“A gift resides in every moment”

With the impending inauguration of Donald Trump as president, the world is at a precipice.  There is a sense of surreal, almost comic unreality about this moment, as our government literally merges with reality TV.  What will come next is unknown.  Many are filled with fear and anger. Others who supported Trump are hoping that something good will come of his ascent to power. But one thing we can all say for sure: things are going to change.

Truthfully, the night that Trump won the election, I was filled with a kind of jittery glee. Although I was aghast at the outcome, this feeling was balanced by a strange calm knowing. The message that kept coming to me was: Now things are really going to happen.  No —  I didn’t think Trump was going to change things for the better. Instead, I felt certain that the world would now finally be forced to face  big cosmic choices. The big test is now upon us.  And the truth is, it was going to come, sooner or later.

If Hillary Clinton had won, things would have, more or less, been “business as usual.” Yes, things might have improved gradually  in areas such as civil and women’s rights, but in general, life would have gone on much the same as it has over the past 40 years. Most importantly, the corporations would continue to rule and most of us would revert back into a state of complacency, consumed with the usual distractions of life.

With Trump as president, however, the cosmic forces of yin and yang will now reach a peak. We are at the apex of a polarity — perhaps one of the greatest polarities that humanity has ever faced.  In the balance are greed and fear versus gratitude and love.  Selfish hoarding and separation versus trusting generosity and union.   As I discuss in my book, Active Consciousness, huge shifts are always hallmarked by such critical moments, such intense pulls between polarities.  The question is: which way will things go?

In general, things tend to move toward evolution, not de-evolution.  One thing that I feel certain of, however, is that the outcome depends on all of us. Like I said, the big test is now upon us.

Currently, many of my friends are mired in anger, bitterness, and fear, trapped in never-ending binge watching of YouTubes that only serve to exacerbate their fear and hand-wringing.  In fact, some of them are angry with me for having any kind of positive attitude at all. However, their state of mind — anticipating and fixating on the worst possible outcome — just helps bring it into being!  That is the way the world works.

No, the only way forward is to take this opportunity and seize the day. What an opportunity for humanity!  This is our time.   By working for positive change — in a positive way — we not only help to create what Charles Eisenstein calls “the more beautiful world our hearts know is possible”‘, but we also keep our sanity and our peace of mind.

Of course it won’t be easy. Trials are upon is. But it can hopefully be invigorating.

My vision:  The emergence of a deeper, more profound, and wiser version of the 60s revolution. 

Now is also the time to keep in mind the teachings of so many wise teachers and leaders of the past.  We need to remember that:

– The only thing we have to fear is fear itself!
– Violence and anger only beget more violence and anger!
– Love is the answer.
– Trust. Let go. Ride the waves of change.
– Follow your intuition, guidance, and what you love.

I’ll leave you now with two poems written by my friend, Vermont poet and activist, Namaya.

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“Rise up and celebrate the new Year”

Blessing of love
Blessing of Peace
Blessing of Hope
to each and everyone.
 
In the year past –
What has been the pains?
What has been the sorrow?
What has been the surrendering?
The letting go?
The birth?
The joys?
 
Take all the sweetness
Take all the joy
Take all the hopes
 
Take all the love
All the promise
All hurts and sorrow
Hold them in your arms
 
Offer them to the wind
Offer them to wisdom
Offer them to the morrow
Offer them to the promise
 
Set aside disappointments
Surrender the loss
Surrender the pain
Let go all the hurts

Rise up
Rise up
Rise with love
Rise with joy
 
Celebrate your
Love
Celebrate your
joy
Celebrate the
magnificence
of you
 
Rise up
Rise up
Rise up
 
with love
 
We will not
surrender to hate!
Not surrender
to fear!
We will not
give way to doubt
 
Our spirits are strong.
Our love true
Our vision beautiful
Our heart vibrant
Our song with love.
 
Let the new year promise
shine with love
Let the celebration of life
continue
Let the joy
shine with love
Let the new year
be a blessing of
 
love.

namaya
jan 2017

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“Planet Earth is Not My First Language”

reclaiming my native language
in a land of strangers

where the words of my primal
tongue are sometimes too

alien and distant

I need to be back in my land
where the words are spoken every day

my native language has no words
for hate, anger, racism, or violence

only one phrase holds it all…

when I return home and tell of
where I live and the tales

they remark how strange and
lonely it must be

when I tell them of what they
do to the earth and environment

my family’s eyes tear up
and remark .. “How sad!”

“You must come home, it is
too lonely and too much sadness.”

And then they hug me in the ways
of our language filled with comfort.

“No!” I need to teach them all the
words and deeds of our language.

In our language there is only one
word.

In our culture there is only one
deed

In our culture there is only one
law

One church

One people

It is all called

Love.

namaya