Spring Musings on Climate Change
By Zeratha Lotussoul Young
The Setup
As we move out of the evanescence of late winter in the PNW and into the promise of early Spring we have been greeted with some lovely days of sunshine and warmth. Oh, how good it feels! The buds are blossoming, the birds are singing, and seeds are calling out to be planted.
The New Normal
However, although we may be delighted to feel the warmth and comfort of the sun on our skin, some of us are also reminded of what might be coming in a couple months time. Memories of years past, replete with ‘heat domes’ of 116 degree temperatures during which we may have witnessed birds barely moving and in distress. Sensory filled memories of smoke so thick from wildfires we had to put towels at the bottom of our doors. It is almost a bittersweet sensation these days to welcome the lovely fecundity of Spring, while bracing for the unknown temperament of Summer.
Many call our formidable and unruly weather and its accompanying events, the ‘new normal’. Although I understand the sentiment of this saying, I also bristle at it a bit as a voice inside me objects to encapsulating the massive effects of climate change as ‘normal’.
There’s part of me that feels as though this saying is a way to dismiss our feelings and anxieties about the changed, hotter, more unpredictable and challenging climate we find ourselves in. It is a pass to say ‘there’s not much I can do about it and I don’t want to face it or really feel what I’m feeling about it’.
The empathy
As someone who feels things very deeply and believes we must face, embrace and tend to our inner landscapes, lest we get lost in their unprocessed depths, I cannot turn away. In these times of uncertainty, anxiety and possibility, I choose to turn towards my feelings and those of others in my family and community. I believe creating safe space for the grief, anger, fear, confusion as well as for the love, hope, visioning and compassion that we experience both as individuals and in community, is of dire importance in these times of great tumult and change.
The Foundation
Cultivating and nurturing community within our families, neighborhoods and the larger world is more important now than ever. Not only is it critical that we work towards shoring up our emotional and mental resilience on an individual level so that we do not drown when the tides of eco-anxiety lap at our heart and mind’s door. But we also must fortify our physical resilience and preparedness in our own homes and in our communities. Learning and practicing skills for communicating, healthy relationships, and heart based processing of our feelings serves to strengthen both our internal and external resilience in the face of climate change challenges. While preparedness leaves us with a stronger emotional and physical foundation we can lean on when the (un)expected occurs.
The practice
Cascadia Stack is a community resource in the Portland Metro area folks can tap into for help in addressing both internal and external resilience and preparedness. Stack is an organization offering both ‘Resilience Circles’ and ‘Preparedness Workshops’. Resilience Circles are a 90 minute offering where folks can come and be in a safe space in community to share and process their feelings around climate change, eco-anxiety and the uncertainty these foment in our individual and collective lives. Share as little, or as much as you like, or simply listen and witness others. No pressure, only a safe container of time in which to be seen, heard or simply to feel the support of a community that recognizes the challenges of these times.
The preparedness workshops help individuals and families to gain a basic understanding of how to prepare themselves, their family and their neighborhood for an emergency or climate disaster. This might look like a plan outlining the supplies you need to gather per person and household as well as important pieces of knowledge such as where your gas shutoff is located. Having a core understanding of how to prepare for and respond to an emergency helps build resilience and confidence.
The gatherings
As you witness and navigate both the joys and the worries the warmer weather can bring, remember you are not alone. There are many folks out there holding conflicting feelings. There are many folks that hold both hope and anxiety. There are many folks that could benefit from being seen and heard as they navigate the complexities of these times and the feelings and worries they can provoke. And remember you are not alone. Come share in safe space and dedicated time to explore this terrain together, through a resilience circle or a preparedness workshop.
The end
Noticing the changes.
