Dear John,

Thank you to all those who joined us for the Local Peace Economy meeting last night!

It was so great to hear what’s moving in you as you work with the pivots in your daily lives. Continue to practice with them - one a day, one a week, with a partner or group. Don’t forget to record what you’re noticing in your workbook or journal.

The recording of last night's call, along with the chat, will be shared in an upcoming email.

Our next meeting will be Wednesday, February 14th at 5:00 PT/8:00 ET. We will be focusing on care during this call.

“The more we pay attention to care in our lives, the more we are able to recognize the rich economy of care that we cannot live without.”
-The Local Peace Economy Workbook

Care is the foundation of the local peace economy. We are all here because we have been cared for - by others, the earth, and ourselves. As you move through the next two weeks, begin to notice: How is care already woven into your community? How do you experience the flow of care?

You can find more reflections about care and why it’s central to the local peace economy on page 94 of The Local Peace Economy Workbook. You can also read about how practices of care can support us in times when endurance is required here.

If you haven’t already, you can download a digital version of The Local Peace Economy Workbook for free, or you can purchase a physical copy.

We are working hard to make more resources available to you as you continue your local peace economy journey. In the meantime, you can find lots of resources on our website. Any resources specific to the workbook can be found on the top of this page, including the introduction to the workbook, resources for the Cycle of (Re)connection, and the Local Peace Economy Ecosystem Airtable to support you in finding local peace economy projects near you.

If you have any questions, please email Emily at [email protected]. We look forward to seeing you on February 14th!

Take good care,

Jodie and Emily

You Start Dying Slowly

Attributed to both Pablo Neruda and Martha Medeiros

You start dying slowly
if you do not travel,
if you do not read,
If you do not listen to the sounds of life,
If you do not appreciate yourself.

You start dying slowly
When you kill your self-esteem;
When you do not let others help you.

You start dying slowly
If you become a slave of your habits,
Walking everyday on the same paths…
If you do not change your routine,
If you do not wear different colours
Or you do not speak to those you don’t know.

You start dying slowly
If you avoid to feel passion
And their turbulent emotions;
Those which make your eyes glisten
And your heart beat fast.

You start dying slowly
If you do not change your life when you are not satisfied with your job, or with your love,
If you do not risk what is safe for the uncertain,
If you do not go after a dream,
If you do not allow yourself,
At least once in your lifetime,
To run away from sensible advice.