ISSUE DATE: SEPTEMBER 2008
This month's spiritual solution:
How To Change The World
I am becoming increasingly upset by world events, the tragedies, the cruelty, the violence and the wars. Things seem to be getting worse. What can those of us on a spiritual path do to change things?
I think this is a question that many of us are asking at this time. When we look out on the world as it is at the moment, things do appear to be in chaos on many levels. Despite attempts to bring about world peace and economic stability, there are still wars taking place and nations going hungry. Dictatorship is rife in many countries and people are still suffering under harsh and cruel regimes. When we see the outward picture, there is a risk that we may find it so overwhelming that we feel helpless and afraid in a world that seems to be deteriorating as time goes on.
There are already many people on a spiritual path who are praying for peace. Prayers are said in churches all over the world. Metaphysical and spiritually oriented groups affirm regularly for a peaceful world. With so many people praying and if prayer is meant to be so effective, why do we not already have peace?
All prayer is effective on some level, regardless of the method, religion or philosophy of the one praying. It is one of the most powerful things we can do so we don’t want to stop praying. However, the time has come for us all to expand our prayer work and add a few more practices to our spiritual quest for peace.
We are now at a period in humanity’s growth where a great shift in consciousness is taking place. Many ancient civilisations have foretold of a time in humanity’s history when the world will experience an upheaval of some kind, which will bring about dramatic changes and affect world events. The Mayan calendar ends in 2012 and a lot of spiritual seekers and teachers are looking to that date as being significant in bringing those changes to fruition. As a species, humanity has become out of balance on many levels and something drastic needs to happen to restore that balance. Many people are waking up spiritually to the awareness that there is more to us than just flesh and bones and that there is something deep within us that even goes beyond our minds. This realisation is finding outlets in the myriad of different teachings and philosophies that have sprung up in the last decades. But as in any shift, structures change or fall apart. The old must give way to the new and in that process there is a period of mess and debris until a different form appears. That is what is happening on our planet at the moment.
There are some people who are interpreting ancient prophecies to mean the end of the world, a kind of Armageddon or annihilation of humanity. From a metaphysical point of view, a reinterpretation of that message may be that, rather than the end of the world, it most probably symbolises a new world consciousness that takes place on an internal level. A transformation at the Soul level, which will herald a new era.
Most of us would like to live in a world that is peaceful, a world where war no longer exists, a world that is safe and stable. We want a world where there is enough for everyone and where we can live without fear. Is this a foolish fantasy indulged in by unrealistic spiritual space cadets or could it be a possibility, albeit a gradual one?
One thing is clear we are all being given a loud “wake up call” that we can no longer ignore. Because at the human level we live in a time and space experience, this could take a while before things appear noticeably different in the world as a whole. However, we have to begin somewhere. The world is made up of individuals and every one of us is a contributing influence on this planet. So let’s start with ourselves.
One of the leading established metaphysical world organisations has a “signature song” which is played at meetings. The first line is “ Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me”. This is the key to creating a different world. Metaphysical teachings tell us that all change must take place within before it manifests in the outer world. So if we want a more peaceful world we need to begin by searching our own heart for anything or anyone that we may “be at war with”. Now that initially, sounds like a heavy analogy because most of us with any spiritual awareness would not deliberately go out and create a war.
However, if we are honest, most of us are still struggling with our ego-based judgements, if not towards others then towards our selves. We still indulge in blame, criticism or resentment, we still make enemy images in our mind if we perceive others as having hurt us or disrespected us. These are all human reactions and it is futile to try and suppress these feelings or make our selves wrong. This is not the answer. In fact it is precisely our general lack of self-love that creates most problems on the planet. After all, most of the recent street violence involving our young people has its roots in lack of self-worth. The explanations given for the attacks are usually based on the perception that “he/she was disrespecting me” The fragile ego is permanently on the defensive, seeing a mirror of its own unworthiness.
Self-love is often misunderstood. From a metaphysical standpoint, to love oneself is to recognise the Divinity within us. Each of us is an individualised expression of the One Presence and therefore it is important for us to remind ourselves of that on a daily basis. This is the first step towards a peaceful relationship with our self. This can be challenging because our tendency is to focus only on our human shortcomings.
Even more challenging can be acknowledging that same Presence within others. Of course this is easier to accept when people are being kind and loving towards us, but very hard when they are not. So the second step towards a peaceful world, is to practice affirming the Divinity in others, perhaps someone in our family or at work who is not behaving as we would want them to. This is not a denial of their human behaviour and we may at some level need to address that by expressing how we feel and not allowing ourselves to be treated badly. We are not saying that what they are doing is o.k. Rather we are advocating that within them is a Spiritual Self that we can connect with from the level of our own Spiritual Identity. By recognising their True Self we help to uncover it.
And here is where we come to the most challenging of spiritual practices. To perceive that same Divinity in those individuals who appear to be the destroyers of peace, the tyrants, the dictators, the warmongers, the cruel and the destructive. Those who head regimes where the people are oppressed and ill-treated, who imprison and maim. How can we recognise the Presence within them? “Get rid of them!” may be our cry. Yes that may work temporarily, but inevitably another one,usually more pernicious comes to take their place. So what is the answer?
A lovely story, which may help to illustrate this point, is of a peaceful village in Tibet, which was about to be invaded by enemy soldiers. The village temple housed a beautiful, radiant, pure gold sculpture of the Holy Buddha, which had been a focus for prayer and meditation for many hundreds of years. The villagers prepared everyone to leave but knew that when the soldiers came, their holy shrine would be desecrated and the golden Buddha stolen. They decided to cover it in rough, grey cement so that the gold was completely obscured. The soldiers, judging solely by appearance, saw the statue as a worthless heap of stone and not recognising the hidden splendour that it covered, left the village empty handed.
Most of us are like those soldiers we judge by appearances and have no conception of the radiant Being that exists within us all. This is really hard if we try to do it from our limited human self. Unless we have the gift of clairvoyance, most of us are not likely to see this radiance with our physical eyes. However, if we let the Spirit within us reveal the True Identity of everyone, we make way for the Presence within, that which the poet Browning referred to as the Hidden Splendour, to escape. We then become a literal powerhouse and avenue of expression for Peace in the world.
Affirmative Prayer For Peace
I search the corridors of my heart to find any place, person or experience where I may still be holding a grievance or unforgiveness. I make peace in my Soul with anyone who has ever seemed to hurt me and draw from the radiance of the Presence within me,which frees me from that pain. I send this Light out to everyone that I have ever been in conflict with, either in the silence of my mind or through words and actions. I am set free and so are they. I forgive myself for any unloving thoughts or actions from my past and release my self from any further blame. I affirm the Sacred in all Beings and help to uncover their True Identity. I pray for all leaders, politicians and those in positions of power and government in all countries, that the Power of the One, may open their hearts and minds to the Wisdom and Guidance of the indwelling Spirit so that all mankind may benefit from right decisions and that the Peace that is already present may be revealed.
Quote for the month:
"When a man finds no peace within himself, it is useless to seek it elsewhere"
L.A.Rouchefoliocauld
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