community
We Need A Critical Mass Of Love And Kindness!
In the 1950’s, Japanese researchers were studying a group of monkeys located on several Japanese islands. The scientists would regularly drop food onto the beaches for the monkeys.
One day, a female monkey picked up a sweet potato and washed the sand and dirt off in a nearby stream. Soon after, the mother of the juvenile monkey was also washing her sweet potatoes in the stream. In this unusual case it was a youngster had taught an adult and not the other way around, as is more commonly observed.
Over the course of the next five years, one by one, several of the other monkeys of the group also picked up the habit of washing off their sweet potatoes. The exact number is unclear, but something amazing is said to have happened – as if overnight, all of the monkeys were washing their potatoes in streams, and in the sea. Even monkeys on the other islands, crossing natural barriers. Continue reading
Group Consciousness
We are all different. Each person is a piece of the puzzle that creates a group. All people are raised different. People may have different spiritual beliefs, different educational backgrounds, jobs, nationalities. Yet, if the common goal is the same, there is no reason why we cannot achieve much more in our world. Some of us simply need to find a way to respect diversity.
Spiritual groups tend to be the especially challenging when it comes to diversity. Too often spiritually-minded people are expected to always agree with everyone about everything, in order to promote goodwill among group members and keep the peace. But in any group people have to learn how to agree to disagree. It’s always okay to have your own opinion and express how you feel. One must just remember that not all of the group may agree with your thoughts. Continue reading
The Courage To Live And Let Live
The only way we are really going to make the future work is by allowing others to do their ‘own thing’ in their own way. Our future survival and evolution as a species will not be found in sameness, alikeness, similarity, or coercion. Instead, we must build a new global civilization based on expanding diversity, variety, assortment and multiplicity. Yet, there is one fundamental condition – for it to be successful it must be achieved in harmony with others and our planet.
From the perspective of the old mainstream view of our world, such a future world of unhindered diversity appears quite impossible and non-sensical, because that would mean that everybody does their own thing in their own way. And that seems really counter-intuitive… even dangerous. A disaster waiting to happen!
History has taught us that individuals doing things their ‘own way’ eventually manifests itself as selfishness, greed, creed, personal preference, chauvinism, dogma and ego-centered beliefs – which has caused most of our wars, the establishment of our borders, the separation between the rulers and subjects, and the division between rich and poor. Continue reading
Life Is Sweeter With Kindred Souls
Some people simply add value to our lives. Kindred souls are true friends who make us feel that sharing space with them, or being around them, is right where we are meant to be. I call that comfortable, blissful feeling “being in Zen.”
Then of course we have all experienced sharing space with toxic people who make us feel like we need to leave immediately, because if we don’t take action we will soon start to feel depleted or drained. I like to describe that feeling as “going against the grain.” It very much feels like I’m doing something that doesn’t feel right, or that I am not where I’m supposed to be. Continue reading
Giving Of Yourself Is A Win-Win
One of the best ways to feel better about yourself, while making a difference, is to get involved in your community. So many worthy organizations need help year-round, even though the obvious time people think to give is during the holidays.
Think of the Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots program. You can certainly donate toys any time of year, or else participate in a fund-raiser in your area. Likewise for St. Jude’s Hospital, which provides medical care at no cost to children with life-threatening illnesses or injuries. Taking part in a fun walk or run, or donating time or goods, is a great way to raise money for a wonderful cause. Continue reading
Preparing For The Change
You may be aware by now that there is a major change coming to our planet. We are already experiencing many earthly upsets, but because they sometimes appear distant and far removed from us we do not always make the connection.
Some of us will be alarmed, some will be complacent, while others will do everything in their power to deny all this will take place.
My job, as well as others, is not to convince you of anything except to encourage you to prepare for any change that might seem relevant to you. This could mean many different things.
For example, we have installed water barrels alongside our house, we are placing an airtight cooking stove inside our home. We will also put up a few solar panels. If nothing happens , fine, these items are still of great value to us. Should things go awry even on a small scale we will still be able to function with little fuss. Continue reading
And This Too Shall Pass
It’s been ten weeks since I looked down the 30 meter drop to see the remains of our car, with my husband groaning inside. A neighbor and I arrived at the scene the same time as the local police. They had spotted the car whilst doing their routine rounds. I, on the other hand, had asked a neighbor to take me out to search for my husband.
My husband’s brief outing to a nearby store had become a four hour and seventeen minute nightmare. Our neighbor, James, today describes those moments as “surreal.” Words which have helped me through much less traumatic times came strongly to mind that day as I gazed down, unable to access my husband. It was as if spirit was whispering them into my thoughts once again: “and this too shall pass”. I have often used this mantra when experiencing depression or a setback in my life. I am fortunate to never have experienced the deeper pit of depression that so many souls struggle with in our times. Continue reading