When will love prevail over fear? When will unity overcome
singularity? As we watch humanity struggle to combat an invisible enemy, I
think to myself... there already is an invisible enemy hurting us more than this
virus... it’s an enemy within all of us. It’s the illusion of separation. It’s the
illusion of the ego. And upon these naive
ideas we have constructed our cultural and economic systems.
I may have held more hope for humanity if Bernie would have received
the nomination, (maybe temporarily). Because
if he were elected, I would have felt humanity was on the right course…But it
seems fear won... again... for the millionth time in a row. And this is not
just about Bernie. My diminished hopes
are not solely based on Bernie losing, but they come from witnessing how and
why this happened. Current events are merely
symptoms of greater forces at work. My
diminishing hope comes about from witnessing a world on the brink of collapse while
so many turn a blind eye to it. It’s
about corruption winning again by spending endless money on campaigns, wars, and
environmental destruction all for the cause of economic growth at all costs.
And again, it’s fear, ignorance, narcissism, selfishness, and hopelessness that
prevail.
It is profound to see that due to this virus that the Earth
is under significantly less stress. The air is cleaner that it has been in
decades. Some people in India and China are seeing blue skies for the first
time in their lives. The hole in the ozone layer is the smallest it’s been in
decades. The oceans and rivers are clearer... it’s great to see, but also so
sad...because it proves, again, how profoundly humanity is negatively impacting
the earth. Science has shown us that
ecosystems are collapsing, coral reefs are dying, forests are shrinking, insect
and bee populations (that help us bring 70% of our crops to market) have decreased
by over 50%. Will this virus teach us
anything about who we are as a species on this planet? Maybe we are a virus on
this Earth? Maybe we are a cancer consuming the world with nothing keeping in
check an economic system that is growing indefinitely as it consumes a finite
world. I am not saying humanity is inherently this destructive. But currently
we are acting this way and have for thousands of years.
Do I think we are inherently evil, selfish, greedy, scared
and fearful? Deep down I don’t think we
are because I think we can transcend our ways... but right now... as a whole we
are collectively living out some disconnected and deeply destructive impulses.
And what does that mean for the future if we do not change our ways? It’s
bleak. The children of today will be inheriting a very scary world. If we think
the problems of today are something... they will be nothing in comparison to
food and water shortages, rising sea levels, profound wealth inequality and an
overwhelming refugee crisis that will challenge humanity in ways we cannot even
truly imagine right now. We could not
even imagine two months ago that our nation would be on lock down to combat
this virus. However, that is nothing in comparison to what our children and
their children will face if we do not change our ways.
So what’s the answer? How do we find our way out of this
mess? Ultimately, I do not think we vote or protest our way out of this. Any
positive outcome that may arise out of those exercises are symptoms of a
greater change... I see that real transformative change would come from an
inward change among many more people. Only when we emotionally,
psychologically, and philosophically change will the changes that need to come
about actually happen. Only when we break past the illusion of separation, of
the ego, and the subsequent fears that come about when we see ourselves as
islands onto ourselves will we transcend this destructive existence.
For a moment lets observe what we have learned about the
universe and existence. How does the universe with its seemingly endless
galaxies and solar systems compare to the sub-atomic existence we cannot see?
Is it true that what is above is also below? We humanity are like the stars and
planets that make up the galaxies... we are like the protons and electrons that
circulate the neutrons that make up atoms. Without one component the other cannot
exist... and so too is that true for humanity and the entire life sphere.
Without the sun we do not exist. Without water we do not exist. Without plants
we do not exist. Without gravity, physical relativity, physical matter and dark
matter nothing exists.
I am not saying that there is nothing important, significant,
or real about individuality, but what I want to point out is that without our
connection to each other, to the earth, and to the greater universe we could
not perceive the gift of our individuality and separation. So, to exist without
honoring the inherent and inseparable connection we all have to this life force
is an existence out of touch and incomplete. It is this ignorance and over consumption with
the self that leads to a world of empty consumerism and a seemingly endless
array of disposable goods and labor… the pillars to which endless economic
growth depends.
Scarcity and ruthless competition are built into our economic
system because we have commoditized everything.
Even water is measured monetarily now.
What else can we exhaust and turn into money? Endless economic growth depends on endlessly commoditizing
everything. But we are running out of
things to turn into gold… and at these rates some day all the fish will be
fished, all the oil will be extracted, all the trees will be cut, all the soil
will run off, and all animals will either be “domesticated” or go extinct. Biodiversity will be at an all time low and
economic growth will stall. Cancerous
humanity will consume its entire existence before it then withers away as it
has nothing left to fuel its growth. So,
while we are running around trying to sustain our precious lives, we will have exhausted
all the resources we need to live. But
if we can realize that we are greater than ourselves, that we are all
interconnected we may have a chance to change into something more harmonious
with the all that is – the divine life force – that surrounds us, connects us,
and is us. Imagine making decisions from
this place of being… it would transform the world.
I am not suggesting we ignore ourselves. It is a tremendous
undertaking to take care of ourselves. To keep our bodies healthy and whole.
Nourished, clothed, and sheltered. And it’s even more challenging to extend
those necessities to families if we have them. But if humanity is going to
survive on this planet, we can no longer ignore the plight that affects us (the
plight that will extend into many generations). We can no longer ignore the
reality that we are inherently united. We can no longer ignore that we are all
cosmic brothers and sisters and that we only exist because of the life force
that creates this incredible universe. The Earth is a gift we can no longer
take for granted. Humanity is a gift we can no longer see as separate from
ourselves. We need to honor the needs of the whole system, the whole earth, and
of the entire humanity. It is the only way a decent and moral humanity will
survive for hundreds of years to come.
We all have free will, which in itself is a profound gift bestowed
upon us by creation itself. It is
through the recognition of this divine responsibly that we begin to see our
true purpose in this life. So if we
choose to unite, consciously, we are not only rewarded as individuals to sustain
life and thrive on this planet, but we reward the creator as creation itself
has thus created something profoundly divine – an element of itself, that in
the darkness of separation, oneness and unity blossom and become sustained through
the laws of love and attraction.
Yes, scarcity and the tools of the economic system that
create this division seem so real. And
they are as we honor them through fear and compulsion. This system of chaos and fear are creations of
our collective consciousness. And just
like we have never imaged we would be subject to this microscopic virus in such
a way that it profoundly alters our reality so too can we profoundly shock
ourselves and create a reality so foreign to ourselves right now that it may
seem like the world we have today could never have existed. Yes, resources are
finite, but if we learn to honor that limit, we will begin to create systems
that respect those limits. If we created
systems that were created out of the needs of our inherent unity and interdependence
on each other I know for sure that we would create a just and sustainable world. A new world is possible. The first step is seeing yourself for what
you really are… inseparable from the world that surrounds you, inextricably
tied to the universe that created you, and dependent on the labor and will of
your fellow humans. So, will we honor
this? Will we head the call?
I know how easy it is to feel hopeless. I often feel hopeless. Maybe all of you reading this feel just as
hopeless as I sometimes do… but you just don’t know what to do. And ultimately, I do not know what to do...because
the answer is beyond me… the “answer” is collective and will come about through
an empathic interconnection of life choices we all make together throughout the
decades.
I need to protect myself and my family. My 3-year-old depends on me to feed, cloth,
shelter, and educate him. But he, as do
all the children right now, depend on us to make wise decisions. To make decisions out of love. To honor life for what it is. To not depend on what may seem to be inexhaustible
resources… because they are not. So,
when making the choice can we choose to honor our inter-connectivity to each
other and to all of life? Maybe you
think that makes me a socialist, a purist, an unrealistic idealist or whatever
you want to call it. Actions and ideals
cannot be bound to words or titles. Just
be you. But remember you are really
greater than yourself… you are an aspect of your neighbor, your friend, your
parent, your enemy, and the plants, animals, and landscapes that we witness and
share among us. Can we choose to create
a life from this understanding? Maybe
then can we redefine ourselves and create a better world…
