“A human being is part of a whole that we call the Universe - a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest: a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness.
This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circles of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.”
--- Albert Einstein (Times Magazine's Man of the 20th Century. American Nobel Prize Laureate for Physics in 1921. 1879-1955)
Six more years until 2012, the year heralded as the major pivotal point for humanity - and gateway to a new world: a new world in consciousness, that is.
We are on the precipice of major global change.
Its been brewing for a long while as most of you know. And as the momentum for change gains speed, its not entirely clear how it will all turn out or even how it looks while its already manifesting right under our noses.
Yep ... big change is afoot ... and the worldwide awakening we've hoped for is already in process. That's the old news. However, it just doesn't look the way that many of us thought it would!
For years we've heard the buzz words that have become synonymous with global awakening: ascension, the shift, global transformation, the great awakening, new world consciousness, quantum leap, etc.
But have you noticed that its already happening? Many of us have overlooked the very events that are directly instigating global awakening because they don't always come with good feelings or fanfare. Some folks have a certain image or idea as to how transformation should look and disregard the potent signs. They often don't even notice transformation when its sneaking up on them.
Changes that bring about a miraculous healing and spiritual awakening often come as the result of pain, confusion and loss. And you just never know when a calamity or disaster will be followed by an amazing transformation and quantum leap in awakening.
A Russian Epiphany
Recently, I spoke with two young and very talented men from Russia who were on a brief visit to the United States. Their enthusiasm for the American culture was delightful and contagious: it helped to remind me that in spite of increasing corruption and other troubles surfacing here and in spite of some pretty outrageous emphasis on extravagance and materialism, America is still a pretty wonderful place to live.
I had read articles about the conditions in Russia after the collapse of communism; but here I had two Russians all to myself for a little while who gave me a firsthand report of how things are over there.
So, what was it like for Russians to go through such colossal change?
It was one of those events that stunned the world ... much like the dismantling of the Berlin Wall: no one believed that it would happen in our lifetime. Most of us were taught and conditioned to view Russia as the eternal, pervasive evil enemy of the world and that they would always be under communist rule.
Who would have thought that such a huge shift could have taken place for them? And who would have ever thought that the confusion, tyranny and conflict leading up to their liberation was directly responsible?
On a certain level, liberation for Russia was like a great shift, a great awakening, a transformation, a quantum leap in consciousness. To suddenly have greater freedom must have seemed like the greatest event of all time - as those in freer societies may have assumed.
But was this sudden freedom unequivocally embraced by every Russian?
Not at all ... because even though freedom was longed for by many Russians and greatly welcomed when it finally came, it forced a lot of citizens into difficult situations through no fault of their own only because they had been accustomed to the old regime for most of their life and knew no other way.
To put it simply - and according to these two young Russian men - under the old regime of communism, unemployment did not exist because everyone had a job. There was no homelessness because everyone had a place to live. Everyone had enough clothing, food, medical care, etc. It was all provided for by their government of which the people "paid into" through their jobs. As a consequence, Russian citizens had a very secure life - within limits - and could get by on very little money.
However . . .
Even though, nearly every necessity crucial to sustaining an average life in Russia was provided, there was little or no encouragement nor incentive for individualism, independence or creative commerce. Nor was there incentive to improve or enhance one's lifestyle. Everyone was pretty much the same or expected to be. No one could own property. People were sent to prison easily just for speaking out against their government. Paradoxically, Russian citizens were already imprisoned within their own borders.
And if one had a special talent, skill, invention or discovery, it became "owned" by the government.
Of course, you already know all this if you have studied anything about Russia or communism.
So where am I going with all this?
I'm using the collapse of communism as an example of how greater freedom can actually scare some people into resisting a better way of life only because of the tremendous change it brings! This is why global awakening hasn't happened any faster than it has: the majority of folks are still holding onto the old ways of thinking and behaving because it has given them a sense of security - albeit a false and restrictive one.
A lot of folks may claim they want a better life free from war, free from struggle, free from illness, free from limitations ... but few are willing to make the changes within themselves to achieve it.
"Yeah ... sure ... bring on the awakening of humankind. I'm all for it - as long as I can keep drinking beer and wine as much as I want; eat anything I want; buy a new car whenever I want; watch as much tv as I want; buy new clothes whenever I want; spend as much money as I want; keep all my habits and routines just the way they are ... and I don't have to change (!)"
Well ... you get the picture.
The Cost of Freedom
Liberation has cost the Russians their security and familiar way of life and many have suffered for it. No longer are standard services, housing and medical care provided for free. Along with greater freedom has come a higher standard of living; but the cost of living has dramatically risen while wages have not. There is unemployment now which did not exist before.
Liberation has made it extra tough on the elderly who can no longer sustain themselves on their meager pensions. This has put a greater burden on their adult children who are struggling as it is. The average Russian struggles far more now since greater freedom has been achieved.
Many of the common icons and mega-corporations of western civilization have moved in, too, since the collapse of communism: like McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken, upscale department stores, etc. - which is not a benefit to the Russians as far as I'm concerned. But hey ... its new to them! And for a lot of those folks - especially for the young people - its like being cut lose in Disneyland for the first time.
There are now movies for Russians, too. Before, they had no movie theaters. Adventure thrillers and horror movies are big favorites over there!
Much to be grateful for
These two young Russian men emphasized that they love their new freedoms even though they are aware of how hard it has been on those that were more accustomed to the old regime. In the long run, it has been well worth the difficulty in going through such colossal change.
And the Russians are very patient people due to all they have endured: an anathema to us Americans who are not known for our patience. In being born and raised in the Land of Plenty and the Got-to-have-it-now-pay-for-it-later mentality most Americans could use a major shot of patience.
We often don't realize how fortunate we are because most of us have always had what many in other countries never had or are only just now beginning to have.
Even a significant portion of the poor and low income families in the United States have it better in many ways than the average citizen of many countries!
Although liberation, freedom and awakening is crucial for all of us and is truly emerging in greater degrees even as you read these words, we are likely unaware that the challenging events that loom large in our world today - which appear in every way to be the antithesis of ascension, transformation and the quantum leap in consciousness - are actually the very events that are forcing the birth of a new and better world.
Like the Russians, there will be some among us who will experience the transformation as difficult because it will take away much of what was once familiar along with a sense of safety and security: old beliefs, old habits, old institutional systems.
Five hundred years from now when global citizens look back on our culture, will they describe America in a similar manner to which we once described Russia under communist rule? In other words ... although America is considered the most free of all societies on earth at this time, we are still not as free as we think we are - and not as free as we will be in the future. But that's a topic for another newsletter!
When enlightenment strikes and brings far-reaching change to the world, there will be some who will find it difficult and may lament that the old times were best. But that wouldn't be true in the larger sense.
Those who have a greater inclination to grow, to awaken and embrace the endless possibilities are the ones who will successfully ride the tumultuous wave of transformation and thrive to help bring forth a new world.
If you could transport yourself into the future by 200 plus years ... you would scarcely believe that you are still on planet earth. You would be amazed and enthralled. After that, you would not be discouraged by these currently trying times which seem so dark. But as the old cliche goes, "It is always darkest before the dawn".
Peace, prosperity and good health to you - plus amazing new tricks in 2006!
(The usual features - HUMOR BREAK, FUNNY PHOTOS and other
FUN STUFF - are further below)
READER'S COMMENTS ....
"Paula my dear:
A [donation] goes out in Tuesday's mail. Just a very small expression of my gratitude for your presence on this planet at this time.
It is only when the veil is totally lifted (or dissolved) that you will see and appreciate what significant influence you brought to bear during these end-days.
It is not the number of readers (as mass consciousness tends to believe) ..nor frequency of publication...
it is the unseen link, vibrant and loving which you send out and which resonates beyond sight...which matters.
*A big THANK YOU to Tim Wiley for sending this in!
Snow Ball Fight!
Now that Christmas and the Holiday Hoopla is fading into the past, this just might be the thing to work out any remaining tension or frustration from the Holiday Season.
AUTOPILOT: An unidentified man in Paw Paw, Mich., got his car stuck in
the mud near Leroy Township.
No need to wait for a tow truck: "After
several attempts to free the car," said a spokesman for the Calhoun
County sheriff, "the man placed his toolbox on the vehicle accelerator,
exited the vehicle and attempted to push the vehicle free. The man was
successful."
Success, of course, is relative: he got his Mercury full-
sized sedan clear from the mud, but then had to run behind it to try to
catch it. No luck: the car reached an estimated 100 mph, sometimes
going airborne after hitting bumps, until it smashed into a tree a
half-mile from the mud pit.
Deputies decided not to give any citations
to the man, who was not injured. (Battle Creek Enquirer) ...Not
counting his pride.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Once there was a little boy that lived in the country.
They had to use an outhouse, and the little boy hated it. It
was hot in the summer, cold in the winter and stank all the time. The
outhouse stood on the edge of a creek and the boy was determined that
one day he would push that outhouse into the water.
One day after a spring rain, the creek swelled to the max so the little boy
decided it was the perfect time to push the outhouse into the creek. So he
took a long, thick stick and with it gave the outhouse one mighty shove and it toppled
into the creek and floated away.
That night at the dinner table his dad announced that they were going to the woodshed after
supper. Knowing that meant a spanking, the little boy asked why.
The dad replied, "Someone pushed the outhouse into the creek today.
It was you, wasn't it, son?"
The boy answered yes.
Then he thought a moment and said, "Dad, I
read in school today that George Washington chopped down a cherry tree
and didn't get into trouble because he told his father the truth."
The dad replied, "Well, son, George Washington's father wasn't in
the cherry tree."
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Funny photos
Its a brand New Year!
We've learned from all our old mistakes so we can go out and make new ones! Yipeeeeee ... grab some friends, dance and celebrate!
Now THIS is real wind-surfing . . .
NAW ... IMPOSSIBLE! If this really happened, Rush would be a much more enlightened dude !
A new sales strategy for selling shiny items quickly . . .
