In my previous post, I wrote about change. I wrote about hope and fear and a few other thoughts about the passing year and the year to come. I'd like to expand here on some of those thoughts, more particularly how/why we are making some changes this year. 

In the last few years, we have seen an unprecedented amount of censorship amongst a diverse crowd of people. Anyone with a questioning voice is not allowed to be heard. Their questions go unanswered, which often drives one even further in their own confusion. They are shunned and ridiculed and deemed "unscientific" by those who are ultimately controlling the narrative. The ins and outs and who and what isn't as important as looking at the whole picture here. What is happening here is division. Separation. The most basic of our human instincts are being exploited for profit or political gain. To be completely honest, I had almost give up, and then the pandemic happened.

Paul and I became interested in Bitcoin in 2016, at the height of its peak, literally weeks before it plummeted. We watched it for a few months, hoping it would start gaining value again, but that day didn't come. It wasn’t quite the right time for Bitcoin yet, there had to be a catalyst, a spark to light the fire.

Before 2020 began, we both knew it was going to be an interesting year. A friend and longtime psychic had told me about the "unknown event" that would start around January 10. A big shift is coming he said, it's written in the stars. That was the day we were waiting for. January 10. And sure enough, without waver, we started hearing about the virus on January 11.

The spring was a blur, sanitizing, researching, staying healthy, planting the garden, distilling. All I really knew was that this was sure sign of big change. It was late in the summer when Paul's ears were perked once more about Bitcoin. But this time, it felt different. The cryptocurrency world seemed to be moving again. Amongst the global pandemic and widespread shutdowns, block chain technologies began to take off. And for good reason. It might be the one thing that has the potential to change the world forever.

We organically began researching and following along and what we discovered is nothing short of astounding. The blockchain technology, which Bitcoin created, has more potential than we could have imagined. The creator or creators of Bitcoin are still unknown to this day, and they did so for a reason. Back in 2009 when it was created, the master minds behind the technology knew what they were doing. They knew they could not take credit for two very important reasons.

The first being, manipulation. The founder/founders knew that if they came forward, they could be the weak link. They could be called up by regulatory institutions to compromise or manipulate the core aspects of this currency that make it so valuable. It is truly a scarce currency. Only 21 million Bitcoin will ever be made. Ever. They knew that if it was left anonymous, the world would eventually discover what they already knew. The technology will revolutionize the world. 

The second reason, not so obvious at first, is that this person created a system that is inherently altruistic. The blockchain is incredibly secure and transparent. In order to hack the blockchain, one would need to alter thousands of lines of code to gain access. It is completely decentralized, meaning it lives everywhere and nowhere, all at once. Every transaction is recorded and archived, visible for reference. Personal privacy is easily maintained, each public address is complex and anonymous. The point being, it would be very hard to perform fraudulent transactions without repercussions. If money is laundered or stolen, there will always be a trail left behind. 

Whoever created the first Bitcoin gave us more than a fair and universal currency, they gave us an idea. They gave us a new way of thinking, a new way of transacting with a new kind of value system. They gave us a technology that can solve so many problems we face in the digital age. And the greatest gift of all, their anonymity. In a generation of narcissists, the creators took the first step towards healing our culture. They didn’t take any credit.

I liken the founders of Bitcoin to the mushroom, the incredible spore which forever changes the landscape it lands in. The mushroom performs all kinds of interesting tasks in order to thrive in its environment. For example, tip exploration. When the mycelium begin to grow, they send out long tips to explore the world around them. They catalog and learn from their environment. Some mushrooms are able to change their DNA in order to be able to live on the most abundant substance in their immediate surroundings. They forever change the forest and participate in the most important energy process of all, transmutation. They consume and transform seemingly dead things into life giving things. They share information with every living organism in the environment through the vast mycelial network. They even share resources when necessary - they can provide lifesaving nutrients to a dying tree or shrub. They send out warning signals of diseases and threats to the whole ecosystem. If one were to measure the wealth of the forest by the health of its inhabitants, the mushroom would be the currency. There is so much metaphor here, I see new correlations with nature and cryptocurrency almost every day. 

Bitcoin and a few other cryptocurrencies seem to have an ethical code, a set of guidelines for everyone to follow. The beautiful thing about this is that this code has all been created by multiple people, a community effort. The public education behind the technology is emerging at the same time as the technology - and it’s being taught by the community itself. You can search nearly any question on the internet about cryptocurrency and you’ll find a video, a tutorial and an array of different view points. Cryptocurrency requires one to think critically, to seek a real, personal understanding about the technology. It requires radical self responsibility to purchase and trade coins and tokens. There are no banks, no institutions to hold the keys to your coins. It is just you, your key codes and the understanding that if you lose them, that's it, its all gone. If you don't have your codes in your possession, you don't own your Bitcoin.

Cryptocurrency asks you to think in a different way about what you have and what you actually need. It changes the way one thinks about debt and wealth. A debt-backed economy is completely unnatural, you are essentially, borrowing from your own future. No where in nature does this system exist, that you would try to eat your wheat before you've planted the seeds. Cryptocurrency changes that. It is about saving and sharing, and when the time comes and you do want to buy something, is it something you actually need? Changing your mind about debt is challenging in the modern fiat world, but Bitcoin offers the first glimpse of what it might look and feel like.

The market is volatile, that is certain. We are in uncharted territory on a whole new frontier with cryptocurrency in hopes of creating a decentralized internet, providing true digital freedom and access to all. In 2020, our economic woes worsened. As the months press on, there seems to be little relief in sight. According to an article written in October, 22% of all US dollars were printed in 2020. Just think about that, 22% of all US dollars ever printed, were printed last year. There is no where left to go and cryptocurrency offers a solution that is already up and running. 

As the great Buckminster Fuller once said, “You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.”

So Bitcoin was the first, created by sure genius, which spurred the imagination of thousands of coders. Since its inception over 10 years ago, at least 5000 other coins and tokens have been created using the blockchain technology. We are seeing currency, a measure of value, meet functionality in the crypto space. 

The blockchain technology offers unimaginable digital freedom for future generations. For example, tokens such as Theta, are more than a cryptocurrency, their technology actually performs a task. Theta has developed and patented a way to share and distribute streaming data through the blockchain with incredible speed. The nodes are set up by everyday users around the world for collecting and distributing broadband (aka data streaming services). Not only is it faster, but the peer to peer technology gives both the user and the provider an opportunity to make passive income. If you have a node set up, you can stake your tokens. What this means is that your tokens and broadband are being shared with various users. Those users pay in Tfuel to use your broadband. In turn, you can use your Tfuel to stream videos and content. Its a zero-cost service, whatever you sell in data, you make in tokens which you can exchange for data when you need it. Theta has taken “the data problem” and solved it on every level. It cuts out waste by sharing and in turn, makes the network faster and practically free to the user. This is the perfect example of the technology working for all of us, and in turn, reducing broadband waste and hardware costs, saving time and energy for both the user and the provider. 

The blockchain and many of these cryptocurrencies provide an opportunity for each individual to make passive income. One could argue that data is actually the new currency. We live in a world where mega corporations make millions of dollars on data, most of that is your data. This technology has the potential to change all of that. Since its inception over 20 years ago, the internet has changed the world exponentially. Innovation is partly built and partly propelled by the shadow. When the first dictionary came out, it was used to look up dirty words. The internet was no different, its innovation driven by much of the distasteful nature of humans. Sex, control, greed, they have all been spent in the years past. We are now moving into a place where creation is the new currency, which gives us an opportunity to transcend the shadow side of this technology. Even those who have made mistakes, many of whom created the tech giants we see today, are coming to a reckoning. In the crypto space, it feels very much like the beginning of the internet. Remember when we first learned about AOL? And we all thought, no one is going to use that. It's too complicated, no way. And here we are now. The world runs on email.

So I invite you to embrace cryptocurrency NOW. This is the time to learn, to do the research and find the companies you believe in. All of this information is in no way financial advice, to be clear, I encourage you to do your own research. There are some scams and bad actors, and yes like any industry, not all tokens will succeed. But the potential for real change is here. And this time, it's different than the beginning of the internet, because we have the internet. We are incredibly connected to others across the world through the internet. The innovations in technology are moving exceptionally fast, even faster since the global pandemic and the increasing demand for streaming data. It is the one event that is pushing everything forward, faster and faster each day. 

When you first start learning about cryptocurrency, it can feel like trying to drink from a fire hose so just start small, learning a little each day. This is an incredible opportunity to put your dollars to work in a system that is accessible to everyone. A system that does not glorify hoarding, but rather encourages sharing. Anything you need to know about cryptocurrency, you can look it up. There are endless videos and tutorials available to you, literally right at your finger tips. Here are a few resources you could start with:

Brave Browser

Theta

Coin Bureau

Dan Teaches Crypto 

 

 

So how does this all apply to GARA? 

Over the past few months in the cryptocurrency space, I've learned so much. I am inspired by the companies I see out there in the tech space, the ones that truly want to provide a better alternative. And some of them are doing it.

It has shown me that it is possible to run a profitable business with ethics. We don't have to bow to the current paradigm of the world. Those institutions are fragile, fleeting, and dying in their own attempts to control and profit. There is a new emergent path and many are already on the journey. This path offers technological privacy and freedom in a system that is peer to peer, decentralized, and transparent. Technology isn’t going to slow down, it’s not going away. So instead of resorting to fear, we must take positive action. We must divest from the institutions that are designed to control and dominate. We must actively support and defend the institutions who liberate, the ones who are willing to show us by their actions, that they are ethical and just. In a world full of empty words, accountability is the new moral currency. 

 

 

And what are we going to do about it?

We now accept some cryptocurrencies on our website and we are taking the steps this year to fully move into the new technology as the platforms become available. We will soon offer special discounts to those who want to pay in cryptocurrency, stay tuned for the announcement by signing up for our newsletter.

When it comes to marketing, we are in the same boat as nearly every company, large or small. How do we bring our products to market in an increasingly digital world? Social media companies offer "free" services to users and make their money through advertising. These platforms have turned into whirling sea of feeds that are driven by algorithms designed to maximize profit. Not all algorithms are bad, but I would argue, we are wasting these technologies on consumerism. It has now become a pay to play market. 

On average, less than 10% of our followers see/engage with our posts and stories. Because of the algorithms and advertiser incentives, it is becoming increasingly difficult to reach our actual followers on social media platforms. And because we do not advertise, that number is not likely to increase anytime soon.

As many of you know, we were banned from ads on Facebook years ago and little did I know, this was a real gift. It forced me to think outside of conventional marketing campaigns and dig down to what really matters. Let the products speak for themselves. Send out gratitude and integrity in each interaction, in each product we make. And so far, it’s working. Here we are, years later still growing organically at a sustainable pace. We have never wanted to mass produce our products and to this day, everything is still handcrafted. We have been able to create a community here, on our website. And we plan to do much more of that in the coming year.

So as of January 4, we are no longer on Facebook. That’s our first step.

We will continue to post on Instagram for the foreseeable future … 

When it comes right down to it, I do not want to continue to justify supporting businesses where profit comes first. These institutions have vast amounts of power and unfortunately as we have seen, it’s not likely being used to create more freedom.

So that is my question for the year.

Does it create more freedom?

Does it exploit someone in the process? 

How can I contribute to the world I want to live in?

How can I withdraw from the powers that are limiting, both in my mind and in the real world?

It starts with one step, then another and another. This year, we will be implementing some exciting things on our website. We are creating an exclusive members area, for commerce and community. All are welcome to join. We will also be creating a photo look book for each season - something my creative heart loves to do dearly. We're working on videos about distillation, CBD, organic farming, cryptocurrency and more. 

All of these thoughts and actions tie into one thing, connection and community. Our intention this year is to create a hub on our website, a place where you can come to learn, explore and share ideas with us. You can always send us a message if you have questions, concerns or suggestions or leave a comment below. We honestly love hearing from you. That's what its all about, sharing the love!

 

Geopoliticus Child Watching the Birth of the New Man

Salvador Dalí, 1943