Dear Friend and Reader,
Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla was a Roman Catholic priest who became an important figure in the Mexican Revolution against Spain. Many Mexicans refer to him as the “Father of the Country.” He has earned his place in history as a figure of independance against oppressors. Eric has written about Hidalgo’s delineation in this article.В Sedna, according to Melanie Reinhart, is an energy involved in the acceptance of trauma, and of growing depsite that. We wrote a piece discussing the delineation of Sedna on the anniversary of her discovery day.
I think that this opposition serves as an image of the role our government has played in separating us from the Earth and also of ourselves. You could almost say that the two go hand-in-hand. Personally, I believe there is a tremendous connection between the ways in which we treat the Earth and her creatures with how we treat our own bodies.
Think of it this way: if we are microcosms of the Universe, doesn’t the body mirror the Earth? And Hidalgo in this instance would serve as the spirit. He had a strong connection to the Amerindian people of his country, the people who successfully lived off the land for a very long time. He wrote discourses in Nahuatl, the Aztec language.
We are in a situation where the oceans, Sedna’s territory, are shrinking. Many animals who were once thought of as plentiful are threatened by extinction. We are given images of separation every day in the news: topics about fear and death are delivered to us by way of anecdotes of murder, rape and crime. It is hard for us to want to extend warm emotions to our neighbors. We all know that oil is bad, but our choices are slim as far as limiting our intake of this non-renewable resource.
I am one of those people that believes it is up to the government to make these choices easier for us. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that if everything suddenly went 100% green and everyone got a free bike and a clean sidewalk to ride it on all of our problems would be cleared up, but I am saying that our government encourages many harmful substances to take up space on the retail shelves.
A lot of food that is no good for us is cheaper than the food that can keep us alive and possibly even disease free. There comes a certain point where we realize our situation as a people is largely defined by how much we consume. I know for myself that I do a lot of other things besides shop and eat — but when I think of ways I come into direct contact with my government other than shopping and eating, I am at a loss.
What Hidalgo and Sedna present us with is an emphasis on the fact that we, as the people, have the power to change the course of history in our hands. If we can do that for ourselves, by understanding our existence is perched between some grueling double-standards, than we can do this for the Earth.
Reinhart writes: “Even in the face of unrelenting trauma and suffering, we can, indeed must, beat our drum and sing to life.” Sounds like the heartbeat of the revolution to me.
Long live the creatures of the Earth.
Moon enters Taurus 1:52 am EDT.
Merry Met,
Genevieve
Hey Patty, where are you at now? I’m still on sabbatical, (what is with me?) I think the full moon taught me how to be a Virgo.
You are so like my this life Patty. You should see her now, she is awesome. Must be a house thing, she was born the same day same hospital.
Hey Gardener, no need to apologize. We are all just blah blah blahging, right?
And I do believe team building can work with skilled facilitation. What happens when there is a crisis? Everyone comes forward and works to resolution. It’s simply a matter of broadening the power base to include everyone. And share the wealth. And commitment by all to the success of the project.
I know that team building classes do not make a team builder. No more than a college degree in any subject necessarily qualiflies the degree holder to do the job of the same name.
And while I have not been in the “job market” for a few years, I have never worked harder. My network is the team I play on. Engaging people is really key and finding the other players on the team.
There was a time in the late eighties to late nineties when I was in the “job market” and employed on projects where team really did work. But like I said it takes a skilled facilitator. We lost that business model. Legalized greed was a tough one for me and was reflected in my employers from late nineties and into 2000s, taking me to sabbatical. I will be returning to the “job market” on exploratory. Maybe I’ll do a Book of Poop or something. I don’t know.
It ain’t the first time I’ve been called naive. But hey, I believe. Yes we can!!!
And apparently the window company’s machinery was not owned but leased from GE and is being removed, as reported by the workers last night. That changes my whole tack on salvaging that company.
You are a resourceful person, not everyone is. I appreciate the abundance in your life.
Victoria, I apologize. You were trying to find helpful solutions. Trust me, I’ve been through the team building phase and have always found that SOMEONE has to be the top dog decision maker. It’s why communism didn’t work.
Victoria, You don’t think we know these things? You are talking to a small business owner who pays taxes out the wazoo and is covered by over 1 million in insurance liability for home made soap in case some asshole decides an allergic reaction is my fault. hey – freedom isn’t free by any stretch of the imagination.
There is no way that government can regulate every tomato we eat or jalapeno we import and many suggestions here are that government doesn’t do enough to protect us. It appears to me that half the country wants a free ride and that they lean more towards being like the governor of Illinois than like me.
At least I know to smell for a bad tomato and how to wash jalapenos prior to stuffing them in my mouth.
Team building exercises? Are you kidding?!? When’s the last time you actually worked for a living? You think I could get some of my relatives into a team building class so they could take over my soap business? Oh sure, then how would i help them with their house payments and grocery bills? I think that would be the last thing they’d want, would be for me to turn over my business where they would actually ahve to work, pay debts and taxes, and manage the money. It is really quite a lot easier to just whine and ask for help.
Hey Gardener, every time you step onto a piece of concrete, you are contacting the government who put that in place or allowed it to be put in place. Check permitting. Every stoplight, crosswalk, road, public park, library, school, etc. Even the home where you live is covered by zoning allowing you to be there.
Every social organization has governing laws spoken or not. Every culture has governing laws. There are always rules or guidelines.
I think the problem is when the elected officials values get too far away from reflecting the “people’s” values.
About the window company, I’m not sure whether those workers want their company or just the monies promised them.
Would it be possible for a person with a background in team building to go there and create an employee run company? Like do a business plan and submit it to B of A for financial backing. With continued media coverage, it could be a good exercise in rescuing manufactuing.
I’d have to say I’d prefer for government to stay 100 percent out of our lives and let us learn to live as individuals again. My mom just said today that during the depression, people figured that if you didn’t have sense enough to grow your own food it was your own fault for going hungry.
If you’ve been shopping for toys this year, you might have noticed there isn’t a lot to choose from. Last year the tomato industry nearly went under because a few people got sick. I really prefer it that we consumers dictate what companies will sell; not government. When we speak up, it is loud and clear. I am loving the takeover strike in Chicago at the Republic Window Company. It should be putting the banks on notice that we are a force to be reckoned with. The baby formula scare should have women everywhere reconsidering the importance of breast-feeding. I have some dog food recipes if anyone wants them.
We have turned the corner on energy, so to speak – and it was the greed of OPEC and Wall Street that did it. They pushed us over the edge and there is no turning back.
I’m trying to think of a good JLO quote here, but fuck them all to hell should cover it.
Guess I’m feeling very Hildalgoish today.