I love to meet values-aligned people when I travel. The connection rejuvenates me. Here are two I met in Bali.
🔆 Sherry Grant and I met when we worked for animal protection about 20 years ago.
We spoke about mental wellbeing and burnout among animal advocates, and of course this extends to change-makers from other movements too. (My research report on this is here – https://lnkd.in/dVrk9Mjf.) She used an apt word – the problem has “tentacles”. Yes. And so the response needs to also have tentacles and layers.
She was a present, deep listener and masterfully shared stories that spoke to my life. We entered into a state of flow. And an idea popped into my heart like a flower blossoming out of our connection. And she spontaneously just offered support for it. When we are deeply present with someone with no agenda, beautiful, unexpected things can emerge.
🔆 James Speth, former dean of the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and former President of the World Resources Institute shared:
“I used to think the top global environmental problems were biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and climate
change. I thought that with 30 years of good science we could address
these problems. But I was wrong. The top environmental problems are
selfishness, greed and apathy, and to deal with these we need a spiritual and
cultural transformation, and we scientists don’t know how to do
that.”
Benjamin Casteillo, a global sustainability specialist, takes this exploration to new levels. He is a deeply thoughtful, fellow retreatant from a silent retreat
I attended in Bali before. We spoke on the connection between personal and global awakening, money and social justice and the deeper roots of the global meta-crises which he is a go-to person on.
He shares: “These are rooted in inherited false beliefs, limiting fears, and
collective intergenerational traumas that keep us in a self-perpetuating state
of fear, separation, and dissociation.” This photo is from a session in Singapore in which he invited us to visually map out roots of the global crises.
His powerful LinkedIn posts have enabled me to stay connected to his thought
leadership. Here’s one:
https://lnkd.in/duBgMHvr
I asked him what his call to action was and I loved his response – he said his
call was for embodiment, something I also believe in strongly.
I respect Benjamin and others who dive deeply to the roots of the problems we are facing and speak truth with courage.
🔆 When you travel, who could you connect with whose path, way of being or service inspires you?
🔆 How could you be more present in conversations to allow for emergence of unexpected gifts?
🔆 How could you dive deeper into the roots of problems? How could you access the courage and support to address them?