A Planetary Health Coach

I had a wild idea the other day, hatched from the aftermath of the elections.

What would it take to build a strong coalition around this simple idea: that we can all agree that the direction humankind is heading in is not working out? What would it take to transmute frustration and apathy into hope and action? How can so many different causes coalesce into one strong organization committed to moving in a new direction that benefits all instead of the few? How can we clearly see the bigger picture?

It is important to truly understand what’s going on. We are all fed fear fodder all day every day. Disease. War. Violence. Poverty. Environmental collapse. Economic uncertainties. And on and on. Fear is addicting. Fear causes stress. Fear leads to an “us against them” syndrome. Fear makes hatred so easy as there must be someone or some group to blame. We ride this wave of adrenaline. We stay distracted and get more and more stressed, which leads us to disease and a general feeling of dis-ease.

This is exactly why I don’t watch any news programs! Oh, I do occasionally watch The Daily Show and The Colbert Report only because I came to the conclusion that the world had become such a circus of insanity I might as well laugh about it.

But just because I don’t get fed the daily dread, doesn’t mean I don’t know what’s going on. I want desperately to do something to make it all better. I, too, suffer with the pain and anxiety that flows all over. I, too, am frustrated and get angry over the misdirection in our world.

In order to cope and to prepare myself to be of service, I studied permaculture, a design system for sustainable living. Then I dropped out of society for a while, living alone in a small rustic cabin in the mountains of NM. I am vocal about my disgust with the system. Recently, I graduated from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition as a health coach. I want to stop my frustrated inaction and be a part of the solution. A planetary healer, of sorts. For I see the consequences of living a stressed out life as it manifests in our bodies and our society.

And yet, how is any of this helping with the big picture? How am I making a difference?

Have you ever heard of the concept of critical mass? It is: the size, number, or amount of something that is needed to cause a particular result . I know in my heart that we have the critical mass right now. But in order to make large and sweeping positive changes, the issue becomes more than just the number. What we lack is a commitment to a co-operative approach. We need to accept and cherish our differences and find ways to agree and focus on them.

Remember that we are up against highly organized and well-established political and business entities. Entities whose main purpose is the perpetuation and expansion of their existence. We must match their focus and cohesion with our own.

In other words, for the principle of critical mass to kick in, we need to all be on the same page.

Don’t get me wrong! It is wonderful and inspiring to see so many groups and organizations doing such amazing work around the world. Ending hunger. Ending AIDS. Sustainability projects. Environmental protection. Women’s rights. GLBTQ rights. Native American and Indigenous Peoples rights. Equality for People of Color. Animal rights. Income parity. Healthy, local food. And on and on. Where would we be without these dedicated souls working to make a better planet?

Unfortunately, due to limited energy, I believe we usually focus on one maybe two issues at a time. These tasks are so enormous and critically important, one-at-a-time is often all we have the energy to do.

But the time has come to not only continue to do all that work, but to also join with others of like-mind to make the one change that may just allow all the others to begin to fall into place. We must begin to act as one. We must re-think our priorities.

That coalescing issue that needs to be addressed in the US is money in politics. This is the key issue to all the other changes/improvements we are already working to implement. It will unlock the hijacked political process to allow the people to choose not only our leaders but what issues get their attention and what laws/bills get passed. It will allow the citizens to once again have a voice. And that is when we take back our government and focus on the issues that really matter in our inter-connected world. Only then can we drive public policy and get back on the right track.

And the only way to correct the problem is to publicly fund elections and ban all other monetary influences during the campaign and election process. This could be accomplished by a constitutional amendment. Which means that three-fourth of the states, or 37, would need to support such an amendment. Which means we have a lot of work to do locally!

Imagine that just one member from each organization which aspires to see a more just, equitable, peaceful and non-toxic world, joined together to form another “umbrella” organization, we would create the critical mass necessary to move our government from a perpetual state of inaction or reaction, into a state of pro-action and to prevent causes rather than treat symptoms.

OK, here is where the “planetary health coach” idea enters. Even though I was trained to help people, through permaculture I was also trained in ways to help the planet. Help one and help the other. The circle of life goes both directions!

Folks, it is all connected. Your personal health creates health in your community. This creates health in your region and creates health in the world. Eating whole and sustainably-raised foods heals the planet.

We need to stop reacting to things and create the existence we wish to see. We have become like hamsters on a wheel. We use up our energy, wanting so desperately to help. So we join a cause and become saviors to try to create at least some balance. And it works up to a point. But then it becomes pathological. It becomes a part of the problem. It keeps us hyper-focused and distracted.

I am asking you to break free from the expectations and rules. Change your desires. Be yourself. Believe that a better way is not only possible but probable. End all the competition and the need to be “right”. Now is the time for co-operation.

So, if you want to be happy….

If you want to be healthy and live in a clean and safe environment….

If you want everyone to be equal once and for all….

If you want to heal.

JOIN ME!

WE CAN DO THIS! Together. Respectfully. Compassionately. Peacefully.

Are you ready for great change? Contact me at scottricci@hotmail.com

Visit: http://www.democracyisforpeople.org/ , sign the petition and check the box to take local action.

Visit: https://movetoamend.org/ , sign the petition and check the box to become a volunteer. (I am attending my first meeting this Saturday)

Visit: http://united4thepeople.org/action.html , for a list of state resolutions passed and introduced and a list of other organizations with active campaigns to overturn Citizens United.