So Much More Than I Thought This World Could Ever Contain

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In tonight’s edition of Planet Waves FM, I look at the Sun’s ingress into Leo, joining Jupiter in Leo. Along with this, Mars finally exits Libra after eight months in that sign and enters Scorpio Wednesday.

Link to pre-order Good as Gold, the 2014 Midyear Reading by Eric Francis

Link to pre-order the 2014 Leo Birthday Reading by Eric Francis

Maxi Jazz of Faithless performs in Paris in 2007. Photo by Dani Voirin.
Maxi Jazz of Faithless performs in Paris in 2007. Photo by Dani Voirin.

Each of these movements is a potent statement about vitality — the expression of the life force energy. The combination of Leo and Scorpio that we are about to experience is unstoppable, though you will experience it with much greater clarity the more introspective you are; that is the nature of a square aspect. During the program I mention a book called Sex and the Origins of Death. Here is a link to my article that talks about that book.

As this happens, Mercury and Venus pass through the Uranus-Pluto square today and into the weekend, which helps bring that aspect into consciousness in a tangible way accessible to the senses.

After a music break by the group Faithless, I offer a commentary on the situations in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip. My questions surround the theme of what is the ‘correct’ response to this kind of incident? Now that we’ve tuned our electronic systems to bring this information to us, what exactly do we do with the information when it comes to us?

22 thoughts on “So Much More Than I Thought This World Could Ever Contain”

  1. In my personal experience, I have found as I learn to move through the intensity, the crisis, on the other side is where the greatest peace is revealed and can be felt.

    I am not living in an enslaved city, Gaza, but I have lived in crisis, loss of security, and considerable fear. Fear is fear, it is the same, is of the mind, and I continue to learn it can be healed through faith. Recognizing the perception of truth, holds out freedom to peace and our gift of love.

  2. Vanessa Redgrave was blackballed in the 1970’s for supporting the Palestinians.

    This all needs to stop. I am reminded of an experience I had during the summer of 2006 when I was under an enormous amount of stress. I was working at my computer at the kitchen table and a fly kept buzzing around my head, bothering me for at least one half hour. I had reached the point where I had truly had enough, and looked at it and said in a loud, clear voice, “STOP!” The fly dropped out of the air and landed dead on the table. No kidding. This battle, I believe, truly is being fought one by one as we balance what exists within each one of ourselves. Not always a pretty picture. Our world is holographic and we need to change the feed.

    Here is an article about American Jews in NYC and Chicago standing up for Palestinians:

    Wed Jul 23, 2014 6:23PM GMT

    Nine American Jewish activists protesting Israel’s massacre of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip were arrested on Tuesday in New York City after occupying the offices of Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF).

    The activists, members of Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) and Jews Say No! (JSN), stood in the FIDF office in midtown Manhattan for an hour, holding a banner, singing songs in Hebrew and English and reading the names of the more than 600 dead Palestinians who have been killed as a result of the Israeli attacks.

    The demonstrators demanded that the FIDF stop funding the Israeli military. FIDF is a US-based multi-million dollar organization that collects funds to send to the Israeli army.

    The protestors were arrested by New York Police Department (NYPD) officers, including members of the Counter-Terror Unit, when they refused to leave the premises.

    “We are here to demand as American Jews that the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces stop funding Israel’s massacres in Gaza,” Alana Krivo-Kaufman, JVP’s Northeast regional organizer, said while at the office.

    Signs taped to the JVP and JSN members read: “Jews say no to the ground invasion of Gaza.

    While the civil disobedience action was ongoing, supporters gathered outside the FIDF to demanding an end to the assault on the Gaza Strip.
    The anti-Israel rally comes amid a wave of global protests against the Israeli war on Gaza.

    Last week, Chicago’s JVP chapter protested against aerospace giant Boeing, which manufactures fighter jets and helicopters that the Israeli military uses to kill Palestinians.

    Chicago also saw tens of thousands of people march on Sunday in what was estimated to be the largest protest for Palestine in the city. A national day of action against the attack on Gaza is planned for Thursday by more than 35 local, regional, and national groups.

  3. Eric, small things.

    I heard a story of a hindu guru who sat on a muslim train in the troubles of separation between India and Pakistan. He did this out of human solidarity and neither side attacked him.

    And somebody asked Gandhi what he would do faced with a cobra that might attack him and he said something like he would be afraid and he hoped he wouldn’t want to kill it.

    There is something about stepping out of the expected role that being in a violent situation puts you. Calm, authority. Perhaps surprise also – like LvdP greeting Japanese soldiers in high Japanese in Java. Or not being invested in either side. Taking up an opening of sorts. making the other hesitate.

    I’ve seen this in a small way from time to time.

    If people carry guns you absolutely mustn’t or have any anger in you to earth the violence of others. of course it is a very vulnerable position with people who shoot first and ask questions afterwards. Or perhaps not if truly you can get to that space of the buddha saying No thank you to the guy who came to kill him. thank you for your gift but no thank you.

    Try the Dean’s Watch.

    Or you accept that in the instant it seems more expedient to you that this or that happens at all costs.

    Perhaps in the case of Palestine and Israel someone from outside is necessary. Did I read here that we needn’t hope for good world leadership before 2020 (astrologically)? Of course combined Israeli/Palestinian schools would help – friendships made so that the enemy is no longer an enemy.

    My own amazement this week has been the sense of answers (facts) containing a reply (response) also. Also, your c word can doubtlessly be spoken with love, and perhaps needs reclaiming from the brute, mean, vestigial stupidity that it can also be used to express?

    Also remembering with wonderment an experience I had in an airport. A friend of a woman who had committed suicide who told me that a year on she had passed by the dark side of the moon (and into the light).

    ?All things can change on a pin if we can only find how to be. If our questions look for replies as well as answers?

  4. Eric, I agree. Peace has to be learned because sadly, we have created a world where it is un-natural to know Peace. And yes, in times of conflict and when loved ones are in danger, the stakes are very high.

    But yes we need to learn how to remember that we CAN have peace, eventually and right now, if one has enough mastery and the practice.

    I’ve not been in a war zone either but a children’s book that I illustrated was translated into Arabic and used in schools in Palestine as a teaching tool. A small pebble in a deep pool.

    Your work here is also contributing to the process and I celebrate it as well. Yes, we all need to talk about Peace and remember it is always available on the inside of every moment.

  5. top of the mornin’ folks 🙂

    thank you eric!! (for all you contribute = DO 🙂

    green-star-gazer, not that eric needs protectin’ but I really liked your paragraph about the peace warriors. definately worth a 2nd read.

    IF it were true that you refuse to give any ground to whatever ‘it’ was, well you wouldn’t have used up so many words. there exists a passage somewhere in which is stated that ‘words’ are to be used for 3 reasons only. to express something kind, or intelligent, or true.

    reading up on ‘projection’ is a powerful ‘do’er, contributing nicely to peace.

  6. Green, the choice is the same — in theory, or inwardly, for someone who knows they can make that choice. It works when one has full mindfulness and/or time to reflect and/or a very solid foundation.

    You can know that, and since you know that, it’s up to you to hold that vibration or frequency or idea — but in my opinion one cannot ethically SAY that to someone who is in the kind of external crisis that the people of Gaza are in. In the midst of that kind of crisis, peace is about getting one’s kids to shelter, or to medical attention.

    Here is where I draw a line with spirituality. In a crisis, the idea does not work as an idea outside oneself. If the idea is taught, it’s taught by example and not by words. Since I have never been under live artillery fire — wait, I was once caught right in the middle of a shootout with multiple shooters, so I cannot say that — I have never been in a city that was being shelled where the lives of my children were threatened — I don’t know how that idea would hold up. But were I there, on scene at a disaster, I would not be telling anyone that.

    If I needed to pray, I would start with ACIM’s basic rundown, “I am here only to be truly helpful.”

    Re the Israelis — I think we all need to be asking about this issue. Anyone who has visited this scene of devastation — and I reckon that all of those politicians in Israel have done so — has a reason to take it easy on a civilian population.

  7. I know this will not be a satisfying answer to most… but the choice is always the same, regardless of the outer circumstances. If you are the Buddha sitting under a shade tree or a Jew in concentration camp, or a housewife in Pasedena, or a young man in Palestine, the choice to not hate, to not despair, to choose peace, to be one with Peace is always the same. Even if there is a gun to your head, one can choose Peace. I do not say this lightly, or flippantly. I am absolutely sincere. Most of us reading this will never be in such challenging situations as these yet, even here in our relatively peaceful surroundings, we must still actively choose Peace in our hearts and not be pulled under by what appears to be happening on the outside as the only story there is.

    This does not mean that what is happening in Gaza, in Syria, in Nigeria or any of the other thousands of places of injustice, is any less horrible. Crimes against humanity are deplorable and despicable and must be addressed and rectified. Yes we must speak up and work to right the wrongs, but we must also choose Peace as we do this and we need to show others how they can rise above their karmic inheritance and choose Peace too. It is not easy to choose Peace… it is in fact, quite difficult sometimes. But it is the only way and it may take generations to get results. We can look at the arc of the Viking/Scandinavian cultures for proof – once the most feared and blood-thirsty of cultures, a super-power of their day is now a haven of Peace and prosperity for (most of) their citizens. It did not happen overnight, but they, as a culture have figured something out.

    I’ve always been astonished at how, given their collective history of having been deprived of their own home for thousands of years, that the Jewish people (or is it only their government?) cannot allow the Palestinians the same dream: a home of their own. It is a basic human need, yet, because of their collective history they feel justified in denying this most basic of human needs to others. The dance of the Shadow for sure. without doubt, the continued injustice and bloodshed are crushing to the soul of all of us…. yet we can always choose Peace. Peace happens inside first, then it spreads. It cannot be imposed, it cannot be ordained. It is desired and chosen in the heart, one-by-one, moment by moment. I know this sounds high and mighty, but it is the most humble of Truths.

  8. Green, would you help me here? How can someone living in Gaza under constant Israeli artillery (and as of today, with no electricity) apply the idea that “peace is a choice”?

  9. I believe I said that introspective practices are a necessary ingredient to the healing of our world. I understand why people have objections to the bitter legacies of organized religions… pick your poison, we have so many to choose from! But that should not eliminate the word or the concept of “Spiritual” from our lexicon. We need to be very careful about casting stones and judgement. This world and our existence is not made up of only what is visible and measurable. We do not yet fully understand how the fabric between the worlds is woven together thru our consciousness and acts of conscience. We are in a process…an evolutionary unfolding… a flow that has some very nasty characters and legacies as part of the story. And yet, no matter the outer circumstances, we can always choose to cultivate Peace… and the only place where that happens in on the inside of each and every one of us, individually. Peace is a field of energy. Peace is choice.

    I fully support being a Warrior for Peace. And, this being the fully charged Sun-Jupiter-Leo time that we are now in, we Spiritual Warriors especially must be strive to be impeccable in our efforts and ventures and not let ourselves slip into ego/judgement – the downfall of that Leo energy.

  10. I see what Eric is saying. It is quite tempting to get lost in an isolated, seemingly-silent space, and kinda get addicted to this easy solitary comfort. It is addicting to have your own world and never need to answer to anybody or anything. The fact of the matter is, this space really asserts itself as separate, which detracts from the necessary development of what Gurdjieff calls the becoming of a “whole self”… I.e. broadening and eventual dissolving of the machine’s reality tunnel. Isolation, of course serves its significant purpose, rather, just to say that most traditions emphasize that a major function of being this ” whole self” requires expanding way outside of the own little bubble reality. Talking from personal experience as a follower of most traditions, but mostly Buddhist practices, that solitude DOES get addicting, and one hits a threshold, where once crossed, one is deciding that personal bubble is for the comfort and not necessarily for the truth of existence.

  11. Well, anyone who looks at my life could say I am spiritual (though I am sure that the subjects of my investigations, among other people, would differ). Yes I have worked with A Course in Miracles for many years, and have done the work in a one-year residential community among other places — though with some cautions that I offer from time to time, which prevent me from being a more enthusiastic advocate. I have spoken in this thread about my religious point of view; if there is a ‘purely spiritual’ form of Christian faith, it’s Quakerism, as we are a religion with no dogmas or doctrines. It is closer to Taoism than anything anyone ever learned in Sunday school.

    In my daily work, I serve as part of a ministry. I am an astrologer and diviner and spend hours in reflection writing inspirational materials, and in counseling sessions with people using metaphysical tools and what some would call spiritual techniques (I call it conversation). I devote my life to growth and I am so introspective and introverted that it’s impressive (to me) that I can show up and put myself out into the world every day. I have faith in cosmic intelligence and the Inner Light. I am motivated by what most people would say are spiritual intentions, i.e., I put service above all else.

    The distinction I am drawing here is between these things being separate from normal life and these things being integrated as part of it. Perhaps this is only a semantic distinction, though I’ve seen it everywhere from retreats to Burning Man — “oh, now that this is over I have to go back to real life.” I want to stand back from a point of view that says spiritual is different, or that certain activities are special, or enough. I have profound skepticism of what seemingly spiritual movements (I don’t just mean religions, I mean what are termed as non-religious spiritual activities) can do to people’s motivation, to their passion, to their ability to think critically and to choose for themselves.

    I am more in awe of biology than I am of any spiritual concept I’ve ever encountered.

    I think we need to go past the “it’s all about me” point of view of modern spirituality. That which is directed at collective evolution, needs and intentions, I have found, is often not so popular. What is directed to the “it’s all about me” point of view is very popular. Depending on what it is, this can still be helpful, because individual preparation is obviously necessary. There are other steps that we need to take — what could rightly be called evolutionary steps, focused on collaboration and on action.

  12. As a student of ACIM, an ordained minister, and a channel with an expertise in kundalini meditation, the ability to maintain inner peace is vital and it is necessary to identify with source. However, Eric is right, too many people use the principles of ACIM(taught by Jesus) to refute other lessons taught by the same Jesus, which are to heal the sick ( healthcare reform), feed the hungry (food stamps/jobs) and cast out demons (War and greed mongers) and all this is political. Just because this is an illusion does not mean we should not improve the conditions we live in. We are obligated to serve our brothers and sisters and denial just does not help. It allows us to deny responsibility. We can send light and love but we also need to have our voices heard. That is why Marianne Williamson wanted to run for Congress; listen to her talk at the Aspen Institute. We need to get involved and stay involved.

  13. Perhaps a balance is good. I agree with both ideas; meditation IS a good way to help and action is a good way to solve problems. I think the world has room for both and both are needed to make changes.

    I understand where Eric is coming from because I have seen people get so caught up in self-awareness, meditation (the kind used to self-medicate against the emotional traumas going on around us) and their own self improvement via spirituality that they do not get involved in the hard work of actual actions that would help others. It is fine to want to help ourselves but that’s been going on since the 60’s enlightenment; time to put some elbow grease into things.

    Having said that I must also say that those who don’t feel the call of the active warrior should not (perhaps) venture into that space; maybe they are supposed to meditate and pray and send energy forth to help the warriors do their work.

  14. I would like to voice, I agree with Green-stars’ comments about the power of intention, faith, gratitude, prayer and meditation, and will go as far as to say I believe it is the only heartfelt way to forward right action that will eventually create real change in our collective Consciousness and the world we live in.

    Eric: No judgement at all, I am just surprised by your comment, “You don’t count your self as spiritual.”? I thought you mentioned you were a student of ACIM?

  15. eric, I find your astrological knowledge to be above most of the Internet astrologers. Thank you for this. However, one having NOTHING to do with the other, when an individual labels themselves anything, they instill separation. Whether it be a “quaker” or a protestant, catholic, Baptist, bahai’, hindu, sinjo, hindu……There is One “God”, perhaps a force of prime energy, that is pure kindness. Agape. “Love” has been defiled beyond repair, hence I no longer use it in the conveying of an opinion, which is all that I state. Mine is mine, yours is yours. no “right” no wrong. no “good” no Bad. Just IS. Thanks for your interesting commentary.

  16. Fair crack of the whip.

    I think you know what I am talking about, which is a kind of escapism and/or refusal to focus on the community level, disguised as spirituality. It is that position of not wanting to get one’s hands dirty or engage in any ‘negativity’ (usually meaning anything political). I see a lot else cast off in the name of spirit and of God, such as sex education in schools. I think you were feeling my anger at these attitudes, and I am angry.

    That said, I have personally chosen a warrior path of action. I don’t believe I present myself as spiritual, a concept of which I am skeptical, but rather as some blend of realistic and idealistic, and mostly, willing to work for what I believe in. Obviously something is motivating me, though I prefer to leave that out of the conversation most days.

    I can however speak from my personal religious beliefs; I am Quaker. The basic practice of Quakerism is silent meeting, which most would call meditation, except that people can speak if moved. The other practice of Quakerism is working for social justice — for example not objecting to war in principle, but refusing to go, period, and helping anyone else stay out who does not want to go.

    It may be that the meditation or associating with Inner Light has an effect other than to inform the person, though the effect in the world as a servant of God is in the form of direct ministry of conscience. It’s not about being serene or pure, nor especially wise. The idea is to do what is obvious. The idea is to respond appropriately to an ethical crisis.

    If I had to record the program again, and I might choose to make an edit, I would say something more akin to what I wrote above.

    Meditation is not enough to solve the world’s problems right now, but that is merely my opinion, and I’ve told you I don’t count myself as spiritual.

  17. Dear Eric,

    At the end of this recording you ask a very poignant and valid question something along the lines of “what do we DO about this (mess we are in)?” And you invite us to comment, so I’m commenting.

    When you dismiss Meditation (and other Spiritual practices) as a viable strategy for dealing with the outward manifestations of chaos and horror that we are subjected to every day now as an inevitable part of our modern life, you do your listeners/readers and the world a big dis-service. When you put down meditation and other spiritual practices with disdain and mockery (you did, go listen to your recording) I find myself (briefly) feeling that my chosen path to be of service in this world has just been dismissed yet again. And I also feel angry because you like to present yourself to your audience as a “spiritual” person… yet you feel comfortable dissing other people’s practices and mocking them as ineffective or you label them as patterns of denial. I see a certain lack of continuity/integrity in those moments and the disconnect is shall we say, disappointing.

    I truly feel that part of the reason that the world is now in such a state of chaos is that we continue to dis-empower ourselves individually and collectively by buying into the popular paradigm that we CAN’T make a difference by applying spiritual beliefs and practices such as prayer, meditation and visualization. Over and over again the cynical clever people in the media are there telling us that all of this is chaos and war is the only option we have, that it is inevitable and it will never end. Our addictions to the 24/7 IV of newsfeeds and crisis-mongering especially on the internet is actually able to drain from us the very power and ability to affect change we are capable of because we buy into the propaganda that the world is going to hell and there is nothing we can do. THIS is the LIE that we have to overcome and stop buying it as Truth.

    There have been numerous experiments done now that show that a sufficient number of people meditating CAN positively affect external conditions and reduce things like crime and terrorism. Here is but one example: http://www.worldpeacegroup.org/washington_crime_study.html There are other studies that map and show the profound changes in brain chemistry and actual frequency waves (just like radio waves and light waves and all the other “waves” that are humming all around and through us all the time) that deep meditation can bring on to the body of the practitioner.

    These studies get mocked, pilloried and scoffed at as “woo-woo vodoo” and endlessly laughed at by mainstream media. And Joe and Jill Mainstream go on feeling hopeless and powerless about the world situation (by design!), and so the cycles continue, or gets worse.

    I reckon that all this mayhem and horror will have one of two outcomes; either we will:
    a) continue to buy into the programming that we are powerless to make any real changes to this planet if we dedicate our lives to Peace and have a daily peace-based practice of some kind and our world will continue its downward spiral till something unspeakably horrific finally happens to wake us up…
    OR,
    b) people will start to use the INTERNAL powers that they were born with to change their world by changing their minds, literally, thru inner/spiritual practices applied with discipline and the certainty that they CAN make a difference, a REAL one.

    I reject your labeling of practices such as these as being acts of denial and useless or ineffective or even hints of that sort of cynicism. They are not and I’m really disappointed that here in this community of all places, these gifts are so short-changed. I for one refuse to give any ground to anyone who puts down meditation, introspection, contemplation and other forms of inner work as a viable ingredient to real change.

    Sometimes it is the only thing we can do.

    Sometimes it is THE MOST important thing we can do.

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