| Dear Friends,
As we watch the start of another unnecessary war, this time in Iran, it is worth questioning: Why does it seem that we live in a state of almost constant war? The American people overwhelmingly do not want another war, but this administration has other ideas.
Spiritual teachers and peace activists repeatedly remind us that hate begets hate, and violence begets violence. Jesus taught us that whatever we do to our brother, we do to ourselves. So why do our leaders keep sending our sons and daughters off to be injured, killed, or traumatized?
Two words: Separation and Duality.
The majority of humanity’s consciousness is still at a very immature phase of development, where many have lost connection with their Real Self and their Divine Essence, and instead are deeply immersed in the belief in separation and dualistic consciousness.
What is dualistic consciousness? It is a mindset that sees everything in a very rigid, black and white kind of way. Things are either all good or all evil, all right or all wrong, only masculine or only feminine, and we are either winners or losers. When we can only see these two polarities, we miss critical opportunities to see beyond either/or. We often don’t even consider there might be a both/and solution to any problem — one where everyone is a winner, everyone is good, each party holds at least a piece of the truth, and where what is right for you can only be so if it is also right for me. When we can’t see these possibilities, tension and conflict increases and war becomes inevitable.
As we are immersed in our collective dark night of the soul, it’s important to remember that the challenges we face are an opportunity for our species to evolve towards a more mature and compassionate consciousness – to grow from duality to unity.
- What comes up for you to hear that we are all interconnected and interdependent? Do you even believe it?
- In what areas of your life do you live by this belief?
- In what areas of your life do you act from separation – a sense that we are not only a separate, isolated being in a separate body, but that certain circumstances make some people better than others? That might be their economic situation, their level of education, the color of their skin, their gender or sexuality, their political affiliation, their nationality, or any other aspect that differs from you.
When governments and politicians try to seduce you into hating and “othering” any group of people, they are encouraging you to stay stuck in dualistic consciousness, because then it is much easier for them to implement policies that cement their power, control the masses, and benefit their pocketbooks at the expense of others. You might temporarily feel a kind of relief and negative pleasure at NOT being one of “those” people, and you might feel a sense of self-righteousness as you blame or look down on “those” people for all of the ways you don’t feel enough. But here’s the thing: that is a very temporary, fleeting emotion and it does nothing to solve the real problems that have been created by this indulgence in the illusion of separation.
When we open to the truth that we are all created by the same Divine Mystery, and our task is to serve love in all its forms, whether that be human, animal, plant or mineral, then we will not have the desire to hurt, kill, humiliate or oppress another. We will not justify that kind of behavior by claiming they deserve it or that it’s necessary for our safety. We will not tolerate our government officials taking those positions either.
When we open to unitive consciousness, nothing but Love makes any sense.
This is not a “there are good people on both sides” kind of statement. It is not a call to compromise in a way that satisfies neither party. It is not suggesting that we should be weak and submissive and let others trample all over our wellbeing. It is an invitation to go beyond the good and bad of duality, to discover a different kind of good that includes and transcends all polarities. It requires that we sacrifice our small ego-desires, our defenses, and our misconceptions, and have the humility to open to a greater truth and a greater reality. That sounds like quite a sacrifice, but when we are willing to let go, we find that it is really not a sacrifice at all. It is a doorway to true security, love, fulfillment, peace, and connection.
We will rarely move from duality to unity at once and in all areas of our life. It is a process, and one that is supported by following a spiritual path that includes shadow work and inquiry into the beliefs we hold, consciously and unconsciously.
The Pathwork offers powerful tools to support those who feel called to this invitation to achieve peace and unity through the evolution of consciousness, an evolution that we each bear responsibility for. Sacred Activism, a term coined by Andrew Harvey, is a method by which we aim to evolve our consciousness in service of all life on the planet.
Together these two teachings offer us profound wisdom and guidance to support our evolution.
Cibele Salviatto and I are offering a series on Sacred Activism, and we bring in teachings from the Pathwork and other modalities that offer wisdom for this journey. Each module stands alone, and they also build on one another. We have had two sessions now, and our next online module is March 30th from 6:30pm-8:30pm Eastern Time.
In this month’s session, entitled “Sacred Activism – Beyond the Divide: Finding Unity in a Polarized World,” we will dive into the illusion of separation to discover how we can anchor ourselves in unity consciousness, even in the face of conflict. We will explore how to hold our own center while bridging the gap between “us” and “them.” Together, we will practice moving from judgment to curiosity, finding the strength to stand in the middle and weave a new fabric of connection.
The world urgently needs more Sacred Activists who can light the way for others as we collectively encourage the evolution of consciousness that can offer a roadmap to live in harmony on our beloved planet. Join us on March 30th as we explore this transition from separation and duality to unity!
Learn more and register here.
This series continues to be a gift-economy offering. You are welcome to choose a fee that reflects the value that you receive and respects your financial budget—if that amount is zero, please know you are fully welcome. |
