 'he' in the original quotation, for 'humankind' and 'they').

23.01.2022 Work/life balance In our modern, fast-paced world, how often is it heard: Im trying to find a work/life balance? And yet, what does that actually mean? Can we truly compartmentalize our lives into a work/life balance? And if so, what could such a balance look like? Would it be a 50/50 split? Or if we were to use a pie image, would we cut a certain size for work, family, leisure, rest, service to others? How would we decide on the size of each piece? What criteria ...would we use to turn the pie into a balanced life? What if there were no balance to be found? What if we were to scrap the idea of work/life balance and start from a different orientating reference point: there is simply life. Everything we do is life - our life. And what is Life? Vimala Thakar argued that life is relationship. What if life is relationship was central to our way of viewing ourselves-in-our-world? Perhaps then whether we were at work, with family, being of service to others, having me-time - we could be living life to the fullest. Perhaps within the orientation that life is relationship, the balance would find us, rather than us trying to impose balance onto life.

21.01.2022 I came across the following quotation regarding listening. I was interested in Remens connection with listening and healing. Listening is the oldest and perhaps the most powerful tool of healing. . . When we listen, we offer with our attention an opportunity for wholeness. Our listening creates sanctuary for the homeless parts within the other person. That which has been denied, unloved, devalued by themselves and others. That which is hidden.... Perhaps the most import...ant thing we bring to another person is the silence in us, not the sort of silence that is filled with unspoken criticism or hard withdrawal. The sort of silence that is a place of refuge, of rest, of acceptance of someone as they are. We are all hungry for this other silence. It is hard to find. In its presence we can remember something beyond the moment, a strength on which to build a life. --Rachel Naomi Remen See more

20.01.2022 Were all in this together Individualism has been a key identity marker of western culture, yet has it now run the course of its usefulness? Is it time for a new view of ourselves in the world? The following quotation highlights the fallacy of individualism: One of our cultural identities or myths is of the one who goes it alone and pulls herself up by her bootstrapsthe rebel, the outlaw, the self-made person. What a lie. What an ingratitude. What a danger. We are each t...he recipient of innumerable currents of lifethrough the lives of othersstreaming into and influencing our own lives. Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Zen priest Quoted in Who Do We Choose To Be? by Margaret J. Wheatley One new cultural identity marker could be: we are each unique beings in our own right seeking personal wholeness . . . and that we are innately connected within a wider web of relationships and response-able to a greater whole.

19.01.2022 What is our societal centre? Are we simply consumers? I have been reading Bill Plotkins book - Nature and the Human Soul. I am particularly appreciating his terminology of: 1. an egocentric society and 2. an ecocentric society.... Plotkin states: An egocentric society has a dysfunctional notion of self, which sees itself as an isolated, competitive entity, a free and autonomous agent....an egocentric culture is unavoidably anthropocentric ... individual egocentrism (Im the centre of the world) is a type of arrested development that makes an anthropocentric society possible. Likewise, cultural anthropocentricism (the world was created for the use of us humans, especially my class, gender, religion, or nation) encourages each citizen to cultivate a use-relationship with things and other people (egocentrism). Thinking of oneself and others as consumers becomes a reasonable idea despite its profoundly deranged implications. . . Egocentrism is why industrial growth societies are greedy, empires are imperial and dominator societies are violent. In contrast, an ecocentric societys customs, traditions, and practices are rooted in an awareness of the radical interdependence of all beings. The individual in an ecocentric society perceives the world as an organic web of relationships and recognizes each living thing as an integral participant in this evolving web. The egocentric mindset that Plotkin raises, seems to sum up our current western societal centre, or, our inner orientating reference point. Are we stuck in such a consumer (egocentric) orientation? I take heart in Barbara Marx Hubbards understanding that it is the nature of nature is to transform - when it has hit a crisis of limits. Our society seems to have hit a crisis of limits, so is a transformation of our centre on its way? If so, could the transformation be a re-turning towards an ecocentric orientation, i.e., interbeing? Again, if so, because of the nature of interbeing, each one of us is called to play our part, in enabling such a inner transformation to take root and flourish.

19.01.2022 Words of wisdom from Thich Nhat Hanh: The world is not a problem to be solved; it is a living being to which we belong. It is part of our own self and we are a part of its suffering and wholeness. Until we go to the root of our image of separateness, there can be no healing."

19.01.2022 Words of wisdom and inspiration by Joanna Macy: To be alive in this beautiful, self-organizing universe--to participate in the dance of life with senses to perceive it, lungs that breathe it, organs that draw nourishment from it--is a wonder beyond words. Gratitude for the gift of life is the primary wellspring of all religions, the hallmark of the mystic, the source of all true art. Furthermore, it is a privilege to be alive in this time when we can choose to take part in the self-healing of our world." Joanna Macy http://www.joannamacy.net/personal-guidelines.html

16.01.2022 This photo was taken by Robert Tyzzer at Marysville about three months after the horrific fires in 2009 which devasted land, wildlife, and numerous local communities in Victoria. The photo is posted today as a way of thanking all those firies and communities which have supported them, for their tireless efforts - still continuing - in containing the recent devastating fires across various states in Australia. May the photo also offer something of a beacon of resilience and hope for all who have been impacted by the fires and are, or will soon be, entering into their time of recovery.

15.01.2022 Stay home - a tough ask! When I write on possible reactions/responses to the call to stay home during this time of the covid -19 virus, I am mindful that many people are suffering distress through loss of a loved one, financial stress, family violence and/or generalized fear and anxiety. Also, there are the many who are homeless, so the call to stay home is meaningless at best, or like a slap in the face at worst. Therefore, I offer the following response for those who a...re not fighting for survival in their outer lives or inner being, but rather for those who are simply experiencing disruption in their lives. In response to the covid-19 virus we are told in no uncertain terms: Stay home! Even though we may understand the rationale behind the rule, being told what to do is a tough ask for many of us because our cultural disposition is that we do not like being told what to do. Often our reaction to being told gives rise to the defensive fight/flight/freeze reaction. When we react in such a way, we may either flout the rule and go out anyway, or stay home feeling like a trapped animal driven by fear of catching the covid-19 virus. What if we were to choose a different response to being told to stay home? What if we were to consciously choose to stay home as an act of lovingkindness; an act of lovingkindness towards ourselves and the wider community? Interestingly, it is in making the choice that an internal shift can take place; a shift towards responses-ability with grace. In light of the above, making the choice to stay home as an act of lovingkindness enables a shift to take place within our inner being; a shift away from the fight/flight/freeze reaction to a response which enables us to live in these stange global circumstances with curiosity and creativity. Make no mistake though, making the choice to stay home from an attitude of lovingkindness does not alleviate the very human feelings we will experience; feelings like frustration, disappointment, confusion, sorrow, anger, fear, anxiety. Even so, those feelings will be metaphorically held in a vast container of lovingkindness. In turn those feelings may be gently recognized and engaged with in terms of our personal growing edge within this complex time in our collective history. For one method of engaging with our personal growing edge see www.treeoflife.org.au/Contemplative practices/Contemplative self enquiry

15.01.2022 The flourishing of all life The following quotation is from an article by Charles Einsenstein which highlights the collective assumption behind our present destructive way of being in the world. "The deeper causes of climate change are identical to the deeper causes of most of the violence, injustice, and ecological harm on Earth. Some say that cause is capitalism, but the former socialist countries were just as rapacious as capitalist countries, if not more so. I propose th...at the root cause of ecocide is the world-story of modern civilization. I call it the Story of Separation: the story that holds me separate from you, humanity separate from nature, spirit separate from matter, and soul separate from flesh; that holds full beingness and consciousness to be the exclusive province of the human being, whose destiny is therefore to rise to domination over the mechanical forces of nature to impose intelligence onto a world that has none." At this time, activism needs to take a number of forms. One form is to consciously live into a new Story of identity, purpose, and values - a Story beyond that of Separation; a new Story which centres on interbeing and turns on the principle of unity with diversity.

14.01.2022 A call to action - in a new way How do we undertake and sustain the changes in behaviour required to regenerate the Earth? Fritjof Capra offers a place to begin: In todays world, we belong to many different communities, but we share two communities to which we all belong. We are all members of humanity, and we all belong to the global biosphere.... We are members of the Earth Household, which is the Greek root of the word ecology, and as such we should behave as the other members of the household behave the plants, animals, and microorganisms that form the vast network of relationships that we call the web of life. (The Relationship between Science and Spirituality - UPLIFT October 25th, 2019) Capras words are an invitation to view ourselves as participants within the web of life. No longer do we view humanity as the dominant, centrepiece of Life. Rather, humanity is one member of the wider Earth household. Such a shift in view, or mindset, will necessarily change the way we live and act in the world. Without such shift in our mindset, all the activism currently taking place, as important as it it, will have limited effect. So the new call to action is one of a new view of our personal and collective place of belonging within the wider Earth community.

14.01.2022 I came across the following article this morning. I appreciated the recognition of the depth of disturbance we humans are presently facing due to the covid-19 virus crisis balanced with a practical way of living through this time.

14.01.2022 Imagine Imagine - if we humans lived on one planet in a vast universe Imagine - if we humans were not a mistake or accident, but belonged simply because conditions were sufficient enough to bring us into being ... Imagine - if we humans did not live according to state and national borders arbitrarily placed on the land Imagine - if we humans were one species among many - each species unique in its own right, and part of the greater whole Imagine - if we humans celebrated difference, rather than feared it Imagine - if in this venture called Life, we truly were all in this together, in the form of unity with diversity Imagine . . .

13.01.2022 Becoming human - poem by Hafiz Once a man came to me and spoke for hours about his great visions of God he felt he was having. He asked me for confirmation, saying, are these wondrous dreams true? I replied: how many goats do you have?... He looked surprised and said, I am speaking of sublime visions and you ask about goats! And I spoke again saying, yes, brother - how many do you have? Well, Hafiz, I have sixty-two. And how many rose bushes in your garden? How many children do you have? Are your parents still alive? Do you feed the birds in winter? And to all he answered. Then I said, you asked me if I thought your visions true. I would say that they were, if they make you become more human, more kind to every creature and plant that you know. In line with Hafizs poem - May we all seek to become more human.

13.01.2022 I am reading 'Dialogue: the art of thinking together' by William Isaacs. As I read, I notice within myself both a sense of excitement and sadness. Excitement at the potential of and for dialogue; sadness that dialogue seems rare these days. Isaacs defines dialogue in the following manner: "Dialogue, as I define it, is conversation with a center, not sides. It is a way of taking the energy of our differences and channeling it toward something that has never been created ...before. It lifts us out of polarization and into a greater common sense, and is thereby a means for accessing the intelligence and coordinated power of groups of people. ...The intention of dialogue is to reach new understanding and, in doing so, to form a totally new basis from which to think and act. In dialogue, one not only solves problems, one dissolves them. We do not merely try to reach agreement, we try to create a context from which many new agreements might come. And we seek to uncover a base of shared meaning that can greatly help coordinate and align our actions with our values." See more

09.01.2022 The new covid-19 normal How many times have we seen and heard the phrase: were all in this together during the covid-19 crisis. Such a rallying call has been connected to the need to stay home and practice physical distancing. Now, as the covid-19 restrictions are being rolled back, that phrase is more important than ever. Why? Because alongside the desire to bake sourdough bread, one of the outcomes of a society staying at home has been the innate need for communal ...connection. Staying home has unearthed the innate need for community; we have once again become conscious that at the heart of any society lay communal connection, even for us introverts! Yes, the economy is vitally important - the many people who have been unemployed during this time of staying home reveal the importance of a viable economy. At the same time, it is communal connection which lay at the very heart of any society. Therefore, may we continue to live into the phrase were all in this together, but in a new way. May the phrase become a conscious orientating reference for our society; continually orientating us towards community connection, in whatever shape and form that takes for each of us. As we move towards economic viability in the new normal, may we also continue to live into the phrase were all in this together, in a new way.

09.01.2022 Living meaningfully When I first established Tree of Life Spiritual Wellbeing, the underlying tenet was living meaningfully in todays world. Central to the above tenet was a quotation from John ODonohue: ... the human heart is full of longing. We long to discover who we are. The voices of longing keep our lives alert and urgent. Yet if we cannot discover a shelter of belonging in our lives, we could become a victim and target of our longing. We experience an inner shelter of belonging through a unified narrative, or sacred story, from which to source personal and collective identity, purpose, and values. So as Christina Baldwin states: we humans are storytellers. . .we are the ones who put life into words. Our sacred story offers a congruent response to our spiritual questions like: Where did we come from? Why are we here? What becomes of us when we die? Why is there good and evil in the world? Is there a god/s? What is the nature of love? What does it mean to be human in an evolving universe? When our sacred story is congruent with our current knowledge and beliefs, it offers an inner shelter of belonging. On the other hand, when it is no longer congruent with current knowledge and beliefs, it can no longer offer an inner shelter of belonging. As such there is no once-for-all-time sacred story. Our sacred stories continue to change and evolve. Sometimes within the history of a culture, the sacred story is no longer able to adapt to the knowledge and beliefs of the day, and so it breaks apart, leaving the people of that culture inbetween stories (Thomas Berry), with no inner shelter of belonging. Living inbetween stories leaves the population involved open to: being a victim and target of their longing. It would seem that Western culture is undergoing such a time of being inbetween stories of meaning. In response to the loss of a functioning cultural sacred story, we are requried to do the work of re-narrating ourselves through reposing our spiritual questions within the light of our current knowledge and beliefs regarding the origins and workings of the world, and discerning responses (a sacred story) which holds true . . . for now. The work has begun . . . with some authors naming the former cultural narrative as the story of separation and the new sacred story as the story of interbeing. In the story of interbeing we each know ourselves to be unique beings in our own right, and that we are innately connected and response-able to a greater whole. So, the story of interbeing breaks through and transcends the limitations of individualism, whilst at the same time recognizes that we each seek and find our experience of personal wholeness. A guiding principle on which a story of interbeing turns is: unity with diversity.

09.01.2022 Who are my people? I was part of a conversation the other night in which the question arose: Who are my people? Intrinsic to such a question is the human longing to belong. As ODonohue argued: the human heart is full of longing. . .We long to discover who we are (and how we belong). The voices of longing keep our lives alert and urgent. Yet if we cannot discover a shelter of belonging within our lives, we could become a victim and target of our longing.... Drawing from ODonohue, we humans are both driven and enabled to find our place of belonging in the world. The shape of our experience of belonging is determined by our personal and cultural worldview. For example, within a society characterized by individualism - which gives rise to a values system geared towards individual rights and responsibilities, and the flourishing of the individual - we commence our exploration of belonging through the reference point that each us is an isolated, separate self. Such a lens places our experience of belonging within groups who think and act as I do. If/when those groups are found - our people are found - they must be defended against other peoples. What if we were to use a different lens for exploring our experience of belonging? What if our starting point was that we are each part of the one species - the human community - which participates in the wider Earth community? Such a reference point gives rise to a values system that seeks the flourishing of all life. At the heart of such a reference point is the principal of unity with diversity, i.e., that we are each unique in our own right and that we are intrinsically connected and responsible to a greater whole. When we experience our place of belonging within the bigger picture, then all of creation is our people. Within such an experience of wholeness we can then seek out groups in which we experience commonality of worldview and purpose. However, we will not need to defend such a group from other worldviews. We will know that our group is unique in its own right and connected to and responsible to the greater whole. Furthermore, such a stance opens up the possibility for true dialogue to take place between differing groups, within the whole of our people.

08.01.2022 The new covid-19 normal How many times have we seen and heard the phrase: we’re all in this together during the covid-19 crisis. Such a rallying call has been connected to the need to stay home and practice physical distancing. Now, as the covid-19 restrictions are being rolled back, that phrase is more important than ever. Why? Because alongside the desire to bake sourdough bread, one of the outcomes of a society ‘staying at home’ has been the innate need for communal ...connection. Staying home has unearthed the innate need for community; we have once again become conscious that at the heart of any society lay communal connection, even for us introverts! Yes, the economy is vitally important - the many people who have been unemployed during this time of ‘staying home’ reveal the importance of a viable economy. At the same time, it is communal connection which lay at the very heart of any society. Therefore, may we continue to live into the phrase we’re all in this together, but in a new way. May the phrase become a conscious orientating reference for our society; continually orientating us towards community connection, in whatever shape and form that takes for each of us. As we move towards economic viability in the new normal, may we also continue to live into the phrase we’re all in this together, in a new way.

08.01.2022 Changing a political climate I have been reading Sharon Salzberg's book entitled Lovingkindness. One particular story caught my attention because it seems to speak into our current political climate. "According to the Buddha, to develop compassion it is important to consider the human condition on every level: personal, social, and political. Once the Buddha described a king who decided to give over his kingdom to his son. He instructed him to be both righteous and genero...us in his new role as king. As time went on, although the new king took care to be just, he neglected to be generous. People became much poorer in his kingdom, and thievery increased. The king tried to suppress this thievery by instituting many harsh punishments. In commenting on this story, the Buddha pointed out how unsuccessful these punishments were. He went on to say that in order to suppress crime, the economic conditions of the people needed to be improved. He talked about how grain and agricultural help should be provided for farmers, capital should be given to traders, and adequate wages should be given to those who are employed. Rather than responding to social problems through taxation or punishment, the Buddha's advice was to see the conditions that have come together to create a context in which people behave in a certain way, and then to change those conditions. The text states that poverty is one root of theft and violence, and that kings (or governments) must look at such causes in order to understand the effects." This story leaves me with questions like: What are the mechanics of changing a political climate? How do we change the rhetoric of fear and not enough to go around - towards the sharing of our common wealth - and not between the have's and the have not's, rather between beings who each participate together in this venture we call Life.

07.01.2022 I came across the following meal time prayer of gratitude by Monique Theoret in Upliftconnect.com September 25th, 2019: Thank you, Great Mystery for all in Creation who participated in bringing this meal to our table. Thank you for their time, their love, their service, and their sacrifice so that we may be nourished and we, in turn, may be of service to others.

07.01.2022 Living well in uncertain times We are living in uncertain times, particularly in the light of climate change. Uncertainty can give rise to feelings of anxiety. One response to living with uncertainty is to try to gain control again. Another is to contract into paralytic despair, or denial. Both of those responses are natural human responses, however they are both unhelpful. How can we live well with uncertainty? Living well with uncertainty does not mean striving to live... on a plane of existence where the uncertainties of daily life do not trouble us. Neither does it mean waiting until circumstances are resolved before we get on with the business of living again. Rather, living well with uncertainty means continuing to be openhearted, curious, even playful in response to our uncertain life experiences. As we do so we are able to cultivate wisdom and compassion within us - even as we continue to take appropriate actions. The term playfulness is in no way meant to demean the severity of the uncertain times we are living with. Rather the term playful holds within it a sense of a beginners mind. A beginners mind is one that consciously detaches from preconcieved assumptions and judgments about the way life should be; a bit like a child at play. Even so, a beginners mind is not a childs mind. A beginners mind both knows the bigger picture reality and chooses to respond with openheartedness. What does openheartedness mean? Openheartedness requires that when we find ourselves experiencing doubt, indecision, grief, hesitation, anxiousness, vagueness, ambiguity, insecurity, vulnerability, disorientation, or lack of confidence, we do not try to escape such feelings. We lean into such felt experience with the question: how may I/we grow in wisdom and compassion through this experience?

06.01.2022 Coronavirus The coronavirus is causing havock in the lives of so many people across the globe. At its worst many people are getting sick and some are dying. Whenever someone gets a cough or runny nose the question surfaces: could it be coronavirus? Also, public events including sports and entertainment are being postponed or cancelled, as well as tourism being effected. Cultural institutions like libraries, museums, and art centres are closing for a time. Restaraunts may... have to close. There is uncertainty of about whether schools should close. There is panic buying of groceries, and of course toilet paper! Many businesses, families, and individuals are feeling the economic pinch. The coronavirus is certainly causing havock and the suffering of many is not to be diminished. At the same time, an article on the coronavirus by Leila Dregger (on behalf of the Tamera community) caught my imagination. Below is an except from the article: Things are happening today that no one else has been able to achieve, not the climate strikes or environmental actions of recent years, nor the UN in all its years of existence, nor all the efforts, threats, appeals, movements and scientists, nor the Pope or other authorities. Now we're seeing determined, rigorous action across all continents. Industry, tourism, education, sports... Large areas of public life in many countries of the world have been locked down. Humanity is on pause. And suddenly, the skies over China and northern Italy are clearing up again air pollution is decreasing dramatically people stay at home and finally have time for themselves, to reflect and contemplate, think about what is essential, be with their children and the people close to them. In Italy, they're singing to each other from windows and balconies. As a global community we have had to act swiftly and decisively. May we learn some lessons from living through the coronavirus - lessons that we take into a future of living responsibly with climate change.

06.01.2022 Being the change we want to see in the world Change begins with honesty was the heading on an Uplift emaIl sitting in my inbox. I let that phrase continue to wash over me as I reflected on the justifiable pain and anger expressed through the current protests against systemic racism. As I reflected on the phrase change begins with honesty I was confronted by the insight that although I do not actively participate in systemic raciscm, I am Australian born of white skin c...olour, therefore I am inherently part of the problem of systemic racism. Change begins with honesty. Protesting is important because it brings to light issues that had been hidden within the collective awareness. Even so, protesting alone will not be enough when it comes to systemic racism. If real change is to take place, it needs to take place in the insidious and deeply held assumptions of white supremacy which characterize western societies. Therefore, until those of us who are of white skin can recognize that white supremacy is deeply embedded in the societies we have designed, enduring change will flounder. Ghandi urged us to: be the change we want to see in the world. If change begins with honesty, then perhaps we of white skin colour are required to firstly acknowledge the confronting realization of systemic racism. If we were to do so, then real change could emerge; real change in terms of: no matter the skin colour, we all equally participate in and are responsible to the one human community, which in turn, participates in and is responsible to the wider Earth community.

04.01.2022 Words of wisdom from Rachel Remen: perhaps the wisdom lies not in the constant struggle to bring the sacred into our daily lives, but in the recognition that life is committed and whole and despite appearances, we are always on sacred ground.

04.01.2022 Work/life balance In our modern, fast-paced world, how often is it heard: I’m trying to find a work/life balance? And yet, what does that actually mean? Can we truly compartmentalize our lives into a work/life balance? And if so, what could such a balance look like? Would it be a 50/50 split? Or if we were to use a pie image, would we cut a certain size for work, family, leisure, rest, service to others? How would we decide on the size of each piece? What criteria ...would we use to turn the pie into a balanced life? What if there were no balance to be found? What if we were to scrap the idea of work/life balance and start from a different orientating reference point: there is simply life. Everything we do is life - our life. And what is Life? Vimala Thakar argued that life is relationship. What if life is relationship was central to our way of viewing ourselves-in-our-world? Perhaps then whether we were at work, with family, being of service to others, having me-time - we could be living life to the fullest. Perhaps within the orientation that life is relationship, the balance would find us, rather than us trying to impose balance onto life.

04.01.2022 Surviving this covid-19 lockdown The second lockdown in Melbourne has a discernably different feel to it than the first. Perhaps this is because the first lockdown was countrywide. Therefore, there was a sense of we’re all in this together. Now Victoria is the only state in lockdown and Melbourne in is stage 4 lockdown. While most of us know this second lockdown is important to stem the spread of the virus, it is hard work emotionally. How can we cultivate emotional re...silience at this time? Two helpful practices are: 1. Emotional honesty 2. Resource anchors (from Tara Brach in her book Radical Compassion) Emotional honesty Practicing emotional honesty enables us to recognize what we are feeling in the present moment, without feeding, or wallowing in the felt experience through mental storylines. In the words of Buddhist nun, Pema Chodron, we drop the storyline and [as far as we are able] tenderly lean in towards our felt experience. Once we get in touch with our felt experience, we gently breath through it without the desire to deny/resist/change the experience. We simply let the felt experience be as it is, without feeding it with mental storylines. Such a practice enables the pressure of the felt experience to dissipate somewhat. 2. Resource anchors sustain us during those times when we feel emotionally exhausted or overwhelmed. According to Tara Brach a resource anchor could be: bringing to mind a trusted family member, or friend or spiritual figure who evokes a sense kindness; literally [or imaginatively] leaning against a tree; holding a rock. Or a resource anchor could be a song; or an image. According to Brach, resource anchors involve mentally evoking a person, place, activity, or memory and as we offer our full attention to the positive state they awaken . . . we are nurturing a tender presence which can hold our lives. May our lives be held by a tender presence during this emotionally wearing lockdown.

04.01.2022 A big shout out to all teachers, but particularly Victorian teachers who start remote teaching today. Thank you from all of us.

02.01.2022 With eyes wide open to the work we are all required to do in in terms of fostering healthy relationships within the Earth community, I found the following article heartwarming.

02.01.2022 A major theme of both religious and secular christmas cards is: peace. Is such a theme empty rhetoric - bought out each December for a couple of weeks, and then thrown in the recycling bin until the next year ? Perhaps so, in the light of an article in The Age (Dec.18) which stated: More than 700 police will be trained to use high-powered semi-automatic rifles, with frontline officers expected to take immediate action to confront terror attacks and active armed offender...s. Even though we need to prevent and/or protect ourselves from terror attacks and armed offenders, are semi-automatic rifles really the answer? Can we ever cultivate peace in the world when our focus is on such weaponry? What does such weaponry achieve? Is it meant to create a feeling of safety within the society? Or, is it meant to create a climate of fear? In the book - The Search for a NonViolent Future - it states, tyrants rule by fear much more than by the actual power they have to inflict harm. Are we becoming a society which rules by, and is ruled by, fear? Fear, rather than hatred, or jealousy, or bitterness, or the desire for revenge, is a major hindrance to cultivating peace. So how can we seek peaceful relationships in a climate dominated by fear? What if we were to move beyond threat power to cultivating a values system around nonviolent relationships. With regard to the value of nonviolence Hanna Arendt wrote: Nonviolence is a whole-being experience, which has much more long-lasting effects than those obtained or sometimes obtained by threat power. The practice of violence, like all action, changes the world, but the most probable change is to a more violent world. Real nonviolence, by contrast, rarely has a backlash, because if its real nonviolence it does not operate by coercion. It operates by persuasion, often a kind of deep persuasion that moves people below the conscious level . . . nonviolence doesnt change one partys position, it changes the relationship between parties. (Quoted in: The Search for a Nonviolent Future) As individuals, we may not be in a position to create world peace, however each one of us is in a position to cultivate nonviolent relationships in our daily living. (The photo is of one beautiful Christmas card I received this year)

01.01.2022 Anne Hillman argued: "if we are to embrace our differences, our spiritual journey needs to show us how to hold them in a way that unifies, rather than separates: a way that frees us from judgment, fear, and prejudice - and the suffering and violence that grow out of them." (Awakening the Energies of Love) The following day program, sponsored by Spiritual Directors International, focuses on 'listening for wisdom' as practiced within various spiritual traditions. The day w...ill offer a time of embracing difference in a way that unifies, rather than separates. Listening for Wisdom: 23rd August, 2019, 9.30am-4.30pm at the Catholic Leadership Centre, Melbourne, Australia Register at: secure.sdiworld.org