Revolution of the Mind

There is much unrest in the world. People die from unnecessary hunger. Disease is rampant and getting worse because of chemical poisoning and unhealthy food production practices. Governments and corporations fight for power and money, using the little people as unsuspecting pawns in their games of war. The vast majority of the people in this world believe the lies told by the power brokers. Slowly, we are being destroyed by our own apathy.

Often we look to politics to save us. As the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, the ideas of socialism have gained more of a foothold in a world still dominated by capitalism. The thing is, neither socialism nor capitalism is any good without integrity, and integrity is the missing element in the world today. Capitalism is not working because a few people have gained too much money (and consequently too much power). They buy off politicians and the media in order to retain that power. Socialism/communism has never worked because inevitably those who spout off ideas about doing things "for the good of all" end up taking all the power for themselves. Integrity is the missing link!

The change the world needs today does not involve fighting or struggling for survival! It involves a different mindset--a change in the way we think about ourselves and the world. The only thing fighting results in is destruction, limited resources and more fighting. (If this is not obvious to you, watch the news!) Time to wake up to the fact it is only by working together with our fellow human beings that we will survive as a planet!

The challenge becomes how to see past the lies that have been promoted by those in power and change our way of doing things. This is not an easy task but it can be done! The key question to ask yourself is, "Is there a winner and a loser in this scenario?" If any part of the answer is, "Yes!" the solution is flawed. Winning and losing is based on fighting and struggle. (Consider this: our whole political system is based on winning and losing--this is the reason our country's problems have not been solved! And you think the Democrats or the Republicans or the Tea Partiers or the Unions or the Corporations are going to "save" you?)

We need to be a people who base our actions on the win-win! It begins by believing the solutions are out there. Then we have to ask ourselves, "How can we make this a win-win for everyone?" It is only through asking the right questions that we come up with workable solutions.

The win-win needs to be the mindset of everything we do! Whenever there is a situation where we can help lift another up, this is what we should be about! We need to teach our children this principle! We need to teach it to our neighbors through example--through love! Basically, it involves changing our whole mindset from an adversarial one to a united one.

This is the revolution of the mind--no fighting or violence required. The key is to make peace inside yourself first. Then allow love to find a way.

Namaste, my friends!

Ready For the Paradigm Shift?

In Stephen R. Covey's book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, he writes extensively about the concept of paradigm shifts. A paradigm is a roadmap of sorts--its a personal perception of how the world works. Often our life paradigms hold great power over us as we observe the world around us and make judgments about it based on those beliefs. There are many occasions where we believe we have a solid understanding about what is going on. Then something happens to make us see the situation in a whole new light, often upsetting the apple cart in the process.

Covey's book gives a wonderful illustration of a paradigm shift, which I read more than twenty years ago and still remember to this day. It begins on page 30:

     I remember a mini-paradigm shift I experienced one Sunday morning on a subway in New York. People were sitting quietly.....some reading newspapers, some lost in thought, some resting with their eyes closed. It was a calm, peaceful scene.
     Then suddenly, a man and his children entered trhe subway car. The children were so loud and rambunctious that instantly the whole climate changed.
     The man sat down next to me and closed his eyes, apparently oblivious to the situation. The children were yelling back and forth, throwing things, even grabbing people's papers. It was very disturbing. And yet, the man sitting next to me did nothing.
     It was difficult not to feel irritated. I could not believe that he could be so insensitive as to let his children run wild like that and do nothing about it, taking no responsibility at all. It was easy to see that everyone else on the subway felt irritated, too. So finally, with what I felt was unusual patience and restraint, I turned to him and said, "Sir, your children are really disturbing a lot of people. I wonder if you couldn't control them a little more?"
     The man lifted his gaze as if to come to a consciouness of the situation for the first time and said softly, "Oh, you're right. I guess I should do something about it. We just came from the hospital where their mother died about an hour ago. I don't know what to think, and I guess they don't know how to handle it either."
     Can you imagine what I felt at that moment? My paradigm shifted. Suddenly, I saw things differently, and because I saw differently, I thought differently, I felt differently, I behaved differently. My irritation vanished. I didn't have to worry about controlling my attitude or my behavior; my heart was filled with the man's pain. Feelings of sympathy and compassion flowed freely. "Your wife just died? Oh, I am so sorry! Can you tell me about it? What can I do to help?" Everything changed in that instant.

We all experience similar paradigm shifts every day which change our whole outlook on life. Still, we operate under the illusion that we have all the answers and judge what we encounter accordingly. Time to snap out of it, People!

We don't have all the answers. If we did, the world would not be such a screwed up place! It is this all-knowing attitude--the attitude of the ego--that keeps us at odds with one another! We operate in a world of separation, but separation is not the goal. As matter of fact, if we continue this stance of fighting and choosing sides society will continue to degenerate! Judgment only brings more judgment. Fighting only brings more fighting. Violence only brings more violence.

It's time to shift the paradigm--time to understand this world concept of separation is leading us to our own demise! It is only through acceptance we can balance out the judgment. It is only through peace we can balance out the violence. It is only through love we can balance out the hate. It's time to replace the old way of thinking with the new! Are you ready for the paradigm shift?