Dear Earthlings:
The
EcoSex course at U Conn is in process. It's a great experience. We
are expanding horizons with clustered reading: Theory of Science, Cultural Theory, Ecological Theory. We each read related books, then report to group. More thinking out of the box and across
disciplines. Students are sending their book reports in. In class, we connect the dots. From a
holograph of what we've read together, the "required readings."
What's the connection with our clustered themes? Multiple perspectives and good synergy. Here, we offer a glimpse. Lynn Dieter Duhm's Future without War is one of five "Cultural Theory books. We got Rhiann and Alissa to report on it.
Rhiann Peterson and Alissa Maus:
A Book Report on Future without War. Theory of Global Healing.
by Dieter Duhm
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Question: How was your
experience reading this book in the context of an Ecosexuality course? How does
the book’s content relate to the themes and questions of the course?
Future without War by Dieter Duhm
directly correlates with the concepts and ideas expressed in ecosexuality. The
author focuses on how there is a possibility to have a future without war, but
the only way to do so would be to heal the Earth as a whole. When pain occurs
somewhere in the world it spreads because it is an interconnected whole as
expressed in Gaia theory. The issues humans have with each other and within
themselves causes hurt in the rest of society. Duhm believes that his Peace
Villages and Healing Biotopes are the first step in order to get rid of war and
create universal peace. These Peace Villages would have new organisms that
would have no race, religion, culture, language, possessions, and etc. to
define or shelter their opinions and views. These communities will hold people
who are open minded and spread harmony to the rest of the world. “Those who are
our enemies today may have been our friends before. Those who are our friends
today may have been our enemies before” (Duhm 14). Duhm makes the point that all people have
suffered at some point and when one person suffers the world suffers with them.
Because all people are connected by the Earth and Gaia theory when people
harbor lies it can spread as hatred elsewhere.
Duhm
explains that war is a concept rooted in society and that even before war has
begun it has been planned because it has been so ingrained in the culture. He explains because we do not understand that
war is such a piece of our society that people unknowingly contribute to war by
ways as simple as just being a consumer. He ties his theory on a future without
war with ecosexuality by explaining how each person is just an organ in the
organism as a whole. Each person is connected to Gaia and is a piece of a
puzzle that makes the system work as a whole.
He currently believes that, “the existing culture is an operating system
of dominance, fear, and violence” (Duhm 23). In order to transform from what
its current state a new society needs to be created free of influence with a
new set of rules, establishing society as a whole. A generalization of his twelve
rules of Tamera (Biotope) are as follows: One’s behavior must reflect healing
and peace, both inner and outer. Resonate within and do not make any unneeded
noise as it will disrupt the harmony. One must be trustworthy, truthful,
supportive, and actively participate. On shall not suppress their sexual
attractions but in doing so they must understand the idea of free sexuality and
must not force others to satisfy their sexual needs. They have no right to
possess people for example a husband, wife or child. The people in this
community must attend certain events such as spiritual hours or training events
for the younger generations. Duhm states also that one’s actions reflect on the
lives of all people. His last rule is that one should continually build up
energy in order to conserve it for later use. These concepts would create a
community in which peace would overcome war, and where peace prevails it would
be able to spread since the world is all connected and a part of Gaia.
The
comparison that Duhm uses is that when a person cuts their finger, the cells
immediately begin the healing process as should humans be able to heal the
Earth that they are a part of. He also uses the idea that when someone thinks
they are getting fat their brain automatically formulates an image of them fat.
He believes that if people’s bodies are capable of acting this way then humans
should be able to act in the same manner in healing the Earth. This has
recently been hindered due to the fact that many people in todays society
believe that war is a necessity to society because of the dominant role it has
taken in politics and economics. If we adapt to these Biotopes then there is a
possibility that people will no longer need to be fearful of war, hatred and
violence but rather they would just have to love.
Another one of his principles that
further coincides with Gaia theory is the idea that whatever is happening at
one place is happening everywhere in the world because when something happens
holowaves are sent out that send vibrations everywhere. He focuses on the
concepts of frequencies that are sent out, so one thing a person does can
affect someone in another part of the world. Duhm believes that our world is
based upon information and that information controls the lives society leads.
People need to download information on peace rather than war to create a future
without war.
Duhm mentions 5 key thoughts that
outline the theory of global healing. In short they are the following; The
entire Earth and all of humanity is a holistic system and can be considered one
organism. In this first point, Duhm mentions how one single thought can change
one’s whole inner life. One peace thought can shift our thinking and in turn
shift other’s thinking. The second point illustrates that community, truth,
trust, love, eros, and religion hold the keys to a world and life without
violence. The third thought expands on the idea of trust as the centre of
peacework. Duhm goes as far as to say that “peace is TRUST” and that “trust is
the deepest human experience of all” (Duhm 63). Duhm also explains how healing
biotopes work to generate trust by creating a place with favorable conditions
and encouraging conscious work and effort in cultivating permanent trust. The
fourth point illustrates that individual transformations are not what
transforms a community. “Communal and societal structures that have yet to be
created” will make it possible for truth and growth (Duhm 63). The fifth and
final point suggests that the communities of the future will be responsible for
developing the new societal structures needed to elicit change and promote a
future without war. The more emphasis on Earth as holistic system will
reverberate and create a new code of life for this planet.
Another illustration Duhm included
in his proposal for a future without war was the parable of the nut. In this
metaphor, or parable, the nut is pregnant with it’s core. When the core arrives
or is unveiled and shocks its audiences, a revelation occurs. In other words,
“the becomes visible at more and more places on Earth - unveiling occurs. The
unveiling makes it possible for us to take a look inside the nut” and realize
the “prehistoric utopia” (Duhm 71). “Revelation means that the world goes from
the implicit to explicit order. It changes from the latent state of its
possibilities into the manifest states of its possibilities. A reality that so
far exists as a latent reality, slowly manifests. the image of “prehistoric utopia” becomes visible” (Duhm
72). Overall, the basic premise behind this explanation of the parable of the
nut is that traditional society is the shell and the nut is is the ripe seed of
new society that has yet to come.
Another way to contemplate the
future without war is through a virtual space station in the “noosphere”, also
known as the mental and spiritual world. The virtual space station is almost a
futuristic and more developed projection of what already exists in Tamera. It
is important to realize that the term virtual does not necessarily mean computer
generated but rather virtual means latent, possible, and conquerable futuristic
goals of development. Additionally, the virtual space station is a way of
looking at our own possibilities for holistic happiness. The virtual space
station is a vision which is ignited by the power of thought and “always
accompanied by conscientious material work, research, and implementation” (Duhm
78). Duhm notes that “the virtual space station is a dream, but it is a
realistic one” (Duhm 80).
As the text develops, Duhm begins to
offer up the concept of solutions. He starts by quoting the architect Le
Corbusier, “You do not start a revolution by fighting the state, but by
presenting the solution” (Duhm 86). From here, Duhm proceeds to explain that
problems can not be solved at the level in which they lie. He relates this to
examples of love and technology and suggests that we need a higher level of
order. He suggests that functioning communities with functioning spiritual
systems provide a place where two lovers can meet and when they meet it will be
a purely positive way. From here, Duhm goes on to elaborate on many types of
energy. He touches on technical, solar, and emotional energy before suggesting
the switch from fossil fuels to solar and cosmic energy. He notes that “we must
switch from depletable to inexhaustible sources of energy” (Duhm 90). He dreams
of a movement that is not characterized or complicated by scarcity and further
assumes that all living things feel the same way.
As Future Without War winds down, Duhm explains the Monte Cerro
experiment. The project is set in Tamera, Portugal and is focussed on
understanding and developing effective peace villages. The project is meant to
represent a global aspect in two regards; economy of globalization and new world
order. Their main objectives are to discover how the world can be healed and
absent of violence by imposing these goals on themselves within their new
community. In three years, students are expected to come up with how they can
heal world suffering and urged to start with themselves and their community
members. The experiment connects the students to their natural surroundings as
they coexist within their environment. Additionally, art is also mentioned as
an important aspect of the experiment. Duhm includes a list of thought
provoking questions regarding the Monte Cerro experiment that open
opportunities for dialogue and contemplation.
In conclusion, Future Without War utilizes Tamera and the Monte Cerro experiment
to demonstrate the possibilities for a nonviolent future filled with peace and
trust. The main topics of sexuality, love, and partnership are seen throughout
the text and provide a direct connection to the Ecosexuality movement.
Alissa Maus and Rhiann Peterson
Published with permission
WGSS 3998 - Ecosexuality and the Ecology of Love
Prof. Serena Anderlini-D'Onofrio
U Conn, Storrs, Spring 2013
Dear Earthlings:
Let "nature" be your teacher in the arts of love. Education is the heart of democracy, education to love. Come back for more wonders: Book Reports to appear every other Thursday. Book Reports to be scheduled soon. Check out our summer offerings: Ecosexuality in Portland, OR, July 17-21. Registration here!
Namaste,
Serena Anderlini-D'Onofrio, PhD
Gilf Gaia Extraordinaire
Author of Gaia, Eros, and many other books about love
Professor of Humanities
University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez
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