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Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the Earth!
Matthew 5:5
I wrote an article several months back on the plight of bees but did not publish it. I understand bees as being foundational to the ecosystems of which we are apart. Their possible extinction could have huge consequences for all of life on Earth. They are crucial pollinators of the plants we and other animals eat. As such, I consider the loss of a relatively small creature--one that some people consider a pest--as being extremely important. Their extinction could result in the extinction of many other species of plants and animals, including humans. For me, the bees exhibit a bottom-up importance in terms of their multiple functions in Nature.
On 10/23/13, my wife and I were graced with an interview of Rob
Kall for our on-line radio show, Envision This. This caused me to
rethink the contents of this article in relation to Rob's "bottom
up" philosophy.
Rob's "bottom up" philosophy is much more important to our world
than just a way to approach politics. Ultimately, it is Nature's
way. Rob's way is Nature's way! Think of all the microbiotic
creatures inhabiting your body that can bring you health or
sickness and perhaps even death. A huge percentage of the life
within you is not "your own," but rather the life of billions of
critters for which you are their universe, their eco-system. Think
also of all the minute entities that maintain your life, such as
those blood cells that recognize and attack foreign entitities that
could make you sick. Meanwhile, your ego is left out in the cold on
this, for the deeper layers of consciounsess in your body says that
you (i.e., your ego or surface layer of consciousness) don't need
to worry your pretty little head over it. If things get worse, then
they will give you the message through sickness (pain, fever,
swelling, and inflamation) that action is needed on your ego's end
(e.g., medicine, rest, healthier food, or a change of
environment).
"And the meek shall inherit the Earth," Jesus said. Could this be
true of the microscopic creatures roaming about the planet and
inside your body as well as the 99% of us currently succumbing to
the rule of the 1%? Who is truly the foundations of life? Was Jesus
thinking of non-human beings when he spoke of the meek? I think so.
I also think he spoke to those of us comprising the 95 to 99% of
the human race who are oppressed. The message of Christ is closer
to the 'bottom up' philosophy of Rob Kall than to the Bible
thumping preachers standing on a pedestal telling everyone to
follow their interpretation of things. My guess is that to those
people Rob would say "follow your heart," in true Joseph Campbell
fashion. This illustrates another one of Rob's passions, the Hero's
Journey.
Who is the hero? You, me and those microscopic meek beings that
make this planet work. Recent die-offs of whole hives of bees have
alerted us to the understanding that they are heroes (well,
actually heroines, for all the ones flying around are female.)
The microscopic creatures that float through our bodies, alongside
those flying, crawling and swimming upon the Earth, are the
foundations of life. On a deeper microscopic level, if our cells
begin to divide and multiply at more than the normal rate, those
cells become labeled by human beings as cancerous. Cancer is a body
committing suicide. Cancer exists when healthy cells, that once
grew within their limits, suddenly grow without boundaries. (Their
creed is "get bigger and get better." Sound familiar?) Cancer thus
destroys by eating away the body of which it is a part, profoundly
unresponsive to the suffering it causes until it, too, dies with
the person.
Could it be that, in our corporate drive for unlimited growth, we
have become a cancer that may soon destroy the planet? If we are
cells within her, could we be the voice of sanity to the insanity
of the corporate 1 to 5% rulers of the planet? Can you hear a
portion of the 99 to 95% saying, "WHOA! Wait a minute. If this
planet dies WE die?" This is the sound of a cancer cell waking up
while deciding its time to become healthy! It's time to repent
(literally turn around), reform, and respect the whole of which we
are a part.
All of life is dependent upon the smallest of creatures. We rely on
the tiniest of particles, from the microscopic cellular beings
inherent in dirt to the bees and bugs surviving on the flowers in
our gardens.
Yet, we do not realize this in our mainstream, consummeristic
society. Thus we have allowed the cancerous "growth gone wild"
mentality of the corporations to devour this Earth and lay her to
waste. What's worse is that in our admiration of these people we
play the game right along with them. Rape is not just some power
hungry man accosting a woman in a darkened corner on Main Street.
It is the way of our age. We rape everything from human beings, to
children's minds to the planet herself.
It's all about disempowerment of the many for the sake of the
few.
This mentality exists because we have what Daniel Quinn calls the
"Taker Society" mentality which he contrasts to the "Leaver"
society. Quinn is a man Rob admires for obvious reasons. We love
what mirrors who we are, and Leavers are--ultimately, those who are
less heirachal in their dealings with life. Indeed, the Leavers
among us are more likely to see the animals, plants and microscopic
beings as being integrated cells in the planet's body. Thus, they
take the "bottom up" perspective.
In contrast to the Leaver's, the Takers force themselves upon
everything in their path. Without remorse, Takers devour and
consume everything until all that is left is a lifeless bag of
decaying cells. Gaze around you at the blinding array of stores,
parking lots, highways and houses. Do you truly see a living,
thriving world, or a wasteland created by the "Takers"?
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