Shamanism and Psyche

Month: March 2017

Alternate Facts: Alternate Realities

Since the late eighties, a powerful energetic shift has gripped the planet.  There are varying pathways or frequencies that may manifest from this shift with very different outcomes.  One is that we will enter a time in history in which we are much more heart-centered and care for one another, leading us into an era of peace on the planet.  In direct opposition is the possibility that the apocalypse is near with an urgency to prepare for a war like none other.

Another option is that all will go along as it has for eons and most will not notice that anything has occurred or only feel subtle changes.  There is also a trajectory in which the planet gradually slides into an environment so hostile that it is unsustainable for humans to survive and thrive, resulting in our extinction.

As I ponder the emergence of “fake news,” it seems that we are entering a time in history during which people see and interpret facts based on the reality in which they are living. I was in contact with an old friend who was upset by the riots that occurred the day after the inauguration that were led by Madonna. My perception was that the women’s march was the largest peaceful demonstration in the world; there was not a single act of violence or arrest.  In the past I would have protested my friend’s opinion, but realized it was not really possible to argue the “facts” as we received our news from very different sources and choose to listen to the newsfeeds that re-enforce our beliefs, our own reality.

Both sides of the political divide cry “fake news” to anything that runs counter to what they already believe to be true.  Those that view the apocalypse as coming through a war between Christians and Muslims see a genuine threat behind each hijab or dark skinned man.  The urgency to arm and protect oneself from Muslim terrorists entering the country has reached a frenzied pitch for those who align themselves with that reality.  An alternate reality is that we are moving to a time of peace and equality on the planet; the current turmoil merely exposes all of the institutions, beliefs and practices that block true peace.  I tend to fall into this camp and am heartened by acts of kindness and care such as churches opening their doors to those in danger of deportation.

So what will happen now?  Is there a way to bridge the alternate realities and facts to have calm conversations with one another or are the energetic shifts so powerful that we are moving into different realities from which we cannot come back?  I am currently working on a book, The Energetic Dimension: Understanding Our Ancestral, Karmic and Cultural Imprints, in which I urge us to consider the role that energetic imprints contribute to how we understand and perceive reality.  Perhaps if we open to this understanding, we can find the bridge that is needed to speak to and listen to one another without judgment or anger.

 

Make America Kind Again

The day after the inauguration of President Trump, millions of women with their friends and families from around the world marched in peace and mutual respect to support women rights.  There were many signs and speeches that touched my heart, but the one that most resonated was that of a girl of around 9 on the back of her father carrying a sign that read “Make America Kind Again”.  In part the kindness and calm of the marches most strongly reflected the inner longing of many to return to a time that when we disagreed, we did so with respect; that when there was a disagreement on policy or politics it did not mean that the other person was an ignorant, immoral person, or, even worse, a traitor to the country.

The primary teachings of all of the major religions of the world extol us to love one another, to help those less fortunate and to show compassion and concern for all.  It saddens me greatly that some have desecrated the precious teachings of the world religions through using them as an instrument of hate and judgment and a call to violence.  We are at a choice point to decide if we want to strive to be our best selves or to allow our personal frustrations and disappointments to be whipped up into anger by politicians who manipulate those frustrations to further their own personal strivings for power, wealth and fame. Shortly after President Trump announced a temporary ban on people coming to America from seven predominately Muslim countries, a mosque was burnt to the ground in Victoria, Texas.  Within four days over a million dollars had been raised to re-build the mosque.  We can strive to be our best selves; we can meet hate and violence with love and kindness.  We can make America kind again.

 

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