An excerpt from the appendix of the newly revised edition of God for President: A Parable About the Power of Love (Conari Press).
God for President is parable that holds the spiritual wisdom to restore our world. Some may call it a fairy tale, an impossibility too naive to ever be realized. But fairy tales can come true if we choose to believe and make choices that reflect their hidden messages. This tale’s message is Love, and it calls us to bring this powerful healing force back to life.
Albert Einstein stated that problems could not be solved by the same energy that created them. America faces a plethora of problems: a war; angry people who want to terrorize us; people without jobs, health care or hope. Will we solve these problems using the same energy that created them? If Einstein’s theory is correct, if we continue on the same path, things will not improve; they will simply be perpetuated.
The common energy that creates our problems is basically fear. Fear is the force that drives us to greed, the need for false power and the overwhelming stress that we will not have or be enough. Fear might benefit many sectors of our society, but for most of us, fear is destroying the American Dream.
If we let fear lead, we will not solve what ails us, either personally or collectively. For instance, if we continue to fight terrorism with might and violence, that is, using the same energy that it has bestowed on us, we will never stop its escalation. It might behoove us to remember Franklin Roosevelt’s words: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself,” and begin to question how much we currently fear “fear.”
America is ripe for a new energy. This time in history could be our greatest opportunity to raise our collective consciousness about what we are choosing, and try a different energy, a new force that will create unified solutions that last and give us the dreams we all seek: life, liberty and the pursuit of real happiness. A dream that is based in fear will eventually collapse. One that is based on Love will flourish beyond our imaginations.
Out beyond ideas of rightdoing and wrongdoing, there is a field. I will meet you there. — Rumi
What would Love say?
I believe Rumi’s field is the space in our hearts where Love resides. To find this field, we need to listen deeply for the voice of Love, where judgment and fear do not exist. The Bhagavad Gita (Hindu scripture) says we need to meditate on “words that give us peace, words that are good and beautiful and true.” The Dhammapada (Buddhist scripture) says, “Better than a thousand useless words is one single word that gives us peace.” And the Bible says, “for it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks.”
Fear speaks to us constantly, barraging us with thoughts that make us feel angry, anxious and stressed out, persuading us to act in ways that are less than loving. Love’s voice is quieter, but gives us words of wisdom that make us feel happy and at ease. To hear Love, we need to silence our fears and ask, WHAT WOULD LOVE SAY?
Love is the strongest force in our universe, yet we allow fear to have far more influence. We need to be very conscious of fear so that we can stop its power and choose Love instead. As we increasingly opt for Love, our experience of life and relationships will be much easier and more joyful.
Fear lives in our heads as a discomforting voice, a voice that feels bad to us. We continue to be duped by fear, because it is familiar and plays off our smallest, most insignificant sense of self — our ego. Fear knows only the polarity of right and wrong, declaring that we were born in sin and need to be punished. Right and wrong thinking create a duality in which we are constantly at battle.
Love lives in our hearts as a comforting voice, a voice that feels good to us. Love knows only the convergence of all that is, proclaiming that we were born innocent and need to be accepted, no matter what. Love allows. Love creates unity in which we are able to come together and find peace in ourselves, our relationships, and our world. All we need to do is rise above fear and listen to the message of Love in our hearts.
In the world of fear, it is always easier to see what others are doing wrong. The payoff is simple: you don’t have to see yourself. The problem with living this way is that everyone suffers. Your judgment of others makes them feel bad, and their judgment of you makes you feel bad. Your turning away from yourself does nothing to make you the kind of person you truly wish to be.
We are approaching the dawn of a new age, and as many declare gloom and doom, Love urges us to be bringers of light. The world’s so-called demise is not about what THEY are doing; it’s about what YOU are doing. Now is the grand opportunity to become the Love and peace you wish to see in the world, to stop being fear based and focused on others, and instead be centered on your own light. Your responsibility is to ignite the fire of Love inside your very own heart.
Fear says, LOOK AT THEM! THEY ARE THREATENING MY WAY OF LIFE! Love says, HOW CAN I BE MORE LOVING? WHAT CAN I DO TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD? Bringing your focus back to yourself and being the Love you wish to see are much easier when you can accept what you are doing and love yourself without judgment. This requires you to spend time in silence with your heart and the presence of a loving and fully accepting God or Spirit. Once you can sit with yourself as you are, you open the door to becoming peace. And, once you find a glimmer of peace, you become a light for others, and the world changes on its own.
What would Love say?
What
do I need to see in myself that might need some Love?
How can I be more loving
to myself and others?
I am a light to others.
I am the Love I wish to see.
What would Love do?
Focus on what you can do instead of what others
are doing wrong.
Be a bringer of light instead of a keeper of fear.
Be conscious of fear, and
keep turning to Love-based thoughts.
Love Practice: Meditate on your inner light daily. Sit in a quiet space and light a candle. Place your hand against your heart and close your eyes. For ten minutes, focus on feeling the light of the Spirit or God breathing into your heart. See if you can find a place inside where you feel fully loved and accepted. Allow yourself to be just as you are. Send this feeling of Love and light to all the places inside you that feel inadequate, such as the places that you judge. Let Love dissolve these places of fear so you can become a light not only for yourself but also for the world.
Upcoming speaking events with Lisa Venable:
• CivicFest, Minneapolis Convention Center, 4 p.m. Monday, Sept. 1. Visit www.godforpresident.com
• Unity
of the Valley Discovery Fair, 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27. Visit www.unityvalley.org.
