The Path That Reconnectsby Trevelyan Houck This article draws on the teachings of Joanna Macy, Ph.D., a scholar of Buddhism and systems theory, and an environmental activist. Many of us are deeply aware of the suffering of other beings, the threats to the ecosystems of the Earth, and the ongoing deterioration and destruction. This awareness can be overwhelming at times and may lead to anger, rage, despair, depression, and hopelessness. Because the mainstream society is in major denial of the seriousness of the problem and may denigrate and pathologize our reactions, and because we do not want to burden others with our pain, we may feel very alone in our grief. But our pain for the world is evidence of our interconnectedness. It is because we are connected and because we choose to love and care that we feel the pain of loss and of others' suffering. When we allow ourselves to move all the way through this grief, we can experience that interconnectedness. More than just catharsis, in developing our capacity to suffer with our world (our compassion), we are drawn into wider dimensions of being. Our awareness of our interconnections in the web of life increases. We then experience wonder and joy as we more fully open our hearts and our senses to the world around us. This can become a doorway and motivate us to compassionate action. What I am referring to is a paradigm shift from the dominant Western world view of everything existing separately, to a systems view of the inter-relatedness of all things. The predominant view sees reality as composed of separate, discrete units -- whether atoms, chemical elements, rocks, cars, or people -- "things." The focus is on the nouns of our world. This fosters a materialistic, consumer set of values. It also engenders a perception of power as something one thing (individual, group, nation) wields over another; and that one can triumph over the other without losing something intrinsic to wholeness in the process. A very different paradigm or view of reality is present in the mystical traditions of the the great religions, indigenous cultures (especially Native Americans), systems theory, feminist thought, and ecology. In these views, the inter-relatedness of all things is predominant. Relationships between things are more "real" or more important than the individuals. Focus is on process, movement, change. Verbs are foremost. Energy flows through nouns -- or objects -- but the flow is what is most valued and what stands out in the foreground. For example, a flame appears to be a noun, but exists only by the release of stored energy in the proper conditions. A whirlpool exists only by the flow of water through it. As soon as this flow stops, the whirlpool no longer exists. The same is true of us. Without the flow of oxygen, water, and food, transformed through us into bodily processes, thoughts, actions -- we no longer exist. Where, then, are the true boundaries between things, between "I and Thou"? We can begin to see that we are deeply and completely interdependent with the plankton and forest that give us oxygen; the bodies of water that flow through our bodies; the plants and animals that we eat (and the workers who bring them to our plates); the help of friends who encourage us; the beauty and spirit which keep us going; the ancestors who survived to procreate and give us our genetic code; and the children of the future who will be the form the energy nest flows through. When we begin to practice seeing our inter-relatedness, not only does our definition of self begin to change, but it follows that our definition of power changes as we see that either we all "win" or we all lose in the big picture. We move towards power-with rather then power-over. This is reminiscent of the the Chinese character for power: moving toward a goal with heart. We may realize that as we let our defenses down, we are able to receive more new information and respond more quickly and appropriately to changing conditions. The ability to see and understand what is happening and work together effectively can spell success. When we understand the interconnectedness of all things on an intellectual level, we can formulate workable solutions to the problems we are facing on this planet. But when we understand interconnectedness on an experiential level, a kind of spiritual experience begins to motivate us to make changes in our behavior. Like becoming a mature and loving parent, our choices are based less on a small sense of self and more on a larger sphere of self interest. Eventually, this becomes a shift in identity from our skin-encapsulated ego to a self nested in a long evolutionary lineage through time and place; apart of all that is. As Albert Einstein said, "A human being is a part of the whole called by us 'universe,' a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty." We won't save the world out of a sense of duty or guilt. We won't save the world unless we fall in love with it. Similarly to having a seriously ill child, just because things are in trouble is no reason to withdraw your love. We don't have to insist on a happy ending before trusting the heart to love. Just as there has been much destruction already, we are likely to go through much loss and suffering in the future. Allowing ourselves to grieve (whether individually or in structured workshops) can help us to stay engaged without becoming bitter. In going to the bottom of despair and finding that place of emptiness, a turning point is reached. We can perceive that the love which underlies our pain can be the source of our power and energy for taking appropriate action. The illusion of things being normal closes the heart. Breaking open the fears also breaks open the heart of love. In that is the belonging, the love, the joy. That is our deepest longing- to come home, to belong to each other and the Earth. Our joy and grief are inseparable. As Barry Lopez expressed this sentiment, "the bereavement I feel at the diminishment of life around me is also a bereavement felt by the men and women and children I don't know, living in cities I've never visited. And the exhilaration I experience, seeing fresh cougar tracks in mud by a creek is an emotion known to any person in love who hears the one-who-is-loved speak." Trevelyan Houck is a local psychologist who offers experiential workshops based on the work of Joanna Macy.
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