Expedience

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Most people would accept that a shoe does not belong in the fridge, or that a dancer with a broken ankle does not belong on the stage.

The concept of belonging is common to us all, the relationship between a subject and a location.

It is true to say that a culture that fails to respect the Living Planet that supports it does not belong on that Living Planet.

Unless Western Culture can become ecologically sustainable, it will collapse the biosphere and in so doing destroy itself; such is the cost of not belonging.

Vita seeks to help people belong to Gya.

If enough people belong to Gya, then our civilization will belong, too.

One pathway to belonging is Ecophany.

In nature there are three types of relationship between living organisms:

- Parasitism

- Commensalism

- Mutualism

Presently, humans have a parasitic relationship to the rest of nature. If we are to survive on this planet, we need to adopt a mututalistic relationship with nature.

The word nature has many connotations. 

However, for Vita, it is used in a specific context. 

If a chimpanzee modifies a stick to use it to get insects out of a hole, we could say that the chimp’s technology was as natural as the chimp itself. 

As humans are as natural as chimps, one might say that a thermonuclear bomb is as natural as the chimp’s stick given that this a human technology.

The formation of black holes is also a natural event, using this broad definition of ‘natural’. 

When Vita uses the term ‘nature’ or ‘natural’ in the context of nature-based spirituality, it clearly isn’t seeking for people to see black holes and nuclear weapons as sacred.  

Instead, the word nature is used to denote the natural processes that take place within Earth’s biosphere, and those factors that influence the biosphere, such as the Sun, Moon and tectonic processes. 

Advance the Verdant Age: Undertake efforts to resolve the Anthropocene Crisis and advance a sustainable civilization where nature and humanity thrive in synergy, deep into the Long Future.

Anthro: Anthro is a prefix that describes humans. 

Anthropocene: The Anthropocene is a central concept in Lifewise Philosophy that describes the modern era - since about the mid-forties - in which humans are the main driver of change in the climate and environment. Lifewise Philosophy holds that the Anthropocene began with the detonation of the Trinity Bomb Test on July 16, 1945. 

Anthropogenic: Made by humans.

Anthropogenic Mass: The mass of material created by humans that since around the year 2020 outweighs the mass of living things on Earth.

Awe: Awe typically refers to a feeling of reverential respect mixed with fear or wonder, often inspired by something majestic, powerful. 

Big Talk: The opposite of small talk, Big Talk is conversations about substantial topics such as the climate and ecological crisis, human civilization, and the Verdant Age. 

Bio-physical Flux: See Flux.

Biosphere: The biosphere has two meanings. First, it describes the thin-walled sphere where life can be found on Earth. Second, it refers to that place, and the totality of all the life found within it. Thus the biosphere is both a place and a thing.

Cosmos Night: A proposed activity to visit a location with zero skyglow at night during Milky Way season to view the full depth of the cosmos. This is part of developing a greater appreciation of what lies above Vitae-planeta.

Cro-Magnon: The Cro-Magnon are the first thinking-feeling humans in Europe dating from about 40,000 years ago until about 10,000 years ago. It is believed that the Cro-Magnon people got their thinking-feeling abilities from earlier cultures dating back to about 70,000 years ago in Africa. 

Dark Green Religion: The term was coined by Professor of Religion Prof Bron Taylor and refers to the deep, serious, or radical commitment  to environmental concerns. It signifies a perspective that acknowledges the severity of ecological issues. Vita Religion is a Dark Green Religion.

Ecophany: formed from the words ecological and epiphany, ecophany is a core concept for Lifewise Philosophy and refers to a spiritual, emotional, or intellectual awakening to nature - and particularly the plight of the biosphere - in an individual. The mission of Lifewise Philosophy is to foster ecophany in hundreds of millions of people around the world, rapidly.

Expedience: the concept that environmental activists need to continually review their approach to optimise their efficacy in order to keep ahead of collapse.

Flux: the word refers to the condition of the ocean, atmosphere and soil from which low entropy structures are formed by plants. One of the Vita Practicees is to Return to the Flux which refers to a funerary practice seeks for the minerals and energy in a deceased individual to re-enter the flux from where it came thus enabling other living beings the opportunity to use those minerals and energy. Flux is also known as bio-physical flux. 

Holocene: The Holocene Epoch is name given to the last 12,000 years since the retreat of the last Ice Age. During this period, humans went from being predominantly hunter-gatherers to developing agriculture, cities and towns, and so-called ‘civilization’. The Holocene Epoch ended in the 1950s when the Anthropocene Epoch began.

Long Future: The Long Future is the future time in which Earth is habitable for life as a result of it being in the Habitable Zone of the Sun. As the Sun ages and swells, Earth’s orbit will no longer be suitable for life on Earth as incoming solar radiation will be higher, making conditions too hot for life. 

Nine-Boundaries Safe: a design that helps ensure that none of the nine planetary boundaries are exceeded.

Pananima: Lifewise Philosophy uses the name Pananima to describe a planet’s biosphere that maintains homeostasis, and thus provides a stable habitat for life to evolve over a long period of time. Lifewise Philosophy refers to the Pananima of Earth as Vitae-planeta. 

Imperium: Imperium is a word from the Roman Empire that describes an authority bestowed upon an individual to act with force on the behalf of the Roman Empire. 

Imperium vitae-planeta: There are two aspects to the name Imperium vitae-planeta. 

- Imperium vitae-planeta is a proposed taxonomic binomial for the biosphere as a single living being. Note the capitalization and italics. The name roughly translates from Latin to Empire of the Living Planet. 

- Imperium vitae-planeta is an intrinsic authority for humans to act with force of character on behalf of the Living Planet.

Longevity:  a simple name for Long Term Human Extantion.

Long Term Human Extantion: The belief that humans can susrvive the Anthropocene Crisis and thrive on Earth for a Galactic Year, which is 230 million yearsl

Ordination: The process by which an individual can become a Vitan Minister. This presently includes becoming familiar with the Vita Sapien literature, successfully answering a questionnaire, and demonstrating the resources and strength of character to perform the duties expected of the Ministry.

Pod: A Pod is a name ascribed to an organised gathering of individuals for the purpose of learning about, sharing and practicing Lifewise Philosophy.

Religion: Lifewise Philosophy uses the definition of religion provided by the Australian Charity and Not for Profit Commission: religion involves a belief in a supernatural being, principal or thing and the acceptance of canons of conduct that give effect to the belief.

Resolve the Anthropocene: This means to fix the climate and ecological crisis swiftly by euthanizing the fossil fuel industry, restoring the climate by drawing down a trillion tons of CO2 and rewilding a third of nature. All this needs to be well underway by mid-century.

Thrive in Synergy: Thrive in synergy refers to the biosphere and human civilization prospering as a result of a synergistic interplay between the two. This is to say that humans benefit from the wellbeing of the biosphere, and the condition of the biosphere can be improved as a result of human actions.

Uffington White Horse: The Uffington White Horse is a horse-like symbol etched into the side of a hill in Southern England. The horse is believed to date back around 3,000 years to the end of the Bronze Age. While its purpose is unclear, the White Horse has received continual maintenance over this time to prevent it being overgrown by vegetation. The hose is made of chalk which itself is comprised of the ancient shells of marine phytoplankton. The white chalk is framed against the dark green grass. The Uffington White Horse is therefore an animal created by plants. The Uffington White Horse is the inspiration to the Lifewise Philosophy Practice, Know Your White Horsewhich describes knowing where to find spiritual solace in nature.

Verdant Age: The Verdant Age is the potential future time when humans and the biosphere thrive in synergy deep into the Long Future. It is conceivable that the Verdant Age could last of tens or hundreds of millions of years.

Vitae-planeta: A shortened name for Imperium vitae-planeta, the biosphere of Planet Earth viewed as a single living organism. Note the capitalization and spelling of Vitae-planeta, that is consistent with it being a species name.

Vita Flux:  The Vita Flux is the high-entropy part of the biosphere from which living organisms obtain the energy, minerals, and molecules that they use to build their bodies. The Vitaflux is found within the salt and fresh water, the atmosphere, and the soil.

Vita Hypothesis: the hypothesis that the combination of spiritual enlightenment to nature and environmental education is a pathway to fostering ecophany and triggering radical pro-environmental behaviour change.

Vitan Archery: Vitan Archery is an archery tradition only uses animal and plant material in the equipment. No metals or petroleum-based products are used in Vita Archery kit. Vitan archery connects back to the origins of spirituality in humans, as stone and bone arrowheads are often all that remains of those early cultures.

Vitan Minister: Lifewise Philosophy Organization advances Lifewise Philosophy and Vita Religion. Vita Religion is an Australian registered religious institution, and its administrative leaders are referred to as Vitan Ministers. Vitan Ministers can also be inaugurated through a process of ordination.

Vita Religion: An Australian registered religious institution that advances a nature-based religion with Vitae-planeta as the object of devotion.

Vita Sapien: is a registered charity in Australia that Advances Lifewise Philosophy.