If you are interested in hearing from an individual who has dedicated their life to a connection with nature, the planet and spirit, attend tonight’s meeting of the Shuswap Branch of the Canadian Society of Questers.
Special guest Norbert Maertens will share highlights of his own thoughts and journey in Life Beyond Life.
“Throughout history, humans have been wondering, ‘Is this all there is? Is there life beyond life?’
“The reality that everything throughout the universe is energy is beyond question and so is the underlying principle that energy cannot be created or destroyed.
“All manifestations, including us humans, are manifested pathways of least resistance for universal energy to follow in its endless journey to maintain universal balance, which is the Universe.
“It is up to us in our current life as manifested spirits to nurture the channel we are and to seek harmony with the patterns the universal energy is currently adopting, or to be a hindrance for that energy flow and eventually become obsolete. “Obviously there is more to ‘life’ than the time we’re spending in the physical density in the biosphere here on our planet.”
Maertens was born in Belgium, where he grew up and was educated.
“As I realized that life in Europe is stifled by a collective consciousness steeped in dysfunctional traditions, divisive religions and petty politics, while the planet is in distress by the economic monster of our own making, I decided not to buy in. Instead, I ‘tuned in’ and ‘dropped out,’ and eventually immigrated to Canada and started an intentional community, as I saw that as the only solution for humanity – to live sustainably and in harmony on a limited planet.”
That was 32 years ago. Throughout his life, he always felt the need to connect with nature, the planet and spirit.
“As our western civilization is losing that precious connection to the detriment of all and everything,
“I have been devoting time and energy to raise awareness; shifting one paradigm at a time and making continued effort to become part of the solution instead of adding to the problems,” he says.
Since he believes there is more to life than progress to nowhere, competitive greed and economic efficiency – and in order to minimize the ecological footprint – Maertens practises a lifestyle of voluntary simplicity as if we have nothing to lose but everything.
Maertens’ presentation will be accompanied by a slide show and questions will be welcomed.
Doors to the library at the SASCU Downtown Activity Centre 451 Shuswap St. SW open at 6:30 p.m. and the presentation begins at 7.
Admission is $3 at the door. For more information, contact Goldie at 250-833-0015.