At this time in Earth’s history, many members of our human family seem bent on sucking the marrow out of the bones of the Earth and wantonly spreading destruction throughout the Earth’s body, heedless to its cries of pain.
The Earth is being stripped bare of life-giving trees and vegetation. Our food is poisoned with bacteria and GMOs, large swaths of our oceans are devoid of life and filled with plastic, mountain tops are being removed, land is being polluted, water is being poisoned by oil and gas fracking, topsoil is being destroyed by conventional agricultural practices, radiation contamination from Fukushima is ongoing, climate change continues unabated.
We CAN NOT shield our eyes, turn away from these disasters and pretend they’re not happening — not if we want to leave a livable Earth for ourselves and the next generation.
Make no mistake — this is a painful time to be alive. If there is to be any hope of healing the world, then we must look open-eyed at it and see what is happening without denying what we see. Deep down, we know what’s happening. WE KNOW! Yet we continue our mad rush of business as usual.
When we elect leaders who are owned by corporations that are destroying the planet for profit, when governments like Canada have energy policies that cause the genocide of their indigenous citizens, when our beautiful country is being destroyed by gas and oil fracking that poisons our water, pollutes our environment, harms our health and contributes to climate change — when we look around us at all these things, what keeps us from sinking into despair? How do we maintain our sanity?
What does it take to awaken us to an understanding of what we are doing to the Earth? It takes a stepping back from daily routine, an awakening from the slumber of modern civilization and the destructive habits of consumerism, a stepping away from — for some a wrenching away from — computers, TVs, gameboys, Ipads and cell phones — and yes, even Facebook. It takes a deep and purposeful looking within. It takes a reconnecting with what is most important in life — our life’s purpose, each other and our spiritual life. It takes slowing down long enough to hear and resonate with the call of our hearts. It takes a willingness to see with eyes unclouded by fear and denial in order to do the work that will help cleanse the dust of a civilization gone mad, that seems insanely bent on its own destruction.
Modern life drowns us in all kinds of daily distractions that take our attention away from the real work that we’re here to do. We need to make a conscious effort to transcend distractions. What helps us do that? SLOWING DOWN to allow space in our lives for art, music, poetry, faithful friends, a loving family, community, and a spiritual practice.
What will it take to stop the wholesale destruction of our planet? It takes re-evaluating our priorities. It takes an inner transition on a large scale and a shift in consciousness. And that inner transition starts with you and spreads like a wave.
Those of us who are walking the path of transition need to find a way to sustain ourselves as we engage in our healing work. In these darkest of times, we need a glimmer of light — the kind of light that comes only from within. And we need personal resilience techniques to renew and refresh us.
Resist the temptation to become mired in doubt, fear and despair, and allow yourself to be inspired. We do have inner resources. It’s up to us to discover them, acknowledge them and use them. We complain that we’re too busy and too stressed, yet we continue to do the same things that cause those conditions. Why is that? What are we running from? What are we hiding from? What are we afraid of? Is this a way of denying what we don’t want to see? What is behind the frenzied pace of modern living and why have we bought into it? These are questions we need to contemplate long and deep.
The majority of people continue to live as if nothing unusual is happening. That cannot continue. I repeat–what is needed right now is a mass transformation in consciousness. I’m calling you to do more than read these words. I’m calling you to take action. Right here, right now, every day — for the rest of your life. Our world depends on it. Activist, passivist, atheist, agnostic, fundamentalist, Christian, Jew, Muslim, Buddhist, naturalist, humanist. It doesn’t matter what label you identify with. We’re all in this together.
In the words of Carolyn Baker, Comfortable people do not change significantly absent massive suffering, and I do not see any significant changes occurring until a mass transformation of consciousness unfolds.
That change of consciousness is exactly where our Inner Transition Group’s focus is. This is your invitation to join us. We welcome your participation.
Leave a Reply