This is the thirty-first issue of my free newsletter. Your feedback is most welcome!
Happy Autumnal Equinox! Traditionally a time of balance and of letting go, this season has been an intense one, with more letting go than most of us wanted. Here in Western North Carolina, many people are breathing a sigh of relief as their electric power comes back on or their water supply is restored, in the wake of Tropical Storm Frances and Hurricane Ivan. Could these intense storms be in part the result of global warming? I would not doubt it. How can we bring more balance into our way of life, and thus live more harmoniously with the natural world’s cycles?
The irony of not having water to drink when there is torrential rainfall reminds me of how poorly we utilize our natural resources. If, for example, every home had its own rainwater cistern or barrel, there would be a source of fairly clean water, which could then be filtered and drunk. At a recent workshop I attended on rainwater catchment, at the Southern Energy and Environment Expo, I learned that collecting rainwater from our roofs helps take the strain off the storm sewer systems--a leading cause of discharge of raw sewage into waterways during heavy storms. I also learned that it is possible to build homes (or retrofit existing ones) so that rainwater can be used to flush toilets or do laundry, as well as water gardens—thus saving on water bills.
When I heard of what went into the rivers, I felt grief for their pollution, and chagrin about the poor planning which located toxics near our rivers. Both the French Broad River and the Swannanoa flooded their banks. According to the Asheville Global Report, seventy-five home-heating oil tanks and 200 miscellaneous 55-gallon drums were washed into waterways, and five 30,000-gallon oil tanks and two 20,000 gallon tanks were tipped over and spilled, not to mention several million gallons of raw sewage flowing into the rivers. Other possible contaminants came from a paper mill.
Many people have suffered heavy losses, if their home or business was located in the flood plain. Although I was not personally impacted by the storms, other than having to boil water for a week, I have had my own physiological challenges with the water element. First I had a bacterial pneumonia, then a pleural effusion (collection of fluid between the lung and the pleural lining) which has had to be drained twice from my right lung. Fluid in my ears and sinuses gives sounds a muffled quality, making me feel like I’m under water. It has definitely been a time for staying home, going within, doing my self-healing imagery practices, and slowing way down. I’m also aware that the lung is the organ connected with grief. One of my bad habits is to run away from those uncomfortable feelings, by getting busy or distracting myself with enjoyable activities. This has not been an easy year for me, from breaking up with a lover, to leaving the Earthaven community, to housemate struggles, to difficulty finding work and hence being unemployed for months. Feeling the need to grieve, both for myself and others, I’ve instigated a group of Earth Team members (from Jubilee, a local new-age church) to co-create a gathering at one of our rivers for a “From Grieving to Healing” ceremony—to heal both ourselves and the waters, which are not really separate.
At this difficult time, I’m asking for your support. If you have enjoyed reading my free newsletters, the most wonderful thing you could do for me would be to purchase a copy of my book, The Circle of Healing, or audiotape, Kindness to the Body from this web site. Or just phone directly with your credit card, (800) 404-9492, and at your request a book or tape will be mailed to you promptly. The book makes a good gift. End of commercial!
Many blessings, and please accept my apologies for the brevity of this newsletter.
Cathy Holt
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