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The Empty Space in the Sustainability Equation

The Fallen Tree is Made to Rise Again – Life Eternal




Life must be understood as an Art : the art of replenishing.... Not long ago we had a lemon tree that was so heavy with fruit that it toppled and fell. I had it pruned and pulled up straight by means of a tractor and a lot of effort. But, although the tree still lives, it has never produced another lemon and has become weaker and weaker. You see, its time had come: the fallen tree is made to rise again, but not in its previous form. Neither is it dead wood but would enter into a new phase of life.


The termites come. The rain, the wind and the sun and the winter cold. It is like a fountain of life supplying food particles – nutrients – to make the earth fertile for the existing life surrounding it... We do not know what will come next, but should feel reassured that life WILL spring anew. 

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The Empty Space in the Sustainability Equation

Tracks Around the Sacred Spring

It is said that you should write what you need to know, but what that really comes down to is to write what 'we' need to know... imagine that the Great Tree of Life is showing signs of blight that will lead to the destruction of all life as we know it. No, no, no, our mind says. We won't let ourselves do that but will admit to a persistent feeling of threat. And so we tout the idea of sustainability about without really getting to grips with the resources that might eventually make that possible, that might make the parts of the tree that surround us vibrant and well again. For the concept of sustainability is flawed. It is as though there is a hole in it, a leak, so that it won't float on the tide of existence. And this is not new: mankind has been coming up with ways to block up that hole by reducing the known dimension of life, but soon the hole reappears and looms larger than ever. So the hole is here to stay and yet, for the moment at least, our minds still may have the power to make use of the hidden potential in that space. We have it in us to imagine the creation of a microcosm of existence that might come to reflect the macro plane of existence.




Part of the solution is following the Way, doing the Right thing, but more than that is required. We still need to ACT; we still need to hunt and gather, but, in a way that doesn't cause permanent damage, but replenishes.




And so here I am, in the thick of it, trying to exemplify the process consciously while attempting to access the collective unconscious – the virtually infinite thought patterns that make up all known life. Jung pointed to archetypes such as Mother Nature, with a special focus on Animals, and the Green Man - the Ancient in us or the Old Man - and his relation to Creative Fantasy, which we may become progressively aware of by means of dreams and other means if worked through.




But as they say, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. My 'pudding' is shaky and more at food for thought than physical nourishment. Wild boar churned up the Spring Garden the night before yesterday so that I needed to tend to it and make adjustments and improvements – make significant change a daily part of life, they would tell me. 

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horses, camellias, paradigm shift, perspective, innovation,