Social Explosion

Thursday was information rich to say the least. Public Social discussed the opportunity for change that's hidden within the meltdown of the economy. Some of us became part of a student group who manifest media to raise awareness of sustainability. We're essentially part of who decides how to spend some of the Miller grant. Then it was Soup and Comedy which was good fun. The TV was a bit intense for me, especially the Will Farrell movie. I wasn't closing my eyes to be anti social...it's just that the smash bang pop of that kind of media is easier for me to swallow if I just listen to it. Thanks for reminding me to not hold my breath ;-) Oh and the smiling bear sculpture- precious. That made me bust a gut.

Then Adam and I took off. He's going to South Africa soon for at least a few months, maybe to stay. He's going with an open mind and no concrete plans. I was really happy to deepen friendships within this social practice class and expand my web of community, but I wanted to spend some more one on one time with Adam before he leaves since I might not see him again. We went to Mt. Tabor and played push hands a bit and an astronomology class happened. I like teaching one on one cause then I can pay attention to one person and I feel the transmission of information is deeper and more meaningful than if I have to talk to a group where someone will inevitably be left out since I can't adapt my communication style to everyone.

So how does this relate to my residency? The Legba veve for the crows was something like a symbol to send a message to my deeper levels of consciousness where my real decisions are made. A gift to social creatures such as crows was all part of the symbolism. It seems to be working. I make different decisions and move more gracefully through the world when I'm not working against unconscious desires. Using symbols this way is sometimes called magick, but it's really just a way of programming yourself for greater effectiveness in the art of living. I think it's way better than just letting the TV tell me what to do.

Survival without so much industry and with less money to throw around means cooperating with people and sharing. It also means cooperating with the non human intelligences of this planet and treating them with respect so we can learn from them.
My residency is part of my overall dream of helping Portland to transform into a permaculture oasis, modeling good behavior for the rest of the country. The connections I've made this term are part of that process.