Unity favors collaboration. In order for all cultures to unify, including the cultures of Nature, collaboration and cooperation must be embraced by all parties in each agreement that is made, thus fostering balance. Where balance exists, cultures move in harmony, systems evolve and continue to move effortlessly through time. For example, the many cultures of Nature have lived harmoniously for millions of years, in cooperation with one another, creating ecosystems, evolving and adapting to the shifting environment.
Human cultures can choose to once again organize themselves to return to this model, which most have gradually abandoned over the centuries. This natural model allows Human cultures to restore balance by acting as responsible stewards for, and collaborators with the cultures of Nature.
An example of this type of collaboration between Human culture and the culture of Nature in relation to how humans impact their environment has been taking place in Namibia since 1994. After a prolonged drought in the 1980’s caused the prey base of the Cheetah to die off or be killed off by farmers to reduce competition on grazing lands, some Cheetahs were forced to take livestock. Though Cheetahs are a protected species in Namibia, the farmers are still allowed to shoot or trap them if they come into conflict with either humans or livestock. The farmers soon developed the habit of shooting any Cheetah that posed a threat to their livestock, whether real or imagined.
The Cheetah Conservation Fund created the Livestock Guarding Dog program to provide a non-lethal means of predator management. Their goal was to aid the farmers in protecting their flocks and, thus, keep the farmers from shooting Cheetahs. Through their research, they found that a breed of dog native to Turkey, called the Kangal, or Anatolian Shepard offered the characteristics and skills to aid the farmers in protecting their flocks, and, simultaneously, protect the Cheetah from further population reduction. From an arid, high desert environment in Turkey that is very similar to that of Namibia, the Kangal Shepards have been bred to work on large open plains without human supervision, are independent thinkers and bond quickly and strongly to whatever group into which they are assimilated.
In 1994, one of the farmers who was open to new solutions to the problem posed by the proximity of his goat herd and the Cheetah, agreed to use one of the dogs. This first dog, named Boots, bonded with the farmer’s goat herd. As was hoped, during the day, this Kangal Shepard kept predators such as Baboons, Jackals, Caracals, Leopards, Cheetahs, as well as humans at bay while the herd was grazing on the savannah unattended. At night, Boots also proved himself to be quite capable of facing down predators that threatened the herd back at the farm. As a result of this novel, collaborative, and multicultural solution, there was not a single Cheetah killed on that particular farm for the trial period of one year. Taking note of these positive results, other farmers in the area began to make use of the Kangal Shepards as well. To date, there are more than 80 Kangal (Anatolian) Shepards working with farmers to protect both Namibian livestock herds and Cheetahs.
As in the example above, it is important that the needs of the cultures of Nature be included in all dialogues which affect them either directly or indirectly in all collaborations. As Earth does not often have an advocate present during negotiations, it is essential that all members of the partnership act as stewards, and take responsibility for this role, advocating for the earth forthrightly, vigorously, and with integrity.
Competition is antithetical to Unity. Clearly, in the above example, the model of competition between the farmers and the Cheetahs was not mutually beneficial. Unity favors collaboration. It was through human collaboration with other members of the culture of Nature, the Kangal (Anatolian) Shepard, that it was possible to create a unique and novel solution that allowed an opportunity to restore balance and move towards Unity in that environment. This approach is applicable to other collaborations between human and other cultures of Nature, as well as those within and between human cultures in business, international, humanitarian, cultural endeavors, and other levels of relationship.
At this point, the human culture is distracted by the consequences of our separation from the culture of Nature that we ourselves began centuries ago. This yet widening abyss deafens and blinds many to the world that surrounds us and to ourselves. Ultimately, if allowed continued development without remediation, this separation will be the source of our own demise. When we recognize Nature herself as a unified culture, which we are neither separate from, nor superior to, we truly are able to collaborate with her. We are now responsible for stewardship of our relationship with her, as well as collaboration and unification with her other member cultures, as we choose the design of our future together. We must simply choose either Unity, or separation. I urge that Unity be our choice. It is extremely important, however, that we choose Unity for postive reasons. Do not approach Unity from a place of imbalance and expect a long-term positive result. Do not choose balance for fear of the consequences of imbalance. Rather, choose Unity, collaboration and balance for the unimaginable gifts and sustained harmony that it will inevitably bring all members of the culture of Nature on our planet and beyond for generations and generations to come.