Contemplation and Activism

Awe and action, Earth and humanity, climate and democracy

Awoke in atrial fibrillation at 2:30 am and wondering if I should get a pacemaker as a close friend has done, since the ablation did not eradicate my rapid, irregular heartbeats.

The 80s are very different from the 70s. Here in the third year of my ninth decade, am trying to be conscious, reflective and grateful for the mysterious gift of life. If you are younger, please take the best care you can of your body-mind and be ready for changes in your life. If you are this age or older, please do the same.

These days, I sometimes think about dying and being dead. I know that I should be focusing in gratitude on each present moment of being alive and doing all that I can, but these thoughts and feelings appear. Curious about the circumstances of my letting go. May it be peaceful. In awe at contemplating no longer being this particular body-mind but rather its continuation through my deeds and words in society, Earth and cosmos.

Thich Nhat Hanh lived almost seven years after his stroke, not able to walk or talk or write. Yet in each moment, he was fully present, often with a smile.

What is this “I” - this self, this ego, this spark of consciousness, this dancer of water, air and minerals? I love the Buddhist wisdom that there is no separate, permanent self, but rather impermanence and interbeing with all that is. I look at my hands and face and recall the years of evolving from an embryo to a baby to a boy to a man to an elder and my many adventures around planet Earth serving humanity. Gratitude.

I am back in sinus rhythm and going back to bed. Will continue this essay after I wake up. Gratitude in mystery and love for this body-mind, and for you, society, Earth and cosmos.

I am back at the keyboard. The sun-star is shining a beautiful golden transparent light. Gratitude. Such stillness in this moment. I got some sleep, am still in sinus rhythm, had a nutritious breakfast, took my heart meds and vitamins, fed the cat, made coffee for BMT, and put out the bins of garbage and recycling on the road to be picked up. Gratitude.

To care for my memory and balance, I am increasing my daily exercise with more low-impact cardio and resistance training, eating more protein and fiber and less sugar, getting eight hours of sleep and six glasses of water and reading and writing more. How are you taking care of your body-mind?

I hope that you will join me in doing everything possible to get out the vote in this life and death midterm election in the US. In the last election, over one third of eligible voters did not vote. We must motivate all voters and help them get their voices and votes out and about. We can stop oligarchic-fascism and create a society of social democracy where everyone is cared for. We can knock on doors, make calls, be poll greeters, support candidates, contact our representatives and more. Here in western NC, please support Roy Cooper for Senate and Jamie Ager for the House. What about where you live?

We can slow and adapt to climate disasters by promoting ecological regeneration and stopping the use of fossil fuels and much more. We can stop wars and violence and usher in a era of peace and nonviolence through diplomacy and strengthening the UN. We can stop unlimited wealth inequality by providing a universal basic income and supporting everyone from cradle to grave as the Nordic countries do through taxation. We can regulate AI and limit its use of water and electricity in data centers.

We can demonstrate and teach innovative leadership methods by using group facilitation, social artistry, integral frameworks and mindfulness practices in our work with communities and organizations and by training leaders in these methods and processes. Would you like to help do that?

We can cultivate mindful activism by practicing and teaching mindful breathing to everyone. We can participate in the Plum Village movement and in Third Act and Indivisible events and campaigns for democracy and climate. What about where you live?

We can strengthen and grow the Compassionate Civilization Collaborative (C3) by holding Zoom meetings to discuss issues, create plans, do training and encourage one another. Do you feel called to be part of these?

Breathing in, and breathing out. In the here, and in the now. In love, and in gratitude. I have arrived. I am home. I am solid. I am free. In the ultimate, I dwell.

Grateful to be an Earthling, circling a brilliant, generous star, spiraling in the gorgeous Milky Way galaxy, in this perfect, mysterious cosmos.

May you and I and all beings everywhere realize peace, happiness, understanding and compassion. May we be the light that is life that is love.

May it be so.