I’m an activist. Joanna Macy’s diagram of Three Dimensions from her book ‘Active Hope’ (p.32), makes things very clear. I keep this handy in my mind, as a guide.
I’ve done all three. For all those hardworking activists who are standing up to oil companies and sometimes wondering if it’s enough – remember, there’s these other two ways, and without these other two, we can feel we just keep fighting a rear guard.
Holding actions
demos and all the actions we do.
Life-sustaining systems and practices
I lived for eight years in permaculture ecovillages, the second kind of activism, creating new institutions and new ways of living.
I helped establish Transition Towns in New Zealand, and became a trainer for that. Transition Towns combines inner transformation with outer change. Because of that I think it has potential to be highly effective.
I also lived other kinds of communities: Buddhist retreat centres, London squats.
Shift in consciousness
My main activism is to imagine a future, her third type of activism. I love to do it with other people too, when I have the chance. The work on this site is mainly devoted to this. It’s the one that gets the least attention, yet is fundamental.