“Were the chances ever better of getting things right?”
A conjectural essay
No doubt, the changes we are witnessing in our times may be the greatest ever in recorded history. Much is written about this, many prognoses are given about how these changes will affect our lives, particularly in the fields of economy, work-life balance, society, genetic engineering and others. This article is concerned with the question: Is what we are seeing really what is happening, or is it simply the effect and side-effect of something else? Topaz would like to add to this debate by offering this adjacent view in understanding these quite revolutionary changes; or would it be more appropriate to call them ‘evolutionary changes’? Some of what is written is obvious, some is (or appears to be) speculation. But if only 30% of this is shown to be correct, this would help to place these major changes that we are seeing day by day within a larger context, and would allow for deeper ways of thinking, and for a better adding up and preparation in one’s own life.
What is happening? - Four conjectures
1. Life gets energetically more powered:
Just as all life goes through stages, from conception to puberty to adulthood to death, could it not be that planets and the organic life on planets are also affected by universal change and upgrade? Could it be that our planet earth is currently being upgraded in terms of energy, becoming energized, by solar winds from the sun, and universal influences beyond our comprehension?
Let’s take global warming. The previous US Vice-president Al Gore states in his film ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ that all researches about global warming confirm that it is a fact, not a theory. The UN climate council IPCC has just announced a new Climate report for beginning of 2007, which according to current news seems to expect an increase of planetary temperature of 3° Celsius till the end of this century, should the emission of greenhouse gases not be drastically reduced. If planet earth is getting more energetically powered, it might make some of these changes more understandable, such as global warming, the melting of the poles, the instability and changes in the earth’s magnetic field, the change of weather patterns. If this way of thinking is true, it would somehow lead to an increase of ‘base level energy’ which would affect us all, in various ways, as we would be more energised and powered. Depending on our particular state of wellbeing, any increase of energy would then promote that already existing status quo, be it healthy, not so healthy, or even destructive? This can be positively exampled by the extremely powerful worldwide empathy and compassion that was demonstrated in response to the Indonesian Tsunami in 2004, or by other extremely powered reactions in recent years of a destructive kind. Should this be true, where can we see it in our own lives? When I allow myself to get angry today, is it more energetically powerful or destructive than it used to be 50 years ago? When I get depressed, is it more difficult for me to come out of depression? If things generally get more powered, then positive things would also get more powered, a good word, a compliment, an encouragement. Do you, dear reader, have the registration that such things offer more conscious strength these days, has it maybe more meaning, is it somehow reaching you in a different place, does it come closer to home, than, say 10, 20 or 30 years ago? If this is so, then life will become gradually more transparent, the good and not so good will be seen more easily, it will somehow shine through from behind the façade, with more power, not only in our own lives, but also everywhere else. Where can we see other examples of things becoming more transparent? Let’s take the integration debate in Europe that has brought underlying problems to the surface recently; or the wars across the world and the reasons given for them; the fact that world religions are coming under public scrutiny in the light of reason; the bad effects of fast food on children’s health. It can also be seen in the increase in the divorce rate, because problems and personal views get powered, or in the huge increase in the numbers of people suffering from hyperactivity or psychological problems in the West.
2. We are witnessing an epoch change, not just globalisation.
3. The spiritual quest deepens.
We humans, those of us that try to live an open life, will likely find that we experience moments of unknown depth in ourselves, moments of new feelings, moments of vacancy compared with how we usually feel, increased intuition (‘knowing’ who is on the other end of the phone when it rings), or a heightened sensitivity to atmospheres or to the ‘vibrations’ of people. This would be a result of a natural spiritual calling that will increasingly urge us on to look for the meaning of what we do, why we work, have a family, want to live responsibly or not. This might partly explain the new spiritual arising and religious patchworks in the West from the 70’s onwards, or the many attempts to renew classical religions, such as Christianity. It shows in ourselves, our work colleagues, or prominent people like Tom Cruise, Madonna or Cat Stevens, who have turned to what works for them spiritually, be it Scientology, Kabala or Islam. One big question remains in all this – how encompassing, holistic and based in the permanent laws and truths of the universe that we live in are our spiritual tendencies and applications?
4. Is it time for us to grow up?
We are being caused to face reality today in a way that emphasises consequences more than ever before. We can no longer avoid things. The German philosopher Sloterdijk recently said in a TV debate about values, “...the reality of the real is coming back, and it is putting its requirements on us in a more strident way than before... It is sufficient not to be lesser than creation itself.” Will we have to live up to the consequences of what we have avoided so far? Is the increase in energy prices only the tiny beginning? What if we also have to pay a ‘higher price’ for the energy that keeps us alive and well, which gives the body self-healing and recovery every day? Will there be an increase in the ‘price’ we need to pay tomorrow, if we ourselves want to stay fit and energised, in spite of the increasing demands and stresses on us, to be able to live more righteously, in tune with and responsible for our bodies, minds, and spiritual potential? Will the load on the public health sector further increase, unless we take more responsibility, not only for our body, but also our mind, soul and spiritual needs, that are all essential to healthy living?
Why might this be happening?
Has a new stage in human evolution begun - a stage from homo sapiens to homo emancipatus, as Leo Armin, pioneer in template philosophy conjectured? Are we, as humanity, moving from puberty into adulthood, where we face our responsibility as humans in a more throughout way, be it economic, personal, global, spiritual or otherwise? Will this new epoch force us all to grow up, as people, as nations, as world citizens, to become what we could be, one human team, mankind united? Will nothing lesser do in the future? Will the time of tyranny finally run out, sooner or later? Let’s be honest, many of the challenges are not really new, but it was also more comfortable to put them away for as long as possible. So it might hit us now in many vectors all at the same time. But the good thing is that often we only really get going when things get tougher... We humans alive today will probably not see the end of these changes, only the beginning. We are still part of the problem, but we are also part of the new way forward. The question is, which part is most prominent in us?
How can we position ourselves in relation to Change?
Let’s take the analogy of a teenager just becoming an adult. There are three types of behaviour that we can see.
1. ‘Teenager A’ (as an individual or as a family or nation) is confused, but curiously and a bit anxiously looking forward to the next stage of life, the new freedoms and responsibilities. He becomes creative and starts to mobilise his resources, talents and disciplines, and gradually becomes more mature, as an individual, in partnership, work situations, in society, spiritually. He says goodbye to certain habits and comforts, such as when he starts to learn a job or goes to university. This will also mean that important decisions cannot be made simply through moods and feelings, but by thorough thinking, good guidance from more experienced mentors, and by the development of will.
2. ‘Teenager B’ is also confused, but only looks on the bright side of his new life. He insists on continuing the freedom he has, such as living mainly on his parent’s money and so is not faced with certain hard realities of living, and expects that this lifestyle and will continue forever. The after-effects of the economic success of the Western world in the last 200 years has led to a similar psychological disposition, which causes us not to want to accept that we may have to give up a little of our wealth, that we may have to work harder again, become more creative again, in order to compete and pioneer new fields, whilst on a worldwide basis a more balanced economic situation will arise.
3. ‘Teenager C’ is also confused, but becomes rebellious, emotionally and mentally unstable, and possibly destructive, to self and others. He blames others for what is happening, he is not open to reason, has little tolerance, spends more than he earns, and wants the pleasant side of life to continue, even at the cost of others. There are many examples in the world today.
Some practical ideas, to keep fit and sane in these times
1. Develop a more fluid identity.
Instead of thinking out of a fixed identity, we might be better off by developing a more fluid identity (see Topaz 14 about identity), consisting of many smaller lives or ‘identities’ in ourselves, that can more easily deal with what is facing us, whether this is the family person in oneself, the going to work person in oneself, the flexibility specialist, the ethical person, the standard keeper, the loving partner, the friend of the environment, the spiritual person... Thinking about oneself in this new way prevents the development of a large ego, and so allows for a better balance between success and disappointment in our lives. So if ‘the work person’ has lost their job, there are many other ‘persons’ inside that can have success, which is important for self esteem in a life.
2. Upgrade yourself.
Personal growth and inner development will become increasingly important as a consequence of how we live. Partnerships that are not based in encouraging each other’s personal growth will become more difficult, if they will work at all. A person that is poor, but lives an interesting life, will receive more recognition or acceptance in the future than he or she perhaps used to have in the past. This is because, in western society, we will have learnt collectively that it is not only material success that makes a life successful.
3. How we think.
A decent and healthy way of life in a holistic throughout way (body, mind, soul, spiritual) will become essential and may simply become ‘normal’. We are seeing millions of people in the West becoming ill, both physically and psychologically, according to recent research 127 million people in Europe suffer psychological problems. Why might this be happening? Could it be that certain self-healing and regenerative forces that operate at soul level have weakened, cannot cope with the regenerative work they need to do because of the unbalanced way we are living? There are researches that show that thankfulness as an attitude in life can increase one’s health and well being, and that praying can assist healing processes, no matter what religious belief a person has. These are new scientific facts that can cause us to think deeper. Our stability in the future will depend on our sound and artful composition of what we think about and how we live our lives. This will keep us more healthy, balanced, immune, vital and energized.
4. We are not the centre of the wheel.
5. Finding new ways to celebrate what we value.
Why not express and celebrate more of what we value? If we have value for our life, we can also extend it to others. This could be done by a card or letter of appreciation to friends (letters convey value more strongly than an email), by small repetitions while doing routine things, like cleaning up dishes, taking the garbage out, with regular callovers or a homage for being alive, giving thanks for one’s health, family etc. The idea is to put value into anything decent, be it going shopping, cleaning the car, cooking dinner, watching TV... For example, it may be that whilst brushing your teeth thanks are given to the regenerative forces that keep us healthy and alive. In this way we only need a little extra time of review in a month to think about which routines we want to overprint with what. From my own experience, exercises and conscious small rituals like these have a subtle but sustaining effect on one’s life.
What can we maybe expect?
1. Life will become more interesting.
But also more challenging. New requirements will lead to a renewal of attitudes, where things that we took for granted (from personal beliefs to partnership, work situations, retirement etc.) will not be so stable, secure or granted anymore.
2. Freeing up latent talents.
We now have the chance to establish more of our creational evolutionary potential as humans, to live an enhanced life whilst at the same time being a member of the economic industry of our times, which provides for our material security.
3. Wrong decisions will cost more.
And this makes right decisions increasingly easier. Creativity, generation power, inner development will be strengthened and stimulated.
4. Whatever works, and is not destructive.
We humans will meet our relativity. We will have to learn how to leave false identity behind, in order to move on into the future. True leadership in the future will have to demonstrate humaneness, if they want to be taken seriously as leaders of the future.
5. Context and meaning become as important as facts.
6. New feelings, new confusion, new perceptions.
The energetic increase will affect our nerves and other bodily systems, (hyperactivity may be one symptom of this), or it might shut us down (confusion and apathy). At the same time finer feelings and intuition become easier. New research shows that ESP is a more common ability in all humans than was believed up to now. There is likely to be also a heightened awareness of the higher life of a person, their radiation, appearance, behaviour and charisma. What these things will tell us is often closer to the truth. (New trends in business research confirm that the first impression in assessing a person applying for a job is mostly the right one, in spite of all the clever questionnaires that follow afterwards.)
