"At the heart of everything is what must be called a change of consciousness. This means a new way of living--almost a new man. Its ultimate creation will be a new and enduring wholeness and beauty -- a renewed relationship of man to himself, to other men, to society, to nature, and to the land." ~ Charles Reich, The Greening of America (1970)
At the core of most spiritual traditions is the emphasis on a change of heart, a change of mind. Charles Reich was a voice of the Spirit of the Sixties, during which the seeds of social transformation and a new consciousness were planted in modern history (though there were many who kept the flame alive before that).
We're living in times now when a change of heart and a change of consciousness is paramount. Many would say that it's no longer an option, much less a luxury, as we face many global, ecological, economic, and cultural challenges.
Many contemporary spiritual teachers, as well as Indigenous elders and prophecies, tell us that the change in consciousness is required to avoid catastrophe. And God/dess knows we've seen allusions to catastrophe in the more frightening 2012 coverage.
It seems like heavy stuff, and it is from that vantage point. The silver lining -- and it's a bright and shining one -- is that consciousness is shifting, and many people are awakening spiritually. We can find evidence not just in the devoted spiritual communities at the periphery of our modern culture, but also the expanded interest in the mainstream of practices like yoga, qigong, and the widely broadcast teachings of Eckhart Tolle through Oprah Winfrey's webcasts.
Llewelyn Vaughan-Lee, Sufi teacher and leader, Golden Sufi Center, says "A spiritually awakened person who works for the sake of the Whole can be a tremendous force for change."
And herein lies the real hope; the real good news.
In revisiting Eckhart Tolle's work recently, I resonated with his emphasis that our primary purpose -- all of us -- is to awaken spiritual, to grow in consciousness. Through this, or from this, we express our secondary or more external purpose -- consciousness expressed through us in our relationships, our work, our community interactions, our very way of being in the world.
Llewleyn Vaughan-Lee tells us that women, in particular, as embodiments of the Divine Feminine, are the principal midwifes of this spiritual awakening and renewal of consciousness -- the remembrance that all is connected in the One great flow of Life, and that all is sacred. And Rumi echoes, "A woman is a mystery that can guide the wise and open men." Men who revere and respect the Divine Feminine within all. That's the potent alchemy that changes everything.
This requires devotion and dedication, to be sure. It requires daily mindfulness and practice. It requires evolution of heart and mind to be a vessel for the same into the world.
And yet answering those questions -- to what am I devoted? What am I willing to really stand for? What am I willing to be a voice for? -- is what connects us with a sense of heart and meaning, of true joy of service. We infuse that devotion into everything we do, because it comes from everything we truly are.
Blessings on the Way,
Jamie
Photo Credit: Corona Aurora by Image Editor, shared through Creative Commons
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