“It’s common sense; essentially it’s saying what’s important…what
matters? And you realize that what’s important is time to do the things you
want to do, like playing the flute. You start thinking about time and you
realize you’re working a lot of hours to buy all of this stuff so if you cut
back on your stuff you can save money and maybe you can work less. I expected
to be a Community College president one day, but I realized that in order to
move up in community college administration…you’ve got to be a duller person.
So, I started thinking about my work with simple living as my art and I became
an artist.” – Cecile Andrews
Cecile is the author of several books on the joy of simple
living and how it can save the planet. As we discuss all of these food issues, climate
issues, peak oil issues I want to bring it all in around one glory hole we are
circling. Because, this isn’t just a matter of changing the car you drive, the
light bulbs you buy….it’s not just a matter of eating organic or growing your
own food, it’s not just a matter of being an activist, or choosing to live in a
tiny house…those are all things we do because of what many call The Awakening.
This is a matter of literally shifting the way we view our
purpose, ourselves, each other…it is a change in human consciousness. In her
works, Cecile Andrews discusses the way that simple living is a joy that
just dawns on us when we finally choose to let go of some of our old believe
systems. We have an illusory belief that money equals security. When Cecile and
her husband received an advance for a book that he had written they wanted to
pay off their house. Their financial advisor said, no, no that’s not what you
want to do. With this money you can invest and make more money! But, Cecile and
her husband didn’t want more money, they wanted security. That’s what really
makes human beings happy…security, community and purpose. These values are really important, and they
are available through simple community living.
Gross National Happiness is a global movement started in the
1970’s by the prime minister of the tiny country of Bhutan, Jigme Thinley. It
seeks to re-address where people put their security of all kinds: economic, social,
food, housing. Instead of putting our security into profit and money, if we put
our security into other people, we will get a stable, sustainable, happier
society. For example in food production, if we were to support local farmers,
then suddenly we have a de-centralized food system where each community is its
own sovereign producer of its own food. This type of economy lessens the gap
that exists between the rich and poor. It connects people within communities,
provides local jobs and keeps money flowing in the local region.
What am I saying? I’m saying that this is the kingdom of
heaven, this is paradise, but we’ve forgotten how to live in the garden. I’m
also saying that the walls come down once the
awakening begins…like dominos. Suddenly, the stress of the rat race falls
away and euphoria begins to surround you. You find joy in EVERYTHING from doing
the dishes to cooking, talking with the neighbors. You have time to do things
for yourself and others which instills purpose and drive.
But, in order to have an awakening we have to let go of our
belief that money buys care: health care, home care, child care. In fact, this
theme of ‘caring’ is incredibly potent throughout these issues. I am going to
switch gears for a moment. Recently I read about psychopaths. In today’s
American society about one of every one hundred people is medically a
psychopath. This is a person who does not feel love or caring, and this
condition is no longer just psychological. Psychopathy can be medically
recognized and diagnosed, it is a genetic mutation. I find it fascinating that
in a society which seems to have a phobia for expressing care without attaching
some monetary value to it, psychopathy is prevalent.
I am entirely speculating, but I think it is informed
speculation. The field of epigenetics is young and wildly interesting. It explores
the idea that certain hormones in the body can literally ‘hide’ certain genes,
effectively turning them off, due to biological influences rather than
previously known genetic exchange. This was a discovery that explained how environmental
and biological factors affecting our grandparents and parents could result in phenotypic
variation in offspring. Scientists are starting to find epigenetic factors that
link to cancer, autism, even obesity…perhaps psychopathy? Andrew P. Feinberg,
Rafael A. Irizarry and Peter T. Ellison wrote a paper titled: Stochastic Epigenetic Variation as a Driving
Force of Development Evolutionary Adaptation, and Disease.
Is it possible that we are creating phenotypic variation
because of a social stress? The stress being a lack of development along lines
of ‘caring’ coupled with a constant pressure to produce and advance. We see
this type of system, and most human beings not flourishing within it…why wouldn’t
Nature drive evolution to create a human who would? These things happen fast,
do we have time to stop and talk about where we want our evolution to go?
Can we heal this derailing train through simple living, communal security and teaching universal care?
Can we heal this derailing train through simple living, communal security and teaching universal care?
My suggestions for people wanting out of the rat race: Care without
being cared about, live without being told how to live, produce without
worrying about compensation, do without striving to ‘achieve’, don’t put so
much faith in money and try to put some security into your friends, neighbors,
family and Nature’s abundance.
Reading and Reference:
Cecile on an episode of Peak Moment, discussion her philosophies.
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