Is Bards In The Woods About Lifestyle?
I'm starting to think so.
I am trying to be careful with what I say here as I have no intention of leading myself into posing as some kind of guru or leader with this. I sincerely hope this encourages debate with freedom of feeling and faith expressed by others on this subject.
I think performed stories, poetry and are wonderful mediums that folks can share this through, and being in the woods of Ireland is a safe, natural, un-intimidated and even less distracted way of doing this, especially around picnic tables :-)
I was moved by a video, I watched this morning, which seem to eloquently package much of my thoughts and calling.
Of course I will link you to that here very shortly.
Before that, I am going to do an act of semi plagiarism of their video script and bend it to what I think we could seed through Bards In The Woods,
I hope this may also inspire similar through any other local gatherings you may host or attend.
Here is the foundation, the machinery of economics
of what is going on around the world.
We have been told that the global financial crisis of 2008 happened because irresponsible borrowers couldn’t afford to pay back their loans.
However, this occurred due to a much deeper problem. Our world economic system is based on the need for continuous, perpetual growth.
Right now we are already in the beginnings of something much worse than a depression, but if we try hard enough, we could end up with something much much better than what we have now. A lot of this is possible thanks to the internet and social networking services now available, but they too are fragile, but with more sustainable solutions too.
How does the banking system work
It’s commonly believed that banks lend out money that they already have from invested savings. This would be very stable and sustainable.
Instead, we have what’s called a fractional reserve banking system.
This means that banks can loan out almost all the money that gets deposited with them.
When you put $100 in one bank,
they lend $90 of it to someone else,
who then puts that $90 in their bank.
Now there’s $190 on the books where there used to be $100.
This now goes on and on into other banks and investments
Sounds crazy? It is !!!
Less than 1% of the money in the economy is actual real notes and coins.
The rest of finance is just numbers on computers, created as debt.
This system rapidly increases the amount of money available to the economy,
which fuels economic growth, and expectancy that we will pay back debts with interest.
This system can only keep going as long as the economy keeps on growing.
How did this get started?
Since the Industrial Revolution, economic growth has been largely dependent on cheap fossil fuel supplies, which are now dwindling.
When we first started drilling for oil, it was easy to find. It just spurted up out of the ground. We've only been drilling intensively for about 150 years.
Now oil is no longer easy to find. So corporations are drilling down crazy deep through earth and ocean using expensive and risky technology. Fracking on the land is now part of this dangerous process.
It used to cost the energy of one barrel of oil to get about 100 barrels of oil out of the ground. These days it costs one barrel of oil energy to only get 10 barrels back, and this is declining.
At it doesn’t mean we’re running out of oil,
it just means we're running out of cheap oil.
Oil is not just used for transport and energy fuel but it is also also a critical ingredient in plastics, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, asphalt, paints, tyres and even toothpaste. Just about everything we buy and consume has involved oil consumption in some way, even if its just a ride to a local shop of winding up your laptop to read this.
Its not just oil but also natural gas, high grade uranium, and many rare earth minerals, that have all become rarer, more difficult to mine, more costly and extraction more risky to the planet.
The truth is that since the industrial revolution we have almost used up most of the non-renewable resources in the planet so that we can live in a high-tech world. It can't continue for much longer.
The crash?
Until a couple of years ago, banks have been lending more and more money that has created competition that has pushed up prices of assets like houses and stocks, all due to a forced growing economy.
Debts eventually reached an unmanageable point, and these asset prices have plummeted during the last couple of years.
Banks are now overextended and no longer have money, even fictional money, to lend so businesses, corporations and countries are also overextended and cannot receive more credit to keep going.
Most people are seeing this through their mortgages as there are now millions of people who owe a lot more more debt than what their home is worth.
This deflationary spiral also generates higher unemployment, higher prices for necessities and overall hardrt times, called austerity today.
It is becoming impossible for millions of people to keep up with their food, fuel, bills and mortgage or rent payments.
Governments, their leaders, big business and the media are trying to keep the old ways alive with band-aids and "convincing" us they have solutions and things are getting better. With adjustment they do seem better for a few months at a time, but that's only due to fake foundation government intervention.
As things get worse, people in government focus on saving themselves, such as their pensions, and supporting the corporations who fund them, by raising taxes and cutting spending rather than help the people who elected them.
The complex system that give birth during the industrial revolution has grown to its limit, and it’s now in decline, and dismantling itself.
So what do we have?
The modern industrial world system hasn't really given us happiness.
It hasn't even eliminated poverty.
Most of us have been working way too hard, and for what?
To exhaust the planet and suffer for it, what is that worth?
Major economic downturns since the industrial revolution have led to extreme cruelty through hatred expressed through racialism and religions.
Austerity leads to exploitation,
Exploitation gives foundation to fascism,
and possibly a lead into world war three
to rob and rape resources from those weaker.
So what can we do?
Thanks maybe to the establishment of the internet and social networking millions of people us are aware of what's going on and exchanging ideas, activities and sharing experiements, wisdom and knowledge to prepare for an alternative new way of living when the industrial revolution style economics have gone.
We all have basic human needs for security and safety,
and for happiness and fulfillment as well.
Some things to think of and try out ...
Why not try having energy security through lower energy use, feeling proud of feeding ourselves and making the things we need. Also, perhaps what scares many people who scream at others "I want more ME time" ... switching our priorities from independence to interdependence.
These are changes we can always make locally regardless of whether our governments want to help or not.
Worldwide, grassroots movements have already started, and being a part of this has already made many people much more happier than they ever were engaging with the Industrial Revolution born "system".
What we have is the dying industrial system that is no longer feasible or desirable. If we do nothing other than remaining in that dream of independent security we will end up with terrible living conditions, constant conflict and be overcome a new wave of fascism and no one wants that.
These are choices I am sure will work, do you agree? ...
First, learn to get along with each other so we can look after the earth again in a happy team like manner. Work together to build new infrastructures and culture that can support meaningful work and dignified lives. By doing so we will eat much healthier food, growing most of it ourselves and spend a lot more of our time with our families and friends.
People have invested, created and have been working on excellent new ways to live without an industrial economy for well over 40 years now.
A major example is the investigating, trying out and succeeding with permaculture, a system of doing much more with much less energy,
especially growing organic food and having natural sustainable energy systems on the side.
Sustainable technologies have been developed to meet human needs of heating and cooling in highly energy efficient ways.
Local currencies have been created that are more equitable and stable. Transition Town groups are building community.
Manufacturing is learning about about producing just what we need, and distribution kept minimal.
There are even groups working on peer to peer versions of the internet, developments of the old pre-internet BBS systems, that we can get up quickly if the internet happens to go down.
How to get into action right away.
When we worry about the "downturn" and "austerity" we may find ourselves worrying within an environment where we are alone, maybe with just a laptop and internet connection to keep us company. Not even our family are talking to us as they are engages in their laptops and smartphones messaging a load of nonsenses to deny and escape the fear of the crashing old system.
However, if we wisely look up the internet and within groups and channels on the social networks we discover there are groups of people who have set themselves to figuring out a positive and feasible ways to get through challenges.
They work out how to convert from something not sustainable to something sustainable that could work when the oil and industrial minerals have gone it.
Working together, interdependently, not as a cut, order, or regime, but maybe as a tribe, we can create a better world, here and now.
So why Bards In The Woods?
This is one of many good choice for gathering people and sharing. Its indeed personal for me as i like to share this, and others are loving being part of this. There are many other gathering ways to be part of this sustaining interdependence.
Bards In The Woods is our overall invitation to help us become comfortable in a transition from the old intimidating ways that exploited us.
We have been exploited through education and corporations promising us lives of income to rise us into freedom and independence.
We have been exploited by churches promising us paradise and eternal blissful life in the next life if we live this one in order and penance.
The woodlands and the native trees I feel are the "church"
we feel good to belong to.
They are the visible creation of the love from the constant cycles and regeneration that the earth conducts, love that was here well before humans were, unconditional love that we are invited to share as guests.
Within woodlands we can gather, share words beyond debate but through stories, songs and poems ... as true bards do. This fellowship brings as together to share and seed more wonderful sustaining things.
We share picnics, that challenge us to think more locally about where we are and what we can trade, share and support what is more sustaining.
Bards in the Woods becomes a very happy place, and as folks tell of and share the woodland sioga, fae and other spirits of love and guidance, and are recharged by its green prescription, they go away a bit more motivated to explore this new sustainable world challenge ... known they have friends who share, encourage and listen.
Bards in The Woods is about encouraging interdependence of our voices and these voices being expressed and listened to. Without this basic ability with each other then the new earth friendly happier living may not happen.
So do we accept the challenge?
My hope is that as this industrial revolution charge system continues to fall apart, and that we prepare ourselves and start or be part of whatever local projects and enterprises our communities are trying out to prepare for this new living.
Through local interdependence we can build community, whether we are urban or rural, and share ways of growing food and simple sustainable technologies that work and work well during this time of increasing great financial hardship.
So I’m asking you, please, even if this seems outside the realm of possibility, at least do some research, check out what I say here for yourself. You can decide what kind of future you want and start taking steps to make it happen.
The more of us who start now, the more likely this transition is to be peaceful and just, and I believe will be exciting and promising.
You can read a lot more, be inspired a lot more
by clicking here for this wonderful web site of Doing It Ourselves
Finally, here is the wonderful video that inspired this ramble from me here, that I have taken most of the words from, and added some of my own ...
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