October 15, 2020Burning Down the HouseIn 2015 I experienced my first significant wildfire season while living in coastal British Columbia. The shock, anxiety, horror, and overwhelming feelings of claustrophobia were deeply visceral and very real. Attempting to move through my everyday existence in a yellowed, ash-covered reality was disorienting and had a surreal quality to it. Read moreAugust 28, 2020Awakin Call with Deb OzarkoJoin Birju Pandya as he engages in conversation with Deb Ozarko to explore a perspective that is rarely voiced – acceptance that our civilizational story (as that of all civilizations) will eventually become compost for something else, and feeling into what is born in that exploration. Read moreAugust 23, 2020Hindsight 2020: Acceptance, Tenderness, and Emotional ResilienceWhile I once tried to find love with someone else, I’ve since discovered something more potent: love for myself. Total. Complete. Absolute. No “partner” required. Not ever. Unless I so choose, that is. And if that time should ever come again, gender is irrelevant. Read moreAugust 23, 2020Environmental Coffeehouse Live with Deb Ozarko, Jennifer Hynes & Sandy SchoellesTonight Jennifer and Sandy are hosting Deb Ozarko, author of Beyond Hope: Letting Go In A World Of Collapse. “Many people consider “hope” to be the fuel of possibility. If one doesn’t have hope, possibility dies. Beyond Hope debunks this long-standing myth and liberates the reader to choose a more powerful way.” Read moreAugust 22, 2020What Now? Who Will We Choose to Be?Peter Melton and Deb Ozarko in discussion with Michael Shaw. Now that we are aware of our grand predicament, who are we choosing to be now? This is a deep dive conversation about our times: Hope, acceptance, reality and presence. We are being asked to be students of our moment in time. Read moreAugust 19, 2020Living in the Time of Dying Interview with Michael Shaw and Peter MeltonPeter Melton and Deb Ozarko in discussion with Michael Shaw, the creator of the Summer 2020 Documentary Living in the Time of Dying. In this session we discuss the process Michael went through, before, during and after the Documentary. Read moreMarch 25, 2020Facing the Pain of Personal Collapse in a Time of Global BreakdownYes folks, it’s true. My personal relationship, a love story of two “soulmates” once committed to each other “for life”, has ended. Two decades of my life have since been relegated to the archives of history at a time when the collapse of global civilization has also become a reality. From the personal to the global, collapse abounds in my reality. Read moreMarch 23, 2020Navigating a World in the Grip of FearI’m blessed to have several amazing women in my life who constantly push me in the direction of becoming a better, more expansive human being. They support me, provoke and most of all, they cherish me. I would be less the person I am without their powerful presence in my world. My gratitude for their unapologetic willingness to always play so big in their own lives, knows no bounds. Read moreMarch 20, 2020Post-Doom Conversation with Michael Dowd and Ganga Devi BraunRegenerative conversations exploring overshoot grief, grounding, and gratitude with Michael Dowd. According to host Michael Dowd, “A post-doom mindset is a hard-earned and often fluctuating state of being. Classic stages of grief mark a well-worn path. However, mere acceptance of what is unavoidable need not be the endpoint. Michael Dowd (with occasional co-hosts) invites guests to share their personal journeys along this trajectory and especially the gifts they have found on the other side. Participants share personal stories, perspectives, and tools that go beyond emotional detachment, stoic resolve, and spiritual transcendence.” Read moreFebruary 11, 2020A New Conversation About “Hope”I’m blessed to have several amazing women in my life who constantly push me in the direction of becoming a better, more expansive human being. They support me, provoke and most of all, they cherish me. I would be less the person I am without their powerful presence in my world. My gratitude for their unapologetic willingness to always play so big in their own lives, knows no bounds. Read moreJanuary 7, 2020Exploring Uncharted Waters of ConsciousnessThe past several years have been a profound act of letting go. Letting go of conditioning, habituation and old beliefs: about myself, the world, reality, and most recently, what it means to be human. The more I let go, the more I discover. The more I discover, the more I expand. The more I expand, the more I recognize how little I know about “reality”, existence and Life. And therein lies the magic. Read moreDecember 20, 2019Ode to the Lone WolfAs I’ve discovered over my 56 years of life, there are many different ways of seeing the world. Although it seems that most people believe that theirs is the “right” way, imposing one world view on another inevitably serves no one. The perpetual state of hostility on this planet is the most obvious testament to this statement. Read moreNovember 21, 2019“Death”: The Next Dimension of EvolutionLast December I was involved in an email conversation with a well-known writer that left a lasting impression. The bulk of our conversation revolved around “climate apocalypse” and death. While “death” has been a steady presence in my life, it wasn’t until the dramatic death of my mother in 2010 that it became a regular companion to my everyday consciousness. Death has since become my greatest impetus for living a meaningful Life. It has been a sacred guide, a wise teacher and an indefatigable inspiration to make every moment count. Death is a powerful reminder for me to live fully now. Read moreOctober 14, 2019Activated Presence in Times of Accelerating CollapseA foreboding sense of climate chaos, societal collapse, and ecological “doom” is now widespread. Acknowledging our predicament and working through the stages of grief takes one only to the midpoint: acceptance. What lies beyond? Read moreAugust 19, 2019The Perpetual Illusion of ChangeWhile the prevailing global collective dig their heels deeper into sustaining the status quo, many others are becoming activists, enraged by the infinite list of atrocities being committed around the globe. As seemingly more people fight for change these days—with grandiose expectations for governments, corporations, media, and the global public to wake up and do something—notable progress continues to evade us. Read moreAugust 8, 2019Deep Adaptation Conversation with Jem BendellIn August’s Deep Adaptation Q&A forum, Professor Jem Bendell and Deb Ozarko converse about spiritual activism and the invitation to reconnection that environmental and social breakdown offers. Jem also questions Deb about whether we crave an illusion of change to avoid the pain of our predicament. Definitely a thought-provoking conversation. Read moreJuly 16, 2019Table Talk: Who Are We in the Face of Collapse?In this Table Talk conversation we talk about how the most difficult conversation in the global predicament we are living in today, is that of collapse: of civilization, of ecosystems, of the planetary biosphere, of Life on Earth. Few are willing to go there, and it’s not uncommon for this conversation to be negated, dismissed, mocked, and denied. But what if we stopped skirting the edges of difficult conversations such as these and allowed ourSelves to speak our truth? Not to educate, advise or convince, but simply to tell it like we know it within ourselves? Read moreJune 4, 2019Table Talk: Intimacy, Evolution and the Sound of BreathAs I continue the vigorous pace of my personal evolution, the emptiness I feel when engaging with others presents more frequently. In fact, I feel more alone engaging with most people than I do when I’m actually alone. There are exceptions, of course. They are the rare few who are also committed to their own personal evolution; free of all doctrine, be it Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, science, politics, technology, or any other form of dogmatic thought. These are the few who have progressed beyond the shallow spirituality of seeking to know more to become a “better person”, to the deeper spirituality of knowing their connection to all life and choosing to live accordingly. Read moreMay 1, 2019Fully Conscious…Alive!I confess that there are few conversations I’m interested in engaging anymore. Between the monotonous drone of the status quo with their impenetrable denial and unwavering commitment to business-as-usual; hope-filled activists with their magical thinking for a “better” world in a time of converging, insoluble crises; or drama-fixated “doomers”, desperately trapped in their anger and grief from the growing litany of global misery; I feel exhausted. Given the limited options for conversations that light me up these days, I much prefer the tranquility of my own company. Read moreMarch 31, 2019Losing Mind, Finding SelfIn its thousands of years of existence, species homo sapien sapiens has been incapable of evolving beyond the limitations of the conditioned intellect. In fact, human beings are so deeply steeped in logic, reason, linear, literal, and rational thought that little exists beyond the intellectual realm so devotedly worshipped. The consequence of this intellectual fixation is a Soul trapped in a frozen body, and a global collective of talking heads with tired, changeless stories. The blind normalization of numbing strategies (pharmaceuticals, alcohol, social media, drugs, gaming, porn, shopping, gambling, food, sex, excessive exercise, and so on) ensures the longevity of Soul disconnect, and the subsequent separation from Life. Disembodiment on a collective level makes for an unfeeling species capable of unfathomable brutality. And once again, we wonder why nothing ever changes. Read moreMarch 24, 2019The Blight of the Conditioned MindAs the world keeps turning, everyone keeps doing the same old crap over and over again. Wealthy white dudes raping the planet. The mass collective sleepwalking through their meaningless, consumptive, planetary-rape-supporting lives. Women suppressing their centuries-old rage to sustain their objectified status within the patriarchal status quo. And anger and grief-filled activists fighting a pathetic, losing battle against it all. These are but a few of the many faces of coma incarnate. Read moreMarch 17, 2019The Endless Loop of SamenessWe live in a world that continues to do battle with the content of “reality” with the inevitable outcome that little changes. The infinitesimal changes that do occur, inexorably amount to one-step forward, three-steps back. The old adage that “history always repeats” could not be more accurate. We are a species so wholly attached to our stories and our dramas, that repetition is all we are capable of. Repetition is the progeny of sameness. Read moreFebruary 15, 2019Hope Changes NothingOur world is overrun with the desperate voices of hope. Billions of humans wishing, praying, hoping for things to change. And yet nothing ever does. In fact, things are worsening by the day. Still, the age-old reprise of, “you’ve got to have hope” persists. Indeed, it refuses to die. We’ve become adept at digging our heels in deeper—seemingly paralyzed by our unwillingness to let go—even when the evidence is clear that hoping our way to a better world is a dismal failure. Our inexplicable dependence on the delusive crutch of hope has fundamentally rendered us powerless. Read moreFebruary 6, 2019Why We Can’t Fix AnythingWe are a bizarre species enamoured more by our cars, trucks, SUV’s, smartphones, electronic devices, bacon, eggs, milk, burgers, chicken, cheese, denial, and comfort than we are to Life itself. The road to hell is paved with with delusional intentions. Read moreJanuary 2, 2019Coming “Home”It’s been a whirlwind eight months since my last post, and until recently I’ve felt little desire to share my musings. To be perfectly honest, I have little left to say since baring it all in, Beyond Hope. My focus instead, has been living my words through the ongoing mastery of presence and grace. Suffice it to say, I’m still a work in progress. Read moreApril 13, 2018The False Illusion of “Service”Deb Ozarko joins Carolyn Baker on the podcast, The New Lifeboat Hour. Deb discusses her new book, Beyond Hope and shares about her remarkable body of work, including, Activated Presence. Read moreApril 3, 2018Beyond Hope: The Big LieLong before we can shape our world, the world has firmly shaped us. What we are shaped to become, is no accident. Almost everything we are taught to believe originates from the Lie. We are shaped by our parents, who were shaped by the very same Lie as the generations who preceded them. How far back this fable goes is anyone’s guess. The details have been cunningly edited to support those who benefit most from the ongoing perpetuation of the long-standing Lie. Read moreMarch 27, 2018Beyond Hope: The Evolution of KnowingI entered the world on a chilly autumn evening in November 1963. I was born at the Grace Hospital in Ottawa, Canada. My entrance was not without drama. In the ultimate irony, the umbilical cord of life became the umbilical cord of near-death. Within moments of strangulation, and by the grace of the Soul, I drew my first breath. Read moreMarch 22, 2018Release of “Beyond Hope”: IntroductionIn the last few years, it’s become increasingly clear that the beautiful world of my imagination has always been nothing more than an elusive dream. With a collective of 7.6 billion (as of this writing) and growing exponentially, each child birthed to this world is enslaved by the cultural conditioning of those who preceded them. Read moreSeptember 5, 2017The Infinite Spiral of EvolutionIt’s been four months since I felt the impulse to write a blog post. There were many occasions when I felt I “should”, but I made a promise to myself that I would only share what needs to be expressed outwardly for my own evolution—and only when I felt inspired to do so. As my wise email friend, Hauk says, “Don’t do another thing unless you can feel it coming through your Soul”. I couldn’t agree more. Read moreApril 23, 2017“Being” is More than EnoughThe past several months have been dedicated to a profound inward journey. A journey of ruthless self discovery that revealed to me all of who I once thought I was—and all of who I now know as someone from the past. No crevice, crack or corner of my life remained unturned. All layers of past identity were stripped away, leaving me naked, disoriented, and with no sense of the “I” that I’ve always known myself to be. Read moreJanuary 7, 2017The Paradox of AwakeningHumans have multiplied and multiplied and multiplied and have taken and taken and taken from the Earth and have returned nothing but war, violence, cruelty, poison, rot and garbage fouling every body of water, the seas and the air and the land. Our contempt for the sacred knows no limits. Read moreDecember 11, 2016The Myth of PrivilegeFor me, privilege is a loaded word steeped in comparison, external validation and separation. In its simplest form, privilege is a belief that someone has more of something deemed of value than another. More stuff, more status, more money, more power… Read moreNovember 9, 2016Navigating a New World OrderHow could it be that a creepy, ruthless liar and a raging, infantile lunatic were the chosen candidates for leader of the most powerful country on Earth? How could it be that a flaccid, misogynistic, narcissistic, xenophobic, demagogue with delusions of grandeur and an insanely ridiculous victim consciousness managed to garner so much support and rouse the ugliest parts of the human psyche? How could it be that America will be anything but intensely divided after Pandora’s box has been flung wide open? Read moreOctober 4, 2016Transformation, Change and The Path of the WarriorI don’t write for comfort. I don’t write to make friends. I don’t write to preserve the status quo. I write to rattle cages until the locks fall off. I write to demolish old paradigms. I write to give voice to the voiceless: animals, the Earth and the human soul. I write to make hearts bleed with grief, love and compassion… Read moreSeptember 6, 2016The Illusion and Truth of CourageIn my world, the greatest courage is the willingness to be authentically yourself and speak from the bloodiest depths of your truth… Read moreAugust 9, 2016Evolution: Acceptance, Love and a Different Take On a Tired Old StoryI’ll be the first to admit that I’ve spent a good chunk of my life pissed off at the lies, lies, lies. The blue pill addicts: unconscious to truth, conditioned to conform, comply and never question the machine… Read moreJuly 19, 2016The Global Crisis and our Planetary PredicamentSince my rousing emergence into this world, I’ve had a passionate love for Earth—for Gaea. I’ve consciously participated in the healing of Earth through ongoing activism, as well as mindful personal choices and actions. Although I’m hardly perfect, I have a tireless hunger for living as close to my essence as possible. With this in mind, I’m always willing to examine the conditioning that leads to inconsistencies in my life. Read moreJuly 5, 2016Activated Presence in Times of Planetary HospiceWhen we love the Earth, we are the Earth. We refuse the blinders that prevent us from feeling and seeing it all. We hold the beauty and the destruction; the love and the grief— together… Read moreJune 6, 2016Freedom From Hope and Activating Our Love for the WorldLike a perpetual looping track, history persists in repeating itself. Throughout the millennia, the same old story of separation plays out. Consciousness deteriorates. Civilizations collapse. Extinction events eradicate life. And here we stand again: collapse, extinction and a collective consciousness that has flatlined. Are we some kind of cruel cosmic joke—a 200,000 year old failure, an outlandish biological mistake? Read moreMay 10, 2016Letting Go of a World in Collapse: The Conversation We’re Too Afraid to HaveOver the past few months I’ve been feeling a greater sense of grief over the state of the world with the accelerating breakdown that is playing out in every aspect of life on Earth. I’m finding it increasingly difficult to navigate this “Gaia Grief” as I call it… Read moreMarch 12, 2016Saying No with ConvictionAs I reclaim more of my inner power by unplugging from the authoritative cultural systems that hurt the soul (i.e. banking, insurance, technology, media, education, “health” care, politics, etc.), I’m realizing with greater clarity how the domestication of the human spirit… Read moreFebruary 2, 2016How Big is Your Weinie?With the recent release of my book, Unplug, I’ve been faced with a rush of self-limiting doubts that have knocked me off balance. Just when I think I’ve moved through the “ick”, a deeper layer emerges into consciousness… Read moreJanuary 6, 2016Welcome the Birth of Baby Unplug in 2016!For many people, the birth of a baby is one of the most symbolic moments in their lives. Although I can honestly say that I’ve never felt the urge to bring a human baby into the world… Read moreNovember 30, 2015Breaking up with Facebook and Going Steady With LifeConfession: I’ve had a tumultuous relationship with Facebook for the past few years. Like dating someone that everyone else thought was cool … but I never did… Read moreNovember 1, 2015Stop Fooling Yourself. You are Creative.You were born to create. You are creation itself — a sperm and an egg united to miraculously create…you. Think about that for a moment. A microscopic sperm and a tiny little egg…merged to become flesh and bone, heart and mind, body and soul… Read moreOctober 12, 2015Unleash Your Inner Wild!We’re domesticated by systems of thought that ensure that we don’t think for ourselves. Because of this, we’ve strayed far off course and lost connection with our instincts, our intuition, our spontaneity, our creativity, our courage, compassion, and passion… Read moreSeptember 6, 2015The Myth of Busy (or Why Busy is Bullsh*t).I’ve made the conscious decision to live a simple, mindful, and focused life of deep purpose. Even with an intentionally slower pace of life however, I’m often baffled by the speed of which each new day whizzes by… Read moreJuly 9, 2015Passion…Stop Searching for it. Start Living it.Red tides, disintegrating starfish, endless ocean garbage, entangled whales, relentless drought, and raging wildfires. This is life in my front yard. Climate change is the new normal. We’ve crossed the line and there’s no turning back… Read moreJune 1, 2015Why Authenticity Eludes Us, and Reclaiming Your Self in the World of Illusion.“Rediscover Your Authentic Self”, “5 Easy Steps to Becoming Your Authentic Self Today”, “How to Love Your Authentic Self”, “Define Your True Self and Live Your Best Life Now” blare the self-help headlines in a world of superficial illusion… Read moreMay 6, 2015Stop Being Nice. Start Being Kind.Nice conforms to perceived societal expectations in order to not rock the boat. A nice person lacks self-worth and therefore doesn’t express authentically. The people pleasing tendencies of “nice” are rooted in selfishness – acting inauthentically for personal gain through approval and recognition. Nice perpetuates the status quo. Read moreApril 5, 2015The Best Advice is No Advice.When we examine the root of advice, we see that it comes from an opinion or belief imposed on another under the guise of guidance. Advice is never without bias and often has a patronizing stench to it… Read moreMarch 3, 2015Fat Ideas in Thin Spaces.We’re often magnetized by thin spaces: mountains, oceans, forests, rivers, lakes, even city parks. Deep within our soul we’re reminded of the oneness that connects us to all life… Read moreFebruary 4, 2015The Beast of Grief: Offerings that Harm, Offerings that Heal.Grief is relentless in its desire to awaken. It repeatedly exposes the permanence of impermanence, and therein lies the pain… Read moreDecember 9, 2014Jessie: A Tribute to the Power and Pain of Loving, and Never Holding BackJessie was born in a loveless hell hole and died in a love-drenched paradise. A clandestine rescue on a frigid winter night morphed into one of the most powerful love stories I’ve had the honor to live… Read moreAugust 7, 2014How “Being“ Inspires “Doing” (Fueled by Birds, Starfish, and Seal Pups!)Let’s face it, we’re a culture of “doers”, spinning our wheels with endless to-do lists and rarely stopping to breathe. But it’s in our “being” that our “doing” is fueled in more meaningful, purpose-driven, and interconnected ways… Read moreJanuary 26, 2014Go Further.Last weekend, my partner and I along with our two canine companions, enjoyed a gorgeous hike along a coastal trail which we do quite regularly, especially on beautiful days when playing hookey… Read moreDecember 9, 2013Looking into the Mirror of Courage: A Tribute to Nelson Mandela…and You!This past weekend, the world said goodbye to an amazing man. A man who shone the light on darkness. A man who helped unite a country… Read moreNovember 8, 2013Fleeting Moments of CompassionIn our culture, emotion is often devalued and framed as a negative, sometimes fringe thing – passionate animal activists or environmentalists are derided for their caring… Read moreOctober 15, 2013The best kept secret for happiness, health and great abs…revealed!When we were children, we innately knew what we needed to live a happy, vibrant life. For many of us, outdoor adventures peppered with hearty laughter… Read moreOctober 9, 2013Scratching the Seven Year Itch (And the Art of Being Human)This year has been a beautiful year of rebirth for me. A year where I’ve finally embraced my purpose with full-on passion… Read moreOctober 8, 2013Ain’t it good to be alive!We’re all connected – regardless of race, gender or species. Remember that you don’t just feel love. You ARE love. And so too are all living beings on this planet. Life is love. Read moreSeptember 23, 201326 questions to ask yourself before you die…Many people die with the music still inside for fear of expressing themselves uniquely, authentically, compassionately and through the pure essence in their souls… Read moreSeptember 16, 2013What If…(or 36 Ways to Imagine a Better World)Imagine a world where the heart ruled the head, where compassion was cool, where faith trumped fear? What if a better world was entirely in your hands? What would it look like? Read moreSeptember 9, 2013Never Turn a Blind EyeWhen that caring place has been touched within us, instead of just griping about situations, we turn to action. We become the change that we wish to see in the world… Read moreSeptember 2, 2013Kindness is everywhereToday’s world is one of increasing polarity. Some days it just so easy to feel the dark side of the culture that we live in. Rampant violence, oppression, judgment… Read moreAugust 26, 2013Rescued baby squirrels pecan party! (Super cute)Baby animals warm our hearts, make us smile and snap us right into the present moment. With today’s post, you’ll likely experience all three… Read moreAugust 19, 2013Making sense of the human conditionThe last time I was thrown from my bike was the summer of 1996. A careless right turn by a driver who wasn’t paying attention. Three cracked ribs, shock, whiplash, road rash and a… Read moreAugust 12, 2013Free Princess: A Reptilian Love StoryToday’s episode of Unplug TV unplugs from status-quo culture with a simple act of kindness for a fellow Earth inhabitant. Today, we free Princess… Read moreAugust 5, 2013How to crush the comfort zone with one simple word…A few years back, I made the decision to make some significant changes in my career path. I could feel the dissipating mojo as far as my… Read moreJuly 29, 2013Following that Inner “Yes’Do you ever feel an internal nudge guiding you towards a “yes” – even when you don’t really know what you’re getting yourself into… Read moreJuly 22, 2013Let Your Sun Shine!You know those days when your normally sunny disposition is just nowhere to be found? And I don’t mean just hiding behind a few dark clouds… Read more Exploring a different way of being. Join in. Subscribe
