Climate: A New Story

10/10/2018In Global Warming: a New Story (Sept., 2018) Philosopher Charles Eisenstein introduces his title’s subject with a personal story so that readers may instantly connect to the book’s narrative point of view and to the author himself. The writer is fully engaged with his topic. Upon reflection, we all grieve over species and habitat loss, but with our profound awareness of Interbeing, of belonging to a network of all animate and inanimate beings that inhabit this planet, indeed, with our acknowledgement of the planet itself as a living being, he assures us that we can turn the sorrow into joy . . . and shows us how we might do that. In fact, the earth itself is a living, breathing organism that asks for our help, and he responds to her thus: “Land, what do you want from me!” To address its needs, we must embrace a core understanding that nature is alive and intelligent and then we must listen to the earth. We have become environmentalists through experiences of beauty and loss, and listening to an animated planet helps give us direction. We take heart in the fact that if we human beings are instrumental to this loss, that if we could feel this loss and know that others do as well, we would not be able to continue to participate in the destruction in good conscience. Us and them categories therefore are not helpful in a war of blame and reproach. Becoming aware of the way other beings communicate to us and willing to work with us, and animating our own will to participate in rebuilding, are more fruitful alternatives than remaining frozen in war.The book offers practical, well-informed approaches with references and examples, showing us how to begin, giving us hope to begin, so as not to be frozen in despair. Eisenstein offers hope that we can begin to see glimpses of a future world teeming with life and beauty, thus a “new story.” He suggests ways that we can participate in building this future as a “more beautiful world our hearts know is possible.” His method is organized and specific as it treats different problems that we face today in eco-systemic collapse. I see him as organizing his work intentionally so that readers receive a well-ordered, easily understood narrative; in fact, that narrator treats his reader with utmost courtesy, calling each “dear reader” and refusing the power-over tactic of intelligent knower/ignorant reader dualism. He often claims his own shortcomings.First, he asks the question: “What is it?” He defines global warming, what causes it, and how to avoid “climate fundamentalism.” “Be attentive”, he responds. He follows that question with “Is it so?” His approach is convincing as he shows flaws in positions and counter positions from scientific and non-scientific sources. He finds much to value, suggesting different approaches to our relationships with water and with soil, for example, while describing our present relationships with them that contribute toward the problem. Next, he asks “What is to be done?” Charles Eisenstein excels at answering this question, especially offering approaches to soil management and water health. He also suggests the following: since we all participate in Interbeing, our efforts to do good also contribute to the well-being of the planet. For example, we could participate in mentoring youth, in aiding refugees, in raising children who “carry a little less pain into adulthood than you did.” Finally, he asks, “Is it to be done?” Each page in the book answers that question with a reverberating “Yes!”I have told friends, family, and peers that this book is “scriptural”; it sounds prophetic and wise. He is a visionary grounded to the earth. His book is weighty, rich with purpose and love. Responding to its invitation to begin the struggle to build a more beautiful world sounds like a call to holiness. In fact, in the narrative’s last pages, the narrator points to God as the Listener who expects us to live up to our promises and to act with loving kindness as we participate in Interbeing. Can we respond to the call?Elizabeth Adams-Eilers, Ph.D., is a published writer and professor living in the “wilds” of New Jersey.

Read it. This book weaves together so many areas - the ecological situation, Western ideology, a critique of the blindspots of science, the shortcomings of activism when it embodies the beliefs of the institutions that are causing the problems, the value of honoring and trusting direct experience and authentic spirituality - and he lays them out in a way that is accessible, clear, and without overly. In terms of connecting and unifying the sacred side of our being with a view of how things really are in the conventional world today, I have never read anything so precise. I titled this review "prophetic" because it is so profound and so accurate that it will take time for it to sink into this culture. Rare is the thinker that has done enough personal work, reflection and study to take their "self" out of their work to this degree, so that he can find the kernels of truth in any practice or tradition he explores while finely discerning where the limits and blindspots are - all while seeing the future potentials.The view that he is offering is the antidote to the global political environment today - his view is one of complexity, humbleness, and a stance that is always wary of too neatly packaged reductionist certainties. The human world, the ecological world, and the interaction between them are infinitely complex. So much better to say we really don't know how we are going to heal ourselves and the planet, but that we sort of know what it might look like, and then we can have the courage to bring into question the tired, ineffective ways that we are currently mired in.He understands how humans function and what is important to bring back into our experience: our relationships and love of each other and the earth. This is what will heal and the direction in which our discourse must turn. We are all tired and exhausted of seeing yet another numerical report on how screwed everything is. That doesn't change anything. What does is a real, felt experience and relationship with our real lives. Then we care and discover new solutions that dominant institutions can't even imagine because their worldview is just too small. I can attest to this journey, having discovered a much larger world than any university would validate, working through my own inner wounding and becoming a somatic therapist myself. So much healing, possibility and innovation is already happening at the margins, but you will never see this on a news report or in an international treaty. The more beautiful world our hearts know is possible will not be legislated into being by war-minded politicians, it will come out of localized, direct projects and experiences fueled by genuine inspiration and love. There is literally nothing stopping this from happening but our limiting beliefs. This book is a beautiful discussion on what our current culture's limitations are and points us towards more life giving possibilities.Perhaps the most important take away for me is that this book helped connect me to my AUTHENTIC optimism that has been bludgeoned by the doom and gloom culture, even on the environmental activism side. When I check in with my real experience, I see things already radically shifting in my life and that of my friends, healing both inner wounds and the land. Change can happen so quickly and there is SO MUCH resiliency available in our bodies and in the earth. Just check out all the latest research in neurology and recovering from things like PTSD, along with everything in this book about ecological healing. Again: the only thing stopping us from tapping into it all is our beliefs. Charles helps us dismantle those.

No doomsday scenario in this book. We find in this book the way forward to allow us to thrive on this planet. This book explains how we must respect ourselves and our environment, how it is foolish to believe there is a way to keep life as it is and avoid environmental catastrophe. Change is coming, and this book will help us bring into the world the positive change that is awaiting but needs us to come to life.

It is not by chance that I have found Charles Eisenstein’s books and videos - they have found me and resonate deeply, satisfying a long held yearning for this information and teaching. Others will feel the same so please read, be inspired and share. 🥰

Charles Eisenstein so eloquently captures the essence of where we've gone wrong, and what to do about it. Climate change reflects our human tendency toward addiction, to racism... And provides the opportunity for us to finally embrace our interconnectedness (our "interbeing") which is where healing on many levels can occur.

This was a very emotional book, I enjoyed it’s ups and downs tho, it has a very powerful message and that is that we should really look at what can change and how technology can help us all. The mind set needs to change tho and this will be the hardest thing for humanity.

Once again Charles Eisenstein leaves us with a credible, visionary path forward. Not an easy path to be sure. Not a vain directive either. His work is centred in a deep love of life.