03/23/2014
Posted by Joey Crotty.
-
To My Dear Friends and Fellow Consciousness-ers. A letter and story I dedicate to all of you:
Just over a year ago - in the Pre-Minor Era of time here on earth - a group of students who bonded during Kate Noble’s consciousness courses had a burning cosmic desire to do something in the world with all of the awe, beauty, wisdom, mystery, and knowledge we had been nothing less than awakened to. I remember thinking - both insultingly and humorously - that we were truly the biggest rag tag bunch of sorry misfits I had ever come across in my entire life. We were definitely not the team of expected heroes I had gallantly imagined. No, I realized… the people around me were far, far more than that. Aside from being - each one of them - absolutely unique, they were each beautiful… full of insight and wisdom, compassion and heart, and a drive to make a difference. And, to top it all off, we not only wanted to continue the community we felt within the classes with one another once the classes were over, we needed that community and sense of belonging we so strongly felt. We were “stewards of consciousness” but were absolutely at a loss for knowing what it was exactly that we were supposed to steward. So we, together, focused our intentions and deeply listened to one another and ourselves to find what we were being called to do.
Annnnnnnnnnnd…. nothing. That was all she wrote. We never heard the universal equivalent to a peep.
I kid, I kid. That would have been tragic?
Obviously we needed to form a group, so after months - maybe a lot of months - of procrastinated mishaps we finally got around to it, this being after over a year’s worth of saying we needed to start something. At the time I couldn’t think of a more terrible name than the “Consciousness Club,” but it stuck and that’s exactly what we picked. At the time, I thought of clubs as something quite square-ish; I still believe with the depths of my soul that they are. A Consciousness Club? I remember being a little dismayed. “Good start,” I thought, “…that’ll be taken seriously.” I have to laugh at that now, because the “Consciousness Club” is so stupidly charming and cute that I can’t imagine it any other way. “Home of Wednesday Night Dinners on Fridays, Cosmic Bingo, and Childbirth Practices Jeopardy. Changing the world one potluck at a time" should have been our motto. I suppose a group of hummingbirds is called a “charm”, and containing something as big as consciousness in something as historically pompous-y (in my opinion…) as a club is nothing but charming, and a little tongue in cheek.
Next were titles. We hated titles that took themselves *too* seriously so we sat down to make some up. Within about ten minutes of fiery, heated debate, we came up with: Lead Instigator and Prime Arbiter (sort of a good cop, bad cop duality we thought would be a nice touch), Principal Goldkeeper (for our vault in Gringotts), Head Illuminator (get it?!), Chief Storyteller, Top Nester (also get it?!?), and later, the Mind Magister. Despite chance similarities to any real positions, none of us adhered to their corresponding responsibilities in the club constitution.
Classic. We were really on a roll here.
The symbol of the club was inspired by everybody’s increased thought occurrence surrounding our little feathered friends, the hummingbirds. Some of us had dreams, others had frequent sightings and “coincidental” fascinations. Sarah Reeves even around that exact time got an awesome tattoo of two hummingbirds in a yin-yang fashion on her back. Well, we thought, you can’t argue with that logic… hummingbirds it was! They also just happen to be symbols of enlightenment, can fly backwards, travel unheard distances, and make double infinity signs with their little wings among other very relevant consciousness-y things. Nice one, Universe; we heard ya’. Aarshin designed the logo, which we all immediately cried over and fell in love with.
Bingo… or should I say, Cosmic Bingo...
I won’t go into the details, but that year we had a series of great events, made something of a name for ourselves as a group on campus and in the community, did a couple of research symposiums, caused a lot of trouble, and had a darn good time doing it.
All the while, however, we were really working towards a big short-term goal: passing the Minor in Consciousness. It had been months of mindless back and forth in the happenings of the Academic Council meetings and correspondence long after the minor had been proposed, and it clearly did not seem to get the seriousness or credit it deserved. To help edge it along its merry little way, we, the Consciousness Clubbers and troublemakers extraordinair, decided to write a (strongly worded, with nice words) letter to the Academic Council in the name of the state of the world.
What came out of this letter was totally moving and beautiful. We were proud to write it, as it was a great group effort, and we were excited to hear back and see if it changed anything in the minds of the A.C. members involving their priorities since, clearly, it exemplified what we would have thought to be the most important aspect of any program: student involvement and activism, student passion for education, and student support.
Wrong-o.
Apparently we were in deeper trenches on the whole matter than we had thought. We had actually sent this letter twice - once over email to the entire A.C. and once in person - and never heard back from a soul either time. Not even a dust ball of encouragement was blown our sad little way. Communication with Professor Noble was on par to nonexistent as well, and any communication that she did receive was less than positive. We would triumph with something substantial, like the GeoDome event or a research symposium, but had an overtone of despair hanging slightly out of sight. We put our trust in the mystery of things to work everything out in the name of all that consciousness stood for, but were discouraged and saw no real light at the end of the tunnel. The total passiveness of non-communication mixed with the likely resistance on the administration’s part was just too great, and we were all feeling a little down-in-the-dumpy-doodles because of it.
---
Yet here we are, an entire year later from the day we wrote that letter. We are still alive - contrary to how dramatic we acted at the time - and the minor has unbelievably passed. Not only has it passed, but it is now also an official program offered for next fall quarter. *The first Minor in Consciousness at a public western university in the world*. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. Except… not.
What in the world happened?
I cannot even begin to tell you how serendipitous events were a month or two prior to that unexpected outcome. But it should be known by now that the minor passed because of, drum roll, please… all of you. Generations of consciousness students bound together and made so much noise, with such tact and elegance (well, in our opinion) and power from the importance of the matter at hand that the A.C. could no longer sit idly on the issue or ignore our pleas. I have never been so proud and full of joy in all my life as I was when over forty students sat in on that meeting with ASUWB as a show of support for consciousness. Students spoke from their hearts and stated boldly what the program meant for them, and what it meant for the world in her greatest time of need. I was simply beaming, overwhelmed with gratitude and beauty.
It happened not because the school necessarily wanted it – it didn’t – but because the students of consciousness demanded it. I hope to see a tradition remain among consciousness students as being fiery go-getters, active participants in an actively unfolding universe, and brilliant illustrations as to what we as human beings are truly capable of. I am awestruck by each and every one of you, and so thankful.
Which brings me to my next point, and really the entire reason I am writing this not-so-parsimonious letter to you all. Quite simply, what we do matters. Kind of stupid, right? I suppose I could have just said that. BUT, it absolutely does; what you do matters, whether or not you have a clue as to what you’re doing when you’re doing it. Life is life and we’re all just kind of wingin’ it, but we’re wingin’ it with critical awareness, good intention, and style, and that makes every difference in the world. Every single feeling, thought, and decision we make affects the very fabric of reality itself, each connection and each action, each disconnection and each inaction. I am still wrapping my mind around the truth that I am as much an interconnected part of this beautifully impossible mystery as is the profound wonder that I experience everyday, *and so are each of you.* It’s easy to forget this in our observational quest to “figure it all out.” You are here and you are as powerful as the stars whose very particles live as your body. You have the very real ability to change and help awaken the world while having far too much fun in the process. Consciousness brings out the best in us, reaches and grabs hold of our deepest reservoirs for beauty, and goodness, and truth. It awakens and persistently summons our highest selves to heed the call of our most supreme callings for the sake of life itself, even if we don't know what that looks like exactly. The feeling of it cannot be denied. I cannot fathom anything more beautiful, yet more true.
----
I’m aware that there has probably been some confusion about the club and what is happening with it; it took us years of confusion to figure that one out ourselves. This is the first time in the history of consciousness at UWB that a group of active students have graduated and left something behind in such a way. I’m afraid that this legacy is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because it’s always easier to sprout flowers when a tree’s roots are already in the ground, a curse because that tree can be a bit intimidating, or worse: it can stifle the spontaneous creativity and openness to possibility of new students struck with the same cosmic passion for consciousness. So, what to do?
As part of that tree – as are you, I hope you know – here is what we can do: we give you our permission and blessing to do whatever the hell you want with it! It is yours now. Take what you want, leave the rest, set the parts you hate on fire. It is yours, open and willing to be a vessel for whatever calling is coursing through your very beings. I know you all deeply appreciate one another, and feel a sense of desire to see a community form between all of you. Well then, please, by all means do it! Be a community and be there to support one another as friends, and if that is all you desire to do, then wonderful, truly and absolutely wonderful. Whatever you do, it is your time now as students and your story. Just remember that it must be done together, and not be done by one person. This is a collective journey. And I promise you, that like me, it can lead you to endless joy, and wonder, and the most beautiful experiences and deepest friendships your life has ever known.
No matter what happens, I am eternally grateful that you are alive, and passionate, and here.
Thank you for reading the ramblings of an old fart of a soul.
Many blessings on your paths, wherever they may lead you,
Joey Crotty
Prime Arbiter Emeritus
With all the support of the Old Consciousness Crew
P.S. For those of you who are interested, I can send you the original Academic Council letter we wrote a year ago, or post it here later. Clearly no one ever read it before, so maybe it was meant for you all along. In the least, it’s a nice thought.
