Honey, I killed the bees

[hagar]

Dear fellow practitioners

 

This is not a particularly Daoist subject, yet I feel it is of overall interest, and I need help.

 

The last couple of weeks the appartment I live in got invaded by bees. A whole beehive actually.

In the beginning, I took the little souls in a jar, and let them out a window. However, after a while it started to get serious. In the morning, I had to chase out hundreds of bees, and even more during the day. Being an allergic and not wanting my 3 year old son to be stung, I had to do something. So to make a long story short, the owner of the house called in an exterminator. It was a weekend, we had to get out fast, and I had to oversee the killing of thousands of bees who had taken refuge in the ventilator above the stove. I carried out a bag of 5 kilos with dead bees and honey. It was terrible. Yet it was me or the bees. At that point.

 

Now I know that on a global scale bees are dying out, and killing them breaks my heart. What a terrible test of my level of practice! If I have had some awareness, I'd probably would contact someone who knew how to get the bees out and lure them to a different beehive. I am actually really surprised how I reacted, and how little of my practice had been integrated into this situation.

I know now, that to get some degree of peace about the whole thing, I need to do something to make amends.

 

I remember watching a youtube clip of the "bee daoist" at Wudan, who has a beehive in his closet! That's the level of practice one should aim at.

 

So here's the question I need help with. What should I do?

Where could I donate. Help set up or help create a better way to let the bees thrive? How to gain more understanding of why they are dissappearing. and maybe find ways to counter the process thats going on.

And I don't mean doing a special Thonglen practice that leads all bees to the light. I mean how do we help the wild bees?

 

What about we all find ways to help bees. Their existence is vital to the survival of most species and plants, and an unknown virus is killing them off at a rapid rate. There's nothing more daoist than to try help one of the most important parts of the ecosystem; the bees

 

If you have any suggestions of actions to take, please let me know, PM me or answer this post.

 

h

[Ryan T.]

Dear fellow practitioners

 

This is not a particularly Daoist subject, yet I feel it is of overall interest, and I need help.

 

The last couple of weeks the appartment I live in got invaded by bees. A whole beehive actually.

In the beginning, I took the little souls in a jar, and let them out a window. However, after a while it started to get serious. In the morning, I had to chase out hundreds of bees, and even more during the day. Being an allergic and not wanting my 3 year old son to be stung, I had to do something. So to make a long story short, the owner of the house called in an exterminator. It was a weekend, we had to get out fast, and I had to oversee the killing of thousands of bees who had taken refuge in the ventilator above the stove. I carried out a bag of 5 kilos with dead bees and honey. It was terrible. Yet it was me or the bees. At that point.

 

Now I know that on a global scale bees are dying out, and killing them breaks my heart. What a terrible test of my level of practice! If I have had some awareness, I'd probably would contact someone who knew how to get the bees out and lure them to a different beehive. I am actually really surprised how I reacted, and how little of my practice had been integrated into this situation.

I know now, that to get some degree of peace about the whole thing, I need to do something to make amends.

 

I remember watching a youtube clip of the "bee daoist" at Wudan, who has a beehive in his closet! That's the level of practice one should aim at.

 

So here's the question I need help with. What should I do?

Where could I donate. Help set up or help create a better way to let the bees thrive? How to gain more understanding of why they are dissappearing. and maybe find ways to counter the process thats going on.

And I don't mean doing a special Thonglen practice that leads all bees to the light. I mean how do we help the wild bees?

 

What about we all find ways to help bees. Their existence is vital to the survival of most species and plants, and an unknown virus is killing them off at a rapid rate. There's nothing more daoist than to try help one of the most important parts of the ecosystem; the bees

 

If you have any suggestions of actions to take, please let me know, PM me or answer this post.

 

h

 

 

You killing the bees is your own personal conundrum. We make choices every day that relate to "me/us vs. you/them", that unfortunately seems to be the way of the world and I think is actually keeping with Taoist beliefs. It seems like more of a Buddhist thing to figure out how to relocate the bees, IMO.

 

As far as the disappearing bees, it is not as much of a problem as it seems. The bees really just need a rest. The "colony collapse syndrome" of last year, though yet not completely explained, has subsided to some extent.

People don't understand how overworked the bees are. Every year the bees are boxed up and trucked across whatever seasonal landscape to pollinate the various emerging crops. It's called "chasing the bloom". Plus with the monoculture in our current agricultural system the bees end up with a diet that contains little or no diversity. These are the things that are thought to be the most significant factors with the "bee issue".

 

If you want to help you have to change the way you shop. You need to buy more local small-scale farmed foods as these farmers are less likely to participate in this type of wide-spread bee overuse. And organics is a better way to shop as well as organic farmers tend to rotate crop varieties to help strengthen the soil and keep pest resistance maximized. This also leads to a more varied diet for the you and the bees.

 

Realization and action on these ideas will help the bees much more than saving a single colony in your dwelling.

Edited August 16, 2009 by Ryan T.

[Mal]

Being an allergic and not wanting my 3 year old son to be stung, I had to do something.

You reacted instinctively. There was a serious danger, you responded appropriately. Seems like the Tao to me.

 

In the beginning, I took the little souls in a jar, and let them out a window.

You reacted instinctively. You value and treasure, all life. Seems like the Tao to me.

 

 

What a terrible test of my level of practice! <snip> I am actually really surprised how I reacted.

The mind is 2nd guessing if you did what you knew to be right. Seems like the Tao?

 

I can't help you with bee info, don't really know more than what is in the news. But good luck in your quest.

[karen]

Hagar,

 

Any action you take to try to make amends is going to be like a palliative drug that masks symptoms but doesn't heal the underlying situation. You could run around doing all sorts of good works and make your false ego feel better. Or, you could focus more on finding forgiveness within yourself. As you work with that, I think you'll naturally be drawn to actions that resonate.

 

It sounds like this triggered a deep issue for you, and it's beyond intellectualizing that it was the appropriate thing to do. I'd suggest contacting the deeper emotions - what buttons does this push for you, that have nothing to do with bees. The bees might just be the helpers who are leading you to open up more to yourself.

 

Everyone has a beehive in their inner closet.

 

Blessings.

Karen

[TheSongsofDistantEarth]

My general rule is to spare all insects and animals in every way I can, whenever I can.

It's not that hard to catch most any insect under a glass and let her go outside.

 

 

The rules are different when they are in my space. Or if they spread disease like mosquitoes and West Nile Virus, or if they have come to take my blood, like "kissing bugs" found in beds in the desert southwest...these souls I despatch to their next, hopefully higher, incarnation.I have found 5 scorpions in my house over the past 2 months. Guess what? The exterminator (albeit a "Green" one) is coming. Black Widows also get despatched. I have harmless Wolf spiders that have lived in my house for years with no problems, though. But they will probably be 'collateral damage' from the exterminator.

 

 

The bees in your apartment have unfortunately invaded an inappropriate space. To keep them there is neither realistic nor sustainable. Perhaps calling a beekeeper would have had a more favorable outcome, I don't know. But you can't just turn over your living space to Nature because some bees took over.

 

If bees were actually on the brink of bee-coming extinct, it might have bee-n a different story. But then you would have had scientists and beekeepers there to help you out. Your sensitivity to the bee's plight is admirable, though.

 

 

As my friend Marblehead says, "Bee Well!"

 

 

 

.

[Marblehead]

There is nothing in Taoist philosophy that suggests that you do not have the right to protect yourself (and your loved ones).

 

Yes, it is sad when we have to kill another living organism. But sometimes it is a necessity for survival.

 

The only other alternative would have been to remove any trace of their nest and and scents they had laid down. Theis is dangerous business and there are very few people who know how to do this without causing damage/death to some of the bees.

 

You did the right thing.

 

Be well!

[Uncle Fester]

[宁]

hi hagar

 

some say responsability (about..) comes AFTER awareness (of..)

 

hope this helps

 

L1

[Pietro]

Dear fellow practitioners

 

This is not a particularly Daoist subject, yet I feel it is of overall interest, and I need help.

 

The last couple of weeks the appartment I live in got invaded by bees. A whole beehive actually.

In the beginning, I took the little souls in a jar, and let them out a window. However, after a while it started to get serious. In the morning, I had to chase out hundreds of bees, and even more during the day. Being an allergic and not wanting my 3 year old son to be stung, I had to do something. So to make a long story short, the owner of the house called in an exterminator. It was a weekend, we had to get out fast, and I had to oversee the killing of thousands of bees who had taken refuge in the ventilator above the stove. I carried out a bag of 5 kilos with dead bees and honey. It was terrible. Yet it was me or the bees. At that point.

 

Now I know that on a global scale bees are dying out, and killing them breaks my heart. What a terrible test of my level of practice! If I have had some awareness, I'd probably would contact someone who knew how to get the bees out and lure them to a different beehive. I am actually really surprised how I reacted, and how little of my practice had been integrated into this situation.

I know now, that to get some degree of peace about the whole thing, I need to do something to make amends.

 

I remember watching a youtube clip of the "bee daoist" at Wudan, who has a beehive in his closet! That's the level of practice one should aim at.

 

So here's the question I need help with. What should I do?

Where could I donate. Help set up or help create a better way to let the bees thrive? How to gain more understanding of why they are dissappearing. and maybe find ways to counter the process thats going on.

And I don't mean doing a special Thonglen practice that leads all bees to the light. I mean how do we help the wild bees?

 

What about we all find ways to help bees. Their existence is vital to the survival of most species and plants, and an unknown virus is killing them off at a rapid rate. There's nothing more daoist than to try help one of the most important parts of the ecosystem; the bees

 

If you have any suggestions of actions to take, please let me know, PM me or answer this post.

 

h

 

 

Hi Hagar, nice to have you back.

 

First of all I think bees are slowly recovering from that virus.

 

I agree that if you feel that you need to do something this has nothing to do with the bees, but all to do with you.

 

Maybe it was an awakening moment to realised that once you find yourself in a fully natural situation you reacted in a very civilised way. Maybe this makes you feel you are distant to Nature.

 

So if this is the issue, you might just go and try to leave more in nature. Maybe you could have a beehive (but you said you are alergic to bees. Or you could do something else: you could find some land, where is cheap, and buy it, and then seed it with flowers, and plants that bees like. Bees are having a hard time, as most modern fields do not give them flowers enough.

 

I tell you thins, because it is actualy what I am doing right now. I moved to Portugal, and I bought a small piece of land. I don't know what I will do with it, but it will be something very natural, and very bee friendly

 

(Said that I also put some cement on the exit of a hole in the wall from where wasps were coming out. And I did not regret it a second!)

[Pietro]

I remember this story

it was from a movie about Gandhi. I don't know if the story is true, but it sounds true.

 

So there is Gandhi on his bed, fasting. He will not eat again until violence ceases completely in India.

A man breaks in, through the followers of Gandhi that do not permit anyone to see him.

-Sorry Mahatma, we could not contain him.

The man has some bread and throws it to Gandhi:

-here, eat. I don't want to have you on my conscience...

so they start speaking and eventually the men admits:

-I live in hell, do you know a way out of hell?

-I know, what happened?

-My kid was killed by some muslims in a fight. So I found a muslim boy and killed him. From then I live in hell. What should I do?

-Go and look for a muslim boy with no parents. There should be many in this moment of violence. And adopt this boy...

The man is hearing very closely, Gandhi continues:

-... but make sure to raise this boy inside the muslim faith.

And the man starts to cry of relieve.

 

Pietro

[hyok]

Good thread cuz i'm sure everyone deal with this on some level all the time. For me it's ants and I agree with the "your space" opinion. Whatever enters my space and is disruptive will be dealt with as peacefully as possible.

 

I figure it's like this -- we can't spend half our day placing bugs in containers and releasing them outdoors. Or maybe we can, i don't know. But I don't want to cuz I would rather get things done in an orderly fashion.

[hagar]

Hi again

 

Wow. I'm grateful for all the wise replies to my situation. I need to sit down and digest before I reply further.

 

Thank you again.

 

PS: Just to illustrate, here's the pic

[Marblehead]

Yeah. That was a big bunch of bees.

 

Be well!

[hagar]

Yeah. That was a big bunch of bees.

 

Be well!

 

Ok, I think I have resolved the bee matter.

 

What it triggered was the folly trying to rid myself of my ego.

 

The lamp may die out but the fire lives on.

 

h

[Marblehead]

Ok, I think I have resolved the bee matter.

 

What it triggered was the folly trying to rid myself of my ego.

 

The lamp may die out but the fire lives on.

 

h

 

Yep. Sometimes we must do what needs be done even though we feel conflicts about it at the moment.

 

Life will somehow survive dispite what we humans do.

 

Be well!

[宁]

Damn, there are days since I await that this thread goes down and nobody mentions it again...

I know I first said it's ok, but it's only in respect to a fellow bum...

My grandpa was a bee-raiser guy - what's the term in English ??

I have very nice memories about it...

Hagar, if it happens again, for pity's sake, call a professional, the bees can be taken out without much effort (if it's not situated in a very remote and unreachable place)...

 

I'll get over it

 

PS: when i say professional, i mean a guy that works with bees, that raises them and knows everything about them...

[三江源]

.

Edited March 23, 2015 by 三江源

[hagar]

Hagar. wow. what a thing to have to go through.

 

you did the right thing, the only thing you could do at this stage, apart from what little! said..

 

however, whatsoever and wheretofore forthwith etc, you might like to read Simon Buxton's intiation into the Bee Path - he's head of The Sacred Trust, a shaman.

 

http://www.sacredtrust.org/way_of_the_bee.htm

 

Bees have a lot of wisdom and power, I dont know if you are interested in shamanism or communing with animal /insect spirits.. reading the book may inspire you to create your own ritual of repayment, or just maybe answer a potential calling card from the Bee Consciousness.

 

good luck on processing it all.

xxx

cat

 

Hi Cat

 

Thank you. I'll definately check it out.

 

h