Building community happens organically when people with shared interests gather to exchange ideas and listen to one another. For more than ten years now, I have been involved in a metaphysical discussion group which I co-founded at a bookstore in my area. We gather to discuss the big questions and to explore topics that are new to us. We use a “talking stick” style approach which means that everyone has uninterrupted time to share their thoughts and feelings, and it follows the nonhierarchical values of the sacred circle. Meeting in sacred space is wonderfully refreshing for many of us who may not otherwise not have a regular practice of gathering in their lives.
How does understanding metaphysics help us save the planet? We need to build a new kind of picture for a global citizenry that wants to restore harmony to the human/nature relationship. As many cultures around the world and throughout history have noted, humans do not exist in isolation, but are rather an inextricable part of a fully integrated and interdependent whole. Metaphysics offers many ways to consider these ideas anew.
A medicine show historically featured entertainments such as musical acts, magic tricks, jokes, or storytelling. Each show was run by a man posing as a doctor who drew the crowd with a monologue. The entertainers, such as acrobats, musclemen, magicians, dancers, ventriloquists, exotic performers, and trick shots, kept the audience engaged until the salesman sold his medicine. I want to persuade people to help our planet with my 'medicine for the earth' pitch, and offering ‘fun’ and comedy are proven ways to sweeten that deal.