|
 Interdependence
Perhaps the greatest single insight of the ecological movement
and the whole food movement is the simple realization that all of
the differents parts and pieces of life and health are equally important,
connected and mutually dependent. Inside the web of life, everything
is connected. When nothing is neutral, everything is vital and this
means everything is either complimentary or insulting to our natural
rhythm and balance and harmony. Our health depends on healthy organs,
tissues, and cells, and these depend on nutrients. Nutrient rich
foods depend on nutrient rich soils, which depend on sufficient
sunlight mingling in the earth with billions of healthy microorganisms,
abundant minerals, and trace minerals.
Interdependence is the opposite of exclusivity. In life, nothing
is mutually exclusive. It our personal responsibility to deliberate
these things, and make decisions that nourish and sustain the well-being
of all of our many parts. The poet and Kentucky farmer, Wendell
Berry, puts it this way:
"The world that environs us, that is around us, is also
within us. We are made of it. We eat, drink, and breathe it. It
is bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh. It is also a creation,
a holy mystery, made for and to some extent by creatures, some
but by no means all of whom are humans. This world, this Creation,
belongs in a limited sense to us, for we may rightfully require
certain things of it. The things necessary to keep us fully alive
as the kind of creatures we are. But we also belong to it, and
it makes rightful claims upon us...that we leave it undiminished,
not just to our children, but to all the creatures who will live
in it after us."
These thoughts of Wendell Berry’s are hauntingly reminiscent
of the Great Law of the Iroquois...the Native American people who
lived in the hills and woodland areas west of the Hudson River,
long before the first European settlers set foot in the New World.
"In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact
of our decisions on the next seven generations."
The principle of interdependence is the web of life principle:
everything is connected to everything else.
Action Step to take for principle number five:
Take time to think about the principles in this section: homeostasis,
synergy, digestion, entrainment, and interdependence. What relevance
do these have in your life right now? What have you learned from
reading this section of the journey?
When you are able to understand and apply the first three principles
of natural health; homeostasis, synergy, and digestion you automatically
initiate or engage the principle of entrainment. What we have been
calling complimentary habits are the actions that move all living
systems in the direction of greater health and wholeness. What we
have been calling insulting habits are the actions that move all
living systems in the direction of disintegration, and dis-ease.
Everything is connected. Everything depends on the health and well-being
of everything else.
Remember to read the Habits of Naturally Healthy
People . Sometimes, understanding the principle underneath the
habit can become the driving force in the process of self-discovery,
which can lead to greater personal responsibility and proactivity,
which can lead to greater self-mastery and optimum health.
Got questions? - Contact Us
|
