When the growing cycle is complete the desire to leave the human confusion of the past year behind is not new; rather it coincides with the original meaning and purpose of New Year.Over a year, mistakes and misdeeds confuse life, the web of life becomes worn and torn and the world needs to be renewed. The New Year is not a simple turning of a calendar page, but a symbolic return to the beginning of time in order to restore to life its original potentials.In this Archival conversation from 2011 Evan Pritchard explains what he observed in one indigenous culture when an elder recognized confusion had entered a community.

Evan explains it is good to say, I am “here and now”. It feels good. “Here and now” is where Being dwells and is the only safe place to be in this time. If you get off center, it can be hard to get back to the “here and now.” Make time to be with people at home in the present moment.

Brook Levan explains the joy of being in balance and living in the sphere of now.

From the 2011 archives Mari Margil describes how communities, cities, and nations are expanding the box of allowable activism by extending the right to be to nature and as a result benefiting all life.

An updated living world Conversation with Michael Mead explaining “in mythology they say there is always abundance, if people are able to imagine it. We live under the rule of scarcity, it rules everything. And it really rules the cultural dialogue right now and scarcity becomes greater when people lose their imagination for how abundant life is.”

Art Goodtimes explains, When we have the opportunity to pay attention and listen, listen to our elders and our young people and hear what they are saying - we grow wiser and reach that critical mass of wisdom that helps a community grow, thrive and sustain themselves.

Art explains the challenge of living in a time of huge changes, the challenge of listening to people on all sides and coming to some sort of balance with ourselves, with those around us, and with our Watershed.

Fred Haberlein, inspires us with explaining the big event of the year for the Yacqui people - the New Year comes in the spring with the return of life and the triumph of good over evil. That is what happens in their ceremonies.

Art Goodtimes continues explaining his living world story and desire to go forward on as balanced a path and playful a path as he can.

Art Goodtimes is a Colorado poet, basketweaver, former Green Party elected San Miguel County Commissioner and Western Slope Poet Laureate. This is the first in a series of artful conversations with Art where he explains how much fun it can be when listening changes a relationship, if the listening is reciprocal.