Heroes Not Zombies

Do we live in a world of discrete and separate objects or a world which is a community of interdependent, interconnected subjects?

Do we live in a world of fixed things or constantly changing phenomena emerging from invisible flows?

I’m strongly of the latter part of each of those statements. That’s partly why I have the phrase “becoming not being” at the top of my blog. That’s partly what informs my motto of “and not or”.

I’ve come to see the world this way from my experience with patients. For the whole of my working life my primary activity was one to one consultations where I found every single person was unique and that the person before me today could only be understood within the context of their personal web of relationships, as a developing human being with an individual story. Everyone I met could best be understood in the context of their physical, social and cultural environments.

Over time this understanding has expanded out to include the whole planet. The concept of the Earth as a whole living organism described in the Gaia hypothesis made a big impact on me. Since then I’ve come to see all of reality this way. So when I see a scene like this one above I don’t see separate objects or resources to be exploited. I see and experience a unique, beautiful, amazing place.

First peoples have myths and rituals which keep them in touch with the reality of the world as a community of ever changing subjects. We can enhance our own lives by learning from their example.