“Wars are poor chisels for carving out peaceful tomorrows.”

“A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs
of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.”

“Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal.”

“I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality.”

“Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. This is the interrelated structure of reality.”

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”

“Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love.”

“At the center of non-violence stands the principle of love.”

“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.”

“We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.”

“Nonviolence is a powerful and just weapon. which cuts without wounding and ennobles the man who wields it. It is a sword that heals.”

To learn more about the relationship between materialism and well-being, read this interview with Tim Kasser, “Consumerism, Values, and What Really Matters.”

]]> http://www.inspirationhouse.org/2012/01/05/the-high-price-of-materialism/feed/ 0 http://www.inspirationhouse.org/2012/01/01/944/ http://www.inspirationhouse.org/2012/01/01/944/#comments Sun, 01 Jan 2012 19:46:09 +0000 Carol Hohle http://www.inspirationhouse.org/?p=944 “We abuse the land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.”  — Aldo Leopold

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“How good it is to center down!”
Happy holidays from Inspiration House!

A few years ago I read Bill McKibben’s op-ed piece on Grist and it gave me the courage I needed to stay with the Thanksgiving spirit throughout the whole holiday season!

The article suggests we break out of the consumer holiday tradition and flip it upside down.  “But the second you do break out of it ––” Bill McKibben dares, “the second your family becomes one of those that exchanges used books at Christmas, or decides to follow St. Francis’ Yule tradition of wandering the park and throwing seed so that the birds too could celebrate, or makes it an annual custom to serve turkey dinner at the homeless shelter — then you start sharing in the deep human secret that consumer society is set up to obscure: the things that please us most are almost always counterintuitive. We need to be out in the cold air, we need to think about others, we need to serve.”

Check out the whole article! It’s delightful and courageous.  I’m having this kind of Christmas this year!

Post your thanks-giving approach to the holidays here so that others may find alternatives to the traditional, consumer-related gift giving:

“Gimme Shelter”
www.playingforchange.com

Wangari Maathai is a hero of mine, as she is for thousands and thousands of others!  Her life stands as a testimony to the difference one life can make.  She passed away yesterday and it is so heart-warming to read all the tributes pouring out onto the information highway.

One video clip I especially treasure is of her telling the story about being a hummingbird.  It’s an excerpt from the documentary movie, The Dirt.  May you enjoy it and join Wangari in being the best hummingbird you can be!

One of my favorite passages from her autobiography, Unbowed:

What I have learned over the years is that we must be patient, persistent, and committed.  When we are planting trees sometimes people will say to me, “I don’t want to plant this tree, because it will not grow fast enough.”  I have to keep reminding them that the trees they are cutting today were not planted by them, but by those who came before.  So they must plant the trees that will benefit communities in the future.  I remind them that like a seedling, with sun, good soil, and abundant rain, the roots of our future will bury themselves in the ground and a canopy of hope will reach into the sky.  (p. 289)

The global actions to save our planet last Saturday, 9/24/2011, was moving. I was able to take part in a rally in Chicago calling attention to an old coal plant in the Pilsen neighborhood that is too polluting, too close to people, too old and needs to be shut down. Have a look at the photo gallery from events held around the world – it’s so inspiring to see this global movement!

The Spiritual Eco-Practice Group at Inspiration House provides an opportunity to deepen one’s own eco-practice, stay current with eco-news and find support with others who are endeavoring to live more lightly and lovingly on the Earth.

This autumn we’ll pick one seven-day practice each month, explore it individually on our own timetable, and check in with each other via conference calls to share and appreciate one another’s insights and good works!

Seven-Day Practices to “get in the groove” include:

• Soul work – “Developing a New Sense of Ourselves”
• Reconnecting with the natural world – “Lightening Up”
• Rethinking Trash – “Discovering There is NO Away!”

The second season for the Eco-Practice begins later this month, September 2011, and includes four conference calls.  Group determines convenient conference call day/times.

Fee:  $35.

Contact Us to register.

Facilitated by Carol Hohle.  Carol is the Founder & Executive Director of Inspiration House.  She is an educator, environmentalist & spiritual activist.  She speaks, lead workshops & retreats on spiritual practices and eco-spirituality.