February Reflection

On Saturday night, February 21st, we met at Antoinette and Michael's for our February Reflection with Dr. Kurt Johnson. After a brief and productive Board meeting, we had our potluck dinner of varied and delicious food. Antoinette has a number of sale items she is showing for a friend, so we were directed to the basement to look them over. Jason took photos of the merchandise, and they were immediately uploaded into a digital photo frame so people could get a look at the merchandise from upstairs.

After dinner we gathered in the living room and began with a few moments of silence. Kurt had us start off with a go-around, and then we were invited to share a photo, object, or anything that inspires us. We went in random order with people speaking whenever they felt moved to do so.

Several people mentioned the 2008 election and President Obama as inspirational because of the hope for change he has brought to us. Others had more personal sources of inspiration. Jason shared the beautiful musical composition he found online at a dark time in his life, which he credits with pulling him out of a depression. Antoinette shared a piece of writing she has used with patients, showing that there is a silver lining to the problems we must contend with. Constance shared two poems about aging but remaining youthful.

Kurt spoke to us about the paradigm change we are all facing. As he pointed out, the phrase, "the pursuit of happiness" in the Declaration of Independence has been interpreted for many years as meaning individual happiness, the right to do what is best for the self and the self alone. Now, in this new economic and environmental climate, the "pursuit of happiness" is going to have to mean more than just individual pleasure, it is going to mean pursuing what is best for the all.

He also told us that there will be, of course, those who resist the paradigm shift. I hadn't ever thought about the upheaval that took place when we moved to electricity rather than gas lighting and heating. The gas industry tried to hold back the advance of electricity claiming no one wanted or needed it. Their motive was to protect their livelihood. By the same token, alternative energy is going to face the same challenges.

Kurt also told us that when electricity came on the scene it was possible to set up mechanisms that would simply draw electricity from the air just as we draw radio and television signals, without the need for wiring. This would have provided us with electricity for a fraction of the cost that our present system costs us. However, the corporations won on that one and use the method of delivering electricity to us that costs the most. I never even realized it was possible to derive electricity another way, but apparently some scientific laboratories secretly use this equipment so that in the event of a blackout their experiments won't be interrupted and destroyed.

Personally I think we need to make that information common knowledge.

In any case, with a paradigm shift in the way we live being forced on us by this crisis situation, knowing and holding onto the things or ideas that give us inspiration will be needed more than ever. We are entering a time of chaos, and Kurt pointed out that the Chinese word for chaos is very similar to the word for opportunity. He also reminded us that the word "emergency" is related to "emergent," so that the possibility of something new and better coming forth out of the crisis is very strong, and is reflected even in our language.

Many thanks to Kurt for leading another enlightening Reflection, and to Antoinette and Michael for hosting a great BHC evening.