President Elect: 2016

November 8, 2016 was a historic day in the United States of America, not because we chose the first-ever female President Elect, but because a minority of citizens chose the most immature, narcissistic, egocentric, abrasive, fear-based, sexist, racist, violence-oriented, angry, vulgar, divisive, bully of a President Elect in our history. 

These adjectives are my biased assessment based on my  experience of Donalt Trump in the public arena. They may or may not be true of him as an individual overall; they are simply what I have witnessed of him in my limited exposure to his public behavior. I pray that he reveals a more respectable and spiritually mature side of himself once in office.

Note that Donald Trump's nomination as President Elect is not the product of the majority popular vote, but of our voting system by way of the Electoral College count. The majority of American voters actually chose Hillary Clinton: 59,938,290 to Trump's 59,704,886, a staggering difference of 233,404 people, yet still, he became the President Elect.  

As a dear friend of mine from England noted, "there is something undemocratic about that." I agree. There is something very undemocratic about discounting the votes of 233,404 people in this election. I wonder if I was one of them?

 
Emotions are high not only in the US, but across the globe as this reality settles into being within our hearts and minds. Some people are elated; some are terrified. Others are emboldened by the wave of "power over" energy this President Elect advocates. Still others are emanating more light and love energy now than ever before. 

Here is something for consideration: 

In my humble opinion, this President Elect epitomizes the shadowy ego energy of the Human Being - never satisfied, inherently fearful, and therefore a bully, and unconscious (meaning spiritually asleep, lacking in self-awareness, uninterested in personal evolution). He has a punishing attitude and when challenged, readily exposes the anger in his heart. He is a living model of what Eckert Tolle calls "the Pain Body." (Look it up.)

One of the most significant aspects of his character is that he uses his might to exert his will upon those he disagrees with and judges as somehow less than deserving or less than human, taking a "power over" stance to get his way. Many people mistakenly believe this behavior makes him a safe and powerful man.

But "power over" is not rooted in true safety or power; it is rooted in fear. "Power over" energy pits one against another, creating a false sense of separation, isolation, and insulation. It feeds the energy of resistance and division. It imposes punishment for difference. It inspires anger and hatred. Its overall impact is weakening, not strengthening, to the people. It is the typical stance of the closed-minded, closed-hearted coward.

In contrast, true power - a power rooted in love rather than fear - is respectful, collaborative, and compassionate. It feeds the energy of acceptance and unity. It inspires cooperation and love. Its overall impact is strengthening, not weakening, to the collective. It is the typical stance of the open-minded, open-hearted hero.

What kind of leader do you want for this world you share with 7.5 billion other people and 8.7 million species?

Consider that question in light of today's weaponry, with the capacity to annihilate entire countries with millions of inhabitants at the push of a button. The US does not have solitary access to such weapons. Should our President Elect piss off the wrong group, this great country of ours - to date, arguably one of the safest and most free in all the world - is history. 

Believing that our President Elect is somehow immune to this threat is simply naive. His arrogant denial of his vulnerability makes him more vulnerable, not less...which makes all of us more vulnerable, not less.

None of us can know what this event means for our lives, for our country, or for the world at large. We can imagine; we can guess and postulate, but we cannot really know until we know, until it happens and we are experiencing it. In the meantime, if you have to imagine something, imagine the best possible scenario rather than the worst. Lamenting over what you fear does not make it go away. In fact, it magnifies the energy behind the fear, which is the last thing we want to do at this time in our evolution.  

For centuries, great spiritual leaders across the planet have provided us with hope and spiritual guidance during such unsettled times. Ask yourself if the character of our President Elect is aligned with their vast wisdom:

Pope Francis    "Every man, every woman who has to take up the service of government, must ask themselves two questions: 'Do I love my people in order to serve them better? Am I humble, and do I listen to everybody, to diverse opinions in order to choose the best path?' If you don't ask those questions, your governance will not be good."

Pope Francis   "Human rights are not only violated by terrorism, repression or assassination, but also by unfair economic structures that creates huge inequalities."

Romans 13:10    "Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law."

1 Corinthians 13: 4-8   "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails..."

1 Peter: 4-8    "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins."

1 John: 4-18    "There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment."

Proverbs 10:12    "Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs."

Dali Lama    "The goal is not to be better than the other man but your previous self." 

Dali Lama    "The true hero is one who conquers his own anger and hatred."

Dali Lama    “Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.”

Dali Lama    “The ultimate source of happiness is not money and power, but warm-heartedness.”   

Dali Lama    “World peace must develop from inner peace. Peace is not just mere absence of violence. Peace is, I think, the manifestation of human compassion.”  

If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/m/mother_teresa.html

Mother Teresa    "If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other."

Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely and the unwanted according to the graces we have received and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work.
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/m/mother_teresa.html

Mother Teresa    "Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely and the unwanted according to the graces we have recieved and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work."

Mother Teresa    "Let us not be satisfied with just giving money. Money is not enough, money can be got but they need your hearts to love them. So, spread your love everywhere you go."

Nelson Mandela    “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” 

As long as poverty, injustice and gross inequality persist in our world, none of us can truly rest.
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/n/nelson_mandela.html

Nelson Mandela    “As long as poverty, injustice and gross inequality persist in our world, none of us can truly rest.” 

Mahatma Ghandi    "You must be the change you wish to see in the world."

Mahatma Ghandi    "The good man is the friend of all living things."

Mahatma Ghandi    "No culture can live if it attempts to be exclusive."

Mahatma Ghandi    "Civilization is the encouragement of differences."

Mahatma Ghandi    "Intolerance is itself a form of violence and an obstacle to the growth of a true democratic spirit."

Mahatma Ghandi    "Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's needs, but not even one man's greed."

Mahatma Ghandi    "When you want to find Truth as God, the only inevitable means is love, that is nonviolence."

Mahatma Ghandi    "Power based on love is a thousand times more effective and permanent than the one derived from fear of punishment."

Let these words of wisdom touch your deepest heart. Then, as always, hold LOVE ABOVE (all else, of course!).

May we each and every one of us find the peace, compassion and love that is our true selves, and express that truth into the world. Namaste'

Every man, every woman who has to take up the service of government, must ask themselves two questions: 'Do I love my people in order to serve them better? Am I humble and do I listen to everybody, to diverse opinions in order to choose the best path?' If you don't ask those questions, your governance will not be good.
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/p/pope_francis.htmlet these  insights touch your deepest heart

As long as poverty, injustice and gross inequality persist in our world, none of us can truly rest.
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/n/nelson_mandela.htmlNelson Mandela    “As long as poverty, injustice and gross inequality persist in our world, none of us can truly rest.”

For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/n/nelson_mandela.html

 

As long as poverty, injustice and gross inequality persist in our world, none of us can truly rest.
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/n/nelsonmand737776.html

As long as poverty, injustice and gross inequality persist in our world, none of us can truly rest.
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/n/nelsonmand737776.html

 

 

Burying the Triangle

Ah, the refreshing feel of a cool breeze. Fall has arrived in Central Texas and you can feel it, at least in the early morning hours. The air is crisp and carries more moisture. The clarity of the night sky has shifted, too, giving the Moon and stars a sharper image, reminding me of the bigger picture.

How are YOU feeling these days? How are you managing the tension? You can't avoid it, really. It is everywhere we turn: politically, financially, emotionally...Everyone I know seems pushed to their limits of coping.

Big questions are arising as societal illusions crumble beneath the weight of transparency. The underbelly of our lives - secrets that have been hidden in the shadows for decades, some maybe longer - are being exposed, creating waves of conflict between what we thought things were and what they actually are. It's unsettling, to say the least.

When the people we give our trust to are exposed as frauds, who do we trust? When the systems we rely on are exposed as manipulative, what do we rely on? Where do we find comfort when the shadow aspects of our humanity are exposed - those ugly truths that remained safely hidden from our view for so long? Once we've seen them, trying to ignore them is like trying to forget someone you've known your whole life.

It's not possible or pretty. In fact, it's downright ugly. Messy. Scary.

Fear is a funny thing. Fear seduces us into a mode of defensiveness, judgement, and blame. We fear being victimized; we also fear being responsible. We don't want to be victims; nor do we want to be perpetrators of persecution. Yet where we find one, we find the other, plus a third: the rescuer. These three energies feed on each other and thrive together.

It's the ever-living Triangle of Victim-Persecutor-Rescuer...the essential fabric of our most beloved tales.

The funny thing is, until we face what is lurking in the shadows - all the things we fear and reject - until we accept their existence and take responsibility for calling them back to the light, to a place of love, we will suffer. Because until then, we will continue to play out the Victim-Persecutor-Rescuer Triangle, ad infinitum, within our psyches and our lives.

To break free of this Triangle, each and every one of us must recognize our role in it. How do we perpetuate this Triangle? How does it play out in our lives, in our relationships, communities, and society? Which of the three are we - Victim, Persecutor, Rescuer - and how can we stop it? How can we put an end to the Triangle template that currently rules our lives? There is no denying that it does. It's a psycho-emotional epidemic within the human race.

As long as we keep this Triangle in play within our lives, we will live in fear and we will suffer. It is that simple.

During these heated times of debate, opinion, perspective, preference and emotional acting out based in fear, it is important to practice the one bit of wisdom that flows through every channel: LOVE.

Finding LOVE for those we respect and trust is one thing. But can you find LOVE within your heart for those you fear and reject? Disagree with? Detest or loathe? Feel victimized by? Can you recognize that even they are held in the hand of the Divine (because nothing and no one is excluded), and that you are as much a part of the Triangle messiness as they are? 

Perhaps you feel like a Victim at another person's hands. Interestingly, the roles in the Triangle are fluid, meaning each player at some time or another takes on the other roles. We are all Victims, Persecutors and Rescuers to some degree, moving in and out of these roles in different life situations. As an example, consider that if you fear and blame someone for something, you make them a Persecutor and yourself a Victim. By blaming them, however, you become a Persecutor and make them a Victim. If you then set out to protect others from this person, you become a Rescuer and make the others Victims...and the Triangle paradigm continues.

The many problems with this paradigm are obvious, but one big issue with it is that playing these roles is a waste of our time and energy. It gets us nowhere worthy. Nothing will settle into a place of stability as long as we keep this Triangle going. Our time and energy are better spent building a collaborative Circle with others rather than deepening the divisive nature of the Triangle. Yes, life can be a collaborative Circle of peace and LOVE.

Now more than ever, it is time to step out of this exhaustive, destructive Triangle and into a new paradigm of peace-filled co-existence. All we have to do is give up this Triangle game - stop feeding it within ourselves and in our relationships. Yes, if you look, you can identify your very own places of being a Victim. Persecutor, and Rescuer. Remember - we are all all of them. We must ditch our willingness to play this game if we are to have a hope of shifting the ugliness of its drama within our culture at large.

Grab a shovel - a BIG one, not a wimpy gardening one. It's time to put this Triangle to rest six feet under.

Crazy Cloud of Crap

We are now technically into the third week of September and...

Wait a minute...how did we get to September...NINE months into 2016...already??

Don't get me wrong; I will be uber-happy to move beyond this crazy-ass, Nine Fire Monkey year (See my blog from February). But seriously, how did we get through 3/4 of this year already...? It feels like we just celebrated the new year. 

Anyway, moving on...

This month, the heat of Summer is beginning to (subtly) recede as we round the corner toward Autumn. But wow, are things boiling hot! The election hype, the Olympic hype, the violence hype...It's all spinning around us like a tornado, creating a crazy cloud of crap we have to navigate our way through.

Don't delude yourself into thinking you are not impacted by these things. We live in a single, unified field of energy, as all the fish in the ocean do. Waves of energy in the form of vibrations and impulses gently nudge or harshly slam into us, just as they would if we lived in the ocean.

So not one of us is insulated from anything that happens on this planet (or beyond, if you want to go there). What happens, even if on the other side of the globe, impacts us, though we may or may not be consciously aware of it.

How do I know this? Because quantum physics has finally proven it to be so. When stimulated, particles of matter respond to each other, even when separated by thousands and thousands of miles across the globe. We - you, me and everything else here - are particles of matter, constantly responding to the experiences of those around us.

"So what?" you may ask. "What does this mean?"

It means if you find yourself feeling tired, sluggish, overwhelmed, blah, uneasy, perhaps even exhausted or depleted, irritable, angry or ill, your body system is likely struggling beneath the crazy cloud of crap I mentioned earlier. There is no way to escape it...

Well, that is not exactly true. There are things you can do to shield yourself from the influences of these more dense energy vibrations. But they take practice and to practice them, you have to learn them first. Then, you have to do them regularly. The more you do them, the better they work for you.

Some of these things are simple; some are more complex, coming to us from the indigenous, deeply connected cultures of the world. And they work. Really well.

Managing the impact of the crazy cloud of crap on you is twofold. First, take steps to minimize your contact with it. Second, take steps to minimize its impact on your body system.

Here are some things to stop doing to minimize your contact with it:

• Stop bombarding your system. Unplug from screen technology (TV, internet, phone, etc.) as much as possible. If you choose to engage with them, be very specific about why you do and with whom you connect. Don't drown yourself in other people's rhetoric, spin, drama, opinions, and emotional energies. These things penetrate your personal energy field and pollute it with gunk, leaving you feeling low, sluggish and off-balance both physically and emotionally. If anything significant happens, you will hear about it anyway.

• Stop taking things personally. Every single person on this planet has an opinion about what is going on, including you and me. Whether people's opinions are right or wrong, true or not, is irrelevant; they are just people's opinions and people have a right to them. Arguing, rationalizing, explaining - these are all antics of the ego and probably will not change someone else's opinion. Your energy and passion are better spent elsewhere. So let others be, without taking their opinions on as a personal affront.

• Stop neglecting yourself. Your body needs to be energetically nurtured just as it needs to be physically nurtured. When you get "slimed" by crazy clouds of crap, your energy body needs a good cleaning to restore its vibrancy and re-balance its functioning. The better it functions, the less vulnerable you are to the impact of such clouds, and the better you feel.

Here are some things to start doing to minimize its impact on your body system:

• Start spending more time doing things that inspire your senses, like playing, creating, dancing, singing, visiting with others (face to face, not via a screen), or anything else that awakens you (hiking, biking, spending time outdoors, listening to favorite music, cooking, meditating, road tripping, doing yoga, bubble baths, writing, napping, snuggling, etc.). 

• Start trusting in something larger than yourself. Trust that there is more to what is happening than you can possibly comprehend. The tapestry of Life reaches far beyond our full comprehension, so find something bigger than yourself to entrust its design to. Trust that the Divine Source of all things always works with us and never against us, even in the midst of a crazy cloud of crap.

• Start soaking in a hot bath with lots of Epsom salts. This is my favorite way of cleansing the body's energy field of slime. Emerge feeling more vibrant and radiant.

If you find yourself suffering from the crazy cloud of crap spinning around us, give me a call. I've got lots of tools in my toolbox for just this sort of thing.

A word on cops

 
I am not a cop. I am a writer and a teacher and a counselor.

But cops get a bad rap. People call them "pigs" and "buzzkills." People don't want them around. I didn't either, until I met some that weren't packing a speeding ticket book.

Now, I'm not saying that every cop I've ever met is a sweetheart, fine and true. Some are real babies. You name it; every profession comes with babies. 

The difference may be that baby cops carry guns just like honorable cops do; and babies in other professions don't. Well, not as a matter of uniform, anyway. A baby cop with a gun can be lethal...just like any baby person with a gun can be.  

I mean "baby" as in the spiritually immature kind, not the cute, gurgling newborn kind.

Spiritually immature babies are emotionally immature. They operate out of fear, ego, insecurity, and greed. They cling and assume and take things personally. They demand instant gratification. They judge, blame and disrespect. They distort the truth. They carry no real wisdom.

These babies don't know who they are. They are disconnected from their true selves. They compete and conflict with others. They hold themselves as separate from; they are divisive in thoughts and actions. They force their own agendas.

 Make no mistake about it: These babies are spiritual infants, not evolved sages. They are frightened children, not brave warriors. They confuse dominance with power, and control with security. They are misguided and misunderstood. 

Cops are trained killers working on our behalf, or at least, they are supposed to be. Unfortunately, baby cops don't have what it takes to do their job honorably. Neither do baby people of any profession.

Street cops are known as Peace Officers. Jail cops are known as Corrections Officers. Peace and Corrections: two honorable paths intended to restore balance and offer a chance for amends or perhaps even healing; to keep the peace and restore dignity. 

Are some of them spiritually immature babies? Sure; there are babies in every arena. Their actions are not splattered all over the news, but they are there: the therapist who manipulated his clients; the teacher who slept with her students; the doctor who stole medication; the nurse who sexually molested his patients; the priest who molested children; the lawyer who misrepresented his clients; the caregiver who stole from her clients; the sitter who physically abused children; the cop who mistreated citizens...they are all out there. Babies, all of them. 

That does not mean that all therapists, all teachers, all doctors, all nurses, all priests, all lawyers, all caregivers, all sitters or all cops are spiritually immature babies. But some are. 

Let's refrain from making misguided generalizations about members of any group. Let's remember we are all people first, and most people are not babies.


[NOTE: Substitute "asshole" for "baby" and "assholes" for "babies" for this to make more sense.]