Earth Recovery
by Partners For Planetary Recovery
In the 1930's, a handful of people confronted the life-threatening condition of
alcoholism and launched a program of recovery called the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics
Anonymous. This program has been so effective, it has inspired many other twelve-step
programs that have touched the lives of millions around the globe.
Today, we are facing an
even more life-threatening condition: the destruction of the environmental life-support
systems of our planet. Like alcoholism, this destructiveness is based on addictive
attitudes, lifestyles and behaviors; and as millions of recovering addicts have shown,
these self-defeating patterns can be changed.
TWELVE STEPS FOR PLANETARY RECOVERY
is designed to address our personal, local and global condition. Practicing these
steps will free each one of us to discover solutions to our environmental crises and the
interrelated emotional, economic, spiritual and social problems that confront us. One day
and one step at a time, they can become a guide for our individual and collective lives.
- We, humanity, admitted that we were destroying the planet and that our need to dominate,
consume and control had become unmanageable.
- Came to believe that we, the Earth and the Universe are one, and that our tendency to
dominate could be balanced by our desire for unity.
- Made a decision to call on a power greater than ourselves to bring us into balance.
- Made a fearless and thorough moral inventory of our beliefs, attitudes and practices,
and evaluated their impact on us and the rest of the planet.
- Admitted to ourselves, a higher power "as we understood it", and each other
the exact nature of our wrongs; released shame, so that we could move forward with
compassion for ourselves and others.
- Became willing to make social, attitudinal and economic changes in order to be in
balance with our planet and in harmony with ourselves.
- Humbly asked our higher power to help us change our technologies, social relations, and
personal and collective lives so that we could promote life enhancement and sustainability
for ourselves and other species.
- Made a list of all the ecological and social damage we had caused and became willing to
reverse it.
- Cleaned up our rivers, oceans, landfills, and air, as we cleaned up our thoughts,
emotions, actions and social relations.
- Continued to monitor how our attitudes and economic and social behavior impact the web
of life, and when we were wrong, promptly called ourselves to awareness.
- Sought through observation, experimentation, cooperation and meditation to expand our
conscious contact with ourselves, the earth and the universe, so that we could continually
support our collective well-being, evolution and sacred rhythms.
- Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps, we will carry this message
to others and bring balance into every relationship — with ourselves, each other, our
planet and the universe of which we are a part.
These steps may seem overwhelming. In fact, we don't expect to practice them perfectly.
We plan to use them for study and discussion, as reference points to evaluate where we
are.
We need to be honest about our situation and our capacities. We need to face ourselves
and each other squarely and lovingly. And we need to do so now. Nothing less has worked or
is working. Nothing more is required.
Let us trust in the consciousness of humanity, the earth and the universe, and let us
have faith that our collective vision of a thriving planet can become manifest on this
earth.
About The
Author
The above was reprinted with permission from Rising Mountains,
Setting Suns. Anyone can become a Partner for Planetary Recovery by becoming committed to
practicing the above to the best of your ability. Contact the Partners at: 1500 Cherry
Road, Memphis, TN 38117.
| Comments () >> |
 |
 |
