Money, Power, and the Hungry Ghost: Why We Must Stand Together

Now that the initial shock is lessening in regards to what is happening within this experiment we have come to call contemporary American democracy, I am anchoring in deeper, asking for insights and understanding. My initial response been very passionate, and I am grateful for having spent years of my life making love to words so that they can allow me to speak about this current situation. We are facing an unprecedented situation in the history of our country that affects not only Americans, but all of those with whom we have relationships. We are a nation that has achieved great power and influence on a global scale, and now, as global citizens it is essential to stay present, observing and exploring these new political issues as they arise. What is so very important is that we do not collapse in emotional exhaustion, feeling flaccid with overwhelm, doubting our power to do anything beyond calling our officials and engaging in virtual, economic, and on-the-ground protests. So, as you join me here, take a deep breath… feel your feet on the floor… relax your shoulders and unclench your jaw. There is plenty that we can do, but requires insightful inquiry and understanding that can only come from being relaxed and clear.

Feeling clearer now? And we continue. As I have spent time in contemplation, I have received some clear intuitive guidance that is useful to all of us who intend to stand up for what is right and just. Understand that this is simply my perception, not definitive fact, and as such, do with it as you will.

First insight: the powers-that-be are essentially attempting to wage war on the American people in a very tricky way – by throwing so many “bombs” and diverting our attention in so many directions. This is a way of deflating our collective energy. How do we choose what to stand up for? Women’s health rights? Standing Rock and Indigenous rights violations? Immigrant/Muslim/Racial discriminations? Or one of the many others that have arisen? With these “bombs” dropping in so many directions, it is more likely that we will weaken through loss of unification. The recent Women’s Marches were just that: a UNIFIED force that came together around ALL the issues that are on the table at this time in our history. It is easy right now to feel drained and exhausted, scrambled, and confused around which direction to choose, as so many things continue to tug on our heart strings. But this much is clear: we must remain unified around ALL the issues, standing together in solidarity, insisting upon just, fair, and right resolution to ALL matters. We must refuse to accept them “throwing a bone” in one direction to distract us from all the rest. While we are exhausted and drained, it may seem tempting, of course, to accept some degree of positive resolution in any single issue, but in the name of the greater good, this is simply not enough.  At this point, we haven’t seen them even suggest that they will throw us any bones, but keep your eyes open for this… it is coming.

Observing this, I probed deeper, wanting to know what is at the root of this political agenda that we are observing now, and arrived at the second insight, which is connected to the idea of “hungry ghosts,” beings within Buddhist folklore that have an insatiable hunger due to emotional disturbances or unresolved life situations. Until they are healed, these beings always hunger for more without ever being satiated. From the website of Dr. Gabor Mate: “The inhabitants of the Hungry Ghost Realm are depicted as creatures with scrawny necks, small mouths, emaciated limbs and large, bloated, empty bellies. This is the domain of addiction, where we constantly seek something outside ourselves to curb an insatiable yearning for relief or fulfillment. The aching emptiness is perpetual because the substances, objects or pursuits we hope will soothe it are not what we really need. We don’t know what we need, and so long as we stay in the hungry ghost mode, we’ll never know. We haunt our lives without being fully present.”

While this manifests in all of our lives in varying ways, in the current manifestation of our government’s leaders, the hungry ghost energy seeks ever more power and money, and ultimately, there is no end to the desire. There is also an energy of destructiveness that I perceive in this particular situation. Those leading the US are wealthy beyond most of our capacity to imagine, and now have immense power at their disposal as well. When the greatest wealth and power have been achieved, but the ghost still hungers, what remains? The only thing left is to attempt to destroy anything that would seek to limit that power and wealth in direct or perceived ways. As this soul sickness deepens, it comes to include all that is perceived as “wrong” by the afflicted, including all those with differing perspectives in every facet of life. Any understanding that humanity can live peacefully side-by-side while holding differing perspectives is utterly shattered, as any disagreement can ultimately be perceived as a threat to power. This is a profound malaise must be acknowledged for what it is – no rational thought or argument will ever be able to reach the hungry ghosts we are observing right now.

And so, we are left with two steps forward. First, we unite. We continue to unite in the name of justice and the greater good for ALL beings. We grow in our understanding of the issues in each and every piece of the situation, in the name of love and justice. And we actively support each other, unwavering as we stand together. Second, we keep going deeper into the healing of the sickness that is being faced right now. As each of us has different insights, gifts, abilities, and perspectives, it truly takes each of us to work to clear this shadow, aiming toward greater balance.

We are leaders in this resistance, and initiators of this conscious revolution. To stay clear and engaged, we must take care of ourselves and each other. Laughter and hugs are essential, as is sleep and nourishment. As we continue speaking out and standing up for what is taking place right now, it is essential to see what is happening without succumbing to apathy or overwhelm, or being pulled into our own thoughts and emotional responses – and that is difficult. Thank you brother-sister warriors for standing together now. All the accumulated life experiences, study, and personal work we’ve experienced has led us to this point, and ultimately, this is the time that we’ve been waiting for, bringing together the best ourselves and our gifts in service of the greater good.