THE SHIFT – What’s really happening!

 

During periods of great change and turmoil, both hope and despair seem to be present.  We hope that things will get better, but also fear that they might get worse.  We have to let go of the fear and focus on the idea that civilization is not breaking down but breaking through to a new kind of existence.

We certainly seem to be facing enormous challenges with crises on many fronts – socially, politically, economically and environmentally – and although these crises represent huge dangers in our world, they are also opportunities for us to change our ways.  We know from our own experience that it is through crises that we grow as human beings.  Crises on a global scale are no different - they are part and parcel of the chaos that precedes transformation.

We are in the midst of changing from the mechanistic-reductionist/scientific-materialist paradigm (worldview) that has been dominant in our Western culture for over 300 years.  This worldview sees us as separate from nature and from each other.  Arising from the twentieth-century discoveries in physics and biology, the new worldview is a holistic one, where everything is seen as connected.  We are all interdependent cells within the great super-organism that is the planet – not unlike our own bodies where trillions of cells live and work together.

New paradigms tend to be slow to emerge, co-existing with the old paradigm until it takes over.  For many decades now cultural and behavioural change reflecting the new paradigm has been growing.  There is a groundswell of people all over the world, from all walks of life, young and old, who are committing themselves to a new way of living and being.  Many people are now trying to conduct their lives, run their businesses and interact with the world around them in less dysfunctional ways than in the past.  The consciousness that we see emerging now in many quarters is very different – more co-operative and collaborative, more compassionate and empathic.

We need to look at our troubled times, not from our narrow perspective, but from a much wider one – both historical and cosmological.  On the one hand there is this outer world with its great sweep of thousands of years of history, across many different cultures.  Different worldviews have prevailed at different times and in different places, and many cultures have great calendrical cycles of creation, maintenance and destruction, whether it’s the Ancient Maya, the Aztecs, the many Native American tribes, or the Hindus or the Buddhists. There is also the cosmic perspective – not just this universe but others too, with their own planets and galaxies….

At the same time we have the inner world – the world of the imagination and the soul.  This inner world connects us with the Source of life.  It is here that myth, religion (in its true sense of binding together – ‘religare’ – the individual, society, the world and cosmos) and also psychology, particularly depth psychology, help us to see ourselves as part of the whole, and to find meaning.

We also need to see ourselves as part of the process of evolution itself.  If we look at the history of the universe and the evolution of life on earth over 14 billion years, crises (whether to do with food supply or survival) always seem to precede transformation, triggering quantum leaps in evolution.  Under pressure it seems life becomes extraordinarily inventive. 

New forms of life emerge in response to environmental upheaval, and this takes place it seems with greater co-operation, interaction and communication.

The question is, can we, confronted with crises of every kind, adapt and mutate collectively?  Could it be that we are still evolving?  Are we maturing as a species and moving towards a higher order of being where instead of thinking of our own needs we are becoming more aware and conscious of the needs of the whole?

Beneath the surface of the turmoil our world seems to be in, the Shift to a new kind of existence has indeed been unfolding, a way of life which has the potential to become more altruistic and more harmonious, benefitting all forms of life.

The Shift has had a long genesis, with its roots deep in history.  We can perhaps trace it back as far as the Enlightenment, the French Revolution, the American War of Independence and the ending of slavery.  Certainly for the last 50 years, growing out of the social and alternative movements of the 1960s, which dealt with civil rights, women’s rights, gay rights and environmental issues, there has been a huge increase in the number of people who subscribe to different values and lifestyle.  This involves less consumption, more spirituality, greater respect for others and for the planet and all life forms.

Collectively we are now being forced to change our ways – socially, politically, economically and environmentally (I will deal with the many examples of this in a second article). Underlying the many changes is the whole issue of connectivity.  Through technology we have the ability to make a new world.  Social networks can spread information to millions of people rapidly.  They can empower citizens to speak freely – everyone has been given a voice, even those who don’t necessarily have access to the internet themselves.  Networks are changing the culture and can be a force for good, whatever the downsides.

In the final analysis, the world will be as we make it – hope for the future rests in our ability to transform ourselves. We have to be willing to grow and to change and to become better human beings.  Our minds and our thoughts shape our world and we can consciously change them.  We have to work at the change – it has to come from within ourselves. 

Since it tends to be significant minorities who change history, we should take heart that there are many individuals who are now choosing to live their lives by the new values of compassion, co-operation and harmony.  The old world with its outmoded ways will gradually atrophy as we attune ourselves to the new consciousness that is emerging. We can become conscious participants in our own evolution.  Each of us can all make a difference. We just have to wake up!

 

‘A Sleep of Prisoners’ by Christopher Fry

Dark and cold we may be, but this

Is no winter now.  The frozen misery

Of centuries breaks, cracks, begins to move;

The thunder is the thunder of the floes,

The thaw, the flood, the upstart Spring.

Thank God our time is now when wrong

Comes up to face us everywhere,

Never to leave us till we take

The longest stride of soul we ever took.

Affairs are now soul size.

The enterprise

Is exploration into God.

Where are you making for? It takes

So many thousand years to wake,

But will you wake for pity’s sake!

Summer Solstice 21 June 2015

Once again we've reached the midpoint of the year when in the Northern Hemisphere we have the longest day and the maximum amount of light.  Our countryside, parks and gardens are lushly green mingled with brilliant splashes of colour dancing in the sunlight.  We cannot fail to be touched by Nature's beauty.  We feel uplifted and restored to ourselves, in touch with the earth and with each other.

Today is also the first ever International Yoga Day, as proposed by the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, himself a practitioner of yoga.  Older than any religion, yoga brings enormous benefits, and it's a fantastic idea to create greater awareness of these benefits in our troubled world. It's an appropriate time to be still and silent, to reflect and give thanks for the teachings of all the great sages and gurus who have taught yoga over thousands of years.

Yesterday I enjoyed a summer celebration with a barbecue in the garden with family and friends. Today however is a time for gratitude and reflection.  After my recent expedition to Nepal and Tibet and experiencing the devastating effects of the earthquake, I am thankful to be alive.  I feel deeply for all those who have suffered so much and continue to suffer.

As I think about the state of the world in general at this time, as we face yet one crisis after another, I can only hope and pray that these are the birth pangs of a new kind of civilization.  Chaos always seems to precede order in terms of evolution, 

As we evolve further into becoming wiser human beings, yoga can help us.  Yoga in its broadest sense is a preparation for meditation, and it is through the practice of meditation that we become more aware and more compassionate human beings.

Deep within us is a place of perfect stillness, peace and joy.  We all have access to this, and we can contact it most easily when we take the time to be be still and quiet and when we spend time in nature, 

Let today be a day of both celebration and thanks, and a day of reflection and compassion.

Let's choose to be hopeful this Spring Equinox

The Spring Equinox this year is highly unusual.  In addition to the rarest solar eclipse for the last 334 years (and one that the UK will not see again until 2090), we have a supermoon - one that looks larger than usual because it is so close to the earth.

Solar eclipses have been viewed with apprehension in the past across many different cultures, but maybe we're best off regarding it as a great mystery, and just part of the magic of our wonderful universe.

This year in the Northern hemisphere spring seems to have been a long time coming, there has been little sun and the trees are still largely leafless. 

Fortunately there are primroses to make us feel hopeful that it's not far off!

Spring always makes us feel more optimistic, and it certainly feels as if we need more hope in our world today.  All around us we seem to be surrounded by crises of one kind or another, whether it's the rise of terrorism, the economic challenges we face, the environmental disasters which changing weather patterns are bringing, the ever-growing gap between rich and poor, the lack of trust, the fear,  the loneliness and the depression that seem ever more prevalent.

Two years ago I published Wake Up and Hear the Thunder: Finding Hope in a Hopeless World.  The crises are still pretty much the same, but the message of my book remains as valid as ever - we have to change our ways, we have to change ourselves!

The good news is that many people are!!

Buy the book and read about all the wonderful things that are happening all over the world.  The shift in consciousness has begun.

Winter Solstice 2014

The Winter Solstice traditionally celebrates the returning of the light in the Northern Hemisphere.  The short dark days of winter now begin to lengthen once again.  The Christian festival also celebrates light - the light of hope coming into the world.

In the Southern Hemisphere where I'm celebrating Christmas this year I'm conscious of the extraordinary quality of the light and the warmth of high summer.

Wherever we are, the annual reminder of light coming into the world to redeem us is a message that we need to hear in our fear-filled times.  Hope for a better future for all is not an empty one.  There are many indications of a gradual transition towards a world of greater understanding, tolerance, compassion and co-operation.

If you want to read more about a future that looks very different from the one we constantly hear about from the media, then take a look at my most recent book, Wake Up and Hear the Thunder: Finding Hope in a Hopeless World, available from Amazon and from this website.

May your own celebrations for the season be filled with joy and love, and may we all move together in the direction of greater peace and understanding in 2015.

Spring is here!

Soft green hue of leaf unfurling, delicate colours of early flowers, clear water reflecting sky and trees.

The flow of life seduces us, we feel new energy and are ready for new projects.  It's an expansive time, and all things seem possible.  We have the opportunity to create the life we want, particularly if we use our imagination and stay true to a vision that is beyond just what we would like for ourselves.

I've just returned from a month in India.  A yoga retreat in the foothills of the Himalayas has strengthened my resolve to spend more of my time practising yoga and meditation.  The thrilling pilgrimage that I made to many sacred sites - Buddhist, Hindu, Jain and Moslem -  has enriched my understanding of different religious traditions.

Coming home in springtime is a delight.  I marvel at the freshness after the heat and dust, and feel gratitude for the many blessings in my life.

Now I'm ready to embark on my new writing project.  I will have to be disciplined as I have only nine months to complete my new book.  But I recognize that it is also a privilege to spend my time in this way, as well as tending my garden.  One activity perfectly balances the other.

I hope all my friends and acquaintances feel the excitement of new possibilities this springtime.  May any challenges you face be opportunities to learn and grow, and may peace and harmony surround you.

PS  For those of you who haven't followed my mini-travelogue on Facebook, here's the link for the 6-minute video of my trip, put together by my friend Colin Stump -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBu8wdmzruo&feature=youtu.be

               NOVEMBER 2013  autumn into winter...and the light of hope


It's that time of year again when sunlight is diminishing (at least in the Northern hemisphere).  After the most glorious summer and a bountiful autumn, winter is once again with us, and the darkness and cold have returned.

The great end of year festivals - Divali, Eid, Thanksgiving, Hannukah, the Winter Solstice and Christmas - are all about light and hope, gratitude and sharing.

Darkness and cold pervade our world metaphorically, as well as physically  - of that we are only too well aware.  The seasons remind us of the unending cycles of birth, flourishing, fullness and death - the pattern for all that exists.  As surely as the darkness descends and wraps itself around us, so too the light always returns, a mere candle-flicker to begin with, until it enfolds us in a glorious brightness and warmth.

None of us can be certain as to why suffering exists but it appears to be a necessary prerequisite to being in this world.  So long as there is life, there is hope, and the possibility of understanding.

The lights of the end of year festivals remind us of the eternal light which is never extinguished, no matter the depth of the darkness.

May all take comfort in the lights of the festivals, and hope for better times, and may those of us who are fortunate, count our blessings, share what we have, and be hopeful about the future for all.

SPRING AT LAST!

Here we are, well past the Spring Equinox, but only just beginning to feel warmer.  Sure  the days have been lengthening but cold winds have prevailed, and after a long hard winter we're all longing for some sunshine!

I lost my Mother this winter.  At the time of deepest snow she left her body, so Spring's arrival is particularly poignant for me this year.  I think of her every day as I go out into the garden - she so loved her own garden in her final years, before a nursing home became inevitable.  Her death was a humbling experience for many reasons, but I am left with a sense of peace after her passing and gratitude for what she gave me.

Now each day seems more precious than ever.  And living in the moment seems to be very natural.  What point in worrying about what lies ahead or regretting the past.  None at all.  My woodland garden is full of primroses.  They have withstood the buffeting winds and seem to me a symbol of hope.  As ever, the world and it's clamour are there, but beauty is all around us if only we open our eyes.  The world is full of miracles if negative thinking and doubt don't get in the way.  We may not be able to change what life throws at us, but we can change our response to it. 

So let's be positive about the long hot summer that may well lie ahead.  At the very least there will be some quintessentially English summer days which will put a smile on our faces!

New Year 2013

Celebration is such an important aspect of life.  Since time immemorial we humans have come together to give thanks for the abundance that surrounds us.

Perhaps it was easier for  men and women of earlier times, who were so connected to nature, to celebrate and be grateful for the simple everyday joys of existence.  We, in our relentless pursuit of success and material wellbeing, are less mindful of the virtue of celebration of the ordinary.

However, the great festivals of our calendars give us reason to rejoice and remember how blessed we are.  At the turning point of the year celebration is an opportunity once again to be thankful for what has been good about the year, and to be mindful of our intentions for the year to come.

This NewYear may well turn out to be a landmark one for us all.  We are moving through an era of great change.  All over the world a revolution is taking place, a shift in consciousness - one which we can welcome and celebrate.  We can be filled with hope as we look towards the future- hope that a more enlightened era lies ahead.

So let's celebrate this New Year and resolve to be the change we want to see in the world.  Let's try to be kinder to one another, and to play our part in creating a world that is more co-operative, more peaceful, more just, and more sustainable for everyone.

A happy New Year to All!

Winter Solstice 2012

The Xmas cards are written and posted, the presents bought (but not yet wrapped) and the house is decorated and ready to welcome family and friends.

Time to reflect on the year that's almost over and to wonder about the new one ahead.  There is a reason for the season!

At the heart of winter we have the coming of the light.

This Winter Solstice is a special one. 21.12.2012 sees not just the ending of one great cycle of the Mayan Calendar, but also the completion of an even bigger astronomical cycle, the Precession of the Equinoxes.  The sun now converges with the exact centre-line of the Milky Way - the Galactic Alignment.  Big stuff!

What might these complex cycles signify?  Certainly not the end of the world as some have chosen to believe.  That has more to do with their own fear than anything else.  However, we certainly seem to be living through challenging times, and maybe the various apocalyptic prophecies are best regarded as wake-up calls.

A dramatic change in the way we live seems vital, whether we are talking about the violence within our society, inequality and injustice or climate change.  All around us the old structures seem to be disintegrating and the institutions are no longer respected.  Above all we face a crisis of consciousness.  We are at a cosmic tipping point where a significant minority of people who have long been calling for the need to change becomes a critical mass.  Our civilization is not about to break down, but instead to break through to a new level of consciousness.  It's time for transformation on a galactic scale!

There is much we can all do - we are not powerless to change our culture. We can make our voices heard, we can build a different world through compassion and co-operation, with each one of us being a shining light in the darkness.  Let's make the Shift happen.  Help to spread light and love this season - and have a wonderful celebratory time!

The 2012 Olympics - the eruption of a revolution in consciousness

What a lift the 2012 Olympics has given everyone!  Even the most sceptical have to admit that the events were brilliantly organized and the ceremonies spectacularly orchestrated.  With incredible performances from the athletes, the deafening cheers of the spectators and the warmest of welcomes from the volunteers, the overriding impression has been one of joy.

Perhaps it was a shining example of how the whole is greater than the sum of its parts!  Qualities were demonstrated to inspire us all – vision, courage, determination, self-belief, discipline, patience, gratitude, compassion and co-operation – whether from the athletes from 204 countries, the 70,000 volunteers, or the hundreds of thousands of spectators in various venues and public events.  Even the millions of us watching on TV were moved by these qualities as well as the amazing spectacle of it all.

As the athletes, organizers, performers, volunteers and spectators offered the best of themselves, so we too went about our daily lives in a spirit of joy. For two amazing weeks, consciousness was raised to another level and mundane worries were left behind.  Let’s hope that we can continue smiling and joyful, while pondering on what has made us feel inspired, united and wanting to co-operate.

All revolutions are gradual and then suddenly erupt.  Maybe what we have just witnessed was the beginning of the eruption of a revolution in consciousness.

The Queen and the Queen of the Sky

What an amazing time the last few days have been!  The Diamond Jubilee celebrations have been genuinely joyful for the majority of people in the UK - probably just what we needed in this time of austerity!  Time and again over the four days people have stressed how wonderful it has been to come together in their communities, to share and to celebrate.

Most people are united in their view of Queen Elizabeth II as worthy of our affection and respect.  In an era when politicians of all persuasions are no longer trusted, when the pace of change is so dramatic, and crises face us on so many fronts, the Queen represents stability and continuity and is a unifying symbol.  She has carried out her duties in the most regal of manners with commitment and love.

It's no coincidence that today we have the rare event of the planet Venus, Queen of the Sky, transiting across the sun.  In astrology, the planet Venus represents love, the emotion that brings people together without force or compulsion.  Venus is also about happy social occasions - so a great time for a party.

Venus also represents the feminine and it is perhaps the feminine energies of nurturing, caring, compassion and co-operation that we most need in these troubled times.  We need to find a way to live in harmony with each other and with the natural world.

Previous Venus transits have seen revolution of one kind or another, and with this one we are on the brink of a revolution in consciousness, as I explore in my latest book, Wake Up and Hear the Thunder! Finding Hope in a Hopeless World, published today.  In these times of upheaval new energies are flooding in to raise awareness about the need to change the way we live.  Evolutionary pressures seem to be at work to bring about a positive transformation, with the Internet and social media helping us to share our ideas.  All over the globe there is a groundswell of people choosing to live their lives differently and a culture is emerging which is more altruistic, compassionate and sustainable.  Let's hope by the time the next transit  of Venus occurs in 2117 the world will be a very different place!

So today my latest book, Wake Up and Hear the Thunder! Finding Hope in a Hopeless World, is released into the Universe.  Yes I'm excited, particularly as I want everyone to feel optimistic about the future in the face of the many crises that confront us. 

Everywhere we look there is turmoil, but the crises, whether economic, political, social or environmental, are manifestations of a far deeper crisis - a crisis of consciousness.

The good news is that we are being forced to change.  In Wake Up and Hear the Thunder! I look at 2012 prophecy, at myth, and the history of evolution, and show that a revolution is consciousness is taking place.  We are now being forced to take our next great leap in evolution so that we can create a future that is more co-operative, more peaceful and more sustainable.  We all know the old ways aren't working any more.  We have reached the end of the road and a monumental shift is now taking place, one that the Internet and social media are playing a key role in.

I'll be blogging regularly now about the book's content and its hopeful vision of the future, but I'll also be documenting transformational events as they unfold.

This blog will be very organic. It will be a learning process for me, as well as hopefully being inspirational to others.  I'm starting where I'm at, which is the only place any of us can ever start. It will be like the transformational journey itself. I hope to be able to share both what I know, and what I will learn, with all those who want to see a transformed world.

I have chosen the ‘official’ launch/publication date for Wake Up and Hear the Thunder! of Wednesday 6 June to coincide with a rare astronomical event, the Transit of Venus (the movement of Venus across the face of the sun).  This event will not occur again in our lifetime, and  I hope this will be both auspicious for my book, and also bring new energies of love into our troubled world.

The Promise of Easter - Spring 2012

Easter is the pivotal point of the Christian calendar.  The message of new life has relevance for us all, regardless of our faith, and even if we subscribe to none.  We only have to look at nature to see how everything dies down, only to be reborn again.

The past is gone, the future lies before us.  How we live today impacts how the future will unfold.  Every moment is a new opportunity to see things differently, to live differently, to be reborn and create a new world.  That is the promise of Easter.

All around us the speed and breadth of change in our world is evident. Many challenges confront us, whether in our dysfunctional societies, in the economic and political systems that don't work, or in the environment that is showing signs of strain.  We can no longer continue in the same old ways, we have to change - if we are to survive as a species.  Yet there are signs of a monumental shift in consciousness - everywhere people are waking up to the fact that there has to be a better way of living on this planet.

Easter reminds us that we can begin anew.  Putting sacred values at the heart of existence makes it easy to live more meaningful lives and to become the best we can be.  May the true message of Easter inspire us to live more peacefully, more co-operatively and more sustainably.

Midwinter 22 December 2011

Today is officially the shortest day and the longest night of the year in the northern hemisphere - the winter solstice.  Since earliest times, because of the sun's vital importance as a source of light and warmth, human beings have observed the progress of the sun across the sky, and as early as Neolithic times built monuments like Stonehenge and Newgrange to observe the solstice.  (The solstice is actually caused by the tilt of the earth's axis and it's orbit around the sun.)

Around the world mythologies and traditions have developed over the centuries to mark this peak of darkness before the days begin once again to lengthen.  At their heart is the concept of birth or rebirth, new beginnings and the return of the light.

Saturnalia was one of the most important and most popular of the Roman festivals and featured feasting and exchange of gifts, and the social order was temporarily reversed as masters and slaves changed places.  The Dongzhi festival, celebrated by the Chinese, Koreans and Vietnamese, entails families getting together and sharing special food.  Yule festivities derive from the late Viking period and its Midwinter rituals, and continues with Wicca as a pagan festival marking the rebirth of the sun.  Even Hogmanay in Scotland originally marked the return of the sun.

Christmas or Christ's Mass, on 25th December celebrates the birth of Christ.  Midnight Mass, carol singing,  the decorating of our homes, feasting with family and friends and exchanging of gifts are very similar to rituals and traditions elsewhere for the birth of the new solar year.

Even if Christmas didn't exist as a Christian festival, we would still feel the need to mark this time of darkness before  the lengthening of the days once again in the progression to the summer solstice.  Midwinter is a natural time of withdrawal and reflection prior to celebrating the return of the light.  Advent, and particularly the winter solstice, is an opportunity for us to confront the darkness in our world, as well as the darkness within ourselves, and to honour it.

The psychologist C. G. Jung talked of the necessity of becoming aware of the darkness, of making the unconscious conscious on the path to becoming truly evolved individuals.  Our only hope in changing the world is in changing ourselves and becoming more conscious human beings.

At a time when our world is so troubled with crises, let's hope for new beginnings, rebirth and transformation as we learn to collaborate, co-operate and become more compassionate as we face the challenges together.  Let's hope 2012 sees a major shift in consciousness!

Seasonal greetings!

International World Peace Day - 21 September 2011

Two words spring to mind this International Peace Day - Recollection and Reconnection.  Let's re-collect who we truly are, and let's re-connect with the divine source of life.

While the world seems to be spinning out of control, and crisis follows upon crisis, we can at times feel hopeless about what's going on.  But there's really no need to.

If we take time just to stop in our frenetic lives, and re-collect the disparate parts of ourselves into an integrated whole, we will feel more at ease with ourselves.  If we can re-connect with the heart - the centre of our being energetically - then we can maintain a more balanced life.

Peace starts with each one of us.  By stopping, and using the technologies of meditation, yoga or prayer, we can be in touch with our deepest roots and open our hearts.  Starting with ourselves and offering ourselves compassion, we can live more authentically and easefully.  We can then extend that compassion beyond ourselves to all those who are in pain and suffering.

At our core we are whole beings, and when we act from that core, we are more able to be of use to others and to serve the cause of world peace.

By cultivating peace in ourselves, we can help in the process of changing the culture from one of competition and aggression  to one of co-operation and peace. Only with conscious evolution can the world become more peaceful.

Midsummer's Day June 2011

A wonderful morning after much needed rain - how fresh everything looks and how restorative it is to drink in the beauty of nature.

Resist the habit of listening to the news - the noise of the world is all too insistent - violence, wars, refugees, debt, the rising cost of living, the abuse of the vulnerable, rampant greed. We don't need to be reminded of the horrors of our world, but instead we can focus on its beauty.

If our attention is perpetually focused outward on what is going on in the world we can become depressed and fearful. Instead we can choose to change the lens through which we view things. If we take time to look within, we can connect with what is really important. Watching the flow of the incoming and outgoing breath, the mind becomes peaceful, while at the same time we awaken to the possibility of transformation. We are more able to give of ourselves and thus make a contribution to a better world for all. We cannot be brought down by the world's suffering, but in shifting our perspective we will be connecting with thousands of other people around the world who are evolving as we are and helping to change the culture.

'Today is what it is because yesterday was what it was. And if today is like yesterday, tomorrow will be like today. If you want tomorrow to be different, you must make today different.' G. I. Gurdjieff

Our task right now - March 2011

In the first few months of this year we have seen crisis after crisis unfold, from Australia and New Zealand to Egypt, Libya and Bahrain.  Now we are witnessing catastrophe for the Japanese people with the worst quake since records began, a devastating tsunami which has killed so many, and a nuclear reactor disaster whose deadly consequences are as yet unknown.  And yet how brave and dignified the Japanese are in their time of tribulation.

So much suffering is deeply shocking.  How can we best respond to such tragedy, besides donating to the relief organizations to help with the work they carry out?  Our TV screens and phones connect us to the events as they happen and we are deeply affected.  We share in the suffering because we are all part of one humanity.  Although we may feel powerless and overwhelmed by it all as we try to fathom why such things happen, these events remind us of how impermanent our lives are and force us to look within for answers.  There can be only one response in the face of so much misery - we can open our hearts and become channels for love and compassion for those who have died or have suffered loss.  We can pray that those who are understandably afraid for the future find the inner strength to cope with what each new day brings.  We can be with them in their time of need.

For all of us the world is changing, and our task right now is to find deeper meaning and purpose in our lives.   We seem to be living in times of transition, in a world of death throes and birth pangs, where the very crises we see around us are forcing us to question our way of life.  We are challenged to play our part in this transition by becoming fully evolved human beings, working for a better world, a world of co-operation, of compassion and of peace.

Coming Back to Peace: The life we have

Coming Back to Peace: The life we have: "It’s tempting to think of illness as an interruption of our “real life,” as if we’ll get back to living once our health has returned. With a..."

New Year's Eve 2010

The death of the old, the birth of the new.  Each year, each day, each breath we take is an opportunity to start again.

2010 may have been a difficult year for many, but no matter how challenging, there is always the possibility of turning things around,  of beginning anew.  We are evolving , just as the world we inhabit is evolving, and our wellbeing depends upon the wellbeing of everyone else, and of the universe itself.  We are all interconnected and part of the whole.  As the poet Francis Thompson put it - 'One could not pluck a flower without the troubling of a star.'

Old habit patterns can keep us stuck and prevent us from living life more fully - we are unavailable to both the present and the future.  Letting go of restricting beliefs and behaviours, and adopting nurturing ones, frees us up to experience the world in all its richness.  As the old year draws to an end,  let us say 'yes' to life and all its potential.

If we want to feel truly alive and awake to a  future brimming with possibilities, we need to create time and space in our lives to connect with the source of life.  Nothing could be easier - it's as simple as breathing.  Consciously watching the breath rise and fall, just like tuning a radio, we shift to the divine wavelength and allow a deeper spiritual consciousness to flow.  When we find the time to do this on a regular basis, our perspective on life changes and our world is made new.

Crises that we may have experienced this last year can be seen as wake-up calls prompting us to review our lives and perhaps put more balance back into them.  Hopefully as more and more people feel this is what they want, and begin to live with greater awareness, our world will become a more compassionate one and we will fulfil our destiny, shining like the stars we truly are.

Wishing you health, happiness and peace for 2011.

Winter Solstice 21 December 2010

Rare astronomical event

Not since 21 December 1638 has there been a total lunar eclipse coinciding with a solstice!  This rare cosmic event sees the Earth casting a shadow on the moon which will be visible from 4 continents. In the past such an event might well have been viewed as a blessing.  So why shouldn't we?

With the Northern Hemisphere in the grip of winter, and snow, ice and freezing fog making us shiver, another  way of looking at this Winter Solstice is as an auspicious time to renew ourselves. We can let go of negativity and what no longer works in our world and look forward to the future and the birth of the new.

Signs of positive change

It's been a challenging year for everyone, but however insurmountable the problems may seem, there is no reason to be downcast.  All around us there are signs of positive change.  A natural process of death and rebirth is unfolding on our planet today.
  


The Winter Solstice, also known as Yule, was celebrated in Britain long before the arrival of Christianity.  Many cultures recognize this time as one of great significance in the annual calendar, marking it with rituals, festivals and holidays. Birth and rebirth are common themes of these celebrations.  Amidst the darkness the light emerges, bringing hope for the future.

We have a choice

As we move towards the celebrations of Christmas and New Year, it's vital to keep alive meaningful traditions whilst at the same time embracing new and different ideas.  So many people are longing for a ray of hope amidst the gloom.  As surely as the sun rises each morning and eclipses come and go, we can put our trust in life's processes.  All we have to do is to look at things differently and reframe the problems and crises.  We have a choice either to hold on to the past and the old ways that aren't working, or to open ourselves up to new ideas and possibilities of a more compassionate way of living.

May your heart be filled with peace and love this season of theWinter Solstice.