Sometimes we need to change our view, to see the opportunities all around us...
“The conventional view serves to protect us from the painful job of thinking.”
–John Kenneth Galbraith
Content under development...
NB: Below are only notes on anticipated content:
In this page as it develops, we will discuss the second key area of action for Community Harvest - Working for Lasting Change - and our two key strategies in this area, Research into the issues, their impacts and causes, and working with the community, organisations and institutions, to enable Co-operation and Change, where these are needed. We will also consider in detail some of the deeper issues associated with positive long-term change.
Where we are coming from in our approach to lasting change:
Community Harvest recognises that many of the challenges we face have their roots in society's and individual's belief systems and world views, and the ways in which these are expressed through our institutions and organisations, our regulatory frameworks, and our everyday lives. Clearly our beliefs and world views are the source of many good things - they are central to who and what we are and how we live in the world, and the benefits they bring are why we often hold to them so dearly, and why we create our society and our lives out of them. However it's also crucial to stand back and look at them critically every so often. Are our perceptions about the world holding true? Are our beliefs about what is appropriate still relevant? Are the actions we take based on our perceptions and beliefs, truly helping us to create the world we as a society, want to live in?
It would be easy to argue that this kind of approach to change is too deep, takes too long, requires too much effort, when what is needed is action, NOW! Clearly there are times when action is needed promptly - deep reflection is not always appropriate. Yet, action to bring change, without reflection from time to time, at a deeper level, might address some of the issues in the short term, but often leaves critical issues unaddressed. Furthermore, failure to address the deeper issues often leads to a repeat of the same problem in a different area, or guise.
At Community Harvest we believe strongly, that access to healthy, sustainably produced local food, a healthy natural environment, strong, connected and resilient communites and vibrant local economies, for everyone, are a right and not a privelige. We also believe that most people, in all walks of life, in their hearts, want these things for themselves, their families, communities and the wider society. With this in mind, it should not be so difficult or threatening, as it sometimes seems, to critically reflect on where we are coming from, in order to determine more effectively where we want to go, and the best route to take to get there. If we accept that each of us in our essence, is the very best of that which we hold in our hearts, then gently and respectfully reviewing the worldviews and beliefs we are creating our lives, institutions, organisations - our societies and our future - out of, every now and again, should not be as threatening as it can sometimes appear to be.
Many of today's issues and challenges are unprecedented in their scale, but at their most basic levels, they are not new. We need to find truly lasting ways to address them, to avoid where we can, repeating or reinventing our mistakes, and to create a world which honestly reflects the very best that we hold in ourselves. To do this, we must focus our energy and determination, and draw deeply on every last bit of courage we can muster. But most importantly, in working together, with all our differences and yet all our humanity, we must constantly refer back to the deepest love that we each hold in our hearts, for others and the planet, and allow this love to flower.
Stay tuned for the development of this page and check back regularly!
Tomato Flowers
