For those of us who are deeply disheartened by the ongoing decline in civility and humanity in the US 
during these last couple of years, it is totally appropriate to feel anger and outrage. Anger and outrage are the response of our moral compass being knocked askew as those who proclaim themselves leaders continue to degrade the value of kindness, compassion, interdependence, wisdom, and understanding in our culture. “Love and light” may be quite useful when embraced as the anchors for clear sight and direct action, and may also be destructive and delusional when wielded as a shield against full awareness of what is taking place, tools for escape from heartbreaking horrors that are felt to be “too much” to allow into the heart and mind. And yet, those who suffer in the most profound ways have no such option ~ for starvation, abuse, killings, human rights atrocities must be met with more than prayers of “love and light” while we go about our comfortable days, thankful that we do not live in the midst of such a plight.
during these last couple of years, it is totally appropriate to feel anger and outrage. Anger and outrage are the response of our moral compass being knocked askew as those who proclaim themselves leaders continue to degrade the value of kindness, compassion, interdependence, wisdom, and understanding in our culture. “Love and light” may be quite useful when embraced as the anchors for clear sight and direct action, and may also be destructive and delusional when wielded as a shield against full awareness of what is taking place, tools for escape from heartbreaking horrors that are felt to be “too much” to allow into the heart and mind. And yet, those who suffer in the most profound ways have no such option ~ for starvation, abuse, killings, human rights atrocities must be met with more than prayers of “love and light” while we go about our comfortable days, thankful that we do not live in the midst of such a plight. None of us are free unless ALL of us are free.
(What an anthem for these times.)
I spent some time in deep contemplation in the last few days, and the message I am receiving is that BIG CHANGES have already been initiated ~ and are already happening ~ that require the complete transformation of our ways. Some of us celebrate these changes, and others resist them. The toxicity in our culture ~ racism, xenophobia, sexism, discrimination, environmental destruction, and on and on ~ is merely self-interested ignorance that has been deeply rooted over centuries and millenia. Waking up is a slow process, and some of us see human evolution as a process to be embraced and encouraged. And others see this evolution as a threat to who we have been, who we believe we are at a core level. That is a deep yet persistent misunderstanding, and the resistance that comes from this misunderstanding is dangerous. It threatens to destroy everything that is not in accordance with its limited beliefs and preferences, and will do anything it can to assure its continuity.
And yet, the changes are already underway. They cannot be stopped. And the threat of this tidal wave of change is immense to those who resist it. I asked to see deeper into this dynamic, curious about what is at the root of it. As I see myself, I am a loving, kind, and flawed human being, and I know that what is within me is not ultimately new or original, I am but one of humanity, and we are all intrinsically the same. So, if love, kindness, understanding, helpfulness, strength, curiosity, harmony, and peace are within me, these things MUST be within all humans in some way. And if this is true, what is it that raises the levels of fear and resistance that shut the door on these things and turn people into humans filled with hatred, self-centeredness, callousness, unkindness, conflict, misunderstanding, and war?
The belief that self-affirmation comes through seeing oneself mirrored in very specific ways externally. And feeling threatened by anything that does not mirror oneself. A dogmatic sense of what is right and what is wrong, and the belief that that must be forced on everyone equally. Primal FEAR that believes that one may be destroyed and lost if ALL of those surrounding oneself are not a reflection of that same rightness. And the desire to force anything that does not fit one’s own way of rightness to either change or be eliminated. This fosters a closed system that does not allow in new information, shuts out any capacity to care about those outside of the closed system, and is deeply resentful and distrustful of anyone or anything that carries ideologies that threaten the continuity of the ONE RIGHT WAY. There are plenty of days when I see no alternative to taking down this kind of system by force. And yet, I know that when that approach is used, the ideologies merely go dark and quiet for a time, waiting for an opportunity to re-emerge when fear is great and minds are closed. I do believe this is what we are seeing now around the world as insane, backward, dogmatic leadership attempt to destroy all that is right and good in the world. I do not know what the solution is, and as a “doer” who wants to use my heart and hands in effective and direct ways, my heart aches to feel more engaged in something revolutionary and positive. And so, I continue to listen to my own inner wisdom, and to the wisdom of my guides and ancestors, and to the wisdom in the songs that move through me, waiting for a call to action in just the right way.
CHANGE