Connection makes life feel rich
It’s easy to think that new phone / car / house will finally make us happy, and for a little while it probably will. Once I realised it was a short-term fix I got curious and embarked on my own PhD (passionate home discovery).
I offer these ideas based on what I’ve found helpful in my own life…
…unlike mindless consumption
“I decided to reclaim my mind and get it out of the hands of the cultural engineers who want to turn me into a half-baked moron consuming all this trash that's being manufactured out of the bones of a dying world. “
- Terence McKenna
“What keeps the so-called consumer society going is the fact that trying to find yourself through things doesn’t work”
- Eckhart Tolle
“If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don't.”
― Michael Pollan
Connect with food.
Nutrient-dense organically grown food is life-enhancing, that’s clear.
The way we eat also makes a big difference to how we digest and absorb nutrients.
If we take a moment and switch into “time to eat” mode (by giving full attention to our food as step 1) our brain turns on our digestive system and sends blood to that part of our body.
In his book “The Slow Down Diet”, Marc David shows this new/old way to understand our relationship to food, focusing on quality and the pleasure of eating to transform and improve metabolism. We cover this further in our cooking workshops.
Connecting with ourselves.
Meditation is my favourite single daily practice. It’s a chance to realise I’m not my busy thoughts and connect to a deeper part of myself.
I can do it anywhere, any time, without any gear - so it’s always available.
It’s also easy and enjoyable, and these podcasts helped me get that:
- Bob Roth speaking with Rich Roll about TM (Transcendental Meditation)
- meditation teacher Light Watkins with Rich Roll, dispelling meditation myths
My friends at Organic Mechanic have taught me so much about what it means to be part of a community, a tribe. Here’s their curated list of conscious community events.
Connect with people.
There’s an epidemic of loneliness in our “digitally-hyper-connected” societies.
“Loneliness isn’t the physical absence of other people — it’s the sense that you’re not sharing anything that matters with anyone else.
If you have lots of people around you—perhaps even a husband or wife, or a family, or a busy workplace—but you don’t share anything that matters with them, then you’ll still be lonely.” - Johann Hari, Lost Connections
We can also feel a little lonely once we start to question the cultural norms we’ve been brought up with. Spending time with like-minded people is incredibly helpful.
Being honest and vulnerable with myself and others has changed my life, it takes courage and I recommend it with all my heart.
Connect with plants.
We are part of nature.
When we eat, we’re literally choosing which parts of the world around us to allow inside and become part of us.
When we breathe, shower and go to the toilet the flow reverses and we become part of the world around us.
Thinking we’re separate doesn’t help anyone!
Some ways to remember:
- focus all your attention on a flower for 5 minutes
- forest bathing (visit Tree Mystic to learn more)
- work with plant medicine and let the wisdom of powerful plants guide you
trees
grasses
water
sun
stars
moon
clouds
rain
all are our friends
are us
nature embraces us and we embrace nature- from Ram Dass : Chapter I (2019) by East Forest, Ram Dass
- listen and buy track here on Bandcamp
Connect with soil.
Soil is the gut-lining and digestive system of our living planet.
Our own micro-biome plays a key role in our health and wellbeing (check out Dr Rhonda Patrick talking with Rich Roll to get a sense of this),
Similarly, healthy soil is much more than just dirt. It contains species of bacteria that can reduce depression in humans.
We’ve evolved in close contact with the earth and spending time with our hands in soil helps us remember we’re intimately connected to everything around us.
If you need hope for the future, soil has it in spades - learn about regenerative agriculture and help spread the word.
