Being alone

As I have been working on this, I have noticed some barriers to our connection with the poor and homeless. One of these is our tendency to pity or feel sorry for people who live on the street or have little to eat. It is not wrong to feel this way, but this view ignores the latent power and human dignity all of us have regardless of the circumstances we live in. Seeing people as powerless, suffering from their lack of resources perpetuates and reinforces their condition and disempowers everyone involved.

What would it be like if we saw the greatness in people, if we saw their strengths instead of their circumstances? What if we saw the similarities between us instead of the differences? The differences we perceive are in the physical realm while the similarities exist in the spiritual and emotional (heart) realm. Therefore, raising our consciousness is the most important thing we can do for ourselves and each other and the only thing that will allow our hearts to open and connect the human family.

Kim, the author of the following article, visited a shelter for the first time and explains what that was like for her. She was surprised at how different it was than she imagined. Like many people, she is sympathetic to the homeless and has been actively involved in helping them by donating items to shelters. However, until now, she had never actually been there. I would love to know your thoughts about this article; please share them.

Thank you.

Is this how human beings treat other human beings? Is this how we help homeless people?

This video was filmed by Tina May, one of the people who was living under the bridge when this raid took place.

St. Petersburg is not the only place where this type of activity is happening. The police are not to blame, and really, neither is anyone else. Blaming people does not work. whether they are homeless or whether they sit in the White House. Blaming, shaming and guilt are part of the problem, not a solution.

When we really allow and feel our heart connection with people, we  see we are all one human family. There is no separation except that which we create with our own fear, in our own minds. When we see that we are one, we will see that no one can be truly happy, no one can have peace unless ALL of us are fulfilled as human beings and are at peace.

Here is a picture. Guess where it was taken? No, it is not it is the capital of an African country, or in India or Asia. It is a picture of a street in downtown Los Angeles. Yes, this is what THIS country looks like today. The guy with the cart is Andy Bales from the Union Rescue Mission and he is literally rescuing people who need water to survive.

We don’t need to scour the world for people that need help. All we need to do is open our hearts and look around us.

Zach’s Little Red Wagon campaign continues to raise money and awareness of homelessness and already has a new goal on the horizon, walking from Tampa to Los Angeles.

“You don’t have to be all grown up. No matter how old or how young you are, you can make a difference. There’s all kinds of things you can do,” said Zach, who has a YouTube video describing his campaign.

We plan to partner with Zach and his project for his next tour. He is planning to walk from Tampa, FL to Los Angeles to support homeless children. We are really looking forward to working with him and his organization.

Thank you for your tremendous heart and courage Zach!

I have always had an innate belief that something about the world doesn’t work for people. Usually, that unhappiness seemed to center around a lack of money, or a lack of fulfillment about what it is people do to get the money. A lack of freedom seems to be at the core of the unhappiness.

I agree with people who say there is no shortage, no scarcity of resources. However, the experience of most people, especially the 2 billion of us without enough food or water,is that there isn’t enough to go around. This led me to a question: What exactly IS going on with our resources?

What I have been discovering is not pretty and is quite disturbing in many ways. However, unless I can learn to really be with what is so in the world, I will not be able to help myself and others create a new world that really does work for everyone.

I urge you to watch the following videos; they are eye-openers. You may not agree with everything, but watch with an open mind. The new world is not about agreeing with what happened in the past or what is wrong that needs to be fixed. There is no fixing to be done. The consumption economy is unsustainable and will soon come to an end of its own accord. Our task is to hasten its end and create a new world that serves all human beings.

Watch these videos:
Freedom To Fascism
Zeitgeist Movement

Which brings me to my point (finally), that the best thing we can do is simply get off the merry-go-round. Slow down and stop all human activity. Human activity IS the economy. There is no economy “out there”, we are IT. What does this look like? Well, we can immediately stop buying things we don’t really need and begin to really distinguish wants from needs. We might “like” a new car, but do we really need it? Do we even need a car? Or if we do, can we use it less (e.g., car pool, walk, bike, etc.). When we do buy things, we need to buy locally from our friends and neighbors as much as we possibly can. We also need to produce our own goods and services to the maximum extent we can.

Another way to hasten the end of the consumption economy is by withdrawing our labor. We can stop going to work, or work less, especially those of us who work for the government or large corporations. Since our democracy is now a Corporatocracy, it depends on our labor and taxes to keep it going. Once we slow our consumption, jobs will disappear anyway, so stopping work will not be an issue for a lot of people. And that has already started.

Many homeless people are on the street because they have opted out of the system; they know it doesn’t work. Talk to them, they will tell you. They are leading the way to a new world but are paying a price for not playing the game. Why is this, why is homelessness never “solved?” Because the system needs them to discourage us and make us believe that we will suffer horribly if we don’t accept our status and refuse to continue our economic serfdom. We can dissolve this charade simply by connecting with homeless people and each other. That is one of the primary purposes of the Hearts Of Fire Project.

Will these changes entail risk? Will they entail suffering and sacrifice? Yes, they will. But we are already suffering and sacrificing and we can easily see that there is no security, no way to avoid risk. At least when we make conscious choices about our behavior, we reclaim our freedom, we are in charge of our destiny. We are no longer living in an illusion of happiness, believing that our fulfillment lies in buying more things, in achieving greater economic status.

Some people are angry about what has happened to us, about how we have become economic slaves who are willing to die to protect the profits of the elite. But I see no future in anger or in the violence to which it inevitably leads. In fact, the Corporatocracy feeds on conflict, making profits and dissipating its opposition at the same time. The only way to bring this system to an end is to help it die, remove the intravenous feeding tube and bury it. Our challenge is to create a new world and to focus all our energy and strength on that. Just let the past way wither and die. That is the beauty of creation.

The Hearts Of Fire Project empowers homeless people to connect with themselves and the community through art and music. Through this connection, stereotypical fears and negative attitudes are replaced with a new understanding of the humanity we all share. This understanding forms the basis for new conversations about shared solutions and how everyone benefits by the inclusion and integration of homeless people in our communities. To reduce systemic inequities we must reduce the barriers between people. Many of these inequities are based on and perpetuated by economic distinctions between people. We bridge these economic barriers by providing a way to interact through the arts and share the common elements of the human experience. We believe that positive social change is based on the establishment and nourishment of communities that include everyone.

The Hearts Of Fire Project is a non-profit corporation based in Ojai, California and is an IRS-approved 501(c)(3) organization. Since 2007, we have traveled 8,000 miles visiting homeless shelters in Ventura County and other locations in Southern California. At the shelters, more than 300 men, women and children have participated in our programs. We have also held 18 public events, including 9 in Ventura County, where we displayed the art work that homeless participants created and engaged the community in a powerful conversation about who homeless people are and what they have to offer. At these events, we have developed substantial community support and a committed volunteer corps.

The consumer culture in which we live produces many negative consequences, both human and environmental. Homelessness is one human consequence. The growing economic disparities accelerated by the massive economic disruptions now underway have produced suffering not only on the physical level but on an emotional and spiritual level as well. Social alienation of the homeless is endemic in our culture and serves to keep us trapped in negative attitudes about the poor and homeless as well magnifying our concerns about the viability of our own survival. We seek real interaction between the homeless and the public to break through social barriers for the benefit of all.

Now art patron Marcelle Danan spends her Mondays with William, helping this long-ignored painter bring his genius to life.

This moving story mirrors that of the movie “The Soloist”, the film about a real-life journalist who discovers a brilliant, but schizophrenic musician, who lives on the streets of Los Angeles.

Click on the link below to watch the video.

Art Patron Finds Amazing Painter On The Streets

Fire On The Hills

This may seem like an odd juxtaposition: fire and homelessness. But in Santa Barbara, the Jesusita Fire caused a link, at least in my mind.

Thousands of people were evacuated and seriously contemplated what it would be like to lose their home. The fire forced many people to look at what it would mean to be homeless, what it would be like to lose most of your possessions.

I am very interested in what these people think about homelessness and homeless people, so I went to the largest emergency fire shelter in Santa Barbara and asked them. This what they said.

Inside The Shelter, UCSB

“This is the second time my family and I have been evacuated. The first time, 19 years ago, I lost everything. The house and all my possessions were gone. Homelessness is horrible, but material possessions don’t matter so long as have your life.” Zoyla P., UCSB shelter.

“It is really hard to be homeless. We have gone through fires before and had to evacuate. Lots of homeless people can’t help being homeless. All you can do is make the best of it and try to help yourself.” – Trudy

“We worked with homeless people for many years. Once a month we stayed with them all night on a cot at our church. We gave them breakfast and then went home and showered to go to work. I understand how it feels. I know what it’s like to sleep on a cot or on the floor; we did it ourselves. At lot of people don’t ask to homeless. A lot of us are one paycheck away for being out on the street ourselves. Some people choose to be homeless, there is not much you can do to help them.” Gwen & Mal

Fire From The Beach, courtesy Bud Rinker

“We treat homeless people like criminals. I felt this way before the fire and feel even more so now. The government should house people year ‘round. All of us should just bite the bullet and pay higher taxes to do so.” – Irvin M. He was at the shelter for 3 days and talked to from a car covered with ash.

Towering Inferno, courtesy Bud Rinker

We also interviewed some homeless people to get their perspective on the fire and the evacuations.

Gary said, “Perhaps the people who lost their homes will understand what it means to lose everything and be homeless like us now.”

Mark said, “Everyone thinks the people up there on the hill are so rich
but they have problems too – just like us.”

Not sure what this all means, but it points to a connection between people that arises in the face of disaster. We automatically reach out to people in these situations.

Fire Night, courtesy Bud Rinker

What would it take to maintain this connection and support each other after the fires are over? When community is born why don’t we feed and nurture it.

Thanks to Roslyn Scheureman who helped compile this post.

Mark Horvath

Mark Horvath is at it again! Wow, check out this interview.

Donna is a single mother of five children. She has been homeless for about a year, choosing to live in a tent by the river instead of staying in a shelter. Although she has encountered unthinkable dangers while living outside- vandalism, assault- she still prefers this over staying in a shelter. This may seem counter-intuitive to those who have never been homeless. But remember that shelters have increasingly become overcrowded, so the lines for a bed, food, and showers have become longer and longer. Besides, Donna says she doesn’t feel safe anywhere.

Donna from invisiblepeople.tv on Vimeo.

Thanks Mark!