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#occupymystreet

crunched by on September 18, 2011
filed under Food For Your Soul

Mine is a quiet revolution.

As the world takes to the streets in defiance, I take to my life in peace.

Mine is a quiet revolution.

As the world has days of rage, so I have days of self-discovery.

Mine is a quiet revolution.

My revolution is one of remembering. Remembering that there is no us, and there is no them. There is no fight to be had, but within myself. And that the war waged is only for my own remembering. My own peace. My own wholeness. My own responsibility.

Injustices live on, but only when I partake in them. The victim of the man is the man. The evil corporations only have as much power as I give them, and the only way to fight a pretend dragon is to recognize that it doesn’t exist. Unless I want it to; unless I feed it with opposition.

Mine is a quiet revolution.

It happens when I hang sun-dried clothes, and when I massage a loaf of bread into existence. It happens when I nourish a garden and give the grocery store one less occupant. It happens when I turn off the television and write stories instead. When I listen to my child with my whole heart, without distraction. When I smile at those I pass. When I love without expectations.

It whispers in my words – the change of the soul – to anyone who’s ready to hear it. It does not demand; but trickles like water over a stone. In time, the trickle creates a monumental change. A valley of realization, for all the world to know.

Mine is a quiet revolution.

Even so, I know that others deserve their loud revolutions. They bring tears of joy to my heart. They ring of one. One belief. One goal. One common, moving world that aches for freedom.

I hear their broadcast drum beat, as it’s the same one that echoes in my chest. The one that cries for self-induced salvation, that sings for equality, that begs for consideration from all corners of the world. It’s the drum beat that sounds for change.

I know that “bad” exists, only that we may learn to define our own “good.” I know the ghostly powers that pretend to enslave only do so that we may understand our own inherent, magnificent freedoms.

Without darkness, there would be no light. Without the opposing forces, there would be no revolution to be had. The magic exists in the duality of our world, regardless of whether or not we choose to see it. We rebel only because there is something to rebel against.

There is no us. And there is no them. There is only choice.

And the choice that calls me is one of inclusion, thoughtful responsibility, and understanding.

Mine is a quiet revolution.

 

–

The winds of change, they’re everywhere these days. It’s undeniable, and it’s palpable. We live in interesting times.

Tonight, as I was watching bits of the Occupy Wall Street protest (which uses the Twitter hashtag #occupywallstreet, which is where the title came from) in New York City, I felt the tug, the incredible urge to be one of them, fighting for what I believe in.

And then I realized, I already am. With every decision I make. With every word I speak and write. So do you.

Mine is a quiet revolution, and I’m guessing yours is, too.

We don’t need to run out, carrying signs and banging drums to be involved. In fact, I’d guess that our revolution – those of mothers and daughters and sisters (and even brothers sometimes) – the one that takes place in our house, in our family, and on OUR street, is just as important as the ones that take place elsewhere.

Ours may be a quiet revolution, but it’s one that will withstand the test of time. It is not a fight against someone else. It’s a self discovery, it’s compassion, and it’s the willingness to participate in our own life’s creation – instead of handing it over to television, magazines, fashion, or even the expectations of those around us.

I wrote this because I don’t want us to feel left out. I want us all to understand that we’re doing our part in this monumental self-discovery of our humanity in ourselves, our families, and our neighborhoods.

If you hear the drumbeat in your own heart, I ask you to write about it and share it with others – whether it’s on your blog, to your local newspaper, or with your friends and family. Tweet about it. Make #occupymystreet go viral.

Ours is a quiet revolution.

But it’s one that will change our lives, and the world, forever.

(We are women. We are mothers. We … are … creation. Embodied. Don’t forget that.)

 

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    • Lissa

      I have to say that I love this post… and that I actually just finished an English paper with a similar subject.

      “I know that “bad” exists, only that we may learn to define our own “good.””

      I especially loved this. I’ve always heard that there can be no good without evil, which really didn’t sit well with me, but this makes sense, and I feel that you have really gotten to the heart of the matter.

      Once again, wonderful. You have such a lovely soul.

    • AzSummer

      I love this post… Love YOU for posting it. Thank you. :)

    • Allison

      Powerful, very powerful, and so inspiring :’) My favorite little saying in here is “the only way to fight a pretend dragon is to recognize that it doesn’t exist” because the truth of it might as well be screamed from the rooftops. Thank you for giving me something to think about :)

    • http://montessorimoments-dynamite.blogspot.com/ Megan

      Beautiful. I will be sharing this :)

    • http://absolutelyayurveda.wordpress.com aisha

      heyyy there,

      love the post, and i totally understand where you are coming from. increasing and sharing our knowledge about what we put in and on our bodies is super important, and those everyday choices make a big difference in our lives and in the lives of our family and friends.

      i would, however, also argue that “louder” revolutions are not only just as important, but vital in our progress to be crunchier people. after all, “lifestyle politics” can only go so far when working-class folks, LGBT folks, people of color, differently-abled folks, etc. don’t have access to the same resources that everyone else has.

      both lifestyle choices AND larger revolutions (to abolish capitalism and therefore eliminate sexism, racism, homophobia, etc.) are essential in creating a better world for all of us!

      aisha

      • Crunchy Betty

        While I agree, to some degree, I also feel that the recognition that man-made constructs are an illusion is imperative to self-realization.

        Ignorance and hate exists to every degree, no matter if you’re gay, black, female, overweight, or even a white man (at this point). It exists. But if you know yourself – and believe in your inherent “beingness,” you don’t need anyone else to define your existence. You know what I mean?

        The concept of victimhood only exists if you insist on operating within the beliefs of the current system. You don’t have to get married and be recognized by the (corrupt) government in order to have a full and loving life. If you insist on it, you’re only battling the current demons instead of opening yourself up to definitions of love YOU make YOURSELF.

        I do not have access to the resources that “everyone else has,” (depending on how you define “everyone else”), either.

        I can battle to change that, or I can define my world through peace and happiness in the parameters I decide.

        So that being said, there is nothing wrong with “loud” revolutions, but they ultimately lead to the same situations (and more fighting/victimhood) unless the participants realize that the only demons they have to battle are their own insistence to define their worlds based on current social norms.

        Or, they can choose to create their worlds based on their own.

        In essence, I don’t think abolishing capitalism is the right way to go, because “abolishing” it only leads to trying to impose another will on people who wouldn’t otherwise choose it.

        The protests are with great heart, and moving in the right direction. But to undermine the freedom for EVERYONE to find their own path, regardless of belief systems, is counterproductive to the evolution of humanity, as it were.

        And that, right there, is why I believe the revolution of the individual – of the heart – will always remain instrumental in achieving a common goal. Right now, I think we all have a common goal. And it’s freedom – and the personal responsibility that goes with it. (But we really don’t have to fight anyone FOR that. We just have to recognize it in our own selves and treat everyone in kind.)

        We’re the ones we’re waiting for. Truly. We don’t need to fight anyone for our freedom. We only have to recognize it in ourselves, and in others.

        The more you declare an enemy, the more the enemy exists.

        • kylieonwheels

          I got even more out of this reply than your post alone. You are spot on, Crunchy Betty. You have stated your respect and admiration for those who are able to protest aloud, and you have stated your own personal protest. Making a big noise is a key part of ‘the war’, but denying it the ability to even exist is so much more powerful.

      • Scarlet

        Right on Aisha! I think that, yes, lifestyle changes are important. But absolutely not more important than banding together with other people, agreeing to a common purpose, and getting your hands a little dirty. This is all very lovely imagery, but it’s simply not possible for most people in the world right now. It’s a privileged approach. It is, in a way, turning your back on all the people who need help. Also it’s not a very assertive way to prove that women want a new world of equality and opportunity if you are to just sit at home making butter and soap.

        There’s a lot of really stupid garbage that’s happening right now. We are killing the earth and destroying each other at the cost of most of the humans on the earth remaining slaves to an odious system (including most of us) while a few get madly rich. The people who are in charge do not care about what we think and they prove this again and again. If they stay in charge (and they will, the system was designed corruptly around their interests) we will kill this beautiful planet and die right along with it. The only way to get them out of power is to remove them. And this would require a popular revolution (see?)

        I think everybody has a quiet revolution, but it’s on a smaller, personal level. We all need to at least be thinking about a loud revolution, because it won’t happen unless everybody is on board (solidarity). And, yes, if everybody is on board no “system” is necessary. Humans are intelligent enough to work together and compassionate enough to want to. There are just a lot of people who would have us not believe this.

        I could scream right now, just thinking about it.

        • kylieonwheels

          “It is, in a way, turning your back on all the people who need help. ”

          Can you elaborate on that a little?

          I tend to disagree that lifestyle changes are “not possible for most people in the world right now”. The only thing stopping change is the will required to do it.

          • Scarlet

            You must not be aware of all the women of the world who aren’t allowed to leave their homes, their husbands, or to make their own choices about anything (especially the children they may or may not want to be having), people of all ages working around the clock in factories for a pittance, the even less fortunate whose land has been robbed of them and have no livelihood, source of income, and corrupt governments which do not provide them with basic necessities, continuing genocide, etc.

            Do not try to tell me those people are able to do much of anything anymore. They aren’t consumers, so while making a shift from consumerism is a WONDERFUL thing to do, it’s not going to solve their problems. They need help, and our country is very much rich enough to give them help but they are a very sad, dark, NECESSARY side to capitalism. Human waste (and I don’t discount all the examples of this in our own country: the homeless, the unemployed, the underemployed.) It will require all elements of the lower and middle classes in the states to shake our chains, but until we do people will continue to suffer and die.

            • kylieonwheels

              Be careful with your assumptions about what people do or don’t know. I admire your passion, I just disagree with your belief that to stage a quiet revolution is to turn your back on those who need help.

              I think that the quiet revolutions that people like Crunchy Betty are orchestrating are very effective in certain places such as you describe. For example, if we all say no to chemical shampoos, down goes the company that sells them, down go the factories that pay bugger all to their workers, all the while exposing them to the chemicals and suffering, down goes the social conditioning that tells women they are worth nothing unless they have the shiny bouncy fake hair that you see on the ads, and so on. The problem with marching and protesting alone, is that often the people crying out about the evils of capitalism are the same people wearing Nikes and drinking Coke. I’m not saying that loud revolutions are bad, they are a key part of the fight. But the quiet revolution is absolutely vital also.

              We can’t all fix all the world’s problems right at once. Doing whatever you can do is not a sign of ignorance towards what you can’t or haven’t yet.

    • Tammy

      Hi Aisha, I understand where you are coming from. While I agree with the quiet and peaceful revolution that I wish lived in all of us, of course we know that not everyone owns it. #occupymystreet is beautifully written ~ poetic. I believe it would be terribly hard to focus on a quiet revolution if we do not have the FREEDOMS where we exist. “Injustices live on, but only when I partake in them.” (#occupymystreet) To me, this sentence seems similar to what you were implying in “don’t have access to the same resources that everyone else has”. When I think of people, I guess I think of all people . . . wherever they exist. It would be quite hard to live in a quiet revolution if I was starving and had no idea where I’d get my next meal; a dictator of the country I lived in had ordered me out of my home and country because of my ethnicity; the earthquake and floods, left us all needing; we wanted to get married, but couldn’t climb the court house steps to sign the papers because of our wheelchairs—no elevators or accessibility; a neighbor has a child with leukemia, but her husband’s insurance does not cover the treatment that could save his life. As for me, I must acknowledge the injustices in life in order to be thankful for what I have and what has taken place in history. I exist . . . by golly LIVE in a place where I can put honey on my face while still remembering the young boys who fought in the past and today the men and woman who continue to work for the freedoms that exist where I am today. This is what makes my heart beat . . . this is me.

    • Juliet

      I hear ya Betty. We all evolve at our own speed, and you seem to be right on track. “One common, moving world that aches for freedom.” Beautifully put. Add to it the reality that our freedom resides in us, not in any man-made construct.
      Again, beautiful, beautiful piece.
      Keep them coming!

    • Liz

      This is so simply and beautifully stated. Thank you for putting words to what we’re all trying to do

    • http://upyourimpactfactor.com/ Jenny

      THIS is why I love you.

      That is all.

    • Lucy

      Well said. Every word we speak and write towards making this world a better place is worth it, is our own quiet revolution. Have you read The Four Agreements? This book teaches to be impeccable with your word.

    • Anonymous

      Get off the fence and fight back

      • kylieonwheels

        There’s a certain irony in anonymously posting a comment like that.

    • Pixie

      After thinking about it for a few days, I think this idea of a ‘quiet revolution’ is more about personal change than social change so CB isn’t saying turn your back on those in suffering or be passive. It’s about examining your perceptions of the beauty industry etc… and changing them if they need to be ie do I need an expensive body scrub? Is commercial body scrub actually that good for my skin given the preservatives invovled? Can I make one of a higher quality at home with lemon zest, oil and sugar?

      Anyway, both indivdiual and social change are important but they are also different even though often individual change leads to social change and vice versea. The focus of this article is on indvivdual change.

      It’s like one in the morning and I’m only awake because I’m finishing off uni work! Hope I made sense.

      Peace!

    • MrsZ

      Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. The hubby has been terribly occupied with the corruption we’re exposed to on a daily basis. I’ve tried to explain this very concept to him to no avail. I will be sharing this with him in the hopes he’ll understand me a bit better. His basic theory on ‘fighting the power’ is Stop using their guns and Stop using their money even though he believes a bloody coup is what it’ll take to make a substantial change. The dichotomy of man. He was reluctant to bring children into this world until I told him the best thing we can do for our kids is to prepare them. Teach them to farm, teach them about medicines that grow wild. Teach them to build. So no matter what happens they will survive. This was an absolutely amazing post. It speaks to my heart & fills my soul with hope.

    • SunnyGal

      Beautiful! Almost brought me to tears. Thank you.

    • Tiph

      “the only way to fight a pretend dragon is to recognize that it doesn’t exist”Anyone else think of ‘Labyrinth’ when she realises the way to make it all stop and defeat the bad guys? She says ‘You have no power over me’ and believes it… The world dissolves.Maybe it is that easy. Take control of your own world by not buying into the ‘norm’. Look how many people are touched by Miss Betty here just going ahead and doing her thing. We can’t help but follow her lead. You never know how many people you can reach by just changing they way you act. Using the ripple effect for good ways of change!