Comments on: Life at the End of Ego http://www.whatawaytogomovie.com/2007/06/04/life-at-the-end-of-ego/ A middle class white guy comes to grips with Peak Oil, Climate Change, Mass Extinction, Population Overshoot Sun, 14 Mar 2010 15:20:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.2 By: CK http://www.whatawaytogomovie.com/2007/06/04/life-at-the-end-of-ego/#comment-1458 CK Mon, 04 Jun 2007 16:23:47 +0000 http://www.whatawaytogomovie.com/2007/06/04/life-at-the-end-of-ego/#comment-1458 Sally, What a thought provoking piece. Thank you. I'm sure EVERYONE can relate to what you're saying. There's such a sickness of aloneless prevalent in western society now, even among the most successful of us. It would seem the dog-eat-dog world we live in values not a one of us, just our collective ability to generate revenue. I'm not necessarily passing the blame on to "the elites" who run the show, because no doubt they aren't happy or fulfilled either. How did we become so isolated and afraid and miserable as a species? It sure would seem that "progress" is at fault, because history has many examples of indigenous peoples who lived in harmony with one another and Mother Earth. How did we let our egos and our greed get the upper hand? Maybe I should just stop asking questions and start looking for answers. Community is sorely lacking in our world. It's time to get off our butts and do our best to begin a new paradigm, isn't it? Boy, now there's a tall order, but one worth reaping the harvest from. Thanks for opening your heart and mind. Cheers, Kit Sally,

What a thought provoking piece. Thank you. I’m sure EVERYONE can relate to what you’re saying. There’s such a sickness of aloneless prevalent in western society now, even among the most successful of us. It would seem the dog-eat-dog world we live in values not a one of us, just our collective ability to generate revenue. I’m not necessarily passing the blame on to “the elites” who run the show, because no doubt they aren’t happy or fulfilled either. How did we become so isolated and afraid and miserable as a species? It sure would seem that “progress” is at fault, because history has many examples of indigenous peoples who lived in harmony with one another and Mother Earth. How did we let our egos and our greed get the upper hand? Maybe I should just stop asking questions and start looking for answers. Community is sorely lacking in our world. It’s time to get off our butts and do our best to begin a new paradigm, isn’t it? Boy, now there’s a tall order, but one worth reaping the harvest from. Thanks for opening your heart and mind.

Cheers,

Kit

]]> By: wendi http://www.whatawaytogomovie.com/2007/06/04/life-at-the-end-of-ego/#comment-1490 wendi Tue, 05 Jun 2007 17:42:19 +0000 http://www.whatawaytogomovie.com/2007/06/04/life-at-the-end-of-ego/#comment-1490 Sally, A colleague committed suicide last evening. When I heard the news this morning I could only feel sorrow, and yet a great deal of empathy. But it wasn't until reading your blog that I experienced a true depth of sadness for her, the tears spilling uncontrollably, because your words so accurately describe the pained, lonely, and hopeless feelings she probably experienced prior to taking her life. Thank you for making me feel it and sit with it. - Wendi, committed to not walking away again Sally,

A colleague committed suicide last evening. When I heard the news this morning I could only feel sorrow, and yet a great deal of empathy. But it wasn’t until reading your blog that I experienced a true depth of sadness for her, the tears spilling uncontrollably, because your words so accurately describe the pained, lonely, and hopeless feelings she probably experienced prior to taking her life. Thank you for making me feel it and sit with it.
- Wendi, committed to not walking away again

]]> By: becky http://www.whatawaytogomovie.com/2007/06/04/life-at-the-end-of-ego/#comment-1492 becky Tue, 05 Jun 2007 18:13:10 +0000 http://www.whatawaytogomovie.com/2007/06/04/life-at-the-end-of-ego/#comment-1492 oh my sally, your words continue to bring me to my knees. i'm holding onto a few threads here but they are tattered and torn and i don't know where all of this is headed. i just know that you and tim and carolyn speak the absolute truth...my raft in this dying world even though no one shares this with me, no one in my life anyway. i've even written a letter of closure to my dearest friends. it was very painful but invigorating to write. i found the courage to attach it to one email to a friend i've known for over 30 years. interestingly and not surprisingly she couldn't open the attachment, a simple word document. she wouldn't have been able to hear me, anyway. my "community" of friends has vanished. they are still enjoying each others' company, out there, but have totally vanished from my life. this is sooo surreal! it's so hard to wrap my brain around the fact that most of humanity stands with "them". how very bizarre yet how very wonderful that i can tune in here and find some comfort in this online community. i sit here, with you, in this "circle". there is little left of me and all i have to bring are my battered heart, body, mind and spirit. something will break soon, either me or the plastic reality so many choose to live in. i'm hoping it's the latter as i've hungered to join others on this journey. it seems as though there is little time for the process and that weighs heavily on my heart as well. they are using all of their energy to hold together the illusion of their grandiose lives. i can see stuff happening in their lives, though...little cracks in the plastic veneer. i'm actually happy about that. i say bring it on! thank you, sally!!! i can't tell you how much you all mean to me!! how sad that i'm living on this beautiful off-the-grid property with one of "them" and she's selling this place i bought and built. i have no fight in me, anymore. she's on a roll (it's her finest hour...she's very into the SECRET) and i will have to wait until the dust settles before i know what direction i will need to go. i'm not sure there's a god or anyone who cares. i've never felt so alone. i feel strangely comforted by the fact there are all of you out there, going through much the same thing. thank you thank you thank you thank you... aloha, becky oh my sally, your words continue to bring me to my knees. i’m holding onto a few threads here but they are tattered and torn and i don’t know where all of this is headed. i just know that you and tim and carolyn speak the absolute truth…my raft in this dying world even though no one shares this with me, no one in my life anyway. i’ve even written a letter of closure to my dearest friends. it was very painful but invigorating to write. i found the courage to attach it to one email to a friend i’ve known for over 30 years. interestingly and not surprisingly she couldn’t open the attachment, a simple word document. she wouldn’t have been able to hear me, anyway. my “community” of friends has vanished. they are still enjoying each others’ company, out there, but have totally vanished from my life. this is sooo surreal! it’s so hard to wrap my brain around the fact that most of humanity stands with “them”. how very bizarre yet how very wonderful that i can tune in here and find some comfort in this online community. i sit here, with you, in this “circle”. there is little left of me and all i have to bring are my battered heart, body, mind and spirit. something will break soon, either me or the plastic reality so many choose to live in. i’m hoping it’s the latter as i’ve hungered to join others on this journey. it seems as though there is little time for the process and that weighs heavily on my heart as well. they are using all of their energy to hold together the illusion of their grandiose lives. i can see stuff happening in their lives, though…little cracks in the plastic veneer. i’m actually happy about that. i say bring it on!

thank you, sally!!! i can’t tell you how much you all mean to me!! how sad that i’m living on this beautiful off-the-grid property with one of “them” and she’s selling this place i bought and built. i have no fight in me, anymore. she’s on a roll (it’s her finest hour…she’s very into the SECRET) and i will have to wait until the dust settles before i know what direction i will need to go. i’m not sure there’s a god or anyone who cares. i’ve never felt so alone. i feel strangely comforted by the fact there are all of you out there, going through much the same thing.

thank you thank you thank you thank you…

aloha,
becky

]]> By: joe sigma http://www.whatawaytogomovie.com/2007/06/04/life-at-the-end-of-ego/#comment-1498 joe sigma Wed, 06 Jun 2007 08:15:09 +0000 http://www.whatawaytogomovie.com/2007/06/04/life-at-the-end-of-ego/#comment-1498 Here is another way to think about all this. Many, many people are already living in state of, or equal to, collapse. This is not directly related, but here is a very powerful article nonetheless. The conclusions at end are especially relevant for all of us. http://civillibertarian.blogspot.com/2007/06/this-is-not-life-i-ordered.html Here is another way to think about all this. Many, many people are already living in state of, or equal to, collapse. This is not directly related, but here is a very powerful article nonetheless. The conclusions at end are especially relevant for all of us.

http://civillibertarian.blogspot.com/2007/06/this-is-not-life-i-ordered.html

]]> By: Stan http://www.whatawaytogomovie.com/2007/06/04/life-at-the-end-of-ego/#comment-1499 Stan Wed, 06 Jun 2007 11:00:55 +0000 http://www.whatawaytogomovie.com/2007/06/04/life-at-the-end-of-ego/#comment-1499 The reason that you feel so alone and dislocated from those around you is that you have an awareness of the urgency of the times that we now live in. This is in stark contrast to the rest who, when the subjects that you speak of, that give you a feeling of release, make the rest feel uneasy, in need of a latte, a shopping expedition, a new SUV, etc etc. It is so obvious that you are bearing a burden of pain. The pain is the pain of knowing what needs to be done, to forewarn, to educate, to prepare others, to instil in them the reality of our present situation. This pain is intensified for you because, seemingly intelligent people do not wish to listen. Frustration intensifies the pain. Everything is so clear to you but the others are busy planning their next trip somewhere that uses more energy than it took to build the pyriamids. They come up with excuses like, "Well THEY will sort it out so we don't have to worry, THEY will find new technology so we can continue to have our big screen tv's and let our kids spend all day and night playing video games that give points for kills. Then theres the ones who buy into the "You can take charge of your own destiny by believing in yourself routine" as Becky mentions. Children are murdered daily in the name of "Spreading Freedom and Democracy". The news media tells us subliminally that they are all guilty because they are trying to prevent us from having all the luxuries that we deserve. Sally! It is a very sick world and please do not despair too much. You are trying your best against huge odds to inform and educate others. Sally, you are a light of hope in a darkening world. Sally, everything you say shows that you are a unique person who is a balance of Mind, Body and Soul. The world is full of people who have 2 of the 3 ingredients, very few have the 3rd which is the soul. I am not religious in the traditional sense, but I have seen evidence of spirituality and the part it plays in making a few very special people shine. Sally, the pain you feel over the many wrongs that have been done and those wrongs still being done and those wrongs still to occur, show that you are a very spirutual person. Please accept every word that I have written as the highest compliment that I can bestow upon any person. You have all the qualities that any person should aspire to. Becky you are also a person of the highest quality. Please do not despair but rather be upbuilt and reaffirmed in yourselves and realise that if the world were filled with people of your obvious quality, then the world would not be in the state that it finds itself in. The future needs you. The reason that you feel so alone and dislocated from those around you is that you have an awareness of the urgency of the times that we now live in. This is in stark contrast to the rest who, when the subjects that you speak of, that give you a feeling of release, make the rest feel uneasy, in need of a latte, a shopping expedition, a new SUV, etc etc. It is so obvious that you are bearing a burden of pain. The pain is the pain of knowing what needs to be done, to forewarn, to educate, to prepare others, to instil in them the reality of our present situation. This pain is intensified for you because, seemingly intelligent people do not wish to listen. Frustration intensifies the pain. Everything is so clear to you but the others are busy planning their next trip somewhere that uses more energy than it took to build the pyriamids. They come up with excuses like, “Well THEY will sort it out so we don’t have to worry, THEY will find new technology so we can continue to have our big screen tv’s and let our kids spend all day and night playing video games that give points for kills. Then theres the ones who buy into the “You can take charge of your own destiny by believing in yourself routine” as Becky mentions. Children are murdered daily in the name of “Spreading Freedom and Democracy”. The news media tells us subliminally that they are all guilty because they are trying to prevent us from having all the luxuries that we deserve. Sally! It is a very sick world and please do not despair too much. You are trying your best against huge odds to inform and educate others. Sally, you are a light of hope in a darkening world. Sally, everything you say shows that you are a unique person who is a balance of Mind, Body and Soul. The world is full of people who have 2 of the 3 ingredients, very few have the 3rd which is the soul. I am not religious in the traditional sense, but I have seen evidence of spirituality and the part it plays in making a few very special people shine. Sally, the pain you feel over the many wrongs that have been done and those wrongs still being done and those wrongs still to occur, show that you are a very spirutual person. Please accept every word that I have written as the highest compliment that I can bestow upon any person. You have all the qualities that any person should aspire to. Becky you are also a person of the highest quality. Please do not despair but rather be upbuilt and reaffirmed in yourselves and realise that if the world were filled with people of your obvious quality, then the world would not be in the state that it finds itself in. The future needs you.

]]> By: Suzanne Duarte http://www.whatawaytogomovie.com/2007/06/04/life-at-the-end-of-ego/#comment-1527 Suzanne Duarte Sun, 10 Jun 2007 00:26:55 +0000 http://www.whatawaytogomovie.com/2007/06/04/life-at-the-end-of-ego/#comment-1527 Dear Sally and Tim, I heard about your film some time ago and am eagerly awaiting it, but I only found my way to your blogs today. I was led by postings on Carolyn Baker's blog, and I'm delighted to have found you. I resonate with all you say. I'm one of those people who spends a lot of time (too much!) tracking the converging catastrophes. I've been watching them come for 20 years, wondering 'What's it going to take to wake people up???' I teach deep ecology in a master's program for ecopsychologists. What you write about, and I assume your film is about, is what I call deep ecology/ecopsychology. In my 15 week online course, I lead people to an awareness of the multiple looming crises on our planet, the role of our inherited worldview and the consumer culture, the need for a deep paradigm change, and the urgent need to relocalize in a bioregional/voluntary simplicity way. We somehow manage to have council process in the online format, but it helps that the ecopsych students have met each other and bonded already, and after my course they do a vision fast, which helps them integrate what they've been learning and opening up to. Do you know about Joanna Macy's book Coming Back to Life? It contains many group processes for dealing with the feelings attendant to waking up to the realities of our time, which Joanna calls 'The Great Turning.' David Korten borrowed the term from Joanna. Anyway, deep ecology is both an environmental philosophy and movement, and it has been building up a body of practices for the last 20+ years to help people FEEL their loving bond with the Earth and our nonhuman kin, so that we can move through despair to empowerment. Sally and Tim, you may know about this movement, but I thought your readers might benefit from knowing about it. (Google Deep Ecology!) I'm also a student of Chögyam Trungpa and studied with him for 15 years before he died in 1987, so I'm delighted to see you quote him. He gave me the courage to commit myself to the benefit of future generations and to stay true to myself. I've submitted a proposal to start a blog on a site dedicated to him, which I'd like to call Dharmagaians. It would be for those who have allegiance to both the dharma (truth) and the Earth. It would be my attempt to get Buddhists to start preparing for collapse so that the dharma can survive for future generations in sustainable communities. What I have to say is such strong medicine that I don't know whether it will be accepted within my sangha. So I know your fears! If the blog is accepted and happens, I will definitely link to your site and articles. Sally and Tim, thank you for your work! And to all your readers and supporters: there are more of us than you can possibly imagine. Thank you for letting Sally and Tim's message into your hearts and having the courage to face the truth of our time. You're not alone: the Earth and all her creatures are with us. With love, Suzanne Dear Sally and Tim,

I heard about your film some time ago and am eagerly awaiting it, but I only found my way to your blogs today. I was led by postings on Carolyn Baker’s blog, and I’m delighted to have found you. I resonate with all you say. I’m one of those people who spends a lot of time (too much!) tracking the converging catastrophes. I’ve been watching them come for 20 years, wondering ‘What’s it going to take to wake people up???’

I teach deep ecology in a master’s program for ecopsychologists. What you write about, and I assume your film is about, is what I call deep ecology/ecopsychology. In my 15 week online course, I lead people to an awareness of the multiple looming crises on our planet, the role of our inherited worldview and the consumer culture, the need for a deep paradigm change, and the urgent need to relocalize in a bioregional/voluntary simplicity way. We somehow manage to have council process in the online format, but it helps that the ecopsych students have met each other and bonded already, and after my course they do a vision fast, which helps them integrate what they’ve been learning and opening up to.

Do you know about Joanna Macy’s book Coming Back to Life? It contains many group processes for dealing with the feelings attendant to waking up to the realities of our time, which Joanna calls ‘The Great Turning.’ David Korten borrowed the term from Joanna. Anyway, deep ecology is both an environmental philosophy and movement, and it has been building up a body of practices for the last 20+ years to help people FEEL their loving bond with the Earth and our nonhuman kin, so that we can move through despair to empowerment. Sally and Tim, you may know about this movement, but I thought your readers might benefit from knowing about it. (Google Deep Ecology!)

I’m also a student of Chögyam Trungpa and studied with him for 15 years before he died in 1987, so I’m delighted to see you quote him. He gave me the courage to commit myself to the benefit of future generations and to stay true to myself. I’ve submitted a proposal to start a blog on a site dedicated to him, which I’d like to call Dharmagaians. It would be for those who have allegiance to both the dharma (truth) and the Earth. It would be my attempt to get Buddhists to start preparing for collapse so that the dharma can survive for future generations in sustainable communities. What I have to say is such strong medicine that I don’t know whether it will be accepted within my sangha. So I know your fears! If the blog is accepted and happens, I will definitely link to your site and articles.

Sally and Tim, thank you for your work! And to all your readers and supporters: there are more of us than you can possibly imagine. Thank you for letting Sally and Tim’s message into your hearts and having the courage to face the truth of our time. You’re not alone: the Earth and all her creatures are with us.

With love,

Suzanne

]]> By: becky http://www.whatawaytogomovie.com/2007/06/04/life-at-the-end-of-ego/#comment-1547 becky Sun, 10 Jun 2007 19:03:45 +0000 http://www.whatawaytogomovie.com/2007/06/04/life-at-the-end-of-ego/#comment-1547 aloha suzanne, i just wanted to say that your Dharmagaian idea is a fabulous one!! keep us posted on your progress. love to us all!! becky aloha suzanne,

i just wanted to say that your Dharmagaian idea is a fabulous one!! keep us posted on your progress.

love to us all!!
becky

]]> By: becky http://www.whatawaytogomovie.com/2007/06/04/life-at-the-end-of-ego/#comment-1551 becky Mon, 11 Jun 2007 18:03:42 +0000 http://www.whatawaytogomovie.com/2007/06/04/life-at-the-end-of-ego/#comment-1551 "I guess, Beck, to me it all boils down to we have a choice. We can see the glass as half full or half empty. I'm trying to look at it as half full. I think you're seeing it as half empty. And maybe that is due to your experience, with this process especially. I certainly have come from a half empty perspective. I'm trying to make the change. Maybe you are more in touch with reality, the reality of what is to come. I don't know. Maybe I have my head in the sand. At least, I don't smell the smog. Hehe. Maybe I won't be able to breathe much longer. Who knows? Anyway, I try to respect your point of view. I do respect your point of view. I don't agree, however. I think we each have to do what we think is right for us and the world. I think both you and I want the world to be better, are willing to do whatever it takes to make it better. I'm just aligning with a different faction than you are. Yours is the Internet news, if I can put it so simply, I think. Mine is Unity, a fellowship of prosperity and abundance, spiritually and otherwise, I guess I would say. That's the way I'm seeing it. Maybe we have different purposes and can help each other and the world." a friend of over 30 years has just responded to one of my emails with the above. i wrote her back and said half-full and half-empty are just cliches that people throw around, words that don't change a thing. i told her there are very bad people out there making choices for us. she's just not letting it in. i told her my priority is truth. i know she doesn't understand. i'm feeling very down today. i wake up exhausted and barely get through each day. when i feel like this, i begin to think it would be easier to simply end it all...right now. then i begin to think about the people that would need to be informed, mostly the people i work for. i hate leaving anyone in the lurch. that's just who i am. i just keep saying, how incredibly surreal this all is...to myself, of course. no one else understands, no one in my life anyway. i know you understand. that's why i'm here, for the connection...my raft in this turbulent world. thankyouthankyouthankyou... aloha, becky “I guess, Beck, to me it all boils down to we have a choice. We can see the glass as half full or half empty. I’m trying to look at it as half full. I think you’re seeing it as half empty. And maybe that is due to your experience, with this process especially. I certainly have come from a half empty perspective. I’m trying to make the change. Maybe you are more in touch with reality, the reality of what is to come. I don’t know. Maybe I have my head in the sand. At least, I don’t smell the smog. Hehe. Maybe I won’t be able to breathe much longer. Who knows? Anyway, I try to respect your point of view. I do respect your point of view. I don’t agree, however. I think we each have to do what we think is right for us and the world. I think both you and I want the world to be better, are willing to do whatever it takes to make it better. I’m just aligning with a different faction than you are. Yours is the Internet news, if I can put it so simply, I think. Mine is Unity, a fellowship of prosperity and abundance, spiritually and otherwise, I guess I would say. That’s the way I’m seeing it. Maybe we have different purposes and can help each other and the world.”

a friend of over 30 years has just responded to one of my emails with the above. i wrote her back and said half-full and half-empty are just cliches that people throw around, words that don’t change a thing. i told her there are very bad people out there making choices for us. she’s just not letting it in. i told her my priority is truth. i know she doesn’t understand.

i’m feeling very down today. i wake up exhausted and barely get through each day. when i feel like this, i begin to think it would be easier to simply end it all…right now. then i begin to think about the people that would need to be informed, mostly the people i work for. i hate leaving anyone in the lurch. that’s just who i am.

i just keep saying, how incredibly surreal this all is…to myself, of course. no one else understands, no one in my life anyway. i know you understand. that’s why i’m here, for the connection…my raft in this turbulent world.

thankyouthankyouthankyou…

aloha,
becky

]]> By: George http://www.whatawaytogomovie.com/2007/06/04/life-at-the-end-of-ego/#comment-1605 George Thu, 14 Jun 2007 07:25:37 +0000 http://www.whatawaytogomovie.com/2007/06/04/life-at-the-end-of-ego/#comment-1605 Hey, thanks... as a friend who pointed me here (John - http://aucklandsburning.blogspot.com) said, just knowing that there are others who feel the same way makes me feel a little more sane! Hey, thanks… as a friend who pointed me here (John - http://aucklandsburning.blogspot.com) said, just knowing that there are others who feel the same way makes me feel a little more sane!

]]> By: Suzanne Duarte http://www.whatawaytogomovie.com/2007/06/04/life-at-the-end-of-ego/#comment-1631 Suzanne Duarte Fri, 15 Jun 2007 12:21:29 +0000 http://www.whatawaytogomovie.com/2007/06/04/life-at-the-end-of-ego/#comment-1631 To Becky, Thank you for your positive response to my Dharmagaians blog idea! I do appreciate it since I don't have much faith that it will be accepted - by those folks, anyway. Becky, I know the feeling of wanting to give up, to "end it all." When we face the converging catastrophes and envision the probable future that we don't want to live in, it's easy to start looking for a quick and painless way out. And then we realize there isn't any. Suicide? Nah. It ain't that easy or painless. As Zapata said in Mexico, "I'd rather die on my feet than live on my knees." To me, experiencing despair and depression is like living on my knees. It's not for nothing that one of the methods of torture is to make prisoners stand on their knees on hard concrete or rough gravel for many long hours. We do that to ourselves until we're so mad that we find the courage to get up and do something different - like take a risk to change our lives and get active! It's difficult when we feel alone, isolated, or excluded because we see the surreality and absurdity of our world. But there are always sources of support available, Becky -- there are connections to be found and strengthened -- in Nature, other creatures, and even among humans. Do you live in Hawaii? Seek solace in the wild world that remains there. I'll bet you can find human allies among the native Hawaiians. Or among anarchists and neoluddites. Expand your circle of connections, find your allies. We all need them. Aloha, Suzanne To Becky,

Thank you for your positive response to my Dharmagaians blog idea! I do appreciate it since I don’t have much faith that it will be accepted - by those folks, anyway.

Becky, I know the feeling of wanting to give up, to “end it all.” When we face the converging catastrophes and envision the probable future that we don’t want to live in, it’s easy to start looking for a quick and painless way out. And then we realize there isn’t any. Suicide? Nah. It ain’t that easy or painless.

As Zapata said in Mexico, “I’d rather die on my feet than live on my knees.”

To me, experiencing despair and depression is like living on my knees. It’s not for nothing that one of the methods of torture is to make prisoners stand on their knees on hard concrete or rough gravel for many long hours. We do that to ourselves until we’re so mad that we find the courage to get up and do something different - like take a risk to change our lives and get active!

It’s difficult when we feel alone, isolated, or excluded because we see the surreality and absurdity of our world. But there are always sources of support available, Becky — there are connections to be found and strengthened — in Nature, other creatures, and even among humans. Do you live in Hawaii? Seek solace in the wild world that remains there. I’ll bet you can find human allies among the native Hawaiians. Or among anarchists and neoluddites. Expand your circle of connections, find your allies. We all need them.

Aloha,

Suzanne

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