Discuss: The Transition Initiative

Transition U.S. is the central clearing house for initiatives in the United States. The website is: http://transitionus.org

This movement is just getting started in the U.S., perhaps it will be of some value, despite terrible circumstances expected as the oil era ends and catastrophic climate change and mass extinction accelerates. We will have to deal with nature’s terms and limits. Human population declines are inevitable. Perhaps we can soften the blow and avoid barbaric anarchy. Perhaps we can find a kinder way to reduce populations - voluntarily through non-fertility years punctuated by fertile ones. We must reduce consumption - i.e.: population - not try to maintain the status quo. Are we smart enough and cooperative enough to survive?

I am so glad you wrote this piece.  I mentioned Transition towns in the discussion of Derrick Jensen’s “World at Gunpoint” but it got little attention as it seemed anger and debate drove the discussion - I was a culprit there - gave into the temptation.

  Your article is a nice contrast to Jensen’s current “Forget Shorter Showers” piece in Orion.  The most striking contrast is the way his piece once again is filled with the energy of anger while yours is filled with the energy of compassion, as is the Transition Movement itself filled with the energy of compassion. 

Your piece reminds me of Margaret Wheatley’s piece in Shambhala Sun on “The Place Beyond Fear and Hope.”  She wrote:

“Many years ago, I took [Thomas] Merton seriously and abandoned all hope of ever saving the world. This was extremely heart-wrenching for me, more difficult than letting go of a love relationship. I felt I was betraying my causes, condemning the world to a terrible end. Some of my colleagues were critical, even frightened by my decision. How could I be so irresponsible? If we give up saving the world, what will happen? Still today, I have many beloved colleagues who refuse to resign as savior. They continue to force their failing spirits and tired bodies back into action one more time, wanting angry vehemence to give them vigor.

I didn’t give up saving the world to protect my health. I gave it up to discover right action, what I’m supposed to be doing. Beyond hope and fear, freed from success or failure, I’m learning what right action feels like, its clarity and energy. I still get angry, enraged, and frustrated. But I no longer want my activities to be driven by these powerful, destructive emotions. I’ve learned to pause, come back to the present moment, and calm down. I take no actions until I can trust my interior state—until I become present in the moment and clarity emerges undimmed by hope and fear. Then I act, rightly, I hope.”

She ended the piece with the same beauty embodied by the Transition Movement:

“My heart holds the image of us journeying in this way through this time of disintegration and rebirth. Insecure, groundless, patient, beyond hope and fear. And together.”

Interesting article recently a book came out on this subject. “Ecotherapy healing with Nature In Mind” is the title. The editors of Buzzell and Chalquest. It is published by Sierra Club books

Thanks, Larry.  Great to know of a new ecotherapy resource.  It’s been a while since Roszak and others came out with their anthology on Ecotherapy.

I’m a stay-at-home mom in New England and Transition is just right for me, and you put your finger on why exactly: I have a hole in my heat the size of a town. Reading your piece, along with Jensen’s in this same issue, gave me the necessary push to start a Transition movement in my own town.
Inspiring and beautifully written. Thank you.

Thanks for the great article Jay.

The UK Secretary of state for energy and climate change - Ed Milliband - came to the transition network conference in London in May as a keynote listener.

I saw him on TV this morning telling people that the situation re climate change really was serious and that urgent action was necessary. He used the word transition more times that I could count.

More here: http://transitionculture.org/2009/05/25/ed-milliband/

Here is Ed Milliband reflecting on his experience with fellow keynote listener Sadiq Kahn, MP for the area where the conference was held.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIWtJ8O30-M&eurl=http://www.sadiqkhan.co.uk/index.php/blog/5-general/449-transition-conference-2009&feature=player_embedded

Fine article, Jay.  Although I really tire of ‘intelligent’ people constantly inferring that all television offerings as basically trash.  Public television networks have long offered vast amounts of quality information and insights, more than I ever gained from school, university, churches, or the internet, for that matter. It’s been incredibly valuable to me during my lifetime.  Let’s give PBS a break.