I believe that a living society prioritizes: Prosperity over Control Truth over Victory Connection over Status And a dying society prioritizes the opposite. If we all work towards prosperity, we will live in abundance. If we all work for control, we will die gripping the last loaf of bread. If we all work for truth, then we will be victorious. If we all sacrifice the truth for victory, we will know it as hollow and empty.

The Indians have a story, from the Vedas, that the Earth is in a 26,000 year cycle of the ebb and flow of consciousness. Maybe its in tune with the precession of the Earth, or with our binary orbit with the star Sirius. They call this the Yuga cycle, and there is a period of 4,000 years of darkness called Kali Yuga. Darkness means separation from the knowing of God. And you can also consider it separation from the knowing of self.

Tristan Harris is a founder of Humane Tech, and initiated the recent documentary The Social Dilemma which interviews many founders and decision makers from top companies. The documentary details the mass manipulation and addiction that has resulted from current business models and technologies. Tristan Harris and Andrew Yang talk about The Social Dilemma Tristan Harris talks on Rebel Wisdom Daniel Schmachtenburger has spoken on Rebel Wisdom about sensemaking and cleaning up our “information ecology” , Covid, and a 10 minute situational analysis of our global civilization.

I want to acknowledge a dynamic that often occurs between partners. One partner initiates an invitation and a request for closeness. They feel desire for companionship, desire for the presence of another. The other partner, feeling this desire from another, is flattered, but also resistant to being fenced in. In what ways do I limit myself by allowing this pursuit, this capture? Am I foregoing my own personal development? Am I foregoing other relationships which may be to my highest benefit?

A few weeks ago, I was listening to a Tibetan Book of the Dead audio recording while I was driving through the mountains of Colorado. This describes the experiences and visions of deities that will appear in the “bardo state” between lives. Repeatedly the instructions are to go towards the fierce deities, to ask for and accept their assistance in transcending the cycle of samsara. The instructions are to steer away from the feelings of comfort that come and from the soft glows, for these will continue the cycle, or even worse may lower your vibration.

So what does sustainable community look like? The answers look different depending on the people involved, their skillsets, their interests. Also the land, the climate, and the resources available to the community will define what is possible. I believe there are some common ingredients though. The physical needs of human beings, and the desires of a happy life. The desire for community and connection, to be heard and witnessed in our growth and our journey.

Jeff had told me that Bass Lake was beautiful and worth checking out, so I headed up the 145. The whole drive up the canyon was beautiful. Mountains to either side, forests, and the Delores river to keep me company. Past Rico, I came to the Lizard Head Mountain trailhead. Even before knowing what it was I had to stop, awe struck by the beauty of this scene. Next stop was Bass Lake, truly beautiful in its own right.

Dan and I had a great time in Durango. We went to a pub, each had a flight of beer, and talked about what had happened in our lives since we’d last met. In the morning, I headed back to Mancos to meet up with Jeff, who had generously offered to show me around. Jeff and I had a cup of coffee and then hopped in his vehicle to tour the area.

When I came around the bend in the highway and saw the ridge lines around Mancos, I immediately fell in love. The pines had dissolved into brush, and I could see the contours of the land. Still lush and supportive of life, I saw meadows and ponds dotted along the landscape. And the bluffs! The mountains! Beautiful! I was coming into town to see Fred, who was my contact at Lifeseed.