The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise – with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew, and act anew. — Abraham Lincoln
This experience we call life on earth is evolving ever so quickly, with populations migrating and species dwindling and icecaps melting and technology expanding and chaos reigning in our midst. A sense of urgency can be felt in one’s bones. A quickening of the pulse of life. A glimmer of something yet to be revealed. A knowing that we are a part of it. An uncertainty of where to step next, of what to do, of what part we will play.
There are some who will say that this sense of unknowing mixed with anticipation has always been present. That it’s a part of the human experience. And yet, now it seems even more vital. It’s no longer a question of why are we here, but why are we here NOW.
Like a single cell mutating into two and into four and into eight in the first stage of life, the planet is mutating into a more powerful expression of herself. A building energy is cocooning our planet, swirling and coalescing and embracing the Earth, our home. And as those dwelling on her surface, we are not immune to the effects.
The most notable reaction will be fear of change. It will be fear of the unknown. It will be fear of doing what needs to be done. It will be fear that the apocalypse, the end of the world, is upon us. Truth be told, it is the end of the world AS WE KNOW IT. As much as we would like it, things will never be the same.
And we can react in many different ways. Some of us don’t like any change in our lives. It makes us uncomfortable. We don’t like to be surprised. We like to know what to expect and when to expect it. Others of us thrive in a realm of anticipation of the unexpected. We love the journey of wondering what is around the next bend. We know that the destination is not the end, but merely another starting point for a new experience.
Nearly two years ago, I lobbied for a shift in focus for this publication toward a more holistic approach. Not so much emphasis on the paranormal. More of an emphasis on how each one of us exists within the whole of creation – in tune with our spirit, in tune with our bodies, in tune with our planet, in tune with the plants and animals, in tune with each other. It is time to regain our sense of connection with the whole, and it is time to share the unique gift that is within us with the universe.
The song tells us that what the world needs now is love, sweet love. I think the world needs people who remember that they are not separate from the whole. When we remember, then we look at the entire world differently. We look at trees not as a cash crop, but as living, breathing beings who freshen our air supply. We look at oceans not as an unlimited trash dump, but as environments just as crucial to our survival as those on land. We look at our planet not as just another part of a disposable way of life, but as an incredible host who allows us to call her surface home. And we look at others not as the enemy, but as a part of the human family.
A life outside of the holistic perspective is a life out of balance. Far too many of us accept imbalance as way of life. We don’t see a need to do anything differently. However, there are consequences when our collective actions destroy the balance of nature. Whether you agree with the idea of global warming or not, you must concur that man-made pollution is not in the best of interest of anyone or anything. What we cannot agree upon is to what extent human activity – pollution for the sake of corporate profit, vast removal of forests for economic gain, destruction of ecosystems to further urban sprawl – is causing potentially cataclysmic changes on the planet. How many Katrinas do we need? How many floods does it take? How much drought is too dry? How many extinct species can we accept?
I’m just a man in Minnesota with a family and a dog and three cats, but I see the signs. I see the escalation of violent storms. I see the escalation of human tempers. I see the escalation toward more war and bloodshed, toward battles that have no end. I see the fear. Are we in the End Times, as some Christian preachers suggest? Perhaps we are. I think each one of us is at a personal crossroads, and the human species is at an even larger one. The only question is how we will react. Some of us are now choosing authenticity and balance, integrity and honesty, love and compassion – and some of us are not. Some of us can no longer follow the same path, because it’s just too hard and too painful to be untrue to who we now know we truly are.
In these coming times, expect change. Anticipate change. And be fully prepared to face personal change. It may be the most difficult thing you’ve ever done, but you aren’t alone. You are connected to everyone and everything around you. And we are all feeling what you feel. Let us resolve to find balance together. Let us resolve to be at peace together.
