Cloud Cuckoo Land: R+evolution Lincoln.

R+evolution Lincoln.

There is energy in the air for a radically new way of being in our environment, that is clearly moving into a new phase, here in Lincoln. Lincoln, an ancient Roman settlement and a somewhat out of the way, backwater city in terms of the modern world is now flourishing with a buzz of activity on a social level, that is becoming formidable. True enough a certain hype has come from the recent expansions of Lincoln University, and the new infrastructure. Lincoln has a new face to show the world, but it retains many of the original features of its historic past, enough to keep a sense of connection with it's own evolution. As a result of new courses at the University in part, an influx of ideas from the outside world has been coming with the youth and the zest that brings for creativity. But underpinning this movement, I am now realising that there are in fact older more established elements of the city and its patronage that are beginning to rise to the surface of activity for expansions of this vibe. Elements from both within the University itself and the ordinary working class folk of Lincoln. What I am seeing is nothing short of a conscious revolution being acted out and participated in by all elements of society. It is pure magic of mind, soul and action.

Now does this differ in dramatic ways more than other places? Does Lincoln have something that other areas have not yet tried?

During a recent invitation to, and involvement with the Social Science Centre here in Lincoln, I have become ever more aware that what I am seeing, and witnessing here is in many ways tuned in to a global network of movement for change. For a development that can be sustained on a far greater level of social engagements, for the benefit of everybody. It is something that people generally are engaging with because of concerns brought about over recent times with relation to finances and welfare and equal rights and many more things that affect people on a daily basis. And further, it is something that people are becoming ever more aware of with regards personal responsibility towards this matter. We are all affected by negative energy, things that erode our confidence in society and its/our well-being. Dramatically I feel sure that this is causing people to do something personally to effect a new result that can be shared for the benefit of the greater good.

Now this is not something just associated with Lincoln. However it seems that due to many factors, Lincoln is now in a perfect place and with a great variety of people doing something proactive for change. Lincoln geographically is slightly off the beaten track as it were, with fewer direct connections to other cities than many places. Traditionally Lincolnshire folk are seen as somewhat remote from the rest of our society, being the main agricultural producer of food in Great Britain. Not that the people here are lesser, but in a sense they may have been removed from the main thrust of daily life in the developing part of our nation, whilst we get on with the task of growing the food that the rest of the nation eats.

O.K. this is a way too simplified version of things, and I apologise for inferring anything negative about the people of Lincolnshire. What I am saying however is, that if Lincolnshire and Lincoln in particular is the home of feeding this nation, then maybe it is the seat of growth in other ways too. The larder/pantry of Great Britain. The place where we go for our nourishment resources.

Of course other cities and places in Great Britain are important, and also home to many industrious ideas and development strategies. Our nations capital for example is a hugely diverse place both culturally and productively. Edinburgh, Cardiff, Belfast, Manchester Birmingham to name a few are all players in this world of forward thinking and movement. I don't dismiss these models and maybe in some ways Lincoln is playing catch-up to them, but it is clearly evident to me after spending the past thirteen months immersed in life here, looking from the bottom up, that Lincoln has something new to add to the development of global consciousness.

I believe that it has to do with the pace at which development has happened, amongst other key factors.

Many places in Britain that expanded over the recent centuries have seemingly now come to a development blockage. Both in a physical sense with regards geographical expansion, and also culturally with regards how many ethnic groups live closely yet without more inclusive communications and interactions. For example, my investigations have shown me that some invited groups of immigrants came to live here but without fully integrating into our society and cultures. They share the same physical landscape but not our values particularly or our want to incorporate them more fully. Often they maintain their own languages and identities and rigidly enforce these into their children, rather than allow a more balanced evolution into the world in which they have come to reside.

One view is, that whilst this influx brings migrant talents and skills we desperately needed, it also de-stabilizes the fabric of our society. Another could be that it takes away our own identity and the role we played in helping these people migrating from other countries. Or that to feed commercial remits we as a nation have sold our souls to the proverbial devil. A further view is that these people bring with them far more than just supply of our manpower, they also bring much needed alternative ideas to the melding pot of conscious evolution.

Of course where ever you place foreign people to settle in a new world, they are going to want to preserve many if not all of their own identities at first. Its a natural protectiveness we all have when we are in strange environments. Look at how the British were when we went to Spain for example. We had to have full English breakfasts and meals on the table because we could not eat the foreign food. Not taking in to account that they hardly ever ate an English cooked breakfast at home anyway. And my goodness me they don't speak our lingo either..... Hello..... They are Spaniards......

But to move swiftly on, Lincoln has got something new to add to the pot of evolution of consciousness and development, largely because of its ability not to have moved on at a million miles per hour with the rest of the Nation.

Imagine eating a full plate of food set out before you in about two minutes. It may well be a possibility to do such a thing, but what enjoyment would there be and what would be the results of eating so fast? Yes intake of nourishment but lack of enjoyment. Your body is designed to have smaller portions over a sustained period, that way it can properly process the food and make use of all the vitamins and minerals and proteins etc. Likewise Lincoln has possibly been like this eating process. It has been settling down to enjoy its meal whilst determining what value eating had in the first place and what future benefits there will be. Change may have happened more slowly here, but the result surely is that digestion has been given the proper amount of time to determine the best way to continue. Lincoln is now leaving the table with boundless energy for action in the up and coming months and years. We are not slow, we are the determination behind the actions for a newer version of the operating system. A kind of, I-phone-5 version of global strategy and implementation towards development of the human kindness genome.

I came to Lincoln as a part of my Imagine project. I had very little funds and no place to live. Lincoln welcomed me in as a stranger, fed me, watered me, housed me and also continued to look after my needs in so many other ways. The diversity of this city is astounding. From arts, crafts and music, to the more intellectual resonance of social science and networking mobility. Listing merely a few of the immediate benefits that have come to me freely, and with kindness is difficult, as there have been so many. But I will try to do so to show just how diverse Lincoln actually is.

Nomad (The Nomad Trust) is a charity ran for the Homeless problems of Lincolnshire. Its resources are incredibly stretched but they maintain a high level of services for anyone who finds themselves in this dire circumstance.

Be-Attitude is a work set out again to help the poor and the homeless, based at the Church of England's St Mary Le Wigfords Church on High St. Lincoln. Funded in part by the church, but also many other organisations and people who see the very real needs of the poor and needy in Lincolnshire.

The Y.M.C.A, Pathways/Framework are also leading the action to help this element of need.

Revival Cafe, based on the corner of Sincil St. is a profoundly creative way of community sharing that is taking Lincolnshire by storm.

It provides services and education workshops and all manner of therapy treatments at very low or no cost to the consumer. It also has a very collaborative cafe run by volunteers and helpers, organised and ran by a dedicated couple who have taken time out of other personal pursuits, to fill this void in Lincolnshire.

Associated with that is another new group/idea that has been gifted with help from Revival.

Hackspace Lincoln, is an ever growing group of individuals, both professional and ordinary people that are getting together to share skills, talents and knowledge with a specific aim of helping each other and later the community at large to expand its ability to share together. They are organising themselves with aims to bring community together and spread their individual talents interests with anyone who would like to get involved, much the same as Revival Cafe.

Social Science Centre, is another group of both academic and ordinary city people who are organising activities to share their individual skills, talents and knowledge with one another primarily, and also an ever widening group with the clear aim of promoting the well being of Lincoln and the global community generally.

The Jolly Brewer pub on Old Broad St, is a leader in the sharing of music, art and poetry with Lincoln and Lincolnshire. Hosting a regular Wednesday 'Open Mic Night', and monthly poetry venues, permanent displays of art in their rear room gallery, they are amongst the top promoters of this idea of cultural sharing. Artists from all over the county come regularly to give the people of Lincoln a taste of the diversity of talents from this area. If you are a would be performer, singer songwriter, poet, artist then all of your performance needs can me met here in Lincoln for next to no outlay on your part.

Now this list as you can see is not exhaustive of the things available here in Lincolnshire, but I hope it gives a very clear idea of what I am saying about the creative juices flowing in Lincoln city day in day out. It feels to me almost like the cultural hub of Great Britain.

So in conclusion, I would like to say a huge Thank You, to Lincoln/Lincolnshire and it's people for the way in which I feel it leads the way ahead for a dramatic Revolution of our cultural and thinking consciousness. And for its efforts to share a smile with the world in turmoil.

To have change we have to be the change we wish to see in the world, so let's have more of it please.