Frost again last night, but, it is beautiful, a marvelous Fall Morning. One of my relatives, and Facebook friends, spotted a Slate Colored Junco in the Twin City area. In my experience, these little feathered harbingers of the changing seasons, usually arrive about two weeks before the first snowfall. I sure hope that is not true this year. Maybe, seeing just one doesn't count; I usually see them in flocks along the roadway. I haven't seen one. I am looking forward to a long, easy, autumnal season.
When I was discussing our separation from Nature, in my last blog, I didn't mean to imply that it was the fault of technology. It played a part, but it is not technology itself, that is at fault. When Jamie and I pursued a different lifestyle; we chose to give up electricity, running water, modern plumbing, refrigeration and lighting. We had an outhouse, a hand pump on the well, we had a wood range for cooking, and a wood stove for heat. We had candles and kerosene lamps for light. We kept things cool with cold well water. We lived that way for seven years. We used a wood range, for cooking, for a few years after we got electricity, and heated exclusively with wood for over twenty years. We wanted to go back in time and discover what it was like in our grandparent's era.
We discovered that it didn't take a lot more work. We had plenty of leisure. In fact, we may have had more leisure. Do labor saving devices create more leisure? We didn't see it. For some people it must; yet our culture is packed with such devices now, I don't see people having more leisure. We, also, discovered there was nothing 'primitive' about our life. We had a very elegant life style. Jamie's life is her art and our lifestyle was art.
Living that way wasn't compatible with having young kids in school. We did not want them singled our as oddballs by their peers. Also, the lifestyle did not fit well with a regular job. So, we gradually re-entered the modern world when our kids started school. I worked for several years while still living without modern conveniences. It was okay, but it is much easier to jump in the shower in the Morning than washing in the sink or a tub. We had a water reservoir on our wood range, so we had continuous hot water.
There is no question for us, we developed a deeper appreciation of Nature. I, always, knew what phase the Moon was in. I knew exactly where the Sun and Moon came up and went, down depending on the season. When it was twenty below outside, and a howling wind, and we were warm and cozy [sometimes sweating] on the inside, and the difference was a few pieces of wood in our stove, that we may have cut ourselves; that was a marvel. Nature was always there. In the summer we did most of our cooking out side. We avoided getting the house heated when we didn't need it. We had a fire ring of large rocks not far from our kitchen door. It, also, provided many a recreational fire in the evening.
Our experience brought us closer to Nature. There is, no question, that periods of time, sans technology, are helpful. Certainly, that is one of the reasons camping is so popular. However, when we look at the broad spectrum of human kind, we note people living, in paradisaical areas, that are completely out of touch with their surroundings. We will run across, many rural people and farmers, that are more divorced from Nature, than a person in a city apartment, with only a houseplant and a window to look out.
When I first contemplated the consequence of an economic collapse, I felt our experience, living simply, may have value for folks. I don't think we are going to be thrown into a situation, so desperate, that we will lose our technology. In fact, I think, there are new technologies, some that have been suppressed, that are on the immediate horizon. The so-called 'free energy' will make its appearance soon. Using the energy that surrounds us, converted to electricity, would free us from exploitation, and the planet from a terrible scourge.
We need to be have, more wisdom, about our use of technology. We have gone headlong into our embrace of new things without understanding all the consequences. Are microwaves really safe? Are the constant emissions from our electronic devices really safe? It has been demonstrated, that the energy emitted by high tension wires, are harmful to cattle; how about the rest of us?
We will learn and address these concerns in time. Our, separation from Nature, is in our mind. We have much, residue of teaching, about the danger of Nature. We need to discover that Nature is benevolent and loving. Our separation from Nature, had a purpose, for those who wanted to influence us; they attempted to make God and Nature at odds. They created a struggle, in our minds, between the Natural World and God. Although, it seems like nonsense now, it has caused much, unconscious rejection, of what is Natural.
We are getting over it. As part of our awakening, we are seeing Source [God] and Nature as One. For, ALL IS ONE.
Technology will come, to be something that will free us to be closer to Nature, rather than insulate us from it.
Love and Peace, Gregg
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