Blog Title Change

Hi all,

The decision was made recently by the collective project members to change the title to one that encompasses ALL areas of focus for this independent/co-dependent study. Again the range of topics/concepts addressed and shared are:

Locational analysis of where past civilizations/communities developed; including what led to both their population growth and decline, techniques/technologies enabling water supply and use, the 5 major factors that support and enable off-grid sustainable community living, resource conservation and allocation, bio remediation, how to create abundance with food and soil, vermiculture, permiculture, durable cooking techniques, how to work with farm animals, community organization and communication, education through psychology, human interaction with self and environment, group leadership skills, the understanding of child and adult consciousness, the impacts and abilities of thoughts on manifesting realities, the meaning of Being and co-creation, and why the concept of Love and Gratitude are so important.

This is obviously a very wide array of topics and quite frankly that's what we (or at least I) like about this collective effort. We are challenged to think outside the box and seek ALL the elements which gel to create the most idealistic yet realistic-topian- sustainable community and model society.

We encourage the blog readers to participate in any way possible in this open forum discussion, as we are aware that learning comes from all sides, not just in the traditional idea of a classroom or through student via teacher. We are all students as well as teachers and it is our right as well as duty to seek and share truth wherever and whenever possible.

Thank you to all of you who have been reading and/or leaving wonderfully insightful comments and teachings. We are humbled by your desire to help make this blog and world a better and more truthful place. Know that even if we do not reply to a specific comment, your sharing in itself is helpful, impactful, and important. The only way to truly spread change is by acting upon it, and the power of free speech and common curteousy are great ways to transform a culture.

So, the decided upon new title of "This is How we Live" is nothing more than our expression of wanting to change the way we live to ensure the most fit survival and thrival for humanity and community, while simultaneously realizing that we ARE in fact co-creaters in this learning process. Thus the title both implies a state of acceptance of our lives as they presently are, as well as what we could choose for them to look like in the very near future.

Thanks for your support,
Much Gratitude,
Niki

The Art of Photosynthesis

It seems to me lately that people are either naturally or unknowingly finding more ways to work together. The time factor is interesting. So many people that I speak with lately are describing the reasons why things just seem to be moving faster or feel accelerated in some way, and I couldn't agree more. It's almost like we are being pushed or pulled in some direction which allows for us to see the clearer picture. However this isn't the case for everybody. I feel that now more than ever those who have sought a lifestyle of independence and disconnection are now up against the concept of actually having to work with others- whether in the physical, emotional, or spiritual realm. I do feel some sense of resistance playing out for these individuals in the form of frustration, stubbornness, and fatigue. I see people beginning to question systems and ways of Being that have worked in the past but no longer serve the same relevant purpose or give the same desired effect. These ways of Being are subconsciously and consciously being questioned along the lines of reason. Within these soon-to-be-outdated ways of Being the dots are not quite connecting like they used to because the logic of those ways do not seem to override reason anymore, as perhaps they once had. And the reasoning for this reason translates to: Energy.

The sun, plants, and mobile co-creators of the Earth (other humans) are the three main sources in which people attain energy. The sun not only allows us to absorb nutrients through our surface bodies to enhance our "light bodies" (which refers to both our physically illuminated bodies and our energetic auric fields) but it also gives us a natural state of comfort and warmth. The plants of course provide oxygen and it is through the process of photosynthesis that this light energy (held in water) is absorbed and reacted with carbon dioxide to produce oxygen and food (in the form of sugar). So plants, with the help of the sun, directly feed and nourish our multi-layered bodies. Our final energy source, that is each other, is what feeds our soul bodies- that which contain our emotions and connection to a vaster consciousness. Human connection is our reminder that we exist and work with energy. The way in which we work with this connection energy (as we'll call it for now) is much like the way plants work with sunlight energy- through absorption and conversion into something else. The only difference is that we contain an operating system that allows us to work with free will. It could be argued that plants too have operating systems that allow them to choose whether or not to undergo a certain process or uptake a nutrient based on their physical condition, however they do not posses the organs of brain and heart which allow them to voluntarily create an emotional response like we do as human beings. Most plants and animals abide by the laws which cater to instinct and sensory responses, yet humans are gifted with the laws of reason. We have the abilities to decipher based on reason, what essentially makes us and thus others feel a certain way. Our free will directly controls and oversees how we absorb, convert, and eventually disperse our free will energy.

When we have the law of reason working on our side, we are able to clearly realize how abundant we are by nature in terms of all the various ways in which we get to create an experience. It is more beneficial and more energy conscious (in my experience) to create an experience which is based on making others feel good in some way. When I am being conscious and use my free will energy in this way I notice that the response among my co-creators is also one that is positive. For me (and as I am now seeing for many others) this positively conservative form of energy usage is one that relates back to simple reason.

How much more energy does it consciously take to ignore someone versus to smile when they pass by?
To think up a lie as opposed to being honest?
To me, the "greener" option directly supports: synthesizing positivity.

Question of the Day/Evening: What experience are You consciously creating for yourself right now?

For good reason,
Niki

Choosing to Be- Who me?

For the past four days I've been house sitting at my parents' house which is not in the town which I live in. Being here has given me time to truly isolate in a way that I hadn't done in a long time. Accept for the dogs, I haven't had more than 3 hours of human contact (which was a doctor's appointment) in the past 3 days. This might not seem like a long time, but for me it is. So- I've been talking to the dogs. I'm not used to this relationship where one talks and the other responds with an emotion, a sound, but no actual words. Hearing myself out loud reminds me of my own thoughts and reactions. It gives me a chance to observe myself completely without having the judgement of others, which often times skews our own perceptions of our true natures.

I think it's maybe a good thing that we sometimes talk out loud without having a response or an expectation of any response with maybe the exception of that which is just- our own Being. In the end really, does it matter what other people think? Not if it interferes with our Being. Our own Beings- or complete natural states where we experience logic, morality, love and peace- should show us what is true for us in nature. That is without comparing ourselves to others in a way that gets us away from our Being. Every 'human being' has their own way of Being which is unique to them and their personal state of fulfillment and peace. When human beings are at that state of peace and fulfillment they are able to access other natural states such as logic and love.

So what does it mean to Be something? Being something is a wonderful notion because it allows us to slip into a state which we choose {key word}. It could be one of service, gratitude, or cooperation, just as it could be one of disservice, resentment, or selfishness. These are all states, none good or bad, they are simply what we choose to choose. So the idea that someone would 'Be Love' just implies that they are "trying on" what they think 'Love' would feel like, or what 'Love' would do. Just like I call myself Niki (because that was the name given to me), 'Being Niki' is what I get to Be all day long as long as I'm sporting this title. People choosing to 'Be Love' is the exact same idea {only there is less emphasis on changing their material name to 'Love' as far as I know :-)}

Question of the Day: What are You grateful for?

I will refresh the question every time I post if you guys find this to Be interesting. Please play along :)

In service and at peace,

'Niki'

Another Perspective

In the United States and all around the world you can see evidence of previous cultures that we just don’t understand.  In the southwest US there are cliff dwellings that were abandoned all at once.  We know when it happened but we don’t know why.  Large monuments, like on Easter Island were deliberately crafted and strategically placed and we can’t know why.  There are arguments that say that civilizations collapse for many different reasons, but one option is common: human-induced exhaustion of the land.  Humans demand food and water.  They demand community and a comfortable living.  When their demands exceed the land’s ability to give they must move on and have in the past, as is evidenced by the many prehistoric monuments scattered across the globe. 

Current populations have defied this model.  Urban centers, which do not produce their own food or water but instead have it shipped from other locations, have disrupted this process.  As they continue to grow (and quickly, even China is reaching a point where there are more people in urban city centers than rural areas) and stress the land we must look to the future of these areas.  Since nothing we practice is sustainable and only the buildings we construct are permanent (to a point) we must look to the past to see our future.  Will we exhaust all our resources and need to desert our cities?  Where will all these people go? 

In my studies I will look at the past civilizations in 6 distinct areas, one per (occupied) continent.  In these areas, I will in turn study present human practices with regards to water conservation and agricultural procurement.  No area of the world is the same but I will try to cross reference different sustainable practices from different areas so that in the end you will find a guide for the future.  I want to answer the questions that we will need answered in the future if the urban centers do collapse.  How will we survive in hostile places? 

As I study international politics, environmental factors and languages at the University of Arizona I have a passion for learning about the entire globe, not just my own corner of the world.  I look forward to hearing your respectful opinions and adding information to this forum. 

Go far,

Tiernay