Friday, September 25, 2015

7:00 pm to 8:30pm

Ryan Nicodemos and Josh Millburn

Living a Meaningful Life with Less

This was the Friday evening Keynote presentation for the conference.  Both Ryan and Josh had high-powered careers earning high salaries and lifestyles.  Sensing a profound emptiness with their lifestyle, they became “minimalists” downsizing their possessions to the bare necessities.  Their presentation involved what these experiences meant to their newly created lives.  They write a regular blog at their website, The Minimalists. 

According to their research:

The average house has 300,000 pieces of stuff

Just referring to the USA, based upon consumption habits, it needs 4 earths

The USA consumes 13 times what Brazil needs

The USA Consumes what 35 India’s consume

The USA Consumes what 53 Chinese consume

The problem is not consumption but Compulsory Consumption.  People may have a “Just In Case” mentality whereby keeping something or purchasing something is done.  Better to have it and not need it than to not have it.  This leads to hoarding.

Perhaps keeping stuff may contain memories for individuals.  Memories are IN US and not in our things.  For those that give us a sentimental value, keep less rather than more.  Less stuff seems to increase the memories associated with it.  Consume Less Stuff, Produce Less Waste is the model that both Ryan and Josh refer to. 

There was a thought about how might you be a better person with less stuff in your possession.  Are people defined by how much stuff they have or is it the integrity of their character, their values expressed in their behavior.  Another individual thought worth contemplating is why do I purchase an item.  There are very real benefits to a life of minimalism… and increase in time to develop relationships, the need to earn less money, and the personal fulfillment that comes with community service.  A minimal lifestyle leads to a life that is emancipating, lighter, and happier.  Questions to consider before purchases anything involves:

Clutter

What Purpose Served

What is the meaning of the purchase

What is the importance of the purchase

Does the purchase lead one to what the purchaser wants to be

A thought worth considering is the fact that mankind, before the industrial revolution had a minimal lifestyle.  It was only when the industrial society was established that consumption became important.  Parting advice included “look for ways that purchases nourish one’s life”.  The final thought stated “Love People and Use Things and not Love Things and Use People”.

Friday, September 25, 2015

1:00pm to 5:30pm

Carolyn Baker & Maikwe Ludwig

“Encountering Climate Change”

In this pre-conference workshop, there were 10 people total; 6 males and 4 females.  The ages were from approximately 31 years old and up.  Everyone seemed to believe that Climate Change is the critical challenge that mankind faces today.  Baker takes the stand on the very good possibility of Climate Change being an extinction-level event that would affect everyone and therefore the need to prepare for it.  People attended this session for many reasons including to gain a better perspective on the subject, to learn how to cope with the challenges, and to learn how to relate the critical nature of the subject to others in meaningful ways.  Carolyn maintains her own blog – Speaking Truth to Power.

Carolyn Baker started off with an observation; that when it comes to the discussion about climate change, there is usually the accompanying jokes made, an attitude of disinterest in the subject, and perhaps a feeling of normalcy founded on their own economic comfort level.  That this will somehow impact others.  Baker expressed the opinion that Climate Change is a condition whereby no one is safe but we can “look away” and somehow pretend it is not happening.  For believers, it is a hard concept to “keep in your head” or keep conscious in the front of one’s mind.  Perhaps it is a subject where it is hard to look at by yourself…that people may need help from a group that adds to the group conscious. 

Baker talked about her example of living “as if in a hospice mentality” as a way to learning how to live with this condition.  By such personal attitudes, she feels that she can live with her own integrity intact.  Referring back to Elisabeth Kübler-Ross ’ book “On Death and Dying”, she talked about her own stages while passing through her encounter in climate change; Fear, Anger, Grief, Despair, and Joy.  These lead her to her understanding on who exactly is the person she wants to be under this condition.

Maikwe Ludwig talked about the personal feelings of despair which come from a sense of helplessness.  In despair comes surrender and acceptance.  This, Ludwig feels, will lead individuals to a point whereby individuals can mine the gold within.  For under these conditions, we can find the meaning thru every encounter of this great difficulty.  Perhaps it is by grief or despair we can be the warning to others.  Rather than suffering through depression in all of this, it is better to be accepting of the reality.

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JTK:  Some of my personal thoughts during this session involved actively doing something about the Climate Change issue.  My personal perspective involves a soul and spirit which cannot be affected by climate change – the body could very well be affected.  The service we can offer and extend to others could make the difference between personal depression/grief and proactive aid/comfort.  I believe that we are part of the natural world and not separate from it.  To me, this means that the natural world involves more than the physical body – perhaps the natural world of all of God’s creation.

Some things I thought about that could be considered as aid/comfort may involve neglecting the stuff going on resulting from Wrongheadedness, apathy, denial, and hardships, we can take something – anything and make it better.  Build Up/Restore/Enhance/Add Value.  Be the model for other peoples’ witness.