Outside, it is snowing in April. Inside, a Fire is warming our unexpectedly cold home and bodies. I am struck at once by these weather patterns playing out. From 80 degrees one day, to 30 degrees the next. This pattern has been on repeat through Spring. The extremes being amplified, played out. Where is the balance of Spring? The transitional Season? The wisdom of that middle ground between Winter and Summer? It seems to be missing. Seriously.
As always, Mother Nature reflects for me larger patterns playing out elsewhere. In this case, living in the DC area, I look to the current political campaigns. The divisions both within our primary 2 parties and between the 2 parties more pronounced than ever. The “extremes” being played out. In many directions. The overall sentiment fueling these oppositions feels legitimate: the need for change. It’s whats driving everyones passion and conversations these days. Every single one of us.
Heres what seems lost to me:
that we all want the same thing. Yes, ALL of us.
that to work together for change means to move forward with sensitivity, awareness and integration … ok I will say it: LOVE…so that no one feels left out. That really means NO one.
that those rightfully looking for ‘revolution’, have missed the most important way to catalyze change…… by shifting the language and way we talk about politics in the first place.
in a nutshell: Unity. Unity is missing. Unity is missing in these United States. How ironic. And Forgiveness. And Mercy. And Compassion too.
Nothing will ever ever ever shift for real without these components. No matter how hard you/we push, there will be a counter push: a backlash. If not right away, eventually. And then we will be at it again, pushing from another direction. This is “Energy 101.”
I ask myself daily: is it possible for us to really change how we talk about or conceptualize these larger issues in our society and culture through politics? There is not one media outlet that accomplishes this yet. So that makes it challenging of the individual seeking to have thoughts and opinions of their own. And yet, we must continue to work to seek our own views and our own way of expressing them, rather than being hand fed catch phrases.
I see around me, a move towards more compassionate communication styles that focus on true listening and unhooking re-actions and blame. This I love. But I do not see this mirrored in the political landscape ….yet. I think we need a big TIME OUT to really give this some undistracted (and I see the media, in all its forms, as mostly a distraction) thought and honest consideration. Its just TOO important.
So I start with you.
And I ask, whatever your beliefs, your politics, your knowledge of history is or isn’t, is it possible to start fresh? Begin again? Not be “blindly” following a political view or candidate because you have already invested so much energy up to this point? To stop reading only the articles that confirm your already strongly held belief? In the end, you are always free to hold whatever beliefs you decide upon.
But to take a step back, and another still, and maybe a few more, until you see the whole playing field in a new light… without re-acting. Can you then step back in, slowly, carefully, one breath at a time, letting go of what you suddenly realize doesn’t serve you, to re-enter the conversation with more grace, compassion and neutrality? Clearing as you got, the path for others to do the same. Perhaps you just might have to admit you were wrong. Whether you are or not, it is vital to be willing to at lest accept that if it comes up. How honest are you willing to be here and now?
If we all do this, or at least some of us, than certainly some of the “ugliness”, the fighting, the righteousness, the name calling, the labeling, the blaming from the various campaign trails will surely begin to lose its power.
Then, maybe then, we can emerge anew, understanding our inherent united-ness in these United States.
I love you all.
peace
Jeneen
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