I know that it's not just me that feels the cosmic tightening of the screws at the moment. Life, it seems, for most people is becoming more and more challenging. Not - I hasten to add - in an apocalyptic life-or-death kind of way - but seriously trying nonetheless. My sense is that the day to day grind is getting to people more and more. I have a number of theories as to why this is and even more ideas about what we can do about it. I have entitled my blog Darkness before the Dawn and that title "came" to me and I like it. It allows me to explore the various circumstances of people that I meet in my everyday life and (I hope) offer some hope.
Let me start by setting out my stall. I am not your run of the mill hippy who might skip around in a kaftan chanting peace and love, peace and love... I am however committed to Peace and to playing my part in securing the future of this planet and humanity. The reason that I would say I'm not your average hippy is that I would challenge anyone to write me off as insubstantial, crazy, lazy or flaky. Left field I may be but don't underestimate the powerhouse that is my noggin accompanied with an almost inexhaustible energy and drive to act, to work, to change. And I'm not alone, there is a number within my generation of supercharged renaissance children of love that look at the way our parents generation fought for human rights and revolution while drugging themselves up and shagging like rabbits and we can see what they were trying to do but can see where they went wrong as well. Rather than rejecting the principles of 60s generation it is for us to understand what we need to do now, in the 21st century, to lead humanity into a new way of Being - away from a destructive way of Doing.
This brings me to the notion of Revolution. There are few notable examples, in my humble opinion, where revolution has provided a long term sustainable positive result. For the most part the status quo is restored within a decade and those that seize power become corrupted. The oppressed become the oppressors.
And yet Revolution is what I am committed to. I was once challenged, unawares and unprepared, by a very powerful and influential man who pointed at me and asked "what are you on this earth to do?" and I replied, without even waiting for my heart to beat: "to lead a revolution". Surprised him, surprised me even more! Not least because, as I point out above, I don't believe in the tradition view of revolution.
To me it's about a revolution of consciousness and of the heart. Whether I'm "leading" in a hierarchical sense is debatable but in terms of being at the forefront of my generation preparing for our future, in terms of connecting with other natural born leaders with compassion and spirit... it would be disrespectful to deny the gifts and vision that has been afforded to me. Playing small does not serve me or anyone else but humility and a humble spirit is the essential quality of a good leader. (I think this is the subject for a blog in itself)
Anyway, I believe that we are living on the threshold of a new age (clearly not my idea, plenty of people know this) and that the turmoil that we observe in the world: economic and political upheaval, protests in the streets, rising nationalism and fascism, financial hardship, job losses, global scandals, climate change, harsh winters, rising costs of living, high emotions, increasing disillusionment and social drift... this is the darkness before the dawn. Like in our personal life so it is on a collective scale: we have to reach rock bottom, we have to experience crisis and chaos before we make sustainable change for the better.
And within that let me say that within the collective experience comes the collective histrionics and melodrama; we all buy into the "dreadful" situation and collectively we become depressed or angry or self pitying. Drama, anger, self-pity and misery: the four drugs of humanity that we find it hardest to free ourselves from. I call upon everyone to remain mindful of the world outside their front door - never retreat to the point of denial of your connection to the rest of the human race - take time out (by all means) but come back. But I also call on everyone to remain positive wherever possible. Please don't use the collective growing anger and misery to indulge your own addictions to these bitter pills.
If you feel that the kindness of people is not there anymore go out and do a kind act. You will see that love returned manyfold. If you feel that the world is a dark place then light a candle and gaze into that flame - reconnect with the simple beauty of fire. If you feel that you never see anyone smiling anymore - smile, smile, smile, smile, smile. Touch the arm of someone as they talk to you. Bite your tongue when judgements rise in conversation. Keep any gossip you hear to yourself. Give someone a compliment. Look at yourself in the mirror and smile, wink at yourself and say "I love you". Take a split second to see a flower or dog or reflection in a puddle and just remind yourself of how beautiful the world still is, how resilient hope is in even the darkest of times.
And.... enough for now but there will be more. I want to explore a number of issues that I feel very strongly about. So you can look forward to my womblings on the need to increase compassion within public services, the role of faith and spirituality as opposed to religious dogma, the cosmic shift to the age of Aquarius, the importance of reconnecting to our ancestors, the flawed notion of time being linear, the importance of Community, the collective Human Soul, our moral duty to eliminate slavery, the case study of the "Democratic" Rep of Congo, Self-reliance and sustainable living, creating Arcs for the coming flood... so much to come!
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