Response 1 to HeartCenteredOne
Heart Centered One raises an interesting challenge to my central contention that we lack a measurable way to define the solution so will be clear about what we need to do in order to succeed with our efforts toward a sustainable future. According to him:
“The problem is that all this comparing often prevents us from being guided by how we feel. We forget how to follow our hearts, our gut- instinct, our intuition. Many of us have forgotten how to feel, altogether.”
This makes sense to me because of another belief: As a society, Americans are highly alienated. We treat our social alienation with consumption. When we consume we satisfy certain longings, like the longing for candy. But when we are done shopping, when we get that new car that gets 16 MPG, we end up with a need for something else to consume, we feel hungry again, our blood sugar levels crash and we crave more candy. In this process we do not feel whole or ourselves; we are separated from our feelings “…many of us have forgotten to feel…” and our consumer economy reinforces more of the same.
“The challenge of sustainability gives us the opportunity to realize this state, (we want to do it - and we must, in order to feel whole, to feel ourselves), precisely because there is no objective way to measure our progress towards it. The only way we will know if we are making real progress is if we can feel better about the world we have created, with each passing year.”
Here’s where I disagree with the broad application of “feelings” as a reliable gauge for change, in the absence of objective scales. I believe in the need to empower people’s intuition as much as Heart Centered One. Here’s is a great example of intuition from my perspective and it is the foundation of my argument for modeling the solution so we can measure our progress toward change. As a part of our local Millennium celebration I designed a program for 600 students at our local school called the Millennium Garden Project (which I will talk about another time). The concept was for the children to shape their future by shaping a garden. As part of the design process I took the older children out to pace the garden and then make a map of the garden that was to scale (I wanted them to physicalize the space, no tapes allowed). After we came back and drew the boundaries I asked them to guess where the one tree should be placed on the map. They discussed it and agreed to a spot which we marked. When we validated the location it was only one inch off in scale.
They had a feeling about where it belonged on the map and this is entirely consistent with Heart’s need to protect the role of feelings as we measure progress on a subjective level. But their feeling came not from a book, not from a tape measure, not from an external standard but an internal standard, what I refer to in my lonely way as a standard of intuition. It involved body knowledge gained from thought, experience, and intention.
What I am advocating is the need for feed back loops that do not currently exist and the creation of scenarios (not absolute scientific standards or quotas) that create visions of how it could be: i.e. crisis-survival-prosperity. These are models that we can use to show consequences for today’s decisions that inform us in the future so we can act strategically when we observe signs that we are heading in the direction of one of the scenarios. This is a holistic approach that informs feelings and intuitions and does not impede them.
“But these rationalizations (which tend to reference external objective standards) occur because of fear - fear of failure, of being rejected. They are illusory. We need to see through them, and base our actions not on fear, but on love.”
There needs to be a core of people who act out of love, I don’t expect it to be epidemic. The reason I believe this is so is because there is a relationship between sustainability and healing. This is a concept that was introduced to me by a friend named Christine. If we experience the crisis scenario then the solution will be survival and those who can help others survive will be those who learned to put their love into action and heal themselves. These will be the one’s who have the resources to teach others how to heal themselves and stay healthy in an stressfull environment. Their love will touch others and the love will give people hope in the face of overwhelming fear.
“Fear has created the mess we're in today. There may be a way to evolve a sustainable world that continues to be motivated by fear. But I wouldn't choose it. I choose a sustainable world that revolves around love. Join me.”
I have no problem joining Heart but I am planning to bring my tape measure and my HP 11C scientific calculator. Thank you Heart Centered One for your contributions.
“The problem is that all this comparing often prevents us from being guided by how we feel. We forget how to follow our hearts, our gut- instinct, our intuition. Many of us have forgotten how to feel, altogether.”
This makes sense to me because of another belief: As a society, Americans are highly alienated. We treat our social alienation with consumption. When we consume we satisfy certain longings, like the longing for candy. But when we are done shopping, when we get that new car that gets 16 MPG, we end up with a need for something else to consume, we feel hungry again, our blood sugar levels crash and we crave more candy. In this process we do not feel whole or ourselves; we are separated from our feelings “…many of us have forgotten to feel…” and our consumer economy reinforces more of the same.
“The challenge of sustainability gives us the opportunity to realize this state, (we want to do it - and we must, in order to feel whole, to feel ourselves), precisely because there is no objective way to measure our progress towards it. The only way we will know if we are making real progress is if we can feel better about the world we have created, with each passing year.”
Here’s where I disagree with the broad application of “feelings” as a reliable gauge for change, in the absence of objective scales. I believe in the need to empower people’s intuition as much as Heart Centered One. Here’s is a great example of intuition from my perspective and it is the foundation of my argument for modeling the solution so we can measure our progress toward change. As a part of our local Millennium celebration I designed a program for 600 students at our local school called the Millennium Garden Project (which I will talk about another time). The concept was for the children to shape their future by shaping a garden. As part of the design process I took the older children out to pace the garden and then make a map of the garden that was to scale (I wanted them to physicalize the space, no tapes allowed). After we came back and drew the boundaries I asked them to guess where the one tree should be placed on the map. They discussed it and agreed to a spot which we marked. When we validated the location it was only one inch off in scale.
They had a feeling about where it belonged on the map and this is entirely consistent with Heart’s need to protect the role of feelings as we measure progress on a subjective level. But their feeling came not from a book, not from a tape measure, not from an external standard but an internal standard, what I refer to in my lonely way as a standard of intuition. It involved body knowledge gained from thought, experience, and intention.
What I am advocating is the need for feed back loops that do not currently exist and the creation of scenarios (not absolute scientific standards or quotas) that create visions of how it could be: i.e. crisis-survival-prosperity. These are models that we can use to show consequences for today’s decisions that inform us in the future so we can act strategically when we observe signs that we are heading in the direction of one of the scenarios. This is a holistic approach that informs feelings and intuitions and does not impede them.
“But these rationalizations (which tend to reference external objective standards) occur because of fear - fear of failure, of being rejected. They are illusory. We need to see through them, and base our actions not on fear, but on love.”
There needs to be a core of people who act out of love, I don’t expect it to be epidemic. The reason I believe this is so is because there is a relationship between sustainability and healing. This is a concept that was introduced to me by a friend named Christine. If we experience the crisis scenario then the solution will be survival and those who can help others survive will be those who learned to put their love into action and heal themselves. These will be the one’s who have the resources to teach others how to heal themselves and stay healthy in an stressfull environment. Their love will touch others and the love will give people hope in the face of overwhelming fear.
“Fear has created the mess we're in today. There may be a way to evolve a sustainable world that continues to be motivated by fear. But I wouldn't choose it. I choose a sustainable world that revolves around love. Join me.”
I have no problem joining Heart but I am planning to bring my tape measure and my HP 11C scientific calculator. Thank you Heart Centered One for your contributions.
posted by Bruc at 11:51 PM
1 Comments:
My sense is that you feel there needs to be some way to measure our impact and your friend Rick felt that it wasn't necessary. That we should do it because it feels right. That's a grossly shortened version and I apologize. Scold me if I'm way off.
Well of course I have my own opinion on the subject! I guess I have an opinion on just about any subject! (Insert my rather loud laugh here.) Now I'm at a loss for words. It's easier in person. I can make faces and gesture wildly to try and get my feelings across. Ok, ummm, I guess my journey to the point where I am at now, professionally, has been one of initially opening many doors to see what was there, and then coming to a point where I started shutting doors to concentrate on the area I felt I could do the most good, and enjoy myself while doing it. If that makes any sense. Once I found architecture coming from painting, I knew instinctively I was headed in the right direction. Once I found affordable housing, I absolutely knew I had hit upon the right path. Now, that I have learned so much about Green Building, I see a unique opportunity for me to blend the two.
I don't worry about measuring the impact. I figure anything I do is better than nothing and each thing I do is bound to have a ripple effect. I think that I am an eternal optimist most of the time. I see people as basically good. Ok, some are basically only in it for themselves, but they aren't necessarily evil. I would classify it this way:
Those who once educated to a better way, will embrace that and do what they can to further the cause for themselves and the good of the whole.
Those who don't particularly care about anyone but their own immediate family and friends, but can see a good thing when it's presented and will embrace it for their own sake.
Either way, we are moving forward. The trick is to not threaten anyone so that they want to lash back or become obstinate. That's why it's so important to not have advocates copt a "Holier Than Tho" attitude. You know the type I mean. We don't need to preach to the choir and we shouldn't be "preaching" at all. The "trick" is to find the right hook for those in the second group. Will it save them money? Will it make them money? Will it save their health? Whatever it takes. Once they are on the path, they won't turn back.
I'm reminded of fractal geometry. I think that each of us is a base of a fractal and that each time we reach out to let people know, or design something that is sustainable and get the message out there, it starts the fractal growing. Soon it's branching out all over the place.
Green Build made me feel like we have reached a critical mass globally. My god! China is embracing it! We will see a geometric growth now. The USGBC and LEED have done a wonderful job in giving a framework to monitor progress and success and it will continue to grow. Just the fact that they have launched EB and soon Homes is fantastic! Those two areas cover 98% of construction.
I think most people are beginning to "get it" about global warming and finite resources. Even those who still don't believe it, can see the health benefits or cost savings. We cannot continue our current course. Only a heartless soul wouldn't care about the world their children will inherit. Just think about this, last year Hybrids out sold Hummers by a huge margin. Eh? Ok, it's consumerism, but in a better direction.
The idea in C2C is a tough one for us to embrace but it's a noble goal. I think we will gradually approach it. We have to. We shouldn't hope for a global avian flu virus or more AIDS to solve the problem. I don't mean you and me, but there are those out there that think that way. Of course they wouldn't want to die themselves, no, that's for "those" people.
I look at it this way, the industrial economy is a giant behemoth trudging ever forward trampling everything in it's path. Right now, we are like a few hunter gatherers with our tethers tied around it. We are being dragged, but we are also slowing the beast down. The hope is that we can stop it, dead in it's tracks and get it to reverse course before we all run out of fuel and food and poison everything and everybody. It will happen. It's in too many people's best interest.
Man, did I ramble on! I had my Green Building class all day today, so I guess I'm still in that frame of mind. Well, those are my comments for what they are worth. Hope all is well with you.--Kathy
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