This is the time of year we call Thanksgiving. To my way of thinking, I choose to give thanks each and every day. It has helped me immensely to realize that each breath is a miracle. I celebrate the entire moon of October, and the better parts of November, December and about half of January as well. when spring begins to reawaken, I celebrate the return of the Sun. In the season of prolific growth, I celebrate the vines and stalks, tiny tendrils of plants some of which will add their energy to my larder. When the three harvests occur, I celebrate them as well and all down in-between, I celebrate quiet moments by the river, a canoe trip or bike ride, every morsel of food, warm sun on my skin and eventually it comes round to October again and I get even more serious about my celebrating. Some think that I am innocent or naive, but in point of fact I am the opposite. I know the grim truth that I might die tonight, my soul felt it when I first heard Cat Stevens sing it, for me to neglect the celebration of a single second would handicap the rest of my life.
I got to celebrate four or five times on a simple drive to the carpooling parking lot because I survived near crashes with a variety of idiot and seemingly blind drivers. Then when we got to our destination we missed another accident by mere feet, again because of the snow and undue speed. Why limit the celebratory glow of this holy-day throughout the moments of our lives. The biggest celebration came, not from seeing the three or four cars in the ditch, I actually felt a little bad for them, but from the four wheel drive truck upside down on the verge just before a merge lane was coming in, it was like seeing instant karma. Immediately after passing that guy, a person came on the highway, again in a big truck. (she could not have missed the upside down guy or the emergency vehicles that were there and the female driver immediately started weaving in and out on the ice covered road. We continued to celebrate the fact that we were alive!
ECO-Tours of Wisconsin is our outreach not for profit. We share through our resort/school the principles and techniques that we have discovered that have allowed us to integrate solar energy, biochar, organic gardening, water conservation and composting into our daily lives. We have classes and tours to plant trees, enjoy nature and share information is clear hands-on ways. We believe that each of us has the power to change the world around us for the better. Often times the impetus needed can come from unexpected places, new ideas or ancient practices.
Like cracking an egg, if we open up to the reality that we are all one large family, great things can happen. The "trick" or key to abundance is that by constantly giving away, the things that we have, there is always more. In the belief system that I utilize for my decision-making, there is a far greater good that can only be achieved through the practice of intense agape love for all beings. I do not believe that most people even have the resources or experiences to understand what this would be like and I cannot fathom how profound the changes would be if somehow we taught our children not to ever lose their innate ability to exhibit compassion and to have empathy. In all of the cases, all of the near misses, yielding to others, giving away my right of way is a few cases, saved me from being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Had I momentarily stopped celebrating life, and let the past or future take me over, things could have ended quite differently.
I am often asked if I believe in "God". I am perplexed by the question. Two main reasons occupy my mind nearly simultaneously. No one has ever described this "God", of which many love to speak, adequately for me to think that what I believe in is the same as what they are speaking of. Then, if they believe in the same Great, compassionate, loving Mother/father god, that I refer to, why would they even ask or care? Those of us who understand this, my friends, are getting more than a little tired of always being asked and accosted by those who do not yet get it.
For some, giving something, time, money or food is part of their celebration. Usually all of these things come into play and the art of the give away need not be limited to the holiday season. All seasons are the seasons of giving and learning the ropes in the new abundance economy requires re-thinking nearly everything we thought we knew. I usually drive my fifty mile per gallon car, to save fuel. Frequently I carpool with one other rider, making trips that transport two people to work and back on about a gallon and a half of fuel. This week I took six people the same distance using my van and did it for less than double the fuel. Three times as many peoples transported per mile for less than twice the cost. now I have to re-think my carpooling strategies. but I will enjoy the extra work if it can get more people to their jobs cheaply and without all the needless spewing of carbon into the atmosphere!
When one finds oneself in rapture from all of this celebrating, there are only two paths. One has a payment plan with interest full of distraction, discord, insatiable desire and preoccupation with past and future. The road less traveled is frequently where the most growth occurs and it is the fecund soil reflected in the phrase, "Have another brewski braugh!" Crank up the amperes on the celebrations that you get to revel in moment to moment until the old ticker stops, or you become worm food or whatever you like to call taking the long sleep. In our culture, we are so averse to accepting the inevitable passing that we don't like to say dead, therefore we have dozens of names to say it without actually having to confront our mortality. As if I have not been clear enough. Stop reading this right now, and start celebrating! If giving something, time money or food is something you would like to share, please send it to us at ECO-Tours of Wisconsin 1445 Porlier street Green Bay, Wisconsin 54301 USA
I got to celebrate four or five times on a simple drive to the carpooling parking lot because I survived near crashes with a variety of idiot and seemingly blind drivers. Then when we got to our destination we missed another accident by mere feet, again because of the snow and undue speed. Why limit the celebratory glow of this holy-day throughout the moments of our lives. The biggest celebration came, not from seeing the three or four cars in the ditch, I actually felt a little bad for them, but from the four wheel drive truck upside down on the verge just before a merge lane was coming in, it was like seeing instant karma. Immediately after passing that guy, a person came on the highway, again in a big truck. (she could not have missed the upside down guy or the emergency vehicles that were there and the female driver immediately started weaving in and out on the ice covered road. We continued to celebrate the fact that we were alive!
ECO-Tours of Wisconsin is our outreach not for profit. We share through our resort/school the principles and techniques that we have discovered that have allowed us to integrate solar energy, biochar, organic gardening, water conservation and composting into our daily lives. We have classes and tours to plant trees, enjoy nature and share information is clear hands-on ways. We believe that each of us has the power to change the world around us for the better. Often times the impetus needed can come from unexpected places, new ideas or ancient practices.
Like cracking an egg, if we open up to the reality that we are all one large family, great things can happen. The "trick" or key to abundance is that by constantly giving away, the things that we have, there is always more. In the belief system that I utilize for my decision-making, there is a far greater good that can only be achieved through the practice of intense agape love for all beings. I do not believe that most people even have the resources or experiences to understand what this would be like and I cannot fathom how profound the changes would be if somehow we taught our children not to ever lose their innate ability to exhibit compassion and to have empathy. In all of the cases, all of the near misses, yielding to others, giving away my right of way is a few cases, saved me from being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Had I momentarily stopped celebrating life, and let the past or future take me over, things could have ended quite differently.
I am often asked if I believe in "God". I am perplexed by the question. Two main reasons occupy my mind nearly simultaneously. No one has ever described this "God", of which many love to speak, adequately for me to think that what I believe in is the same as what they are speaking of. Then, if they believe in the same Great, compassionate, loving Mother/father god, that I refer to, why would they even ask or care? Those of us who understand this, my friends, are getting more than a little tired of always being asked and accosted by those who do not yet get it.
For some, giving something, time, money or food is part of their celebration. Usually all of these things come into play and the art of the give away need not be limited to the holiday season. All seasons are the seasons of giving and learning the ropes in the new abundance economy requires re-thinking nearly everything we thought we knew. I usually drive my fifty mile per gallon car, to save fuel. Frequently I carpool with one other rider, making trips that transport two people to work and back on about a gallon and a half of fuel. This week I took six people the same distance using my van and did it for less than double the fuel. Three times as many peoples transported per mile for less than twice the cost. now I have to re-think my carpooling strategies. but I will enjoy the extra work if it can get more people to their jobs cheaply and without all the needless spewing of carbon into the atmosphere!
When one finds oneself in rapture from all of this celebrating, there are only two paths. One has a payment plan with interest full of distraction, discord, insatiable desire and preoccupation with past and future. The road less traveled is frequently where the most growth occurs and it is the fecund soil reflected in the phrase, "Have another brewski braugh!" Crank up the amperes on the celebrations that you get to revel in moment to moment until the old ticker stops, or you become worm food or whatever you like to call taking the long sleep. In our culture, we are so averse to accepting the inevitable passing that we don't like to say dead, therefore we have dozens of names to say it without actually having to confront our mortality. As if I have not been clear enough. Stop reading this right now, and start celebrating! If giving something, time money or food is something you would like to share, please send it to us at ECO-Tours of Wisconsin 1445 Porlier street Green Bay, Wisconsin 54301 USA
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