Click here to return to the full list of Gaia Project Categories
Projects that inspire both global and local interconnectedness will help us to alter our personal expectations and accept that ecological overshoot is dangerous for all of life on Earth, including our own progeny. The process of achieving a higher level of emotional and spiritual maturity will enable us to accept that our future requires a very different set of priorities because of the escalating climate and ecological breakdown that has been triggered by humans over-exploiting natural resources. Understanding our collective need for healthy ecosystems enables this priority to become a matter of self-preservation.
Emotional maturity is needed to enable reparations to be offered voluntarily by those who currently enjoy the privilege of affluence. Projects that utilise creative imagination, arts and culture will provide the key to building emotional resilience as we collectively learn to face our man-made predicament with courage, realism and resolve. For example, sport, song, and dance, that is enjoyed locally will inject the fun-factor into the process of emotional evolution while inflicting minimal ecological damage. All of these pursuits are a better way to spend our time than all the non-essential, arduous, and ecologically damaging, work that is currently pursued for financial profit.
The ‘Shift Happens’ paper delves into the emotional transitions that lie on the path towards global ecological Justice. The transitions identified so far are summarised below. Any projects that help us to redirect our emotions in these ways will help to on the road to maximum mitigation. Such projects will redirect unhelpful personal and collective priorities and expectations, into socially transformative and fulfilling objectives. The science of emotional evolution is open to anyone experiencing life, who demonstrates the mental capacity to understand the cause of negative feelings in others, and is able to envisage peaceful, equitable and respectful interconnections that move all parties forward in a positive manner.
- Arrogance can evolve into Humility once we accept the reality of ecological collapse, recognising the injustice for future generations, and those already unable to subsist
- Self-interest can evolve into Ubuntu as we accept the need for a mindset that recognises our interconnectedness, and respects the global commons
- Anxiety can evolve into Resolve to act wisely and collectively
- Anger can evolve into Empowerment if a suitable mode of expression can be found
- Hate can evolve into Respect and Understanding given a suitable relearning process
- Guilt can evolve into Reparation if a route for reparation can be identified
- Blame can evolve into Forgiveness if reparation is offered, and forgiveness is sought
- Judgement can evolve into Trust in each other, given enough collective discussion and collaboration; altered behaviours from leaders, will be key to inspiring trust