New World – Page 2 – Voices in My Head

Dream of Things Unseen

In my last blog (What’s in a Name?) I was just excited. Today, I’m super excited! As the world holds its collective breath and hangs in the balance awaiting the results of the election, as each moment of anticipation passes and each fearful heart dips deeper into the pits of despair, I wallow around in a state of glee over the outcome. It doesn’t matter what it is. Whatever it is stands to wake us up to the realization that this is not the world that we deserve, and we have the power to change it into something better.

Today I am super excited because regardless of outcome, I hold the vision of the Phoenix rising from the ashes. If we view the problems of our country and the world through the eyes of fear, we will become more deeply enmeshed in the belief that there is no hope. Yet where there is destruction, there is rebirth.

But how do we rise from the ashes? How do we climb out of a hole so deep that we can barely see a faint glimmer of light to guide us out of the darkness?

We do it by reaching up the ladder of consciousness to embrace and create a vision of something better. We do it by harnessing the energy within and using it to draft the imagination into service on behalf of the creation of a new and improved version of our world.

When all else fails and I need to find an answer to a what-do-I-want question, I enlist the sure-fire, never-fail Ben Franklin approach to decision-making. By a simple process of drawing a line down the center of a piece of paper and listing on the left side all of the things that I don’t want and on the right side the things that I do want, by the time I reach the end of both columns on the page, my vision is crystal clear. Good old Ben. What a clever guy!

What do you want for yourself, for this world, for our country, for humanity, for the planet and all kingdoms that call it home? If you could write the script and paint a picture of a new future, how would it look? If you could eliminate all of the don’t wants and replace them with wants, what would be on your list? What kind of a world would you create?

Imagination is the beginning of vision, the birthplace of creation. Vision offers the glimmer of light that leads us out of the darkness. Vision is the switch that turns on the light of possibility along with the awareness that we are powerful, creative, wondrous beings capable of raising our individual and collective consciousness to a higher level. The thoughts born of imagination and seen through the eyes of vision help uplift the suffering, heal division, restore unity, and create a brand new world born of truth, beauty, and goodness. Such a world does not need guns, or a government that rules the people, or one that wrests control from citizens, or robs the population of freedom and joy.

We cannot control the outcome of an election. But we can control our thoughts. The ability and willingness to change how we see, to create a vision of something better than what seems to exist now, will change the outcome from despair to hope. But it is up to us, individually and collectively, to each one who harbors the faintest hope that something better is on the horizon to decide to join the consciousness revolution and raise our sights to a higher level.

I know that we have the power within us to do just that. I have faith and hope that humanity has awakened enough to join in an upward journey toward the return of unity and wholeness. I believe that our creative imagination and collective vision of restoration will bring us together into the light of a beautiful new world. And that’s why I’m super excited.

We are standing on the brink of possibility with a new book of history waiting to be written. We are the Soul of Humanity capable of creating a new story, a new reality, and we are powerful. We can imagine, we can envision, we can dream, we can achieve. Let’s join hands and hearts and just imagine!

On behalf of true seekers the world over, may we all channel and embrace the Don Quixote within ourselves and dream of turning the impossible into a dream of reality.

Note: The photo above is courtesy of New Waves of Light, a website designed by anonymous individuals around the world who share the intention of bringing light and love to a world of darkness and chaos. (newwavesoflight.org or NWOL.us)

What’s in a Name?

I’m excited! The world has spun out of control and we’ve nearly hit rock bottom. We’re almost there, folks—just a little further to go and then finally, at long last, we will see the light. It’s time to reinvent our vision, and turn our attention away from the doom and gloom and look instead to the good news that awaits us once we hit bottom and begin our rise from the smoldering ashes of what once was and will soon become. But the thing is—we have to live through it all first. How do we do that amidst all of the craziness that confronts us day by day, moment by moment? How much worse can it get before it gets better and we rise like the Phoenix? Maybe a lot. Or not.

From what I read and hear from astrologists, we’re in for a pretty wild ride until the end of the year, so hold onto your hats. And from what I know and hear from within the depths of my own inner being, (yes, without scientific proof), those with an open mind and eyes to see will soon be dazzled by the light of a great Being. Could this be the light of the Promised One, the One who bears the name of many, but Who, in Truth is The One?

It boggles my mind and I am intrigued. Is there such a One? If so Who is it? Is It a He or a She, or neither? Can our human minds grasp the possibility that such a Being might actually exist? Are our imaginations great enough to embrace the idea that there is a Being that will emerge as a worldwide teacher, or that there is the slightest possibility that each one of us might be divinely connected to such a Being by virtue of having a soul?

Will this One appear before us as the beloved Master of our own religious or spiritual belief system, as the Christ, Krishna, Maitreya, or one of the other 114 names of God that I found listed in a Google search? Will this One look like us? Speak our own language? Is it possible that this mysterious One is The One disguised as many, clothed in different images, speaking our mother tongue? Is it the Christ to Christians and Krishna to Hindus? Is it in truth, The One of many names? Can we fathom such a concept, particularly if it flies in the face of a traditional belief system? Such thoughts spark the imagination and boggle the mind.

My enthusiasm and excitement during this darkest of times stems from my unshakeable belief that once we’ve hit rock bottom, we will at long last be met by the Light of the One who will soon arrive as a World Teacher, by whatever name one wants to call It. In my world, it would be Christ. In yours, it might be Buddha, or Krishna, or Muhammed, or the Messiah. Perhaps in time, this Awakened One will teach us that in Truth, there is only one world religion, and that its name is Love.

It is entirely understandable that this idea may well be a stretch of the imagination for those steeped in the teachings of traditional religion. But I like the idea that there is an all-inclusive God embracing all religions, all spiritual paths, treating all equally, drawing the citizens of humanity together under one great umbrella of love. That One would be the God of my choice. That’s the One I am waiting for.

Do not fear the downward spiral, for an explosion of light will soon arrive and serve as the launching pad for the upliftment of humanity into a new world akin to a Heaven on earth. Bless the darkness, for it shall bring the Light. This is an event that many have been awaiting for eons. Open the eyes of your soul and you will see it soon.

Walking into a New World

Many years ago, I had a dream with an impact so profound that it gave me the courage, energy, and strength to make a major change in my life, to end a toxic marriage, uproot my life, and move from one coast to another in the sunrise of my senior years. At the time, it felt like walking a tightrope above a deep chasm in a hurricane without benefit of a net.

In those very dark years, I was stuck in a quagmire of unhappiness, despair, and hopelessness, paralyzed by fear that blinded me to the possibility of any form of escape into a better future. Things were looking very bleak indeed, and I seriously questioned my ability to survive in my current circumstances. It is reminiscent of the collective experience of humanity that we face today.

As we navigate through these deeply troubling times, I feel inspired to share this dream again, (Gateway) this time as a metaphor, in the hope that it may give others the hope that these chaotic times will come to a halt and be replaced by a new and better future.

Again I find myself standing at the dark end a bridge in a real-time remake of Groundhog Day, watching in horror as my world falls apart before my very eyes, wondering about my ability to survive. Then it was personal. Now it’s global.

Today you and I hold in our hands both individually and collectively, the gift of choice, for it is up to each one of us, to decide whether or not we wish to stay on the dark side of suffering and pain, or if we want to join forces with others determined to gather the will to pull ourselves up by the bootstraps and move forward into a new and improved future. The decision rests in my hands, as it rests in yours.

I sometimes catch myself thinking about the current plight of humanity, and realize how very easy it is to become caught up in the fear that runs rampant throughout our society and indeed, the world. It is tempting to fall victim to the belief that all is lost and there is no hope, much as I experienced those many years ago in a dying marriage.

On the ego-driven human side of the bridge, we are ruled by materialism and greed and live at the mercy of those who seek power and wealth at our expense. On the Divine side, love rules, a new world awaits.

Our hope of survival depends upon our ability to shift our attention away from the evil that seeks control by fostering fear of the future to confuse us. Instead, our hope of survival lies in our ability to turn a blind eye to the dark side and develop an intention to rewrite our own future using the power of our collective imagination to create the vision of a new and better world. The future of the world is changed one mind at a time.

Wait! Time out! For some reason, this blog has wandered off track and can’t find it’s way back. It has been days of trying, and for some reason, I can’t find a satisfying conclusion. Why is that, I wonder? Am I trying to hard? Am I listening to the voice of ego rather than to the voice of Spirit? Is my ego trying to convince me that I’m doing it wrong? That I’ll never get it right? What’s the story?

Is that what we are all doing these days—listening to the voice that tells us that everything is wrong and nothing is right? Is it that conning little voice that feeds on the fake conspiracy theories that we read on social media telling us that evil rules and all hope is lost? Isn’t that just exactly what the evil-doing power mongers want us to believe to weaken us and keep us off balance?

Maybe so. Maybe it’s time for us to take our power back. Maybe it’s time for us to stand up for ourselves, shine our individual and collective light into the darkness and flush out those who seek everything for themselves by stealing everything from the rest of us.

Speaking of walking from one side to another, this wasn’t the path I had intended to take when I started this blog, but then I am always willing to admit that I never know what’s coming. It’s kind of life itself, isn’t it? We start out going in one direction and somehow find ourselves headed in another. Sometimes the path is good, sometimes it needs tweaking. We need some tweaking now friends, some serious tweaking. We need willing souls, disciples, do-gooders, kind-hearted, light-bearing, well-meaning, God loving souls to join forces to spread around the importance of turning away from the dark side and walk hand in hand toward the light. Most especially, we need to find a way to help folks who are captured by the darkness of fear to take a peek around and find a glimmer of light. If the rest of us will shine bright enough, we will help prisoners of the dark escape into the light.

That means you. That means me. That means every single solitary soul who is invested in the best interest of humanity, the planet, and every creature that dwells upon it. The world is changed one mind at a time. One light joined with many will light up the entire world and irradiate darkness, and when that happens, miracles happen. We hold the power.

This time as we walk across the bridge to the Divine, we have a safety net. We walk together toward a new and better future, we have each other, and we have the power of the Light enfolding and protecting us. Together we will stand strong, stand steady, and we will reach the other side in a blaze of triumphant glory.

The Road to Happy Endings

Have you ever found yourself sitting at a stop sign and not had a clue about which way to go? Welcome to my club. I’ve never been very good with maps (or decisions in general for that matter), so God bless whoever saved my bacon with GPS. Many a time in my past I have sat in stall mode until I realize that somewhere a horn is blasting a hole in my thought process, and mild panic and a hasty decision force me to get out of the way, make a turn, and I end up lost, frustrated, and angry at the hand on the horn.

Past experience has taught me one important lesson—when the horn starts honking, pull off to the side of the road and let the honker pass on by. Do not allow the influence of another to force or hasten an important decision that deserves careful consideration. Sometimes it’s best to just hang out in void mode for a while, and allow the answer to reveal itself in its own good time. I have also learned the hard way that impatience can derail the best of intentions and cause me to honk my own horn resulting in a premature unwise choice. Patience is definitely a virtue.

I have come to a moment in life when I have pulled off the road, considered all of my options, made a decision to stop for a while and hang out in void mode to wait and see what’s next. Now is the time to whip out my patience and sit in the quiet void in anticipation of what is to come. The past is gone never to return. What’s ahead is still a mystery.

It is a scenario that I have experienced many times before. I am sitting in a familiar place in my mind, in an empty theater staring at a closed curtain, awaiting the moment when the behind-the-scene work is done, the stage will be set, the curtain will rise, and I will finally get to see the long-awaited and much anticipated next act of my life.

While I wait, I entertain myself with a rerun of earlier acts and think about what I liked and didn’t like, what worked and what didn’t, about what I would add, delete, rewrite or rearrange. I contemplate future possibilities about how the play might unfold, how I might like it to end, if there is any way that I could change the dialogue or write a story that would be more to my liking, or make a difference in the outcome. I am, after all the one who writes my own life’s script.

Oh but wait—I look around and discover that I am no longer alone in the theater. I am surrounded by all of you, all of you who share in this moment of void, this time of empty uncertainty of unknowing, all of you who are anxiously awaiting the curtain to rise to reveal the next act, the next stage of the play in which we are all actors together. It is a pregnant pause, as we sit together in the void, awaiting the moment when we can view the beginnings of a new act and watch as it manifests into the reality of what is to be.

What will it be? What script will I write? Will I write a happy ending? What will the future be? What will I decide? I think I’ll just keep on hanging out in the void for a while longer and keep working on the rewrites until I get it right. I’m all about dreaming up happy endings, after all. I hope I’ll see you as one of the actors in the happy ending of my dream.

The Wonder of a Little Nap

Yesterday was a two-nap kind of day with a whole lot of nothing in between. Some days are just like that, I’ve noticed, and I usually wind up judging the state of my mind by how I feel at the end of one. Sometimes, a nap offers a welcome relief from the craziness, and sometimes it serves up a little depression cocktail with a dollop of guilt on top. Yesterday was the latter. Not my favorite kind of day.

It started out well enough with a pleasant walk and all and good intentions, but early on it began to deteriorate starting with the discovery that something was seriously amiss with my blog site. Great. Now I have to face a frustrating and lengthy online fix-it chat with a well-meaning faceless helper—you know what I mean, right?—like having to gird your loins to work your way up to a call with the cable or computer fix-it guy.

After an hour and a half of restating the answer to the same questions three or four different ways, the problem was finally resolved. Whatever energy, brain power, and coherence I had started with was sucked down the drain along with the energy to write. So much for the blog du jour. (Note to fellow bloggers: we never did resolve the inoperative like button problem.)

So I wonder—what makes a two-nap day perfectly fine one day, and a depressing guilt trip the next? Why was I happy yesterday but not today? What is going on in my head that makes the difference? And in case you might be wondering, no, I have never been diagnosed as bipolar.

After an extended night-long nap, I awoke with an aha. The scientific study of quantum physics have proven that there is a connection between the animal, plant, mineral, and human kingdoms. Everything has an impact on everything. Bear with me here—I’m getting to it . . .

The theme of many of my blogs relates to the impact of our thoughts, not just upon ourselves, but also upon others. If my thoughts ripple out and touch others, it is also true that in a reverse process, the thoughts of others ripple out and affect me. In my effort to monitor my thought process on behalf of others, I forget that I am just as vulnerable to the fearful thoughts and energies of others as they are to my positivity.

What this says to me is that I need to buck up! I need to gird my spiritual loins to protect myself against the negativity and fear unwittingly projected by others and do what I must in order to preserve a healthy state of mind and a positive world view. If I am to maintain my own peace of mind and be of benefit and service to myself and others, I need to be more vigilant about keeping myself in proper working order. I’m on it. Please join me and the growing army of loving hearts and positive minds that march toward a world transformed into one governed by love rather than fear.

By the way, I might add that at my age, there should never be guilt associated with a nap. I’ve earned every one of them. Hmm. Is it too early for the first one? Well, maybe a little walk first . . .

We Are the World

This morning I was rudely awakened and jostled out of my peaceful reverie by the memory that there is trouble brewing right here in River City. In the condo building where I live, we are caught in the middle of a conflict between a board of directors working in the best interests of the community it serves, and a community that is up in arms because of the decisions made by the board of directors working to serve its best interests. It’s a conundrum.

Lucky me. I’m in the middle of it all, teetering on the fence between the two, on one side as a member of the board and on the other, a close friend of the disenfranchised. I’m jammed between a rock and a hard place, between duty, responsibility and friends in a place where everybody knows everybody’s name.

Past experience brings to mind the painful memory of a meeting populated with a large group of residents, peppered with a handful of dissatisfied members whose frustration erupts in bursts of anger and spews forth behavior that borders on abusive toward the board members that serve them on a volunteer basis.

For all the world, it feels as if I’m living a personal mini version of what’s going on in the world. The masses balking at authority, rules, reason, and wisdom—kids going to the bars and beaches, the refusal to wear masks as modeled by the president, the insistence on the entitlement of rights, the resulting anger, protests, and divisiveness. The hang the consequences I want what I want gang. This is the world. It is not us.

As I think about the situation, sometimes I feel helpless in the face of it all. What can I do to help restore peace and harmony? In the midst of my musings, my computer pings, signaling the arrival of another email in the growing thread surrounding the situation. This one appears to have been Divinely inspired, a voice of reason, bringing with it a sense that all is not lost, there is hope, there is a plan of peace within reach, there is a solution, and that if only we will get ourselves out of the way long enough to stop and listen, we will find it.

Yet again I see before us another wonderful opportunity to use the power of our minds and the quiet of our hearts to bring healing to our community. We can either continue to hold on to the anger that fuels discontent, or we can decide to set aside the insistent voice of the personality and invite peace and harmony to rule the day instead. We are a microcosm of the world. What we do within our own minds and our own walls ripples out and affects the entire world.

Personally, as a member of the board and humanity, and as a friend and neighbor, my vote goes in favor of peaceful coexistence, the end of strife, a vote for love. One world, one humanity. It’s ours to live as we wish. We have the power. What’s your vote?

The Activist Hat – Again

After a lengthy discussion with a 50-something friend who is mightily concerned about the state of the world, I see that it’s time to don my activist hat again. The depth of her fear about the future sent me into a depth of my own fear about the power of fear, and how much of it there in the world. It was an eye opener, a reminder that the best I can do for the world right now is to keep my head on straight, not allow darkness to take over my life, and urge one and all to wake up and see the light. On with the hat.

When I sit all smug and cozy with coffee in hand and feet up in my Lazygirl, it’s easy to believe that all is well in the world. But what about everyone else? What about the heartbreaking closed sign on the doors of my favorite Nordstrom where I worked when I was 50-something? What about the folks who wonder how they will feed their families, or if their kids will be shot in their beds, or if they’ll be done in by a virus?

In yesterday’s conversation, my friend expressed her deep concern about the future of our economy and about what would happen after the election. From her perspective, I could see that things indeed looked very dark, very depressing, and very bleak. Seeing the depth of her fear was what sparked my own. If her thinking is representative of a large majority of the population—and I think that it may be— we are in big trouble.

Our chat reminded me to remind myself and anyone else within reading distance or earshot that we must change our vision, we must change our minds, we must rearrange our thinking, we must change our focus, because if we don’t, the power of our own minds will indeed create the very thing that we fear the most.

To build a new and better world, we need to shift our thinking away from the horrific “what if” possibilities of decay and destruction and adopt a new belief system, one that embodies everything that we want, and nothing that we don’t. Yes, this is easier said than done, particularly when we face so much negativity on a daily basis, when we are forcefed nasty news by the media, and when it appears for all the world that there is no hope. It heightens the need for us to work harder.

There is hope. It lies within the heart and soul of each and every single one of us. We each bear the responsibility for snatching our world away from the clutches of the evil dark forces of the powerful and greedy, and put the power back where it belongs—into our own hands. But it requires all hands to do the job.

Yes, our world is in a miserable state of decay. But it is a necessary part of the evolutionary process that will make space for us to recreate something better, a hospitable, sustainable environment. It is all part of a Divinely orchestrated plan that is for our benefit. Together, we can do it—and we need all hands, all hearts, all minds, all souls on deck. A future built on fear is destined to collapse, but love will sustain us for eternity. Build on love, not fear.