By Ann Kreilkamp | October 3, 2013

(Series of what? Of Extinctions? But isn’t that impossible? Once you’re dead you’re dead? Aaahh… you mean possible reflections on, contemplations upon, extinction. Yes, many perspectives there, they keep kaleidoscoping in and around and spin me into the vastness. . .)

"World's Sixth Mass Extinction May be Underway: Study" in Nature, March 7, 2011 (right before Fukushima . . .)
“World’s Sixth Mass Extinction May be Underway: Study” in Nature, March 7, 2011 (right before Fukushima . . .)

Following on the heels of Guy McPherson’s visit here, I can’t seem to shed my preoccupation with alternative extinction scenarios and/or avoiding them, if possible — and if not? Well, to me that’s even more interesting. For in that case, how are we to approach our possible impending collective death? With, or without awareness? And if with awareness, might that alter the outcome? In any case, here are a few posts relating to this kind of concern that invites us to expand peripheral awareness to infinity — if we let it, if we don’t. just. shut. down. tight. in fear.

• From Arctic News: A RUNAWAY GREENHOUSE EVENT

CO2-growth-2
A linear trendline shows steady growth in the annual increase in CO2 levels, despite promises to reduce emissions.
Furthermore, recent increases show a worrying trend illustrated in the graph by a 4th order polynomial trendline.

• From Activist Post: Yellowstone: Supervolcano Alert: The most Dangerous Volcano in America is Roaring to Life

Yellowstone-Volcano-Eruption-460x299

Then, of course, there’s Fukushima. You might consider skimming wikipedia’s enormous list of nuclear reactors across the globe. Then, with that list in mind, check this out:

• Washington’s Blog: 2 Weeks Ago, a Huge Solar Flare Almost Knocked Out Power Nationwide … Which Could Have Caused Nuclear Meltdowns from Coast-to-Coast

How much of this is “disaster programming,” and how much “real”? And who’s to know the difference? That’s Zen Gardner’s question, and I share it.

• Zen Gardner: Apocalypse Programming and “Knowing” the End of the World

At the very least, I feel that contemplating the (possible) End of the World can serve much like Carlos Castanedas’ instruction from his teacher Don Juan, to live as if Death walks by your left shoulder. That the continous awareness of our own Death surges our full aliveness to the surface, that it moves us into conscious action on a path with heart — or it can.

I end with a few quotes from Carlos Castanedas.

“The aim is to balance the terror of being alive with the wonder of being alive.”

“In a world where death is the hunter, my friend, there is no time for regrets or doubts. There is only time for decisions.”

“We hardly ever realize that we can cut anything out of our lives, anytime, in the blink of an eye.”

“For me the world is weird because it is stupendous, awesome, mysterious, unfathomable; my interest has been to convince you that you must assume responsibility for being here, in this marvelous world, in this marvelous desert, in this marvelous time. I want to convince you that you must learn to make every act count, since you are going to be here for only a short while, in fact, too short for witnessing all the marvels of it.”

“You have little time left, and none of it for crap. A fine state. I would say that the best of us always comes out when we are against the wall, when we feel the sword dangling overhead. Personally, I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Death is the only wise advisor that we have. Whenever you feel, as you always do, that everything is going wrong and you’re about to be annihilated, turn to your death and ask if that is so. Your death will tell you that you’re wrong; that nothing really matters outside its touch. Your death will tell you, ‘I haven’t touched you yet.”