A talk at Phakalane by Raindance Network founders Niall Campbell and Nicola Robins addressed how traditional Southern African teachings can contribute to facing our current ecological challenges. They spoke of our modern, western non-relationship to chaos and a penny dropped.
The crux of the matter, according to Nicola, is our demand for Earth's resources are increasing and our consumption exceeds the speed of regeneration and renewal. Clearly any government policy that contributes to an increase in demand, supported by media/marketing messages that drive a consumer attitude, spirals this predicament out of control and into chaos. In our control oriented culture, chaos is not something we know how to face.
Niall provides a story behind the Tswana proverb, Pula E Nêla Bontlêng (Rain Only Falls Into Beauty), explaining the underlying belief that actively maintaining the beauty of harmony and balance in our life supporting ecology gives rise to a sustainable relationship. The history of Easter Island provides a blue print of the disaster that happens when we disregard that essential balance. Unfortunately this wisdom, typically passed on through rights-of-passage rituals and mentoring from elders, is rapidly disappearing as the mechanisms get diluted and responsibility is ceded away from the individual.
We are in an age of addiction, disconnected from nature and our locus of responsibility. If we are to live more simply, to desire and consume less, perhaps we need to address our relationship with work, money and 'essential' services as addictions. It's a strong argument if you consider how we behave when these are taken away.
For me, this is where Tantra, in openly facing chaos and being willing to step into discomfort and vulnerability, can provide a valuable contribution. I agree when Nicola says creativity comes from crisis. I also feel that, regardless of what solutions we apply to restore balance, we will experience chaos. Perhaps it's time to evolve beyond fight or flight and willingly embrace chaos as a creative agent of change and transformation.
I would love to read your comments on this.
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