<p class="MsoNormal"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', serif">Chapter 14: February 7, 2011</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', serif"> </font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', serif"></font><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', serif; ">Water is life.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', serif">The planet is made up of roughly 70% water; the human body
has a similar composition. Water cycles through different states of matter; from
the oceans to the clouds, and from rain to ice. Water resides in the earth and
in the roots and trunks of trees. Water as dew drops on spider webs,
illuminating the invisible silk strands. Water falls to earth as rain, and undulates
across landscapes as fog. Water in
delicate moments meets sunshine in just the right way, and at just the right time
to produce a rainbow. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', serif">Water in it’s cyclical fluidity, supports the equilibrium and mystery
of life. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', serif"> </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', serif">As an educator, my practice is rooted in the juicy edge
between environmental and arts education. Teaching in this context has invited
me to me learn with diverse communities, kids of all ages and in dynamic
bioregions. In my practice I get to spend a lot of time outside, with the
elements, intimately aware of the seasons and the transformational potential
that resides in time spent in wild places. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', serif">In this work, I have to be acutely aware of basic needs,
basic needs of my students, my colleagues and myself. By basic needs I mean
nourishment and comfort that promotes the opportunity for deep learning to
transpire. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', serif"> </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', serif">I conjured up a mantra one winter teaching on a little
island to the west of Seattle in the Puget Sound, “hydration equals happiness.”
It was the coldest, wettest winter I had ever known, and I had to actively
remind myself and my students to drink water; we weren’t so inclined when the
temperatures were close to freezing and we were frequently damp. It was
challenging to maintain the practice of drinking water, when the thought of
consuming something cool when we were trying so hard to stay warm was not
intuitive. Throughout that winter I experienced and observed the direct
connection between hydration and happiness, drinking an appropriate amount of
water throughout the day, made a huge difference in our mental, emotional and
physical states. I found that the dynamics of the groups I was working with
were far more compassionate, more respectful, kind, playful and fun when we
were adequately hydrated.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', serif">I imagine that the concept of hydration is probably common
sense and doesn’t really need to be flushed out much more, but it is pretty amazing
how many of us, could be better hydrated, even in the moderate micro-climates
of San Francisco…I invite you to notice throughout the next couple of days how
much water you actually consume each day; an average adult should drink at
least 64 oz. of water each day. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', serif"> </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', serif">I write about the necessity of staying hydrated and it’s
connection to happiness, harmony and balance as a way to introduce a topic of
inquiry and that is: Stewardship of the Self, the spirit, the heart, the body,
the breath or in permaculture terms: Zone Zero. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', serif"> </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', serif">I intend to hold space for a dialogue to unfold centered on
the question of how do you steward Self? In what ways do you take care of your
body? How do you stimulate your intellect? Harmonize your emotions? Enliven
your spirit? Do you make time for play? Creativity? Imagination? Dreams? Do you
have a wild place that you go to, to let go? To feel free?</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', serif"> </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', serif">For those of us who choose to spend our time committed to
the stewardship of the natural world, supporting the reclamation of disturbed
ecosystems, increasing fertility and biodiversity, while working to build
resiliency and community, I believe it is vital and exciting to explore how the
principles of permaculture can be applied to our lives in a very intimate way;
from our daily rituals, to how much sleep we get each night, where we get our
news from, to how much television we choose to watch, what foods we eat, and
how we communicate… these choices and more inform our personal equilibrium. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', serif"> </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', serif">I invite you to comment, express, challenge and deepen the
inquiry. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', serif">I look forward to sharing with you all.</font></p>
<br>-- <br><b><font face="'times new roman', serif">Lindsey Goldberg, M.Ed, RYT</font></b><div><font face="'times new roman', serif">Education.Environment.Art.Community.</font></div><div><font face="'times new roman', serif"><a href="http://www.livelearnengagetransform.blogspot.com" target="_blank">www.livelearnengagetransform.blogspot.com</a></font></div>
<div><font face="'times new roman', serif">415.250.2352</font></div><div><font face="'times new roman', serif"><br></font></div><div><font face="'times new roman', serif">Hayes Valley Farm</font></div>
<div><span style="font-size:x-small"><font face="'times new roman', serif"><a href="http://www.hayesvalleyfarm.com" target="_blank">www.hayesvalleyfarm.com</a></font></span></div><div><font face="'times new roman', serif">Graze The Roof</font></div>
<div><span style="font-size:x-small"><font face="'times new roman', serif"><a href="http://grazetheroof.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://grazetheroof.blogspot.com/</a></font></span></div><br>