Let’s face it – things are changing – and quickly; the financial markets are in turbulence, retirement funds have been decimated, and some are facing losing their jobs and homes. Oh, and don’t forget that the planet itself is also facing a crisis perhaps beyond the capacity of humanity to rectify. It’s almost overwhelming to think of all the shifting energies that typify our era. Despite all this, what keeps me grounded, hopeful and even joyful is that amidst apparent destruction, there is a clearing and uncovering of new and positive energies that allow us to connect more wholly with what has always been the source of our strength.
The illusions are being unmasked and we are called more than ever to tap into an unlimited source of energy. This energy isn’t buried beneath the sand in a foreign land, or in the sea near ours; it’s what is accessible in our own hearts as we reconnect to our dreams and discover the purpose of our soul. In this time more than any other, where old systems are crashing around us, we need to do some serious visioning to create a future different from the one projected in the media. But how do we get past our insecurities and fears to reach a place of being centered and positive? Some suggestions to open to Grace are:
For many of us, a comparison to other times which were difficult might put our era into relief. What is happening to me personally – losing much of my retirement money – is in no way comparable to my grandparents having their home confiscated and being placed in a German work camp during World War II. For those who have lost more than just their retirement funds, such as their job or a home, the shift to a positive perspective may be much more difficult. The instinct is to panic, blame, and see everything through the lens of fear magnified by the media.
I am reminded of Einstein’s reply to a letter from a musician living in Munich in April of 1933. Although the letter is lost, judging from the response, the man was in despair over the actions of the Nazis. Einstein’s advice would suit us well today:
“Read no newspapers, try to find a few friends who think as you do, read the wonderful writers of earlier times…and the classics of other lands and enjoy the natural beauties of Munich’s surroundings. Make believe all the time that you are living, so to speak, on Mars among alien creatures and blot out any deeper interest in the actions of those creatures. Make friends with a few animals. Then you will become a cheerful man once more and nothing will be able to trouble you.*”
The reality is that as corrupt institutions arise, they are torn down. In the shift, we are freed to create a new paradigm of living. Clinging to the vestiges of the old way only serves to keep us stuck in that reality and quite frankly, I don’t want to be there. I envision a world where people are free because they allow that everyone else has the same rights and responsibilities, where they have integrity and use their creative forces to create a peaceful, abundant world. Whatever your dream I’ll bet it’s pretty easy to find others who feel the same way.
For me, I take heart in being involved in the Global Coherence Initiative (http://www.glcoherence.org/). GCI is “…a science-based initiative uniting millions of people in heart-focused care and intention, to shift global consciousness from instability and discord to balance, cooperation and enduring peace.”
GCI doesn’t cost anything to join except willingness to exchange worry and anger for creativity and peace. Part of the project entails collectively sending heart-based energy to areas of the world that are in crisis. As membership grows, so will the overall effect of concentrated energy on the coherence of the planet – and that gives me hope.
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* Dukas, Helen and Hoffmann, Banesh, Editors. Albert Einstein: The Human Side. Princeton University Press, 1979.