By Judith Gayle | Political Waves
We begin this new calendar year in a very different space, personally and politically, than we did our last, although frankly, it may not look like it. The challenges that presented at the end of 2012 are disturbingly similar to the challenges today. To say we’ve come a long way seems somehow cavalier, given the returning themes of government shutdown complicated by austerity measures, Wall Street opulence versus economic disparity, international snafus and environmental emergencies. But the truth is, we are not just treading water: we’ve come farther than we know. That’s an important realization, one that can put some wind beneath our wings.
While it seems clear that there isn’t much we can do individually about the things we consider national or planetary crises, as representatives of the global community we each have individual responsibility to bring our best to the collective emergency. That’s because we aren’t just residents of this time and space, we’re co-creators of it. Such a possibility is scary to most people who would rather think of life as a thrill ride they have little control over. Easier to think we’re just reacting to what comes at us than complicit in its collective creation, but it’s time to buckle up and take responsibility for our share of the chaos. Everything will change when we do.
The metaphysical tag for this concept is one we learn early on the path: “as above, so below,” and “as within, so without.” And while what is ‘above’ may seem airy-fairy speculative and what is ‘without’ can easily be interpreted as the consequence of humankind’s flawed character or thoughtless indifference, it is – rather, and importantly — simply a reflection of our attitudes and choices made manifest. The metaphysical significance of the tag is within the interpretation, of course. Some say this is a reminder that there’s nothing to be done about anything, life is just what has to be lived through for its value as a classroom. A more discerning view might, instead, point to the possibility that such essential power as creation is in our own hands.