FROM MY VIEW...

We seem to be in serious danger of disconnecting with our natural world to the point of denying the very obvious responsibility we have to live in partnership with it. You could call that abdicating responsibility - and you would be accurate. We simply cannot leave the care of the environment (that supports life for all beings), to a relative few activists to handle while billions of us continue on our merry way - the job is far too big. Nor can we abdicate our responsibility to an imaginary friend, superstition or myth. We humans have the power to consciously choose how we relate to our planetary home. Whether we are aware of it or not, we are all influencing our environment, even as it influences us.

From where I sit, we can do so much to help ourselves take more responsibility for the legacy we are weaving in every moment for future generations. There is power in the NOW, and, we must lift our sights and see beyond the horizon to new futures and choose consciously where we want to head. What sort of people do we want to be? What sort of future do we want to contribute to? These questions (and others) can call us towards what else we are and can be. They are the impulses in us to grow and evolve and mature as individuals, and as species. These are big questions but they can be asked - and answered - and acted upon in so many ways, big and small.

Here are just a few of the little things I do to keep me consciously connected to my wider environment and the other beings I share it with: Whenever I hear a siren (police, fire or ambulance), the thought 'take the angels with you' comes into my awareness as an intention for the situation the sirens are about. Sometimes I say this out loud and other times I say it in my head. It doesn't bother me if angels are 'real' or not.

I notice the wildlife living in my city or setting and I greet it with a positive intent for its well-being. If I am compelled to end a life with a spray or a wipe (or even a slap) I acknowledge I am doing it and remind myself everything just tries to have a life, like me.

I now habitually say 'Bless you' or the equivalent intent after I have cursed someone for cutting me off in traffic or otherwise irritating me. 'Bless you' acknowledges (even if begrudgingly) that you are not living their life. If feeling irritated becomes a little too familiar - I accept I have work to do - on myself. I also use 'bless you' as a general thought towards others.

When I am feeling emotionally provoked - I quickly remind myself "This too will pass" - just like a cloud moving across the sun. Everything (including you) is on its way to something else - all the time. Accept and embrace that and the need to cling to things staying as they are or being resistant to change will both diminish.

These few 'connectors' help me stay present to life on a day-to-day basis. From my view, our species is engaging in a migration from unconscious motivations, to conscious awareness and species maturity. This is happening in spite of geo-political tussles and power struggles, human greed, violence and corruption.

The shadow side of ourselves is dark indeed, and the light in us is equally bright.

The growth of Awareness (a human superpower) is an incredible tool for personal growth. Awareness is the torch that can light our way. It enables us to move through challenges more easily and with less suffering. If we are living consciously it is difficult to stay angry for long, or sad for long or frightened for long because the torch that is Awareness illuminates the situation and frees us from our identification with it. I wish for you the joy of that illumination. There is such freedom in taking responsibility. We can be more.

And that's it from my view.