Healing Ourselves and the World
Younger generations are inheriting the possibilities as well as all the great dangers that we face in this new century.
We live in a world that is changing rapidly, teetering on the brink of either radical transformation for good or potentially deepening and devastating challenges. Many of us in the western world grew up with a strong sense that our world is in danger of nuclear war, ecological destruction and the challenges of poverty, racism, classism, sexism, violence, a growing gap between the rich and the poor, homophobia and hatred (to name just a few!) But thankfully, many of us also grew up with an often softly stated but important message that we must learn to love, respect and honor each other more deeply, regardless of our differences. We learned about basic psychological health. We learned about diverse cultures, different races and ways of living. We also grew up with a media, and now a 'world wide web' and social media that keeps us more connected to the activities of the world than at any other time in the evolution of this planet, regardless of how skewed the information we receive so often is.
With historically unprecedented technological and scientific advances, younger generations have lived through a massive and rapid shift in the way humans live on Earth-in some ways for the better, in some ways for the worse. All the while, we still deeply struggle with the seemingly more simple intricacies of living; learning how to cultivate lives that are rich and fulfilling at the deepest psychological and spiritual levels. We also struggle with how to live more sustainably and peacefully in our relationships, in our families, in our communities and as a world.
Many of us express feelings that something 'big' is in the air at this time on the planet, and are hopeful that we are on the brink of an exciting and meaningful future both individually and collectively. Most of us know it is up to us whether or not we live the kind of lives that will dismantle negative or destructive patterns from past generations, as well as from our own. This is both a collective and personal endeavor. The possibilities are limitless if we can move through the many challenges we face.
The transformation of the world must start from within our own hearts and minds. I've learned that the only way to discover the greatest possibility of what my life can be and how I can be of service to the world, is to open up my heart and mind to explore the deeper questions that confront my own soul. Deal with the things that I most need to work on inside myself: What are my highest dreams for myself? What do I feel called to do more than anything else on the planet? Where am I stuck? Why am I stuck? When am I lonely? Why am I lonely? How can I find more meaningful connections and relationships with others? What is holding me back from living the good life, from doing all the things I feel I could be doing? Asking questions such as these, exploring their unique meaning to my life, discovering the answers that they bring-the whole process of doing all this has and continues to change my life and makes me a more powerful instrument for healing on the planet.
We cannot separate what happens to us as individuals and that which happens in our culture and to our planet. To have health in one requires a level of health in both.
We can all learn now-as adults emerging into this new millennium-to embrace and co-create a more bold and exciting future. We can change the course of history, away from all thought systems that breed war, poverty, disconnection and hatred; instead cultivating in our lives and in the world, the ways of living and being that can create true peace on earth and especially in our own lives. We can learn to challenge all that would keep us from the magic of what life can be. We can raise our voices for better lives for ourselves and for a better world, being brave as we co-create our future together.
How did we get on this path in our culture and as young adults, what impact does it have on our day-to-day life?
Emerging into adulthood is a complicated and often difficult transition for many of us. We live in a society that seemingly promotes everything but what brings real happiness and fulfillment. The culture at large is still selling us on its version of what a truly meaningful life could be, which is far too heavily influenced by materialistic values, not wholistic, soul enriching ones. Therefore, many of us still lack the psychological and spiritual tools necessary to get through this time of emerging into adulthood with any kind of grace. Some of us are lonely and scared and have no idea how to get ourselves out of the pain and negative life cycles we are in. Some of us are content with our lives, have friends and supportive families, but are still confused about our place in the world, what it is we are supposed to be doing with our lives. Some of us have found important keys to living a highly fulfilling and richly meaning-filled life. And still, some of us are all over the map on any given day!
No matter where each of us stands in life, we were or still are barraged with what our lovely 'pop' culture thinks it means to become an adult and to be a full participant in society; go to school, learn the skills to get a 'good' job that will pay a lot of money so you can spend the rest of your life working way too many hours in a career you will most likely hate. In far too many cases, this has nothing to do with the betterment of life on the planet or the enrichment of our souls. But hey, at least you'll have all the stuff that comes with it: that five bedroom house with a pool, 3 cars, 2.5 kids, and lot's of fun toys... (if you're one of the 'lucky' few that actually end up with all this luxury that is!)
A powerful underlying theme that exists in western culture is that materialism and unbridled personal gain are close to being 'godly,' and if we want to find our path to salvation, we'd better get with the program! Who has time for deep and authentic communication and connection with one another when we could be shopping or watching TV?!?
If you were able to sit down with most people to have a deep conversation, asking them what is important in the world and in life, they would probably say that it is very important to live in harmony with one another, to take care of one another, to love one another. But sadly, our culture as a whole seems to have little concept of how to make that work, and many of the things we do individually and collectively only divide us further. Most people, while they want peace and brotherhood, think it is just a pipe dream that could never actually be a reality because they haven't experienced it in a consistent way throughout their lives. The voices of cultural insanity that are so pervasive in our world seem to be so deeply rooted that it's hard to let what seems spiritually logical grab hold and fully work in our lives.
In one way or another, all of us are affected by this dynamic. Even for those of us experiencing work that has value and meaning, we still have to find the ways to balance the intimate and deeply meaningful in our personal lives. It can be easy to get into the trap of avoiding the personal work by immersing ourselves too fully in our worldly work.
Many of us moving into adulthood are so used to others being in charge of our life, it is sometimes hard to remember that we ultimately hold the power in our life now. The question we could all explore more deeply together is, "What are we going to do with it?" We have a chance to live lives that make us deeply happy and fulfilled. We have a chance to help make this planet one in which all people live in sustainable spiritual, emotional and material abundance. We have a chance to be bold and radical in what we want to co-create together. We can't do it alone, we have to imagine and work together, in community.
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