Triad Leap 2/3 - Knowledge Gatherers Part I

Practices.

First comes observation, then doing.

Knowledge is linked to skillful means, how we do what we do. Learning to listen and acquire the tools of mind, heart, and hands. Practical knowledge about how to navigate a boat in a storm can save our lives, learning to bake a cake for a birthday party can make a child happy, where we have come from helps us to know where we are going, learning from our mistakes can help us to make better choices in the future.  

In community, knowledge is vital to understanding how to live in balance with the Earth, how to grow our own food, resolve conflicts, enjoy good health and have a meaningful livelihood. But knowledge alone is not enough. It needs to be accompanied by wisdom so that knowledge is used wisely, with conscious awareness. Climate change will require that we acquire new forms of knowledge for our very survival as a species. It will require that we learn to act with conscious solidarity. Herein lies the adventure.

Worldview

Environment

Worldview is how we see our world. We can call it spirituality. Some use the word religion. Others say it is environmental, about how we relate to each other and respect the natural world. We are all part of Planet Earth and the cosmos. Whatever our driving force, communities need a clear understanding of how we can focus on safeguarding our planet through our worldview. This will lead us to a sense of unity in our mission and vision and to the possibility of a deep transformation in consciousness.

Environment is how we work with our habitat and planet. Afforestation, permaculture, renewable energy systems, natural building, creating sanctuaries and wildlife preserves are just a few of the areas of research and action. Safeguarding our planet, protecting our land and seas and all our natural and indigenous species is the main priority. Each community may have a different way of manifesting this commitment.

Economics

Social Action

Economics is about how we sustain ourselves materially. Community values need to be based on less is more, need overrides greed, sharing is caring. We need to understand that beautiful useful things may enhance our lives, but meaningless objects create waste and confusion. Meaningful livelihood requires imagination and creativity and a commitment to sustainability plus, putting more into the environment than we take out of it because our planet needs deep healing. Communities can promote sharing our material wealth, energy, and technology for the greatest collective good by reducing our consumption and sharing what we have. Finding local solutions to planetary problems without damaging the environment and each other is our greatest challenge.

Social Action is about sharing culture and ideas, manifesting solidarity, standing up for nature and our fellow humans. It is about how we relate to our family, neighbors, friends, working partners, and our planet. It is based on finding ways to resolve problems and finding peaceful solutions to our conflicts so that we can truly celebrate our oneness. It is about honoring unity through diversity, recognizing the equality of all beings, and bridging past and future through deeper awareness. How we create a child-friendly planet where we are all learners is one of our goals. Then we can listen to nature’s call and learn from our successes and failures without reinventing the wheel.

PERMACULTURE PRINCIPLES

Permaculture is thousands of years old. The underlying principle is to disrupt nature as little as possible, to observe what is already present on site or in context, and to design by understanding the nature and topography of a place. 

BUSINESS ETHICS

Responsible business honors the Earth and our relationships with each other. It provides us with a sense of meaning far beyond personal gain. Responsible business is not about taking but about giving something of value back to the Earth and all its species. Responsible business transforms work into meaningful livelihood. It responds to the question: Do we live to work or do we just work to live? 

LEADERSHIP QUALITIES

Living in community

Good leadership builds empowerment and alignment for individuals within a community.

The following are qualities drawn from a Burning Man document on the values that help us to do our best work and be good leaders…

Living in conscious communities and sustainable settlements can spark deeper awareness. After all, we need each other to survive and to respond to the needs of our planet. We can slow down climate change by sharing our knowledge and resources and consuming less…