For over a year, awareness raising about conscious living has been my job. Trouble is, my awareness got so raised that it can’t be a job any more, it has to be my work. A job is what people do to live; it’s what you do when you have no option - economically. Work is what you do when you have no option - ethically and conscientiously; it’s for life, not just for christmas presents. I’m no longer sure the two can be merged and seemlessly integrated, as I’d previously hoped, and thought I was actually doing.

There’s something insidious about ‘job consciousness’; the distinguishing question being: “would you do it anyway, regardless?”. If it’s to “pay the bills”, it’s a job. And jobs don’t save the planet. Jobs are part of that time-buying conspiracy that helps us kid ourselves that we’ll do something we really want to do, or that needs to be done, when the bills have finally been paid, goals achieved and to-do lists checked.

And just as it’s immoral to apply tax before profit, it’s morally indefensible to delay the ethically inevitable. The work of the past year especially has convinced me that the planet needs saving NOw, not when I’ve sorted my lifestyle out, got rich or achieved a level of acceptable comfort.

The phrases that sum up my raison de fait (did I get that right?) are Inspirational Dissatisfaction (I found this in Rob Hopkin’s Transition Handbook, from Rob’s interview with Chris Johnstone) and Blessed Unrest (the title of Paul Hawken’s recent book on “How the Largest Movement in the World Came into Being and Why No One Saw It Coming).

Sure I’ve still got bills to pay. But that cart will now go behind the horse. It can’t be any other way.

Paul Hawken and Blessed Unrest

Rob Hopkins and Transition Culture

Free Transition MP3s

What I’ve been doing for the last 12 months

Talk of a New Age, 2012 and a ‘quickening’, as well as general agreement that these are interesting times (credit crunch becoming recession, peak oil and more wars than ever) plus the very notion of post-modernism, all suggest these are transformational times for humanity. But don’t humans always think this is the case, whatever time they are born, live and die in?

Probably. However, I only know these times and they feel pretty turbulent and full of transformational energy to me. I don’t know about you, but I’m going for it. I’m convinced there’s more to life than medication, “education”, debt and fear (that’s my 4-word synopsis of peri-modern industrial society by the way, not just the editorial guidelines of the Western media).

I’m with Willis Harman, who in his book Global Mind Change, claims: “modern times really are fundamentally different from the Middle Ages (as those in turn were different from the days of the Roman Empire). The most basic difference is in the underlying view of reality.”

I don’t know if his historical assertion is true (I can’t claim to have had past lives as a roman centurion or sack-wearing peasant like some of my associates), but it makes sense to me that the underlying view is really what changes - and is changing - as we evolve our consciousness ever higher (is that not the point of this existence?). Maybe it’s the only thing that ever really changes?

Harman continues with his argument that these are profoundly pivotal times by enlisting the help of Lewis Mumford whose work I also admire. The hugely visionary Mumford, according to Harman claims: “Every transformation of man … has rested on a new metaphysical and ideological base; or rather, upon deeper stirrings and intuitions whose rationalized expression takes the form of a new picture of the cosmos and the nature of man.”

In other words; Harman’s words: “Every society ever known rests on some set of largely tacit basic assumptions about who we are, what kind of universe we are in, and what is ultimately important to us.

If our world was a wine, I’m definitely getting hints of ‘a new metaphysical and ideological base’ with challenging undertones of ‘who we are, what kind of universe we are in, and what is ultimately important to us’. Life as we know it is, without doubt, an impertinent little number, (that, left alone any longer, could go very sour. Oops - another metaphor stretched to breaking point).

Need more evidence?

Try: Three worlds into one don’t go. The oil is running out. The atmosphere is warming up. The biggest diseases – cancer and heart disease – are diseases of civilisation, and they are on the rise. Millions of medicated, vaccinated and allergic, autistic kids. Millions still live on less than a dollar a day. Millions don’t have enough to eat, let alone clean water or electricity. And no, you can’t eat money. Need I continue?

OK – I know that’s not evidence, but did the Captain of the Titanic demand evidence to prove the demise of his unsinkable ship as it sank? Sometimes you just know things. Even if you don’t like what you know.

So where’s this going? If nothing else, I’m convincing myself that my life’s work is worthwhile as I endeavour, in my own small way, to catalyse the transformation of humanity, in any appropriate way possible, (should it indeed be happening). For twenty years, I’ve felt an irresistible urge to share - first in print and latterly via audio too - all that helps humanity move from fear, cynicism and resignation towards freedom, love and joy. To look at it another way: to aid the re-invention of this planet and its people such that it and we radiate a message to the universe that all is well here; that life is good.

I feel encouraged by the upsides of our times - a growing sense of global connection, as well as a grassroots yearning for love, compassion and empathy that I take as commonly shared signs and indications of the sort of future we’re birthing; the free sharing of information; the breakdown of institutions and a growing awareness of our intuitive abilities and spiritual depth. There’s much to be merry about.

Re-reading my words, and aware of the growing goodwill all around me in friends, colleagues and organisations who also see a similarly fresh view of humanity, I’m certain that these are the times where the square pegs, the indigo-tinged and “the meek” will indeed inherit the earth. What state it’s in when they receive it is another matter however. That really depends on us seeing sense sooner rather than later. And knowing that whilst change is inevitable, the timing is up to us.

Will we wake up to the promise of these changing times? Or sleep in, just a little longer?

Willis Harman
Lewis Mumford

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All that said, my deepest respect and admiration therefore goes to The Source, the “first stop for inspiration and information on all the things we all care about down here in the South West … our land, our community, our spirit and above all, our plans for a sustainable and positive future”.

“We think it’s really easy to get depressed at the moment with all the talk about ecological disaster such as climate change, species extinctions and deforestation,” they say. “Yet it’s hard to know what to do to make sure the way we live our lives is not contributing to the problem. Everyone is saying something different – even our governments can’t agree.”

Their conclusion: “we thought it was important to talk about all the things that normal people like us are already doing to make the world a better place. We’ve found loads of inspiring examples of things we could all be doing in our homes, communities and workplaces which are fun, cheap and already having a huge impact on people’s quality of life. And most of them are fun, economically viable and already having a huge impact on people’s quality of life.”

Three cheers for The Source magazine, which can be found and savoured every three months in health food and farm shops, green and alternative health centres, and cafes and restaurants all the way from Stroud to the tip of Cornwall.
The Source website

In recent days, ‘Fritz’ (as I think he was known among friends and family), popped back into view via the Tom Hodgkinson book I’ve been raving about (see last few posts) and yesterday, I stole his book back from my ex-wife’s bookshelves, whilst dropping off our daughter.

His ‘Buddhist Economics’ have stood the test of time. Check this out from the sleeve-notes: “Dr Schumacher challenges the doctrine of economic, technological and scientific specialisation and proposes a system of Intermediate Technology, based on smaller working units, communal ownership, and regional workplaces utilising local labour and resources. With an emphasis on the person not the product, Small is Beautiful points the way to a world in which Capital serves Man instead of Man remaining a slave to Capital.”

He da Man, I think you’ll agree. Inside the book you’ll find 34 year-old gems like this: “In the excitement over the unfolding of his scientific and technical powers, modern man has built a system that ravishes nature and a type of society that mutilates man.”

Sentiments like these convinced me it was the world that was mad and not me, twenty years ago. And I’m a glad to say I still feel fairly sane when - like yesterday - a similarly learned and visionary Professor, Tim Lang, found himself on the cover of my regional paper, which had awarded him the headline - “Don’t Eat Our World“.

In a delightful, mainstream homage to Schumacher - and going toe-to-toe with the crass economic theories that stll govern our times, whilst slapping sloppy denial around the face - Tim declares: “The reality is that changing diet looks almost inevitable. For one very simple reason – a rich country like Britain over-consumes in terms of resources. Britain doesn’t feed itself. It uses other people’s land, it uses other people’s water, and it is using other people’s minerals. If you extrapolate for the rest of the world to eat like the British, you would need three planets… five planets… something like that.”

Right on Prof! (Dear reader, please add your support at the comments section of the Western Morning News article)

Should you need further inspiration from Schu-ey, try this from his fabulously titled A Guide For The Perplexed (which I felt had been written for me when I first clapped eyes on it): “To organize work in such a manner that it becomes meaningless, boring, stultifying, or nerve-racking for the worker would be little short of criminal; it would indicate a greater concern with goods than with people, an evil lack of compassion and a soul-destroying degree of attachment to the most primitive side of this worldly existence.”

Praise the Lord! A Hedolist’s career guide, if ever there was one. More on E. F. Schumacher (pictured right, looking more like a 70’s darts player from West Yorkshire than one of the great unsung geniuses of modern times)

Hear E. F. Schumacher on traydio.com

I enjoyed buying one of Tesco’s finest loaves the other day for just 24p, imagining I’d hit them where it hurts - its fine taste made all the finer by my successful late-night, hunter-gatherer mission.  And today, as my youngest daughter and I hunted down bargains in the Boxing Day city-centre, I got a similar sense of satisfaction buying an £80 coat for just £30 as well as helping Zavvi’s new owners (or liquidators) by taking a few cheap, but brilliant, DVDs off their hands.

As a retail plains-drifting, punter-gatherer I feel like I’m doing my bit to exploit, de-value and bring an end to, the “crap towns” as Tom puts it; the kind that Tesco’s help create by driving small shops and businesses out of business. Tom states in his book that small retailers are closing at the rate of 2,000 a year and may be extinct - as a species - by 2015 (this from a UK government report, not just Tom’s idle, yet vitriolic being).

Do take Tom’s advice and as a hedolist, visit the independent, specialist shops that offer the best deal to you, the local community and the planet. And in so doing, restore (or, if you’re lucky, maintain) the individuality of your neighbourhood. They may not be the short-term cheapest, but remember the words of Ruskin who warned those of us who buy on price alone: “There is scarcely anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse, and sell a little more cheaply. The person who buys on price alone is this man’s lawful prey.”

Another thing you might like to do is surrender your loyalty cards. See the article I wrote on the full horror of being loyal and thinking you’re getting a good deal from a symbiotic retail relationship. Don’t kid yourself!

Older daughter has, for years, ridiculed my interest in holistic matters, summing it up one afternoon (taking inspiration from the communal, organic, hippy-fied dwelling where I lived) in a mock-guru-ish way, saying, with flipchart pen in hand: “So in summary, I say to you - go forth, let life take its course…”

Fair enough, I suppose. I have perhaps been a little ungainly and derisable over the years putting my numinous search for meaning before (or uncomfortably in-between) just about everything else in my 20’s and 30’s. My God-realisations or “stress attacks”, as she beautifully puts it could not have gone unnoticed.

So it was with great satisfaction that I received her Christmas gift request this year. Finally it seems, after years of seeing me devote my attention to matters wondermental*, my eldest would appear to be taking me seriously. In fact, she has asked me to write her a guide to managing stress attacks, like I might actually have something useful to say on the matter.

I’m delighted and work has begun. And, refelecting on it, I unwittingly wrote an introductory piece entitled: “Can you do me a favour? (RE: 10 things I want my kids to know). My approach, bearing in mind the understandable antipathy for parental advice, was for other people to forward my suggestions as though they were one of those “The Dalai Lama said this and if you don’t send it to 10 other kids, he’s gonna tell Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie” e-chain letters - thereby preserving my anonymity.

As it turns out, it’s actually a guide for young hedolists and its top five suggestions are:

1. Life is good. Remember this above all.
2. You are life. You are a part of nature; don’t fight it
3. The bad news: everybody dies. The good news: only our bodies die. Death only occurs on the physical level. Life goes on (see no. 1)
4. The culture you were born into is killing the planet. Quickly. The system is mad, you aren’t (just look at your education! Wait until you start work!!)
5. “It was for great things that created man(kind), not small” - Marsilio Ficino. So do something great (no pressure!).

Read it in full

* I’ve always struggled to describe my search for the “more to life”, as in, “there must be more to life”. Over the last year or so, I’ve been working with Totnes-based performance poet Matt Harvey. Matt coined the term Wondermentalism, which does so much to convey my lifetime’s search. He also puts on a very good cabaret.

Lo (topical!) and behold, and to my surprise and delight, I watched Channel 4 TV’s alternative Christmas message as offered by Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who gives a great insight into Christ-ness.Understandably controversial, his speech gives the US and UK governments little to respond to in the way of invasion or attack. It is in fact truly a message of goodwill and does much to undermine the carefully built propaganda that casts Iran and Iranians as wholly crazy, untrustworthy and to be deeply feared.

If like me, you find yourself somehow, on some level, believing the hype (despite your better judgement in the cold light of day), I urge you to watch it

Here’s an excerpt: “If Christ were on earth today, undoubtedly He would stand with the people in opposition to bullying, ill-tempered and expansionist powers.

If Christ were on earth today, undoubtedly He would hoist the banner of justice and love for humanity to oppose warmongers, occupiers, terrorists and bullies the world over.

If Christ were on earth today, undoubtedly He would fight against the tyrannical policies of prevailing global economic and political systems, as He did in His lifetime”

Nice work Mahmoud. See the whole transcript

Thinking about it, the word berating can be found in the word celebrating and I suppose that’s what I did; I scolded the event and those who take part (especially those who take part against their better judgement).
It’s Christmas Day as I wite, and I’m on my own. No surpise really. My abstinence (from the mindless custom, not necesarily some of its associated actions) and protestations have drawn surprise, pity and the one I’m most familiar with - that knowing and understanding posture from those who understand, but have no intention from the ridiculousness they see, but can’t quite let go of.

I’ve had a fry-up. Communicated with nearest and dearest by phone, text and email. I’ve been out on my bike (ear is healing nicely - see yesterday’s entry) and it was a joy to ride through a post-apocalyptic-like Exeter city centre (just a few muslims wandering around waiting for things to blow over). Dropped off my divorce petition to the deserted County Court building. Called in on a friend and gulped some lovely port. Dinner is in the oven, chocolates have been eaten and I’ve nearly finished Tom Hodgkinson’s puritan-bashing How to Be Free book, which informed me that Christmas was banned in 1647.

It’s not that I want to ban it. How can I put this?Maybe like this: so feneebled and shallow by conditioning is the modern mind, that generally speaking, it’s expected that you are either for something, or against it. I’m not against Christmas exactly; I’m just appalled by so much of what is required from people when it comes to ‘celebrating’ it. I love life. I love to eat, drink and be merry.

I hate being asked to fall into line with a festive methdology prescribed, promoted and sponsored by a conspiratorial machine that pretends to be into the spirit of it all whilst, bottom-line, sees me as a consumer whose mind needs numbing and pockets need emptying.

Peace and goodwill have prevailed. I’m pretty sure my loved-ones haven’t been too hurt by my seasonal withdrawl. Supermarkets have been punished. And I found a lovely shiny 50 pence piece on the road. I’m ‘up’ on the day in many ways and haven’t had a single moment of intuition-bashing compromise.

To some I said I was having a one-day retreat, to see if I could birth the Christ principle within myself. It seemed an appropriate and opportunistic thing to do.

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