October 1, 2020: Full Moon
In a circle, there is no beginning and no end. There is no singular right point of being, becoming, or perceiving. There is no particular perspective on life that’s right or wrong; just resonant or untuned notes, vibrating to nature’s rhythmic song. In a circle, there are no jagged edges, sharp lines, defined endpoints, finite polygons, or angular shapes. There is just endless, free movement and infinite points on a continuum of free space to creatively express one’s unique self with limitless, wiggly and wavy, good ol’ organic grace.
As code-name Dong, a native Hawaiian from Kauai in our village, explained to me — when Indigenous Peoples come together in community; they come together in open circles, intentionally. Gathering communities in inclusive, sacred (whole) circles creates the perfect balance of individual expression and communal participation. When all are free to share a new idea, reflect on an old thought, or inspire another member of the tribe to expand his-her creativity or innovative ability; then our unique innate expression is encouraged; our diversity of opinion, welcomed; and our free-flowing, boundless, uncontrolled, naturally evolving culture; celebrated and sustained.
It should come as no surprise that this paradigm of culture and community proves most adaptive to environmental change and resilient to unpredictable catastrophic events— like our Western wildfires, Eastern hurricanes, and ubiquitous CV19 pandemic. Coupled with a circular economy and a shared stewardship ethic to protect and to promote all life; the circular community becomes the secret sauce to ensuring that humanity truly now rebuilds a thriving new ecological civilization.
Further, sacred (whole) communal circles enable children to freely weave in and out of the conversation. Circles invite the young, adult, and elders to join in from anywhere in life, to bring any perspective or opinion to the collective whole, and to join in any hole that feels right to expand the conversation well into the night. And it should be no surprise that circles are naturally intelligent. If you look closely at nature with a circular lens; you will discover that her form and figure is curvy, and naturally bends…and actually never ends.
You see; you and me are the same as the beetle, the woodpecker, the wolf, and the redwood tree. What is considered waste for one, is essential nourishment and wealth for another. In this circular dance of life where we exchange air, water, food, life force every breath we take-every move we make; nature’s watching us…closely. When we are generous; when we reciprocate; and when we view our existence beyond little ME; then we truly see and we will effortlessly promote the health of the infinite WE.
IF we dare to take time and stare long at the cycles that allow our own being to exist and to persist— our eating and excreting; our working, moving, living, breathing, and being; we may begin to see that the lines of life’s individual forms are blurred. You become me; and I become you… and that is why when others repeat the honest words of Nelson Mandela – “when you are not well; I am not well” —this is no lie. If we allow 1 million more species to go extinct and over 50% of our wild nature to be over-exploited, under-nature nourished by human hands, serving only our human needs; then we will also die.
Finally, if you consider this fake news, flawed logic, pseudo-science, or hyper-allergic climate-nature activism; please consider what our world may look like if we choose not to expand our circular thinking… might we let this once in a species’ lifetime opportunity to consciously evolve, pass us by?
Dr. Catherine Cunningham, PhD, Natural Intelligence Media is committed to awakening Natural Intelligence in the World. She produces multimedia content — books, films, interactive media, and podcasts with her creative companions that aim to inspire everyone, everywhere to live a happy, healthy, naturally intelligent life.
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