Turning Inspiration into Action (with Julia Butterfly Hill and Daryl Hannah)
Do you ever get all fired up after listening to an inspirational TED talk or watching a documentary about this pivotal time we’re living in? Do you get passionate and inspired and feel the energy of change moving through you?
And then, in the face of your daily tasks, what happens to all that enthusiasm?
When I was at the Arise Festival this month, I had the opportunity to listen to two exceptionally dedicated environmental activists speak to the importance of turning our inspiration into action. Julia Butterfly Hill and Daryl Hannah shared their stories of how they came to be advocates for the Earth and what it takes to live as a stand for ecological sanity in these crazy times.Turning your inspiration into action can feel nearly impossible in this world of keeping up with the bills and just trying to get by. But in this time of unprecedented societal and environmental degradation it is exactly what is needed…from each and every one of us.
The Disease of Disconnection
In telling her story, Julia let us know that she doesn’t actually consider herself an activist…instead she sees herself as a holistic health practitioner. And this is because at the root of all the fracking and clear cutting, all the animal cruelty and social injustice, all the greed and manipulation of technology is the disease of disconnection that our society is built on. Our whole society relies on destroying what is important…destroying the very foundation of life.
She says, in order to create a world in which we can thrive we don’t need any more technology or innovation…we need more connection. We need to connect with what truly matters and dedicate ourselves to caring for it.
It’s this disconnection that allows our life support system to be traded for BiG gas and oil profits. While we go about our daily business, BiG gas and oil is working on expanding the tar sands to the size of Florida, pushing the XL pipeline through the center of this continent and opening up more fracking operations across the country (even on the San Andreas fault line in CA…crazy!!). These endeavors, combined with the endless list of others like them, have us perched on the brink of total systems collapse…lots of financial profit for BiG gas and oil = uninhabitable planet…that’s a major disconnect.
Needless to say, it’s time to take action! And here are some simple pieces of advice that Julia and Daryl shared from their own experience of stepping into action and taking up a role in turning this ship around…
Get over yourself, your fears and your addiction to comfort.
They reminded us that we’re all addicted to comfort and that most of us just want to go on with our simple little lives, without rocking the boat. But the problem is that the boat is going down. None of us have the luxury of playing it safe anymore or standing by while someone else does the work…we’re all needed.
In accounting her story of selling all of her possessions, leaving her corporate career behind and taking up residence on a 4×8 platform 18 stories up a redwood tree for over 2 years to protest the clear cutting of this ancient forest, Julia reminded us that the butterfly only becomes a butterfly through the process of liquification…leaving behind all comfort. She says “We have to let our hearts break open and give ourselves fully to this healing.”
Constantly align your lifestyle with your beliefs and values.
When Daryl was asked about her life as an earth advocate and activist she reflected that it’s a constant work in progress. She said that it requires her to continually refine and align her life choices in relation to her values.
This process can start anywhere. As someone who cares for the future of our world you can start right now by getting honest about which parts of your lifestyle are in alignment with your values and which ones you’re ready to bring into alignment.
Collaborate and connect with others who are doing the work.
Several times during the conversation, Julia reminded us all that the changes we need to see are going to come from collaboration. She encouraged us to get involved by connecting with others who are already doing the work to support them or collaborate with them.
They told a story of their recent action to protest the Keystone XL pipeline where Daryl positioned herself to get arrested with the 78 year old women who owned the land that TransCanada was trespassing on. Julia wasn’t in a position to get arrested at the time so they decided that Daryl would make the stand and Julia would do the ‘behind the scenes’ work to make sure the press was notified. It’s not all about these direct action protests and getting arrested but the point is that there are always multiple roles to be played and there’s always a way for you to offer your support.
Stay alert to what’s calling you and offer it with fierce love and dedication.
When Daryl was asked which issues she thought were the biggest priorities at this time she said… “it’s all one song,” meaning it’s all the same issue and that all the different facets are essential for us to face.
She said that we’ll all be called to serve different parts of this healing process and that all we have to do is follow that calling with fierce love and dedication. They reminded us to look for the clues and miracles in the mundane moments of our lives…to stay alert to what matters to us and to how we are called to serve it.
Taking Action
Hearing their stories and getting to feel their power and commitment to the healing of the Earth lit me up with inspiration. The abundance of uplifting music at the festival and the power of presentations like this had me flying high on the possibilities for the great transformation we are entering into…on the hope that we can restore what has been damaged.
Now…to make that inspiration really worth something I’ve gotta turn it into action.
Turning the inspiration into action in our every day life can be challenging. It means we have to confront the inertia of the status quo…the heavy pull of habits and distractions…of procrastination and limiting beliefs. To take empowered action in our lives we need a real boost of energy and a focused intent.
That’s why I’m gathering a group of passionate, inspired people like you together this fall. For 28 days, full moon to full moon, we’ll be focusing our intent together and generating the energetic boost we all need to overcome our blocks and barriers to taking action. (learn more at the link below)
Register before September 17, 2013 to take part in this powerful group experience
When I was at the Arise Festival this month, I had the opportunity to listen to two exceptionally dedicated environmental activists speak to the importance of turning our inspiration into action. Julia Butterfly Hill and Daryl Hannah shared their stories of how they came to be advocates for the Earth and what it takes to live as a stand for ecological sanity in these crazy times.Turning your inspiration into action can feel nearly impossible in this world of keeping up with the bills and just trying to get by. But in this time of unprecedented societal and environmental degradation it is exactly what is needed…from each and every one of us.
