We can look at a broad range of factors that prevent us from building sustainability in todays’ modern culture. We can spend a great deal of time discussing and implementing policies that might mitigate those factors to bring us closer to the goal. And this is as it should be. But not everyone is on board and not everyone sees a problem to be solved. If we simply try to put band aids on current problems and don’t deal with issues that could be addressed at an early age we may wind up just trying to do patchwork healing of a broken system. In the health field there is symptomatic healing and there is core healing or preventative medicine. Some of the problems we are trying to solve have their roots in events that occurred or attitudes that evolved from early childhood development. The goal of this section is to put forth the idea that a transformation of how we create and raise our children can transform how our culture relates to the natural world and how that can create sustainabliity. With that in mind we need to support and promote those involved in these activities.
The ideas presented in this section will show a similarity between concepts in Eastern philosophies, discoveries by physicists and some theories of early childhood development. One aspect of this is the concept of chi or ki energy — a universal life force that is everywhere present, which moves all things and creates all phenomena. This energy creates a natural drive or imperative that is innate in each human being and guides us thru a natural and beneficent life span in relationship with a benevolent universe. The result of following that imperative is that the human race has the potential to develop a sustainable culture. It has the power to create people who are bonded to the earth and will not destroy it.
A healthy person can generally make better decisions than one who is ill. A healthy person generally has a brain that can function by integrating right and left brain hemispheres and has a balance of rear brain, midbrain, cortex and neocortical functions. He or she can perceive what is beneficial for them in regards to how they interact with other beings and the earth. When a new being is created it is begins with conception but there are factors that exist before that action. The way of eating and lifestyle of male and female at time of conception help to determine the quality of sperm and egg which can strongly determine the health of the subsequent child . The prenatal diet thru a nine month pregnancy can have a strong influence on the growth, development and quality of function of all the organs of the body. The way of eating that I recommend is the Macrobiotic Way because it is firmly centered on eating in harmony with nature. It involves concepts to be followed but allows for intuitive decisions. It takes into consideration eating with the seasons{with specific foods for specific organ enhancement], differences in weather and climate, different work requirements and the person’s present condition . Many diets simply give foods to eat or not but the Macrobiotic Way is constantly changing and evolving based on changing conditions Ayurvedic medicine is another system based on an energetic approach and could also be employed.+
Many people do not put much validity into astrology but practitioners of Eastern forms of medicine use it quite often. For example Traditional Chinese Medicine recognizes 12 basic channels of chi energy that flow thru the body. Each of these is associated with an internal organ with two channels-[pericardium and triple warmer] as more comprehensive .During each month of the year one of the meridians is more highly active and when a child is in the womb it receives that energy to build the quality of each organ. However because it is in the womb for only nine months three organs are short changed. This can lead to problems in those organs later in life. Also there are yearly energetic changes. One system of this approach is the Nine Star Ki system based on what is known as the Five Element Theory. Each year is associated with a particular organ and or element and some elements have two or three years connected to it. If one is born into a particular element that organ is considered constitutionally stronger than the rest and the person shows particular behavioral patterns because of it. However two other elements may show slight weaknesses and these could show up later as problems during one’s lifetime. If meridian weakness and elemental weakness are similar the child could be set up for major problems in that area.
When we look at these astrological factors as well as the dietary patterns of a pregnant woman we see that the child at birth can enter the world with a relative balance of body functions or with a predisposition to ill health in certain areas depending on how those factors line up. If we want to create a culture of healthy beings and better decision makers it would be beneficial to understand so we can make corrections in a holistic health manner to create balance. If we don’t it could lead to more serious concerns –more dependence on the healthcare system and an inability to bond. As we shall see later this can affect our relationship to the earth and thus our ability to create sustainability.
The prenatal factors set the stage for the birthing process. This process can have massive influence that can last for years if not a lifetime. Dr. John Diamond[psychiatrist who uses Applied Kinesiology] believes that the quality of this process can determine the ability to love throughout life and can set up feelings of hate and envy that can persist for years. A natural childbirth with or without help from a midwife or doula is probably an ideal way to bring into the world a being that will sustain our future. Animals in general give birth naturally with no help from birthing classes or hospital facilitation. A hospital birth can have drastic effects even though they may not be apparent at first . Rather than honor a natural process the actions taken are often dependent on efficiency and or availability of a doctor. The birth is often induced, or a caesarian is employed, or forceps are used for facilitation. The mother may be placed in a position which is physiologically not the best for birthing . Cranial bones can get jammed causing pain and discomfort for the child[Craniosacral therapy for newborns is sometimes a holistic way to correct this situation]. In addition there are many reports that ascertain that childbirth need not be painful yet that seems to be what most women expect. Proper diet and right attitude might be employed to bring about less painful birthing experiences.. Some women have used pleasing music or water birthing[Dr. Frederick Leboyer] to relax and make the experience more pleasing or ecstatic. Children might develop differently if their mother doesn’t relate their birth to an immensely painful experience and stress..Pearce refers to a 1979 study in California that explored the root causes of crime and violence.Their report stated that the first cause fo the epidemic increase in these items was the violence done to mothers and infants at childbirth[hospital]. Overall the Black community suffers from this more than the white community.Many serious problems that we deal with might be avoided if we returned to more natural birthing processes.
Numerous practitioners in the Holistic Field use a technique called Applied Kinesiology[sometimes referred to as muscle testing] to ascertain information about a client’s body. Although too much to explain in this intro–my testing shows that a hospital birth can deplete energy in the kidney, lung and spleen-pancreas meridians. In traditional Chinese Medicine the emotion related to problems in the kidney is fear. When a baby arrives on the scene with bright lights, mother’s pain or distress, a slap on the butt and is removed from the mother ‘s sight it is not hard to see how the baby might be frightened. The Spleen-Pancreas meridian is associated with worry and some anxiety about the future or insecurity. For the previous reasons this could easily manifest. If a baby is slapped to induce breathing rather than allowing the child to naturally take its first breath when ready this can induce an imbalance in the lungs. Those that have a predisposition to be weak in these three areas may have a more profound problems to deal with.
Many people feel that when the baby arrives it should go right to the mom’s arms and be held to the breast .Dr. John Diamond and Dr. Frederick Leboyer feel the belly is the first place to put the child then the breast. Diamond has developed therapies specifically for those who did not go through this process,. Joseph Chilton Pearce[Magical Child, Evolutions End]explains that when the child is at the breast it fixates on the face and that becomes its ground when looking around at other objects. This is the time when the child opens up all of its senses —touch of breast, taste of milk, hearing of heartbeat, sight of face and smell of mom’s body. The very act of breast feeding has many benefits including the following : ideal nutrition specifically suited for the child, antibodies for fighting viruses and bacteria, reduced disease risks[respiratory infections, SIDS protection ,allergy reduction and many more]. It promotes healthy weight and reduces risks of developing obesity. Breastfeeding also has many health benefits for mothers including a lower risk for depression. These early activities create a bond between mother and child which lays the groundwork for later bonding on the road to ensuring that the child will eventually be acting and living in harmony with the natural world.
At this point we can begin to consider what is called the Continuum Concept. This idea proposed by Dr Jean Liedlof states that the child should be breastfed for as long as the child needs it and that it should be held by the mother[or short term by a relative]at all times even while working. This is not new,of course, but is based on her observtions of numerous primitive tribes. It says that one should allow the child to choose to come down from moms’ arms and explore its world whenever it decides to do so.This process ensures that the child will feel safe in its explorations[overcoming fear strengthening the kidneys]. That one should not be telling the child how to jump, crawl, climb or constantly be telling them to be careful[weakening for the kidneys]. This could take several years until the child is fully on its own. Sleeping with parents, breastfeeding ‘on cue” and caregivers immediate response to the infants’ urgent body signals are other parts of the philosophy. The Continuum Concept is closely allied with evolutionary psychology and attachment theory. Liedlof suggests that this process develops well adjusted and secure individuals that are not fear based in how they relate to the world.
As the child explores it experiences another natural imperative. The child begins to creep homolaterally[same arm and leg]. Then heterolaterally. It moves to crawling -first homolaterally, then heterolaterally. This is followed by attempts at standing and finallly walking. It is best that these stages should not be pushed. Walking should wait until all preceding stages are completed. Each stage plays some part in brain development and if a stage is skipped it could alter how the brain functions. This can lead to emotional and physical problems later in life putting a further burden on health care systems. Poor decision making regarding living a sustainable life can also result.
Joseph Chilton Pearce in his books[Magical Child, Crack in the Cosmic Egg and Evolutions’ End]outlines various stages of brain spurts and neuron sloughing in childhood development.At each stage the child views the world differently and learns about it in a different way. Modern parents often ignore this or are unaware and make huge mistakes in trying to communicate with their children at levels the are unable to comprehend. These spurts need to be honored for proper development of the child. They lay the groundwork for bonding at different levels including bonding with the earth that will ultimatelly ensure that the child will live in harmony with the earth and universal energies. This magical child will know exactly how to live sustainably.
One spurt comes before birth to ready the baby for the new air world it is about to enter. The first year is spent bonding with mom and beginning to learn about its’ surroundings. A brain spurt occurs at year one and at year 3[[or4]. This time is spent in concrete thinking. This is learning names of objects and starting to use them. At age 7 concrete operational thinking begins a higher development. How to use the objects in a more advanced stage. This is the time for learning how to survive in the world. It begins the process of bonding to the earth. If previous bonding has not happened then this stage even tho nature wants it to happen , does not completely get formed. The child is open to many out of the ordinary ablitities. ESP, telekinesis, long distant perception. Pearce feels that some of these should not be considered out of the ordinary and should even as adults be a part of our reality. By age 11 another spurt occurs and this time is spent learning about social interactions especially the concept of fairness. This learning is aimed at bonding with the childs’ society and also to bond with the outer self–the self that is not the body. This bond is crucial to understanding the universe as a benevolent entity which can be supportive of the childs actions thru life. Many primitive tribes had special ceremonies or rituals to reinforce this period of life. American Indians ,for example, had the child do a vision quest where they would get a vision of their purpose in life and their role in the universal play of things. If one gets to this point one does not deliberately destroy the ecosystem which is sustaining it. This whole process of bonding which is built on each one taking place in sequence is essentail in creating a world that is viable.
One of the things a child learns easily is the rhythmic nature of the world he/she lives in from sun , moon, and seasonal cycles to the rhythm of mother’s hearbeat to musical rhythms starting with beating of pans, logs, sticks etc. Primitive African tribes always encouraged the latter as soon as a parent noticed that the child was banging on things spontaneously.Throughout their lifespan children and adults would be exposed to drumming and dancing and chanting to raise energy, lift spirits and sustain life force while working all day and playing all night honoring rhythmic patterns is an integral part of learning how to live in harmony with nature’s cycles.
Permaculture is a design process which supports a sustainable agriculutre syseem as well as a sustainble society. The Alliance has long promoted these concepts with workshops and publicity. It is mentioned here as an extension of the previous items to be considered. It draws on ancient wisdom regarding agricultural practices. It relies on studying the natural world to create systems that whose elements are cooperative and are mutually supportive to create production with minimal effort and minimal waste..It seems to be a seemless continuation of the process of natural chilbirth, breastfeeding and and childhood development which supports the natural imperative.
Pearce labels that imperative the primary process–an invisible force which drives a person to act in a certain way. When a child or adult becomes aware of that process it becomes a primary perception. A child can learn to follow that perception or shut it down. Cultural considerations often tend to teach a child to block that flow and go along with cultural norms. This blockage can cause difficulties in life due to neglecting natural drives. As mentioned above an energetic approach to medicine recognizes 12 basic channels of chi energy. The idea is that if the flow of enegy is free then all parts of the body are being nourished.[food, herbs, shiatsu,acupuncture, moxa and energy work can facilitate that]The emotions are also balanced. So this universal energy is freely flowing thru the body and guiding us thru the ups and downs of earthly life. As long as we keep it flowing we can be supported by that universe–not without some difficulties ,of course. This is closely allied to a philosophy called Taoism which posits that we all have a path or “Way”. If we find our path we become at one with all that is. We are supported .This could, perhaps, be sustainable.
The topics that follow in this section are all expanded versions of the theories and concepts that have been presented in this introduction. They are all issues that can be seen as contributing to early training for a sustainable future.These are insights and suggestions for discussion and actions and could lead to further workshops, promotions and support for those who are already making use of these concepts in their lifestyles. Certainly organizations that promote natural childbirth, breastfeeding and play oriented early education should be considered an integral part of building a sustainable community. Other support groups could also be encouraged . There are many elements that have not been covered which all could be incorporated into this model because they promote good health and energetic balance. Some of these will be mentioned and clarified. Businesses , organizations, and inividuals both in and out of the Lehigh Valley which support sustainability in the ways mentioned in this introduction will be listed to potentially be put into the directory which the Alliance produces.
Stephen Hoog
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