What is this country called England? The Greeks called it ‘Hyperborea’ which means the ‘place beyond the North winds.’ England is part of the vast Boreal forest which extends all around the Northern part of the world. There are just a few remnants of the Boreal forest in the ancient forests of England and more in Wales and Scotland. William Blake thought we should build a new Jersusalem here with the power of our liberated desire and imagination, he said ‘bring me my arrows of desire’and spoke of the legend of Joseph of Arimithea who was said to have brought the holy grail here. Many people are moved by his poem and feel it should be the national anthem. But right now both Jerusalem and England suffer under the yoke of oppression. Both serve as battlegrounds between the oppressor and the oppressed. Where is the way out of the battlefield? Where is the way out of the nightmare of history? How can we wield our sword, engage in ‘mental fight’ as Blake suggests, but not become an oppressor ourselves but rather become a warrior who supports both sides in a conflict, who supports all of humanity?
The word ecology comes from the ancient Greek word ‘ecos’ which means ‘home.’What is home? The feeling of ‘home’ pulls deeply at our heart strings and creates the feeling of nationalism. But something deeper is hiding under the feeling of nationalism. The real source of this feeling, the source of the feeling of ‘home’ is not the nation and its political apparatus rather it is the land in itself. Perhaps, as Blake hints, the medicine that we hyperboreans need, the solution to our suffering, lies hidden in the land itself. It is the earth itself which we need to listen to; we need to listen to its dreaming spirits. The land knows how to resolve the conflict between the oppressor and the oppressed and knows how we can create a world where abundance is available for everyone. Whilst much of the ancient forest is gone, the abundant dreaming spirit of the earth remains. There is a giant lying sleeping hidden in the land which will soon awaken. There are vast spirits hidden in the land that will help us to repair our relationships with nature and repair community when we align our human intelligence, soul and intent with them
jason hine 