ABOUT GARY ZUKAV

Gary Zukav for years has conveyed the most complex insights in language all can understand. Over and over, he challenges us to see the depth of our potential in the world…
and act on that awareness.
He is the author of four consecutive New York Times Bestsellers. In 1979, The Dancing Wu Li Masters: An Overview of the New Physics, plumbed the depths of quantum physics and relativity, winning The American Book Award for Science. In 1989, The Seat of the Soul led the way to seeing the alignment of the personality and the soul as the fulfillment of life and captured the imagination of millions, becoming the #1 New York Times bestseller over thirty times and remaining on the New York Times bestseller list almost three years. Soul Stories (2000), as well as The Heart of the Soul: Emotional Awareness (2002) and The Mind of the Soul: Responsible Choice (2003), both co-authored with Linda Francis, also became New York Times Bestsellers.

His gentle presence, humor, and wisdom have endeared Gary Zukav to millions of viewers through his many appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show, over six million copies of his books are in print, and translations have been published in twenty-four languages. Gary Zukav grew up in the Mid-west, graduated from Harvard, and became a Special Forces (Green Beret) officer with Vietnam service before writing his first book.

Soul to Soul:
Communications from the Heart

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The Seat of the Soul

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Soul Stories

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The Heart of the Soul: Emotional Awareness

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The Mind of the Soul: Responsible Choice

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Self Empower-
ment
Journal

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Thoughts from the Heart of the Soul

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Thoughts from the Seat of the Soul

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The Dancing Wu Li Masters: An Overview of the New Physics
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Tuesday, October 21, 2008
 
ELECTIONS, FEAR, AND SPIRITUALITY


Coming to terms with fear, having the courage to experience the pain and power of it, and challenging it are at the heart of spiritual growth. Without the ability to recognize fear, it cannot be identified. Without the courage to experience it, fear cannot be challenged. Without a challenge, fear grows stronger and more thoughts, words, and deeds are shaped by it. Confronting fear and healing the sources of it is the epic journey that none can avoid, only delay at best. The consequences of fear are painful and the longer its healing is delayed, the more of them are created. The consequences of love are constructive and joyful and the sooner it is cultivated, the more of them are created. This is the spiritual journey in a paragraph. The Christ reduced it to three words two millennia ago – Love your neighbor – but few have been able to follow that guidance because few have the ability and courage to experience and challenge their fears.

Each presidential election in the United States provides more opportunities to look for fear at work and for love at work. The national, regional, and local organizations that form in support of candidates reflect both at different times, but the informing energy of each campaign determines the predominance of one or the other. That energy comes from the candidate. Those who resonate with it – love or fear – contribute more of it and vote in favor of it. Leadership, wise and effective policies, and loyalty to the Constitution are essential for a candidate. If any (or all) are missing, his (her) election will be damaging or catastrophic to the country. Even if all of these attributes are present, the absence of love will prevent every positive potential of the country from coming into being.

The politics of fear is as ugly as it is dangerous. We have crossed a threshold in human evolution. Henceforth, our evolution requires the choice of love instead of fear, harmony instead of discord, cooperation instead of competition, and reverence for Life instead of exploitation of life. The first great achievement of constitutional democracy was to harness conflicting pursuits of the ability to manipulate and control for the common good. The second great achievement of constitutional democracy was to transform physical mortal combat into bloodless contests. The losers live to fight again, to put another army (campaign), strategies, tactics, and weapons on the battlefield.

This great structure is straining under the burden of our new evolutionary requirements (harmony, cooperation, sharing, and reverence for Life) and the next development in governance is not yet evident. In the meanwhile (now), it is for each of us to vote for the candidate that expresses more love in word, deed, action, and policy (and against the candidate that expresses more fear). Whether the structure is constitutional democracy or parliamentary democracy, the same consideration now overrides all others. This is the link between presidential elections and your spiritual growth. In order to recognize love and fear in others, you must first be able to recognize them in yourself. They are not always as evident as they seem. For example, caretaking (manipulating the gratitude of others in order to feel better about yourself) is often mistaken for love. It is fear.

If you think you detect fear in another (such as a candidate), see if you can identify the same fear in you. That is where you can challenge it. You cannot challenge the fear of another or cultivate another´s love but you can challenge your fear and cultivate your love. The new governance will reflect this reality in a fundamental way.

Love cares for others, fear cares for self. Love includes, fear excludes. Love nurtures, fear attacks.

Which candidate are you voting for, and why?


For more information on this topic, see my welcome message, entitled Time to Vote, at the top of the home page of www.seatofthesoul.com.


Comments:
Great post Gary- again!!!

As someone who is not American and who is following and interested in the Presidential Election in your country I have to say that my jaw drops with a lot of the ugliness in campaigning there. It seems to all come from one side. I won't say what side that is but readers can judge for themselves.

Political campaigning- coming from that certain party- has to be the ugliest in power terms in the world. They give good politicians a bad name both consciously and unconsciously.

For some comic relief (and I know that you have that in your country) have a look at a clip of our Taoiseach (Prime Minister) in Ireland meeting Gordon Brown the British Prime Minister recently. The clip was broadcast on the BBC programme Have I Got New For You:

(Don't mind the intro and outro)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNuecTcJ4lw

Hee...hee...
posted by Blogger Darren J.: October 22, 2008 at 4:26 AM Delete: 
I'm not an American, and as a rule, I opt out of politics - opposing parties are usually no more than opposing cheeks on the same butt, to put it bluntly.

However, these American elections would make me move at an accelerated clip towards the voting booth to register my support for Team Obama. The McCain/Palin ticket is just too hideous to contemplate. God help the world if they get in.

Please, USA, the Bush administration has done enough damage - you need to take a stand, and stop being manipulated by the politics of fear.
posted by Blogger Unknown: October 22, 2008 at 10:13 AM Delete: 
"opposing parties are usually no more than opposing cheeks on the same butt, to put it bluntly."

I disagree with you- based on my experience.

The Democratic/Republican political parties in America are very much like the Fine Gael/Fianna Fáil parties in Ireland. They have some big differences of course (nationality of course being the first one) but they are very similar.
posted by Blogger Darren J.: October 22, 2008 at 10:22 AM Delete: 
First of all, Darren - love reading your posts - they are very insightful and interesting. In response to your latest comment, you say that:

'They have some big differences of course (nationality of course being the first one) but they are very similar.'

That's my point exactly. Parties may differ on certain points, but generally they are very similar. Ergo, the left and the right side of the same butt.

That said, even I would never put McCain/Palin on the same body as Team Obama.
posted by Blogger Unknown: October 22, 2008 at 10:39 AM Delete: 
Thanks Marie!!! If Marie-Ora your full name or your first name?

I could talk about this all night. But I'll try to keep it short.

There is a political, cultural difference between parties. Obviously there are some parties who are similar. They all have more in common with one another as, unlike the average Joe, people in the political class believe in putting their head above the parapet if (sometimes when) necessary or actively supporting their own candidates/politicians who do so.

In Ireland Fine Gael (from my experience of the party- in Dublin) are a party of the professional class who genuinely believe in social justice. Fianna Fáil have more of a mix of people including a large cowboy wing.

Some parties do their level best to make sure that all of their policies are top drawer. That's the biggest difference between some parties.
posted by Blogger Darren J.: October 22, 2008 at 10:55 AM Delete: 
Note: obviously there are no cowboys in Ireland, but you know what I mean- the type of people I am talking about.
posted by Blogger Darren J.: October 22, 2008 at 11:19 AM Delete: 
Hi Darren - Marie-Ora is my full first name. I must say I have always been fascinated with Irish politics - and I very much identify with your desire to keep the Irish language and culture alive. We have similar problems with Afrikaans, as well as several of the other 11 official languages.

I can see where you're coming from - the differences and similarities in Irish politics seem to be clearer than in many other countries, which makes it a lot easier to pick a side.

I really hope you do enter politics - politicians who put as much thought as you do into their own motives and intentions are fairly rare, and exactly what the world needs more of.
posted by Blogger Unknown: October 22, 2008 at 11:42 AM Delete: 
Yeah - I know the type of people you are talking about.
posted by Blogger Unknown: October 22, 2008 at 11:45 AM Delete: 
Thanks Marie-Ora!!! I am happy to support Fine Gael. My local FG TD (MP) Leo Varadkar is very good and the party's Enterprise, Trade and Employment spokesperson:

www.leovaradkar.ie
posted by Blogger Darren J.: October 22, 2008 at 12:16 PM Delete: 
Neale Donald Walsh made the point in his book 'Conversations with God' that 'politics is your spirituality demonstrated'. To listen to a fascinating discussion with Neale re the candidates in the current elections go to: http://www.finerminds.com/interview/neale-donald-walsch/download
posted by Blogger Kate and Lyla: October 24, 2008 at 6:49 AM Delete: 
Thanks for that I really mean it!!! I had heard of the books before. I typed Neale Donald Walsh into the internet and found his site and blog. I also read a long page of quotations from one of his Conversations With God books. I actually believe he was talking with God.
I'll read his books before I start commenting on his blog.
I am HIGHLY impressed about his politics.
Your books, Gary, and M. Scott Peck's books have changed my life. I know I have found a third American who has/will increasingly change my life.
posted by Blogger Darren J.: October 24, 2008 at 11:42 AM Delete: 
I am voting for the Barack Obama camp. Though I felt Hillary Clinton deserved the Democratic Nomination and I felt Barack Obama to be a little arrogant, I think that the choice presented to us between him and John McCain with Sarah Palin at is side is not much of a choice at all. I think all sides share in the same fear tactics in some way, but I feel that at the end of the day, the Repulican machine has churned out another candidate who will allow the free market system to corrode our economy and failed tax cut policies to continue, not to mention our poor standing in the world. What my deepest concern is if Barack Obama does get elected whether he will perform in such a manner that another presidency like that of George W. Bush's will not be allowed. Will he truly bring change where it is needed? I worry that he may not be equipped to do so.
posted by Anonymous Anonymous: October 24, 2008 at 3:50 PM Delete: 
Thanks I listened to that!!! I had heard of his books before but I never found out about him and them. I typed his name into google when you said his name and I found his site and blog. I am very impressed by him.

I think Gary you have been relegated to my second place spiritual guru. :)
posted by Blogger Darren J.: October 25, 2008 at 1:59 PM Delete: 
Darren - have to agree with you - Both Gary, and M.Scott Peck's books have had a profound influence on my life, thinking, and spirituality. Neale is also amazing. I thought he would appeal to you!

Cameron - I also thought Hillary was America's best bet, and Obama lacked experience. Is it possible that his lack of experience may be his saving grace? If years of political experienced produced Bush Snr, George W, and McCain, then maybe we need to start looking for other attributes in political leaders.
posted by Blogger Unknown: October 27, 2008 at 11:00 AM Delete: 
Hi Marie-Ora! I did see the logic of seeing his inexperience as sort of a clensing factor, but I watched lesser watched reports about some of the tactics he used getting elected to the Senate in the first place and it showed him as basically the same as the rest. I think it takes an experienced politician to enact change, someone who has tried to fight the system and who has lost. The problem I see is that most experienced politicians are not as driven as Hillary is to bring about real, possible change for the country. This is where my worry stems from - though Barack Obama wants to make real change, I think he may wake up to a cold and cruel world that makes it very hard to make real change, something that I believe Hillary Clinton realized when she tried to fix the Health Care System as First Lady. I am hopeful for Barack's tax policies and his general tendency toward liberalism, however his inexperience and his early politics make me a little worried about his possible term as president.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3Ned5TQoW4

This is a link to the CNN report on Barack Obama's early days in politics if you are not familiar. What do you think?

Aside - Hello Darren! I enjoy your enthusiastic posts as well as Marie-Ora's. Gary has been a very inspirational figure in my life as well. His words nuture me more and more each day!
posted by Anonymous Anonymous: October 27, 2008 at 4:40 PM Delete: 
Marie-Ora said...
Neale Donald Walsh made the point in his book 'Conversations with God' that 'politics is your spirituality demonstrated'.

Darren J Prior said...
I typed Neale Donald Walsh into the internet and found his site and blog.

~

Thanks Marie-Ora and Darren for mentioning Neale Donald Walsh & his blog! (and thanks Gary for publishing their mentionings!!!)

I feel blessed to have been born on the 9th of July.

Why blessed, I hear you ask??

Well...as the saying goes - "some of the best things in life are free"

And what better gift to receive for one's birthday than "some of the best things in life!"

So, what free gifts did I recieve for my birthday??

Well...Gary's blog began on July 10, 2008!!

And, as I have just discovered...Neale Donald Walsh's blog began on July 9, 2007!!...

Neale Donald Walsh's blog

Speaking of blessed...I read that "Barack" means blessed.

I hope Barack Obama is elected.

The world will be blessed if he is!!
posted by Blogger ...being here, doing this...: October 27, 2008 at 11:00 PM Delete: 
Hi Cameron - thanks for that link - I had a look at it. I suppose if it looks too good to be true, it is. I'm very sorry Hillary didn't get the nod. Is it possible to be a politician without being ruthless, and power hungry? Or is this part and parcel of politics, and something you cannot avoid if you want to be successful in that field? What do you think Cameron? And Darren? - I look forward to your comments.
posted by Blogger Unknown: October 28, 2008 at 12:48 AM Delete: 
Gary - a very timely and thought-provoking blog post! I also read the article on your website entitled Time to Vote as well.

I have found that the process of choosing a candidate from a position of love or fear gives me a different take on things. It causes me to look more deeply at my choices. I find that fear and love can coexist within me at times and it's not always easy to differentiate between the two. So as I look over the political landscape, I find a mixture of the two emotions there as well. Maybe the landscape is just a mirror reflection of what's inside of me? Perhaps if I were 100% love, that's all that I would then see in the world? In any case, that is what I am striving for. Thank you for your help.

JAM
posted by Anonymous Anonymous: October 28, 2008 at 8:22 AM Delete: 
Hi Marie-Ora, I do think it is possible to be a politician without being power hungry. Maybe it's just that power hungry people are drawn to the position. My feeling about Hillary was that she wanted power to affect change which didn't strike me as power hungry, only driven. I think the position of politician is a very difficult one these days because of systems in place and the interwoven political fabric that ties industries and government and special interests together. It is probably easy to get lost. So, I think it takes an individual of great character and hard fought experience to truly fill the role of an effective politician. Have you seen any other candidates out there like Hillary Clinton, or like what I mentioned? I open the question to anyone who might know who to look out for and possibly support.
posted by Anonymous Anonymous: October 28, 2008 at 2:17 PM Delete: 
I had a quick look at that video about Barack. I stopped watching it after they started to cover the voter registration issue. He did nothing wrong!!!

"Is it possible to be a politician without being ruthless, and power hungry? Or is this part and parcel of politics, and something you cannot avoid if you want to be successful in that field? What do you think Cameron? And Darren?"

All politicians are chancers. A lot of them are good and not ruthless though. They are all tough though. Politics is a gruelling business and our good politicians don't get the credit or appreciation they deserve.
I wish more people were involved in politics. In today's world- in Ireland anyway- a lot of people look at you like there is something wrong with you if you are interested and/or involved in politics. I think there is something wrong with you if you aren't. I think Barack Obama will bring in a new age in politics. At the time if I was American I would have voted for Hillary Clinton but now I think that Barack Obama is the man for the job. I admire Hillary Clinton hugely though.
posted by Blogger Darren J.: October 28, 2008 at 2:20 PM Delete: 
Hey Darren, I rewatched the video I linked to and I realized it had been a while since I watched it. When I had watched it originally, I was very in favor of Hillary and maybe a little scewed. However, I still feel that with Barack Obama's message of Hope, Change and "New" Politics that he would face his opponents without taking them down in miniscule technicallities - rather, with a good political campaign. At the time, it just felt odd that this politician who stood for more respectful politics was just the same as the rest. I think if he wants to stand for a new kind of politics then he should have given his opponents a fighting chance even if names were printed instead of written in cursive.
posted by Anonymous Anonymous: October 28, 2008 at 4:03 PM Delete: 
I agree Obama didn't do anything technically wrong - but it's not something I personally would do, and it just doesn't sit right with me - but then I'm not in politics, and have no desire to be.

I don't think politics a game you can survive in without having to walk on a couple of people - for those politicians who strive to be ethical it must be a constant struggle with 'does the end justify the means?'.
posted by Blogger Unknown: October 29, 2008 at 2:25 AM Delete: 
Marie-Ora said:

"...for those politicians who strive to be ethical it must be a constant struggle with 'does the end justify the means?'."

I couldn't agree more.
posted by Anonymous Anonymous: October 29, 2008 at 1:40 PM Delete: 
Gary Zukav wrote:

"Which candidate are you voting for, and why?"


~


On Nov 3, 2008 Melanie La'Brooy writes in an article in The Age newspaper (Melbourne, Australia):

"Given half a chance, I'd love to vote for Obama"

"A poll by the US Studies Centre concluded that Australian voters would elect Obama in a landslide. If we could vote. Except we can't. Because, um, you know — we're not actually American...

...Obama's vision of a better, more egalitarian America has been criticised for being idealistic but isn't that exactly what politics should strive to be?

So maybe my crush on Obama and the canvassing of Australian voters' intentions weren't so pointless after all. Perhaps the lesson that politicians the world over should take from polls showing that a majority of the world's citizens would elect Obama if we had the chance, is that it's not only Americans who long for a political leader who can inspire us with hope and infuse us with a belief in a better world. For it would seem that people all over the world, not just Americans, want to believe."





Amen




.
posted by Blogger ...being here, doing this...: November 2, 2008 at 5:23 PM Delete: 
I have just watched Obama's acceptance speech with tears in my eyes. Maybe it is just the euphoria of the moment, but I have the strongest sense that the World, not just America, has turned the corner with this election. The new Spirituality has reached critical mass, and there is no turning back.

Of course the road ahead is fraught with difficulty, but I do believe that the World is forever changed today.

Every morning I walk my dogs, and stop and chat to the security guards, the homeless on my corner, the garbage men - every single one of them had hope in their eyes, and a smile on their faces today. 'Maybe he will stop the war in Iraq, and show people fighting and war is useless', said Dalton the security guard. 'It's a new day', said the schoolboy waiting for his lift. 'I can love America now', said Baba, the homeless man who lives in the park nearby.

I don't think Americans realized how utterly disgusted the World was with them under the Bush presidency - not just a couple of liberals - people you would not think would read a newspaper voiced their contempt every time the USA came up in conversation. No-one saw America as anything other than a predatory, bigoted, elitist, racist, homophobic, warmongering bully.

Today, at least for today, the proud American Eagle has been restored to its perch of Democracy, Hope, Equality and Liberty in the World's eyes.

We live in a global village, and we are all a part of every thing that happens, good or bad, so this election is everyone's business - not just for those living in the USA. Thank-you America.
posted by Blogger Unknown: November 4, 2008 at 11:37 PM Delete: 
Well shared.
posted by Blogger Isle Dance: November 6, 2008 at 6:14 AM Delete: 
Neale Donald Walsh's post yesterday is worth reading:

http://blog.beliefnet.com/conversationswithgod/2008/11/a_political_leader_says_it_comments.html

Gary's post on saviour searching and the U.S. election would be worth reading also for a lot of people also although not necessarily everyone. I'm not pointing at anyone on this blog but you all know what I mean by saying that because the world has a U.S President- will in January- who has ideals and the power to genuinely make the world a better place does not mean we should foresake our own ideals. Indeed we should be encouraged. Indeed most of the world is encouraged now but not everyone has high ideals.
posted by Blogger Darren J.: November 7, 2008 at 6:27 AM Delete: 
Marie-Ora said...
"No-one saw America as anything other than a predatory, bigoted, elitist, racist, homophobic, warmongering bully."

~

As I read these words....I also read what was going on inside me. How was I feeling about what Marie-Ora was saying? Did I agree? And, if I agreed, was there a strong emotional reaction occuring within me?....or did I calmly discern the truth of her words and internally "nod" in agreement?

All relationship is a mirror.

How we see others reflects how we see ourselves.

If we discover a strong emotional reaction to what we see in others (or to what someone else is saying)...it is worth investigating within ourselves to see whether we are engaging in judgement.

If we find no emotional reaction...it may be that we are discerning (observing without judging).

Then again, it may be that we are not fully aware of the depth of our emotional reactions.

It may appear to us, that on the surface we are being discerning...but that discernment may be superficial, and preventing us from discovering a deeper dynamic of judgement.

My way of dealing with this possibility is to try and remain aware of my emotions (in terms of physical sensations in my body), my intentions, my thoughts and the words I am using...and to investigate the possibility that I may carry within me some of the traits I am describing in others, or read of being described in others.

In this case...I would look within myself to try and discover whether there were hidden parts of me that were "predatory, bigoted, elitist, racist, homophobic, warmongering, bullying".

If I do discover these same traits...then I work towards healing those aspects of myself which originate in fear...by cultivating their antidote.

I work to inject consciousness and will into the space between these frightened aspects of myself, and my reaction.

As I challenge the pain within...I allow myself to feel its intensity...and then use my will to choose to respond from a place of love and trust, rather than react out of fear and doubt.


The election of Barack Obama is a reflection of how Americans have chosen to respond, in a loving and trustful way, to a painful and traumatic chapter in World history.

The Worldwide joy and celebration of his election is an indicator of how the people of the World have responded in a like manner.


Our healing has begun!


.
posted by Blogger ...being here, doing this...: November 7, 2008 at 7:12 PM Delete: 
Hi ...being there, doing this...
I have an idea of where you are coming from - as a white person growing up under apartheid, I was often bewildered at the amount of hatred directed at us - I certainly do not come from a racist family, we didn't make the laws, and yet, in the world's eyes we were all culpable to some degree.
Unfortunately for the USA, scenes of tanks forcing their way into Baghdad looking for WMD that anyone with half a brain knew did not exist, the torture at Abu Ghraib prison, mounting civilian deaths, the incredible amounts of money siphoned off by Halliburton, the affront to human dignity that is Guantanamo, Enron the poster child for greed, the deliberate creation of instability in Latin-America to protect US business interests - I could go on and on. These are the images the world has seen of the USA, and they do invite harsh judgment.
That said, I do not believe at all that these events reflect the spirit of most of the American people - and where they do, I think the majority of those who support these actions are either very misinformed, or stand to benefit from the chaos in some way.
What is absolutely remarkable, is that a nation which a mere 4 years ago voted on the basis of fear, has now turned around and said 'no more', and rejected the terror propaganda which pushed them to vote for George W previously.
In Love and Light
posted by Blogger Unknown: November 17, 2008 at 4:04 PM Delete: 
Marie-Ora said...
Hi ...being there, doing this...
I have an idea of where you are coming from - as a white person growing up under apartheid, I was often bewildered at the amount of hatred directed at us - I certainly do not come from a racist family, we didn't make the laws, and yet, in the world's eyes we were all culpable to some degree.

~

Thank you Marie-Ora for sharing your thoughts.

I can FEEL the pain you are talking about here about being judged and hated unjustly. As I read your words, I felt my chest area constrict and tighten. I felt as if I were being suffocated.

It is an intensely painful experience to be wrongly judged and condemned.

It makes me think about all the times others, including myself, have been judged and misunderstood through our lives.

It also makes me think about all the times I have judged and misunderstood others...condemning them without knowing all the facts.

The truth is...we can never know all the facts, the innermost thoughts and feelings of another being.

It is a lifetime's work in itself just to discover the innermost thoughts and feelings of OUR OWN being.

When I view these painful experiences from a spiritual (soul) perspective, rather than solely from the pespective of my personality...it is possible for me to find a way of using these painful experiences to grow spiritually.

By connecting and staying with my own inner pain, and feeling its intensity...for example, each time I am judged and condemned unjustly...I enter a state of emotional awareness.

From this aware position, I can make a conscious and informed choice to respond to my pain (and to the external trigger of this pain) in a loving and trustful way.

One way of doing this would be to set the resolution and intention not to inflict this same type of pain onto them or onto any other being...regardless of how they may have treated me, or my family, or my country, or my planet, in the past.

This does not mean that people should not be held accountable for their actions. All actions have consequences...and those who make decisions based on fear must be prepared to face the consequences of their choices.

Learning to respond in love and trust, however, leads to different consequences...

It is the process by which our world will be transformed.
posted by Blogger ...being here, doing this...: November 21, 2008 at 7:59 PM Delete: 
Hi BTDT (if you will forgive the acronym) - what you said was so insightful, and so perfectly explained that there is really not much I can add. You said it all, and with great eloquence and heart.
It took me the longest time to get that if I really wanted to make the world a better place, I had to fix the hardest thing of all - ME!
My wallowing in the tragedies of the world did nothing to fix anything. When I 'got' that I had to examine my own feelings, and motives and paradigms, it was a monumental revelation. It's so much easier to point fingers, and bemoan the fate of people you don't even know, than it is to take an inward journey to overcoming your own dark side. Who was it ( I think it may have been Gandhi) who said something to the effect of 'be the change you want to see'.
In Love and Light
posted by Blogger Unknown: November 24, 2008 at 10:52 AM Delete: 
Hello Gary Zukav,
Your work reminds me (& now my family also) of life and what it is - life is a choice between 'love and trust' or 'fear and doubt'. It is easy to identify which choice that I want to make. However when it turns experiences to be overwhelming personally, amidst those feelings I am grateful that I am held as the divine is present and because you and others, work and have worked, now and before, everywhere. In my awareness I know I am grateful to what you and Linda Francis give to this world and I am grateful I participate in it. Thank you both for being like you have been. I hope I constantly try to live in the ways that you teach - harmony, co-operation, sharing and reverence for life.

Bhamini.
posted by Anonymous Anonymous: November 29, 2008 at 6:26 AM Delete: 
This comment has been removed by the author.
posted by Blogger Darren J.: December 3, 2008 at 10:06 AM Delete: 
I really have to spell check my posts!!! Sorryyyyy.....
posted by Blogger Darren J.: December 3, 2008 at 10:27 AM Delete: 
Oh don't worry about spell check - we all make typos, and I never check :)

I can well understand that there is resistance to the Unionists - I gather they were not originally Irish, but the British government used them as 'colonists' to justify their presence in Ireland. (If I'm wrong, Darren J will certainly put me right).

Personally, I very much understand anti-Unionist sentiments, and I have always been confused as to why exactly the Unionists were so desperate to be part of Britain, particularly considering I remember something about the British Govt being keen to get out of NI, but not being able to, because of them.

Your point is good - the fact is you have to get people who were, if not sworn enemies, then at the very least on the opposite ends of a belief system to stop the suspicion, and hatred, and learn that under the labels we are all very much the same, and want the same things.

Here in South Africa, Nelson Mandela played a very big role, and even people who would have sworn he had horns, a tail and a pitchfork, were moved to tears at the sight of him wearing a Springbok jersey the 1995 Rugby World Cup. Sadly most of what he worked for is unraveling.

The more we share our stories, the more we learn how similar we are.

In a way, you and I are quite opposite, Darren. I gather you are quite 'purebred' Irish. I come the 'gene ocean' - not the gene pool. People say I look 'Scandinavian', or 'Nordic', but I have colored blood, courtesy of one great grand-mother. My one grandfather was a Jew by birth, if not by practice, in Nazi Germany. My other grandfather was a Calabrian (Southern Italian aka a mafioso by birth, not by choice). Between them and my grandmothers I have Protestant, Catholic, Jewish and Muslim blood, not to mention ancestors from every part of Western Europe, with the notable exception of Britain. And when I was born, my country of birth (Namibia) did not exist as a country, only as a protectorate of South Africa, known as 'South West Africa'.

We were raised to be very aware of diverse ancestry, so much so that nationalism is a bit alien to me. As much as my heritage means I 'belong' nowhere, it also means that I see myself as 'belonging everywhere, in a world without borders or discrimination....

I've probably rambled on too long, so let me stop there!
posted by Blogger Unknown: December 4, 2008 at 10:31 AM Delete: 
Marie-Ora said...

"I come the 'gene ocean' - not the gene pool."

"I see myself as 'belonging everywhere, in a world without borders or discrimination"

~

Marie-Ora, you express that SO beautifully!

It reminds me of the attitude of my late father. I wrote this about him a while back...

"Dad was an amazing man who saw beyond the limitations of the "blood is thicker than water" attitude...to embrace a wider meaning of family.

Perhaps he had a rare insight into the real nature of our lives...as beings interconnected primarily by Spirit, not blood."



bhdt
posted by Blogger ...being here, doing this...: December 4, 2008 at 6:31 PM Delete: 
I don't disagree with you of course. If I ever have kids (and I hope that I don't) I am not going to raise them along clannish political lines.
As you say Gary our souls want harmony, cooperation, sharing and reverence for life. I have the reverence for life but given that I am so interested in politics the other three to me seem to be focused a large part of the time on my party. That said I debate online and try to be nice. But politics can be such an ugly business and I can be like an angel of death debating with some political party members/supporters online. I usually don't bother entertaining them outside of here as they zap my energy.
posted by Blogger Darren J.: December 8, 2008 at 6:17 AM Delete: 
"The consequences of love are constructive and joyful and the sooner it is cultivated, the more of them are created. This is the spiritual journey in a paragraph. The Christ reduced it to three words two millennia ago – Love your neighbor"

~

Just thought I'd share a lovely intuitive experience I had today that led me to discovering yet another way to "Love My Neighbor"

It came about as a result of my interractions on both this blog and Neale Donald Walsch's blog

The following comment was posted in the comments section of this post in Neale's blog. It describes this intuitive experience!...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Neale wrote: "I have always been fascinated by physic abilities -- my own, and others'. How about you? Have you ever had any astonishing (or just plain incredibly useful) experiences with a physic? Or with your own psychic abilities and your own intuitions? I'd really love to hear about them."

~

Well...this intuitive experience may be a day or so late for this post!...but it is SO interesting, I just felt I had to share it with you!!

This morning, I made a post in another forum about being awake and aware. Today, as I walked into my local library, I noticed a book on the display shelf. The title caught my eye immediately! The book was called "Awakening the Awareness Within"

I opened the book, and the first thing I saw was a quote from Gary Zukav about delighting in dependency upon the Universe. I then turned to the back page and saw "Conversations With God" listed under the Further Reading section.

On my next flick of the page, the following words leapt out at me..." 'Being' is all about living completely in the moment"...which is what I was referring to in my comments here yesterday (on "the day after tomorrow's" blog!)

And finally....I flicked to a page and read the heading "BEING OPEN TO SYNCHRONICITY"!

The back cover also had a quote from Rachael Kennedy from the "Conversations with God" Foundation.

So I did a little googling...letting my intuition guide me (by paying attention to my inner emotional landscape)...until I was satisfied that I'd found what I was being led to look for!!

It was a reference on the "Conversations with God" website that led to a website for the World Food Programme

As a result of following my intuition, I now have the opportunity to make a donation to this programme, as well as to mention it on other forums to help further raise awareness.

And as Gary's name came up, I also plan to post this comment in the comments section of Gary's blog post in which he quotes the words that sum up the heart of our spiritual journey..."Love Your Neighbor".

Being involved in the "The World Food Programme" is a GREAT way to "Love Our Neighbors" right across the globe!

bhdt
posted by Blogger ...being here, doing this...: December 9, 2008 at 9:38 PM Delete: 

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Authentic power is the experience of fulfillment, gratitude, and meaning. It is the alignment of your personality with your soul – with harmony, cooperation, sharing, and reverence for Life. Creating authentic power is the evolutionary requirement of a new, emerging multisensory humanity – a species that is not confined to the perceptions of the five senses. We are becoming a highly intuitive, heart-centered species, and our previous understanding of power as the ability to manipulate and control now produces only violence and destruction.

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