I recently had the privilege of participating in a water ceremony co-sponsored by the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, the Regional Land Conservancy, and the National Writers Workshop. We hiked through lovely meadows (a land reclaimed and rehabilitated from its poisonous history as a golf course) and made our way to a bridge over a creek that feeds the Great Lakes. The site is now an environmental asset in an essential watershed area that preserves the water we drink. At the bridge, the Tribal chief offered words of gratitude for the water that enables us to live and thrive on this planet. She began the ceremony with a smudging experience used to purify spaces by burning sage and directing the smoke to the desired area. It’s a practice rooted in Indigenous cultures, where it’s used for cleansing, purification, and connecting not only with the spiritual realm, but also with the people gathering together to express gratitude for the bounty and beauty that Nature provides. The smoke is believed to attach to negative energy and carry it away. It was a beautiful experience that helped me remember how important water is for all life on our planet, AND how far we have strayed from the reverence Native Americans placed on land and water.
Our current reality is a grim departure from the gifts our Native American brothers and sisters tried to give us.
The walk and the ceremony, in and of themselves, exceeded all expectations I could reasonably have had. But to add frosting to the cake, we were joined by Robin Wall Kimmerer, the best-selling author of Braiding Sweetgrass and the Serviceberries. Her quiet Presence on the walk added an even deeper spiritual energy to the experience. Even though she is a world-renowned icon in environmental justice, she simply played a supportive role during the walk and ceremony. She spoke few words but left a huge impact with her inspiring humility and generous energy. In her books, she reminds us that Nature is a gift that needs to be nurtured instead of an asset to be exploited. She talks a lot about the importance of reciprocity and reverence for the land and the water that make life possible.
Being a bit of an alliterative fool, I summarized the themes of her books and words with seven R’s:
- Resilience
- Reciprocity
- Respect
- Remembering
- Restraint
- Reflection
- Reverence
To me, these words speak powerfully to the issues we are facing in the world. If these values informed and inspired our actions, we would be in a much better place. It seems to me that the threat of being destroyed by Star Wars represents far less danger than the “R” wars going on right now. Instead of being replenished by Kimmerer’s seven Rs, we are all being diminished by the assault of another set of Rs driving too many of our behaviors.
- Rage
- Righteousness
- Revenge
- Retribution
- Ruthlessness
- Recklessness
- Repression
While it is true that we are in the middle of an AI war that could destroy us in ways we still can’t imagine, I worry more about the war we have to win between these two sets of R’s. It seems pretty clear to me that the first set of Rs represents what an ideal world might look like, and the second set of Rs represents the current reality. The outcome of this epic battle will determine the fate of our planet and the fate of our souls.
This is not a trivial challenge even on an individual level. I don’t know about you, but I find it difficult to reconcile my ideal self with the reality of who I am and how I act. In my morning meditation I try to experience a sense of being at one with the universe, at peace with myself, calm and still, and present in the moment. My intention is live each day with more love, kindness, equanimity, consciousness, and harmony. In spite of my effort, I fail every day. Trying to reduce the gaps between my intentions and my actions is a constant battle.
On a recent walk with my granddaughter, she was trying to figure out what extracurricular activities to sign up during and after school. She was considering several options: yoga, dancing, theatre, swimming, sewing, reading, etc. In my ever-annoying way, I suggested that she might want to start with the values she is trying to satisfy, for example: fitness, learning, fun, connection, and convenience. I shared my perspective that starting with clarity about what’s most important to you makes it easier to select an option or combination of options that turn out to be most fulfilling and meaningful. I’m not sure my advice landed, but knowing her makes me think she will reflect deeply on the question.
To me, this brief interchange highlighted the difficulty of reconciling the ideal with the real. While we all imagine how our daily decisions might turn out for us, we rarely take the time to reflect on what’s most important or remember who we want to be in this world.
Returning to Kimmerer’s seven Rs, let me share what each of those values means to me and how integrating them into our thinking might help us deal with the challenges we are facing in our own lives, in the organizations in which we are involved, and on the planet on which we live.
Resilience empowers us to face and overcome adversity, helping us grow stronger and more adaptable with each challenge. It encourages persistence and the ability to bounce back, teaching us that failure is often a stepping stone to success. By cultivating resilience, we’re better equipped to handle life’s uncertainties and thrive despite difficulties.
Reciprocity fosters a sense of community by encouraging mutual exchange and balance in our relationships. It creates a cycle of giving and receiving, ensuring that support and kindness are shared among individuals. By practicing reciprocity, we build trust and strengthen bonds, making our connections more rewarding and meaningful.
Respect is essential for creating harmony, as it allows us to value and appreciate diverse perspectives. It encourages empathy and understanding, fostering an environment where differences can coexist and enrich our lives. By showing respect to others, we build a foundation of trust and civility, promoting peaceful interactions.
Remembering connects us to our roots and helps us learn from past experiences, providing valuable insights for future decisions. It honors our heritage and traditions, ensuring that the lessons of history guide us in the present. By remembering, we maintain a sense of identity and continuity, grounding us in an ever-changing world.
Restraint teaches us self-control, enabling us to make thoughtful choices over impulsive decisions. It encourages patience and discipline, allowing us to act with intention and purpose. By practicing restraint, we cultivate a life of balance and wisdom, avoiding the pitfalls of excess and greed.
Reflection provides an opportunity for introspection, helping us understand ourselves and our motivations on a deeper level. It encourages self-awareness and personal growth, allowing us to evaluate our actions and their impact. By taking time for reflection, we gain clarity and insight, guiding us toward a more intentional and fulfilling life.
Reverence instills a sense of awe and appreciation for the beauty and complexity of the world around us. It encourages us to connect with something greater – something larger than ourselves – inspiring gratitude and mindfulness. By embracing reverence, we enrich our spiritual and emotional lives, finding meaning and purpose in the everyday.
Now consider the other seven Rs we are actually experiencing in our world today and how they impact our individual, organizational, and civilizational health.
Rage clouds our judgment and leads to impulsive decisions that harm our well-being, undermines trust, and escalates conflicts. It diminishes our ability to think rationally and objectively, often resulting in destructive actions. When fueled by anger, individuals may damage relationships and erode their own mental health. Rage within organizations can create toxic environments, reducing productivity and morale. On a societal level, widespread rage can incite violence and social unrest, making reconciliation difficult.
Righteousness fosters intolerance and justifies harmful behaviors, creating division within organizations and society. It can lead individuals to dismiss alternative viewpoints and suppress dissenting voices. This self-righteous attitude often results in closed-mindedness and conflict, preventing constructive dialogue. When organizations or societies prioritize righteousness over compromise, progress stalls and grievances deepen. Righteousness can also justify discrimination or cruelty in the name of moral superiority. It hinders empathy, making it difficult to understand or address issues compassionately, thereby perpetuating social divides.
Revenge breeds cycles of violence, erodes moral values, and hinders progress, damaging relationships and social cohesion. Pursuing revenge can escalate conflicts and create ongoing hostility that is hard to resolve. It distracts from constructive solutions, focusing instead on punishment and retaliation.
Retribution perpetuates a cycle of punishment that neglects rehabilitation or understanding. Excessive focus on retribution can justify unethical decisions and undermine justice systems’ fairness. It discourages empathy and promotes a punitive mindset that damages social relationships. Societies fixated on retribution may experience increased social divisions and ongoing conflict. Within organizations, retribution can stifle innovation and collaboration, creating a culture of fear and mistrust.
Ruthlessness in pursuit of goals leads to unethical behavior and harms others without regard for consequences. It erodes morality and can destroy the trust necessary for long-term success. Ruthless actions may provide short-term gains but cause long-lasting harm to relationships and reputation. Such behavior often breeds fear and resentment among colleagues or community members. Societies or organizations that normalize ruthlessness risk losing their moral compass and enduring social disintegration.
Recklessness results in hasty decisions without adequate consideration of risks, often leading to preventable disasters. It can cause financial losses, injury, or damage to organizational or societal reputation. Reckless behavior undermines safety protocols and ethical standards, endangering both individuals and communities. In organizations, it can lead to reckless leadership that jeopardizes stability and growth. Society suffers when recklessness encourages impulsive actions that neglect consequences, fueling instability. It hampers long-term planning and fosters a culture of carelessness and chaos.
Repression suppresses dissent, curtails freedoms and breeds social unrest. It stifles innovation and open communication, hindering progress within organizations and societies. Repressed emotions and voices often find other outlets, sometimes destructive, causing hidden tensions. When repression becomes systemic, it erodes trust in leadership and institutions. It perpetuates inequality and injustice, creating a cycle of frustration and resistance. Society suffers from weakened social cohesion and decreased morale, limiting its capacity for healthy development.
I’m sure you could list many examples from your own experience of how these destructive Rs are manifested today. No matter what news source you read or podcast you listen to, evidence of these feelings and behaviors seems overwhelming. The Kimmerer R’s? Not so much.
So what can we do?
For starters, I’m hoping my granddaughter can find activities that satisfy her values, and I’m hoping I can begin to close the gap between my intentions and my actions. On a larger scale, I’m hoping we can stay more connected to our aspirations of how we show up in the world in every new moment we face, and I’m hoping we begin to reconcile our ideal selves with the realities that keep raising their ugly heads. Finally, I’m hoping we can somehow figure out a way to win the “R” wars that are imperiling our souls, our communities, and our planet. May it be so.
Really good Ricky! Thank you