Spiritual transformation of the self, is the only attempt, presently, one can make towards happiness and peace within the present self called I, or Me. Only this transformation of this I-ness can make this Me-ness, experience Happi-ness.
This is the way I see it, as I (being understood in a conventional paradigm of metaphysics, “personhood” existing in modern space/time/cultural reality) understand this situation. You “the reader, audience, otherness, one or more wavicles” (reference to quantum physical realm, of the collective consciousness/unconsciousness) may see it otherwise and your perception, opinion, interpretation, feeing; is your reality.
Attempts at “outer transformation” are dangerous missions, that I’ve come to believe are not worth the risks to good people. Fears inside potential activists, fomenters of change, motivated do-gooders, true believers in peace, are merited fears. To not recognize that challenging powers that be is a huge risk, is a gross underestimation of the long tail in human unkind-ness that will squelch real threats to status quo/special interests entrenched.
If the God above, around us and within us, however it may manifest itself, through Christ’s return, a Buddhic awakening, a harmonic convergence, a unity of one human race; if this God, a true omniscient, omnipresent force wants to transform global humanity to peaceful harmony, it alone could be the only modus operandi to accomplish such an epic, global, visionary, presence. Human weakness, the lesser qualities of human nature and behavior, preclude the overcoming of such a formidable stone wall erected to stop human social evolution to a peaceful and harmonious sphere.
My greatest hope, and that of countless historic sages, priests, great Christians, noble Buddhists, shamans, mystics, humanists, healers, humanitarians, self-less beings, and other seekers of truth and love: is that the human species will evolve to a peaceful place of harmony and mutual respect and appreciation. Perhaps one day weaponry can be dismantled, distrust can become dissolved and a spiritual blossoming of humanity’s greatest potential may emerge. Is a lasting peace possible? Must a real or proverbial Armageddon occur before this could happen? It is a great hope, one doubted in my own mind and in the minds of many thinkers, social critics, curmudgeons and realists alike. Hope is all that’s left, and it’s damn hard to even be very hopeful. When I saw the Rev. Jesse Jackson speak in front of the US Capital when I was in college, his mantra was “keep hope alive”.
The present realities of factionalism, conflict, aggression, selfishness, greed and environmental degradation do not point in the direction of such a harmony coalescing. Religious friction abounds, economic competition for resources, cultural clashes between the West and Islam, specters of further nuclear proliferation, fear of bioterror and other insidious maladies of modern creation. The best minds have brought us wonderful technologies allowing life to be more efficient and comfortable yet have provided unprecedented destructive capabalilities. If only we could trust all the leaders of state in all countries. But we are aware of the dark side of possible horrific acts rooted in hatred. I am saddened by such things and truly hope a higher power is in charge and overseeing the peaceful evolution of humanity.
Why must God, the cosmic consciousness, energy-being, prime mover, allow the world to suffer, why must humanity suffer as it has and does? Is this some sort of cruel trick or random evolution/de-evolution? Fear of an existential absurd reality, of a lonely and isolated planet theory, do not calm the mind and offer hope to the heart.
The reality is that it is not possible at this point in human evolution/technology to transform humankind, society, civilization, or our collective consciousness/unconsciousness. Humanity is deeply rooted in sectarianism, separations both real and perpetuated, (religion, ethnicity, age, looks, social status, class, socioeconomic status, gender, and the myriad other differences that I do not have the time to list).
Brave souls like Jesus, Gandhi, MLK, The Buddha and others; who have attempted transformation of humanity; have been destroyed after pursuing their failed quests. Entering the political realm with dreams of social/political transformation is not the way to Win Friends and Influence People. It is surely a way of eliciting a response from threatened interest groups or persons. Likely a violent retribution for such transgression will result. There may be a reactionary desire of some powerful elites to attack and destroy such a person or movement.
Is this the never ending sad, repeated story of humankind, human unkind? So many, at least superficially, and many quite earnestly in belief, profess to be Christ like, yet the moment an historic figure translates such ideas into social/political reality, it is met with disgust, repression and destruction. The almighty dollar or status quo of some groups or person may be challenged.
Just try going around with an open mind about people, do not make assumptions, do not assume, suspend judgment, you may do so but you may quickly find you are the object of judgment. Living with an open mind is against the grain, so much and so many are of a conformist bent. Narrow (even fully closed) minds abound. Thinking for oneself is hard work, unsettling at times; it is not a security blanket for a docile follower who has relinquished control of their own mind to the prepackaged religious or otherwise static explanations of reality and the question of why we are here on Earth. Questioning is frowned upon.
However, without change, new inventions, new technologies, new ideas, we would still be lighting fires with sticks in caves thinking the world was flat. Bringing truth out seems to be such a radical idea, it has always been. People who try to change just about anything are met with resistance, are sometimes ridiculed and opposed. But as a great quote says, the truth is later accepted after it has been opposed and ridiculed, as being self-evident.
I reiterate, if the supreme being, God, the prime mover wants humanity to reach truth, justice, peace, or whatever advanced evolutionary state it conceives to be of worthy confluence, only it may bring this change about. I do not have faith in the power of man, or woman, individually or collectively to bring about such a transformation. Humans are, rather unfortunately: aggressive, selfish, conflict-prone, territorial, egotistical, greedy, sneaky, manipulative, sometimes destructive, short-sighted, fearful, emotionally and psychologically sickened and spiritually disinterested as a whole. The material world drives the mass consumption mentality.
Why should people worry or live as if concerned about future generations of humans when they are so caught up in the present indulgences of their desires; of material goods, status, pleasure and ego-gratification? We are fully operating on our planet as if future beings do not matter and that everything here is to be used up now for our pleasure and entertainment. Several previous advanced civilizations surely believed in “treading lightly on the Earth”. For both humanitarian and spiritually higher purposes.
Yet hope remains. As it has been said repeatedly, hope does spring eternal. In Viktor Frankl’s (Existential psychologist, writer, holocaust survivor, “Man’s Search for Meaning”) darkest moments imprisoned by the German Nazi’s, he found hope in the tiniest of objects and moments. These small things provided big meaning.
The definition of the verb hope (Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 10th edition, 2000) is 1. To cherish a desire with anticipation 2. To expect with confidence: trust. The noun is defined: 1. Expectation of fulfillment or success. Hopeful is an adjective defined as 1. Having qualities which inspire hope. 2. Full of hope: inclined to hope. I only hope, (no pun intended) that whichever God/prime mover/omniscient, benevolent being, creator, you or I may believe in, that this God has given humankind hope for a reason. (Ironically I am hopeful because of the very existence of hope in people, for it hopefully serves a meaningful purpose in our human evolution/spiritual development.)
Perhaps hope is a spiritual/psychological or socially learned survival tool given to us by God to prepare us for great things to come; both in our personal lives and in the greater world. Hope that brings depth, meaning, love and peace to our internal hearts. A possible unfolding of the global, human drama and its potential culmination in a grand realization of real love, peace, collaboration, sustainability, harmony and recognition of our common humanity. Love for all, peace for all.
I explore these ideas, reflect on the realities of my life and the world around me and I make a conscious choice to love my fellow human beings regardless of any projected separating characteristics. I choose to love, to help, to be of service to my fellow sentient beings. I can only control my own thoughts and actions. I may influence others but have no control nor do I want control.
I can choose to be compassionate. To forgive those who have trespassed against me and to hope that I am forgiven by those I have harmed in the past. I want to have peace and love in my heart. I choose to have love, compassion and peace in my heart and by doing so I may be able to transform the Me-ness, I-ness of this one life into a more peaceful, loving, joyous experience. In doing so, in a small way, I can add positive energy to this world, paying it forward to others.
I have hope in myself, despite my fears and questions. I choose to have hope in humanity. I have hope that God; the one force above all that all world religions reach towards, that all individuals pray to for guidance and ask for help, I have hope that this God will reveal him/herself/it one day and that great love, truth, compassion, peace and true joy will manifest in all human hearts.
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