The Beginnings of Understanding

Here is something I think I’m beginning to understand today. This is only the first draft and others may follow when I have additional insights.

We who are tuned in to “alternative” teachers have been hearing a lot in recent times about the “dawning of a new age.” This is described in many different terms. Some say it is the beginning of a “crystal age,” and others call it by other names. Perhaps it is, at last, “the Age of Aquarius.” I thought of documenting this with links to several websites, but you know the sort of website I’m speaking about here.

In my own life, I am beginning to see profound changes at many levels. I’m gifted with a wonderful partner who has made me aware of a variety of flavors of this trend. I am following the work of Tim Freke, Tom Kenyon, Robert Moss, and several people who are offering courses on the Shift Network. (LINK)

In the past few days I’ve become intensely aware of how I have been putting myself into the mode of fear and anger (fear/anger) by my response to the world events unfolding around me. I have become aware of how my emotional energy was actually contributing to the problem, while I was doing nothing to reduce fear/anger in myself and others I met.

When I engage with friends in sharing anecdotes about the situation in the USA, UK, Europe, the Middle East, etc., we infect each other with more of the fear/anger and we raise the level of that destructive force. For example, I read that Donald Trump says he may not honor the NATO treaties. I respond with outrage—and then realize that it's only something he said, not something that will likely happen. Even if he tried, there are legal safeguards in place to stop him. So I have needlessly angered myself and made myself fearful for no good reason. It’s a waste of my energy and has added more negative energy to the planet.

I have been saying over and over that I need to take a different action in response to the world as represented by the news media and the input of friends. I could simply vow not to read the news, but that would be putting my head in the sand. In a moment of pure inspiration, Elyn gave me the strategy that I need. A short explanatory detour is necessary here.

Several years ago we were traveling again to Malta, where we were visiting megalithic temples and sacred sites. We were wondering why we were there again and what the message would be for us this time. On our final day, we were driving on a narrow road with a friend when Elyn spotted a roadside fruit stand and somehow saw that they had her favorite apples (Pink Lady) for sale. How she saw this from a car passing the stand at full speed I leave to your imagination. Nevertheless, she immediately called to our friend to pull over so she could buy some apples. He did, and after a few minutes, she returned to the car with a bag of Pink Ladies in hand. We returned to our hotel in Valletta and enjoyed our apples.  

She then related the following story to me. After purchasing the apples, she told the vendor to “Have a good day. Have a good week! In fact, have a good life!” The vendor smiled happily at Elyn’s effusive statement, and Elyn felt the warm glow of love surrounding her as she returned to the car. It quickly became clear that the message we had come to Malta to hear was that our task was to “send blessings” every day to everyone we meet, just as Elyn had done for the apple vendor. (“Sending blessings” is our shorthand for sending love and light, wishing the best for every person on the planet.) We have made this one of our ongoing spiritual practices, and, when we remember to do it, we always feel blessed ourselves.

As a postscript to this story, our friend, who is a native of Malta, says that he had never before seen a fruit vendor at that remote location and he hasn’t seen one there since. Make of that what you will, but we say that the fruit vendor had been “sent from Central Casting.” By this we mean that the person came from a divine “central casting” (a Hollywood reference) and was, in fact, an angel in human garb. Rest assured that I am not an adherent to any organized religion, but I have the strong feeling that we are not alone in the universe and that there are forces at work that I can never understand.

So, back to my search for a strategy to deal with my response to the world situation. Elyn reminded me of our mutual pledge to “send blessings.” So, why not, when we read something challenging in the news, send blessings to everyone involved? At the very least, that will lower the levels of stress I am feeling and, if you believe in the power of thought to do actual work in the world, it may help to heal some of the pain and suffering we see around us. This, to me, is the perfect strategy. I end up feeling more at ease since I feel that I’ve done something to help, and I haven’t contributed more negative emotions to the world around. I offer it to you.

Here is a postscript to my message. I am seeing really amazing changes is some of my friends and acquaintances. In most cases, they attribute the changes to the work of some teacher, guru, or practice they have discovered (as I have in referring to Elyn as my “guru” in the essay above.) There is a tendency to think that we have “seen the light” and become evangelists for the teacher, guru, or practice that led us there. I believe that the changes I am seeing are coming from many sources, and no single source has a lock on the new age dawning. So, whatever you find helpful in living a life that is stress-free and productive, I am all for it. I send you blessings!