“The Big Quiet”

What does Lake mean by a new cultural narrative?

Lake talks about two equally important pathways for restoring an ecological balance to our planet and gaining a just and sustainable future. What pathways are being described? Are you on either of them and why?

In what ways does the author present the importance of connecting to the natural world in our daily lives and as a model for sustainable living?

The author has coined the term “earth etiquette” and unfolds what an earth etiquette would be like. Discuss her ideas and add in new ones of your own.

“Of Redwoods and Whales, Jewel Baskets and Roots”

How does this chapter frame our understanding of belonging to the places where we live?

The history of the American Indian peoples of Mendocino and Humboldt Counties appear in this chapter. What are some of the reasons the author included this history in her book?

What information about the gray whales or the redwood trees most surprised you?

How much do you know about the land, plants, animals in your community? What can be done with this knowledge to improve education, community building, civic participation and the creation of enduring changes for sustainable living?

What affects, if any, have you noticed in the world that are caused by people living in urban areas, spending so much time in front of televisions and computers and increasingly disconnected from the natural world? How does this affect adults? How does this affect children?

“Earth and Sky”

Creating sculptures and public monuments that reflect a new cultural narrative has been a lifetime pursuit for the author. Name some of the ways she connects the arts and societal stories to the themes of social responsibility and environmental sustainability.

Based on an exploration of the influence of Buckminster Fuller’s visionary brilliance, what is the importance of precessional effects?

Lake describes both ancient and contemporary designs incorporated into cities as a way to connect people to each other and to nature. What are your ideas, based on what you see on a daily basis where you live or travel, that could create more vital and vibrant communities? When you imagine the future, what do you see on the streets and in the buildings? How can the present be re-storied so that future cities are sustainable, beautiful and provide healthy outlets for social and civic involvement as well as access to nature?

Discuss the statement: “Symbols are the very stuff of culture and deeply affect our psyches, and so are very relevant to social transformation. Advertisers know this potency all too well.” Pick an advertisement or work of public art that speaks to you about the human condition, past, present or future. What story is being told to you? Do you agree with it? If you could install a work of public art that told a story most important to you for people to understand, what would that story be?

“Honor the Women”

Lake addresses the impact it will have for both women and men to have a full story of human history that equally reveres both genders. What did you learn in this chapter about women’s history that you did not learn in school or since? Which of the women she chronicles did you find most interesting and why?

Based on the symbols unfolded in the book concerning the Statue of Liberty --- is this gift from France to the United States still relevant in the world today? Why or why not?

“Crazy Horse in the Soviet Union”

What was your reaction to the Berlin Wall coming down in 1989? How did it make you feel that people in East Berlin were now free to move beyond borders? How is this story still relevant today?

What part of the story about pre-1989 Russia was most illuminating for you?

How did Chief Crazy Horse inspire and give hope to the Russian artist?

“Cloud Blossoms”

How did you react to the story of Xio Lian?

“The Heart of Liquidity”

What is the author actually referring to when she says “What would it be like to visit a friend who had labored all day to create a marvelous meal for me, the guest, which I then ate without pause to give thanks?”

After reading about all the amazing qualities and symbolic content of water detailed in this chapter, what can be learned from water? Is there anything happening in your community around the quality or availability of water that could benefit from this knowledge?

What is being said about our spiritual connection to water?

“Vision Creek”

How does Lake use her personal experiences to inspire readers to think about larger issues?

Do you know where your local water comes from?

“Hypatia’s Pearls: Democracy Ancient and Modern”

In her discussion about ancient Greek and American Indian influences, Lake gives keys to understanding democracy. What are these keys?

How does the author connect democracy with nature and sustainable living?

What point was Kofi Anan making about artists?

Who was Hypatia? What do you think were the most important contributions she made to future generations?

Discuss the passage: “We each have pearls we hold most dear, and likely no strands are alike, any more than is our DNA. There are also pearls shaped from unknown origins and from unnamed women and men whose work remains quiet and brave, the value of which we also celebrate even if we do not yet discern their luster or import.” Add your own to the author’s selection of historical and cultural “pearls”.

“Around the Fire: From the Globabl Warming to a Renewed Hearth”

At the beginning of the chapter, why does Lake give different perspectives on the climate crisis?

Name some of the worldviews, philosophies and societal wounds that are highlighted in an analysis of how we came to this place of impending global environmental catastrophe.

Lake paraphrases a Japanese proverb, “Vision without action is a daydream; action without vision is a nightmare.” What point is she making and what does this statement mean to you?

What is the importance of story telling in contemporary society? What kind of new societal dreams and stories do we need to encourage in order to have a more sustainable and healthy world?

What must change in order to make it through the environmental “bottleneck”?

What level of global warming awareness is there in your community?