I receive so many letters from readers about Twelve by Twelve. Thank you for your feedback! Connecting soul-to-soul with you makes the three years I spent writing it seem entirely worth it. Here’s part of one very thoughtful note I received yesterday. It’s from John Reed, author of the book Elegant Simplicity. He said it was fine to share it. Thanks John.

Wisdom="one mistake after another"

“I have just finished Twelve by Twelve, and I very much enjoyed it. Your descriptions throughout the book of the transitions from a flat to a ‘soft’ world (and back) are sensitive, honest and beautifully written. There is not a trace of New Age self-indulgence. It struck me as a very true and humble account (among many other interesting elements) of the difficulty of maintaining ‘warrior presence’ in a world ravaged by human unconsciousness. Moments of Grace come to us like the touches of a wand but life would seem to unfold by our making ‘one mistake after another’, as a Zen sage once described his path to wisdom.

I loved your wise assessment of the true significance of ‘developed’ as opposed to ‘under-developed’ societies. Being born of a Brazilian mother (and British father) and having lived and traveled widely in Latin America (as you have) I, too, have long felt that we have it all upside down when it comes to recognizing the essential human quality of life (is there really any other?). The natural warmth, joy and generosity of being that one finds in those countries contrasts dramatically with a certain kind of aloof, well-meaning, decency that you find among  ’privileged’ folks in the West, who, by and large, fail to experience those qualities in an authentic form.  ‘Friendliness’, cordiality and an unconvincing cheerfulness are far more common.  – But you put it all so well. As I was reading what you wrote, ‘saudades do meu Brasil’ besieged me!

A brief little book I have written entitled “Elegant Simplicity’ Reflections on an Alternative Way of Being’ was published in the U.K in April. In it I have attempted to relate the millenial wisdom teachings to current events in the world of politics, finance, art, health, climate change etc. – It is a fairly blunt, uncompromising ‘cri de coeur’ compared to the subtle wisdom of Jackie and your own personal, delicate and literary approach but not ultimately negative. I trust with all my heart in the redemptive qualities of mankind and believe, contrary to all apparant indications, that an era of a new consciousness beckons.With a warm ‘abraco’, John”

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It has been an amazing trip to the Twin Cities, a welcoming community of people deeply interested in the issues in Twelve by Twelve. I’ve given six talks here in six days: at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey Institute, Common Good Books, the Unitarian Unity Church, a fundraiser for Round Earth Media, and a sustainable development class and the EnviroThursday lecture at Macalester College.

I am learning a lot from each group about other initiatives going on in these communities – and it is in turn inspiring me to see how our fellow Americans are working in their own ways, in a sense fulfilling their own 12×12 visions, as we speak.

A few Twin Cities highlights:                                                                                     

• I had dinner with a couple practicing “mindful consumption”—they repair their own car, buy mostly used, and grow food in an urban garden. Their expenses went down so much that they each only have to work 15 hours a week, giving them abundant time to camp and spend time with the children! Talk about lowering your carbon footprint in a way that increases your quality of life…
• The Transition Town movement is going strong here. Members came to several of my talks. They are planning for Peak Oil by looking at how to source everything locally.
• In a lively discussion with Humphrey Institute International Fellows visiting fellows from Cameroon, Pakistan, UAE, Mali, and Korea debated voluntary simplicity. Some grew up in the equivalent of 12x12s—in the case of a gentleman from Myanmar, a 10×10 with five people—and think simplicity brings more joy and Americans have way too much stuff. Other fellows felt their nations need to imitate U.S. style materialism. The debate got lively. Several are now reading Twelve by Twelve and plan to bring the book back to their countries to continue the reflection.

Also, ehem, Bob Dylan comes from Minnesota. So I simply had to attend a spectacular tribute concert to Bob on Friday night, where musicians who know and have toured with him played his songs in an intimate club called Dakota. Can’t get “Tangled Up in Blue” out of my head—and that’s a darn good thing.

So glad to see how active and visionary folks are here in the mid-west.

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This fascinating NY Times article show that scientists claim that “juggling e-mail, phone calls and other incoming information can change how people think and behave. Our ability to focus is being undermined by bursts of information.”

Further: “These play to a primitive impulse to respond to immediate opportunities and threats. The stimulation provokes excitement — a dopamine squirt — that researchers say can be addictive. In its absence, people feel bored.”

Have you experienced this? Does the distraction of too much technology inflict nicks and cuts on your creative edge and sense of peace? Or do you simply see Facebook, Twitter, texting, calling—and, yes, blogging—as simply another tool that enhances your effectiveness, while still staying focused on what matters?

These are vital questions. This piece explores the science on it in further depth. In it, five scientists ponder a study from the University of Michigan that showed folks are better able to learn after a hike in nature than after walking through a crowded mall.

My own experience is that too much multitasking tires my brain, making me less able to focus on Quadrant II activities: those things that are important, but not urgent. One thing that seems to work is batching multitasking into a set timeframe, while still leaving big blocks of time for writing that novel, hiking with your son, solving a deeper problem in your small business, painting a mini-masterpiece. Ah, but there I go with the Leisure Ethic again!

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