Prelude
As a child growing up in Ireland, I was christened as a baby, received my holy communion when I was 7 and my conformation when I was 12. My whole education was controlled by the catholic church, everything I learnt had to be approved by them. I was born into a religion that I have no choice over, their views on how one should live their life were forced on me. I was married off to some guy in the sky who was their to control and make sure I followed the rules laid out by him and his followers. This never sat right with me. For one I could never understand why everyone had to attend a cold grey building every week and give thanks for our life. Surely giving thanks should be done outside, in nature.
I never fit into this world, I really struggled to live up to these ideals that were forced on me. I couldn't accept that this was what life was all about. The only time I felt at peace was outside in nature, when I was free to roam and be who I really was. When I was in my natural state of being. I had no words for what I was feeling, or this aversion I felt for this forced way of life, I just knew it was not right, it not feel right to me. I struggled with this for many years, with this feeling that I had to make an effort, that I had to try and fit in. Yet I did not not want, but growing up in the countryside in Ireland I never really got to meet anyone who could identify with how I felt. So when I was old enough I left home and moved to London.
During all that time I was growing up in Ireland, especially as a teenager, I would have come across the word anarchy, but of course that would have been the view that the media portrayed and we all know how that plays out, Anarchy was and still is seen as being a movement that was violent, aggressive and dangerous. Something I could not and did not want to identify myself with.
So What Does Anarchy Mean To Me?
Anarchy to me means freedom, means being true to myself, staying true to my younger self that sought out that way of life that is not controlled or forced. It is living as naturally as possible, finding ways in which to tread gently on this amazing planet. Living in a way that respects all living things. It is continuously finding and searching out ways to improve the world in which we live in. It is studying permaculture and practising it in my day to day life.
It is moving away from a lifestyle that is governed by greed and domination. Living in a way that has no ties to any government, not taking any money from them, not relying on handouts in order to live. It is educating my children away from schools, educating them in freedom. It is not vaccinating my children, because they are not guinea pigs. They have the same rights as anybody else and they have the right to choose and live in freedom. They have the right to decide who they will be with out any coercion or interference.
Anarchy is having the freedom to live my life how I choose, to live in a way that does not cause any harm to anybody else and strives to leave the world in a better place. It is living in my truck with my family, not paying any taxes or bills. It is doing my up most to advocate a life of freedom but to not force mt way on anyone else.
Anarchy is living in a way that stays connected to the earth, that celebrates the changing of the seasons, that celebrates our relationship with the earth. Anarchy to me means celebrating our existence by the life we live. It is not forceful or aggressive, it is in harmony with the earth.
Of course we all know anarchy means no rulers, but there are some underlying understandings between those who do wish to live this way. We are respectful to one another and accepting, we do not always have to agree as my idea of anarchy is most likely not the same as others. But then that in itself is anarchy. But it is not aggressive or violent. It is about empowering people, supporting people to live their lives freely without any fear of retribution. It is people taking control of their own lives.
It is not being controlled, not being forced to conform, not being spoon fed all this bullshit that the media wishes to feed us.
It is being aware of what is happening around you, being aware of the injustices, of the corruption and making a stand.
It is deciding no I not support this, I will not feed into it, I will not help to keep those wheels of corruption and manipulation turning.
It is finding your voice and using it, it is not being silent, it is standing together with others and being true to yourself.
This is what anarchy means to me, please feel free to let me know how you feel.
