State of Flux

 Where we are versus where we are supposed to be is the crux of our situation. We, meaning humanity, are in a perpetual state of flux, as it were, due to competing ideologies. These ideologies are not only competing, they are in stark contrast to each other and cannot, by nature, compromise. There is no reasoning with either side to come to an agreement for the sake of peace. No, both sides have their heels dug in deep and refuse to budge. And why should they? Both have very strong ideas of how humanity is to progress forward and both have grievances of the other side. So which one is right? That is the real question we need to answer. The truth is, neither side is right and neither side is wrong, because they are both right and they are both wrong. The problem has more to do with perceived power. When in reality, the power never belonged to any of us in the first place. Power, you see, is perceived to be the end goal for those who tend toward the ego, not the spirit, or essence of who we really are. For those who live in the essence of life understand the end goal is expansion. Power, stunts growth, expansion champions it. And growth isn’t about some “Great Reset”, growth is the natural progression of a free society. Growth is the end result of communities working together, yet allowing for individual freedom. Governance only works properly when done small and left to local municipalities. This is not a mutable nor debatable statement, it is truth. All one must do is look throughout history and notice the pattern of how empires rise and then fall. They fall because they get too big and can no longer adapt as quickly nor efficiently, thus creating a stagnating society. And as unfortunate as it is to say, the United States is at that point. 

  Remember, in order to grow, a society MUST acknowledge their own stagnation and consciously choose to change it. But that doesn’t mean dismantle it and rebuild. No, it means looking at what is of value and what can be thrown away. Community is valuable, identity politics is NOT! Acceptance is freeing, judgment is confining. Massive government has no ability or capacity to provide for all citizens, but small, community based governments do. 

  So where can we affect real change, and how? Find the things of intrinsic value to you and focus on those. Stop paying any attention to the things and people who devalue you and what you stand for. Stop giving your hard earned dollars to corporate oligarchs. Think local, act local, buy local. Grow your own food and share with your neighbors. Find out what they can trade or do for you. Band together with them, regardless of political affiliation (if there comes a day when we no longer have a government, or we’re at war, you’ll want to know who and what your neighbors are, for many reasons). Build valuable skills to contribute to your community, so you can all become self-sustaining. These elites cannot control the masses if the masses refuse to listen or fall in line.

FUBAR

   Everything is FUBARed! Our world is in such despair, not just here in the US, but worldwide. I’ve been writing about this revolution for over 30 years, yet no one knows because I’ve never published a single piece. Not for a lack of desire, nor passion, but simply because I chose to focus on other avenues of creativity and success. I spent years living with and around a group of people who, while well meaning, didn’t believe I could make a living as a writer or an artist. So I followed another passion and spent 25 years as a hairdresser. I am pretty good at it too, not that I’m tooting my own horn, my work speaks for itself. But I’m digressing. My whole point isn’t about my past, but my future, what that means for this world and the impact it can have on future generations. I’m not perfect by ANY stretch of the imagination, nor do I claim to have all the answers. I am merely a messenger. So please, don’t shoot me.    

  My messages come from another place, they are not me, for I am only human and these words are for the world. Only one powerful being can truly affect the change our world so desperately needs. So, without further adieu, I will begin the process of leaking out these messages as they come. Keep in mind, I am also working on a compilation of my writings for the last 30 years, so keep checking my community for updates on its progress.

  

  Back to the lecture at hand...

  We are FUBAR. Fucked Up Beyond All Repair! I don’t say this lightly, mind you, for I am an eternal optimist. Somewhat of a PollyAnna, if you will. But I don’t see the world through rose colored glasses. My ex husband used to say I didn’t ever see the bad things that happen in this world. Of course, he was wrong, and I’d be sure to tell him so every chance I got. I do see the Hell that we are living in, the Hell we came out of, and the Hell we are heading towards, but I choose to focus on the good, and how we can change our projected path. It’s not going to be easy, and there will be a great deal of pushback, but if we are to save some semblance of life, things MUST CHANGE. 

  It’s time to abandon the idea that we can live harmoniously under one government. It’s time we realize that the only way to protect life, the earth, and our prosperity is to keep our circles smaller. To support and prosper within our own communities. For example, there was a serious accident in my former town of Flagstaff over Memorial Day Weekend. A group of cyclists were riding in a parade down one of the main streets when a tow truck driver, who was on his phone, ran the red light and plowed into the group. Six were injured, 5 of which were serious. One woman succumbed to her injuries just 2 days later. It is a tragedy that has rocked Flagstaff to its core. But, the community has come together and nearly every small business in town has donated 100% of their proceeds to these families, along with a great number of it’s residents. Not a single one of the victims will have to worry about their medical bills or their incomes. No insurance company nor government could act as fast. No large organization of any kind would rally around this tragedy in support nearly as effectively as the grassroots community that is Flagstaff. Which brings me to my point. 

  Our local communities is where real change IS affected. We must stop relying on big companies, large federal governments and millionaires/billionaires for anything. None of them understand what it’s like to be an “average” citizen. None of them understand the plight of the working man. They are so far removed from the realities of real life that though they think they can come in, throw a bunch of money at something and everything will be fine, the truth is much more messy. So, they do what they can to keep themselves at the top and all of us under their thumb. But, the power they seem to think they have is only given to them because we allow it. The best way we can remove their power is to walk away from them and their money. To pool our own resources together and become bigger than they will ever hope to be. The GameStop and AMC stock stories are just a start. They may think they have power and influence, but it pails in comparison to millions of average citizens banding together to stop these greed-mongers from taking every last cent away from the working class. It’s the old story from the Big Book of David vs. Goliath. Yet, we are also in the midst of Sodom and Gomorrah as well. Just take a moment to assess, I’ll wait. You got it? Good. Because I don’t feel the need to get into the depths of either story. Suffice to say, we are in the midst of G-d’s judgment. And I take no pleasure in saying it. What I can take pleasure in saying, however, is that millions are waking up to this truth. And in that, humanity can and WILL survive. But just what will that look like? Some postulate it will look like the top .01% ruling over everyone. But they would be wrong.

  What life will look like in just 5 years has yet to be determined, but it will NOT look anything like what those “in power” plan. See, in order for their plan to succeed, they need a submissive population. They need people to need them. And the lot of us are starting to realize that we don’t. We, as a whole, are starting to see the truth behind their wicked lies, their blatant deceptions and their sinful ways. No, life in 5 years will NOT look like what they plan. Life will be freedom and prosperity. Life will be smaller communities that rely on each other. Building strength within community and reliance upon our neighbors. It is already happening right now in the move away from the big cities. A mass migration back to less congestion, less noise, less hustle and bustle. We see it in the real estate market, as well as the job sector. People are moving away from dependent communities and work and opting for a more autonomous existence. 

  It is the “thing” that will fundamentally transform the way we live, work, interact and grow. In this movement, which is the natural consequence of one power forcing itself upon the masses, we will “get back” to the way we were always supposed to live in the first place. In balance and harmony with the plant and animal world. We have forgotten that we are not the only ones inhabiting this space on the planet and we are not the authority on how life should exist, for we are only 1/3 of the life on earth. 

  And before you go rolling your eyes, thinking I’m some kind of environmentalist, let me say this, I do not believe in global warming as the narrative frames. I do not believe it is man caused, nor do I believe we can do anything to stop it. It is hubris to believe 1/3 of the life on this planet can effect such a devastating crisis of this magnitude, short of a nuclear holocaust. It isn’t convenient to speak of the truth that our planet is merely going through it’s natural cycle of heating and cooling. If you look at the geology of the past, along with astronomical charts, with a basic understanding of how the universe is in constant motion, you can see that the earth is merely shifting on it’s axis, which causes icecaps to melt, droughts, floods, fires, you get the idea. There is actually documentation in the past of this happening. The popular story is that of Noah’s flood, but in truth, there are over 800 mythologies from around the world of the Great Flood. According to the research done by Graham Hancock and others, this cycle is about 14,000 years long and the archaeological evidence of said Flood dates back about 14,000 years. Coincidence? So, no, I am not an environmentalist, but rather a naturalist and realist. The soil is depleted, the oceans too salty and the air is too thick with particulates. It’s time, the reality here is that the earth is due for a massive cleansing.

  In that realism, it is easy to see that the destruction before us is inevitable. Yet, there is always a silver lining. Just like a forest that’s been devastated by fire, life will always find a way to return, and so will humanity. We will thrive in ways not imagined before, simply due to necessity being the mother of all invention, and adaptation being the true definition of survival of the fittest. 

  In truth, humanity is the master of adaptation. We’ve made it through multiple plagues, wars, famines, and natural disasters, to come out stronger, more capable and resilient. What makes anyone think we are headed for doom? To put it simply, fear. 

  Fear is the emotion of uncertainty. Fear is the driver of bad decisions. Fear is the thing that keeps you frozen and unable to move. It is the one thing that truly holds someone back and prevents them from reaching their true potential. Yet it can also serve as the greatest motivator to propel you forward. And for those who become frozen in the face of fear, this may well be the end. For those who allow fear to ignite their souls, survival and the ability to thrive, despite the circumstance, become the only path. From the ashes, the Phoenix rises. 

  So the real questions you must ask yourself, 

Does your fear have you, or do you have it?

When the time comes will you stand in strength or crumble in fear?     

Be well everyone, and remember,

Stand Up

        Stand Out

                Be the Light!

-MiriamtheLevite 

Light Workers

  In today’s ever changing landscape, it’s hard to know who you can trust. Everyone seems to be talking out of both sides of their mouths, yet saying very little that has any intrinsic value. 

One trend I’ve noticed lately, those who speak truth come from all walks of life, but one shared thread is Faith. Let’s define them as Light Workers. A Light Worker is one who has connected to The One (in Hebrew, Ein Sof, Source of All Creation), allowing the signs and messages to freely flow through them to invoke the spiritual awakening in which we are experiencing. I am one of them, and it’s taken me decades to come to terms with it. It is the humblest of honors, and I don’t take it lightly.

We don’t all share the same anything, really, but we do understand the great importance of being and staying connected to Ein Sof. It’s something that comes with conscious awareness and understanding just how each one of us affect the world in which we live. We have been brought here, in this space and time, to affect such change, to usher in the expansion of the human existence. 

The natural progression of Humanity cannot be avoided or brushed off, just because it’s icky. In Judaism, its called the coming of Moshiach, in Christianity, it’s the Messiah. In truth, it’s not a person at all. It is redemption. It is waking from the dream of contradictory reality. Waking from the utter nonsense that has become our world and understanding the truth of existence. Light Workers are those who will guide this transition, and many of us seem such unlikely “prophets”. But the reality we must remember, when we look back upon history, some of the greatest influencers have been pretty salty characters. Anyone ever read the book Illusions-The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah, by Richard Bach? See, a Light Worker isn’t defined by the righteousness of the path they are set upon. They are defined by their truth, their wisdom, their understanding. All of which are not gifted in a pretty little box with a bow on top. No, truth, wisdom and understanding come from great adversity. That adversity brings about uncomfortable growth, which in turn brings about an opening of the mind into a greater story than could ever be told, for no one would believe them. Which in turn forces them to seek that truth, that wisdom, that understanding.

Light Workers, understand the 5 levels of the soul, as defined by Kabbalah (even if someone doesn’t know Kabbalah, on a certain level, they understand this). These 5 levels pertain to the connection with and understanding of Ein Sof-

1. Nefesh- Physical Body- your actions
2. Ruach- Emotional Self- your feelings
3. Neshamah- Mental Self- your knowing
4. Chayah-Spiritual Self- your “being”
5. Yechidah- Transcendental Self- when you transcend the “being”

Each level requires an awareness and connection to the self, not as a being, limited in its physicality, but as a soul that is limitless and eternal in it’s light, its מאד m’od (muchness). Each level builds upon the one before, bringing you closer to Ein Sof and forever out of the dream. But, because we are so very limited within our physical bodies, reaching Yechidah and staying there is near improbable. The irony, however, is that when we are actually asleep, our souls can detach, and often do, from our bodies in order to exist in the true reality, but what we believe in the waking world to be the dream. Wait, what did I just say? The true reality is what we understand to be the dream (?) and what we perceive to be reality is in actuality, the dream????

YES!!!!! A thousand times over, YES!!!!!

Light Workers, on one level of the soul or another, understand this and are so very connected, they can see through the veil of what we believe to be the reality of existence. We come from ALL walks of life. We have been through our own adversities and challenges to come away with an understanding of what it was all for and why we are here now. We get it! Many cannot express it in such terms, but on some level, they are doing their part to affect this change. While others are blessed with the ability to translate this understanding to the masses in such a way that their impact is far greater. Ultimately, it matters not, for Moshiach is coming and when it arrives, the Light Workers of the world will rise up to comfort those who are just waking from the dream and trying to comprehend this truth. No one way is better or more powerful than another, for once the age of Moshiach has past, there will be no war, hunger, greed, competion, etc...

I will put out this one caution, it’s going to get worse before it gets better. What we all need to do is keep our wits about us, keep speaking and standing up for TRUTH and stay grounded within it. The battle has just begun and we are stronger than the evil forces that are attempting to tear it all down now. Our advantage here is that those who seek to destroy, underestimate those who fight for TRUTH. At the end of this very uncomfortable time, after the Age of Moshiach, we will live balanced within ourselves, our world and our soul. We are entering to the Age of Enlightenment, where all will understand and be connected to Ein Sof. It isn’t going to be easy for some to come to the TRUTH that G-d does exist and ALL that IS, is G-d, and that each of us, are merely a spark of the ONENESS, but together, WE are G-d. And that his more POWERFUL than any evil force could attempt to imagine. 

Chag Pesach!

Stand Up

Stand Out

Be the Light!

-Miriam-

Standing In Grace

     Recently on a trip back to my hometown, I took the opportunity to allow myself to be fully conscious and present in the experience. It’s taken me a bit to truly step into understanding all that the experience gave me, but I think I got it. Forgive me if this gets too convoluted. 

    For the first time in my life, I saw the city I grew up in for what it really is, not for what I perceived. I saw the memories of my childhood play out in front of me like they were on the Big Screen. I walked the paths of my parents and my grandparents through the city they loved so much; the very one I loathed and despised for nearly 30 years. The one that chewed me up and spit me back out time and time again those first 18 years. I decided that it was time to let go of those old feelings. Time to let go of the past, the pain, the disappointments, the resistance, and to embrace the beauty that is my history. To see it objectively and yield myself to its Grace.

    Los Angeles, the City of Angels. To some, it’s a dream come true to bask in the warmth of its Light. To others, like me, it’s Light isn’t warm enough. The line from Pretty Woman, “Welcome to Hollywood, what’s your dream? Everybody that comes to Hollywood has a dream”, always struck me as so very superficial. I just couldn’t connect with anything LA had to offer, and so, at 18, I left. I didn’t look back once, even when I knew I could aways go home. It just was not an option. Yet, no matter how far I ran, LA was always with me, chasing after me like some lost puppy seeking acceptance and love. Every time I went back, it was like a huge weight was placed upon my shoulders, dragging me down until I left. Never felt comfortable there, always feeling like I was being sized up and judged as not good enough. Yet, there was always an affinity to my connection with “home”.

    I don’t know exactly when my attitude toward the city changed, but I do know that one day, I just stopped hating it. One day, I just saw it as another city. No connection, no affection, no nothing. And though, having no feeling may seem, to some, as no big deal, to me, it was. Most of my adult life, I’ve had to defend that though I grew up there, when I had the chance to leave, I did. In 1991, when I was packing to move to Lake Powell, I knew I’d leave behind family, friends and memories, and I was good with that. I was good with walking away from all the swill that tried taking me down. Good with never looking back, knowing that where I grew up didn’t define me. Oh, how very wrong I was. Growing up in LA does define you. It defines you in ways that you don’t understand until many years later. And when you look back, you realize that it was a blessing and a curse. The phrase, “You can take the girl out of (insert anything, in this case LA), but you can’t take LA out of the girl”, used to always bother me, because I never saw myself as an LA Girl, or even a Valley Girl. I spent so much time running away from it, that I never saw the beauty in how it defined me. 

    With everything going on in the world right now, all the hate, all the anger, the cancel culture, etc; my experiences growing up in LA being who I am, prepared me for this. I am not surprised, for I have seen the worst of humanity directed at me. I have experienced some pretty deep traumas, most of which perpetuated because of the very energy I gave to them. I own that. I’m not proud of the role I played in my own pain, but I survived, and I learned what it means to be resilient. And while there are definitely people in this world who’ve experienced far more painful traumas than my own, the psychological damage runs along the same lines. Though I have no idea what it’s like to go through any type of actual physical torture, war, poverty, etc, I do know what it’s like to be abused on multiple levels. And I know just how damaging trauma can be. Spent years wondering why these things kept happening to me. It was only when I decided I had reached my breaking point and sought trusted counsel, that I began to see not only the why, but the how. And I sat with that, for a long time. It wasn’t an easy pill to swallow and it hurt going down for sure. But as it digested into my being and settled, where it would, near my soul, a veil lifted and I began to see this whole theatre play out in front of me. 

    I understood it was never the city that chewed me up and spit me back out, it was only myself. The city was what made me resilient. The city was what made me tough. The city was what made me creative, bold, expressive. It made me appreciate the finer things in life, as well as all the rough around the edges stuff. It gave me a glimpse into humanity from virtually every angle and allowed me to observe human behavior in a way I don’t think I’d have been able living anywhere else. 

    For the first time in my nearly 48 yrs of life, I saw Los Angeles from the perspective of bittersweet nostalgia. And I saw the beauty that still exists there amongst the grime and the desperation. I saw the people with their generosity and kindness and laid back attitude, with a touch of Hollywood arrogance. I saw the history of the ones who built Los Angeles from their eyes. I saw the Los Angeles of the days gone by, and the people who hope to bring that feeling back. I saw the beauty of her landscape, her soft rolling hills covered in green and the palm tree lined streets that are so very famous. I felt the heart and soul of a city begging for forgiveness, longing to be loved again. For the first time, I felt connected to my home and I stand now, humbly in her Grace. For she made me who I am. With every scar, every tear, every joy, Los Angeles is my home.

       

    

Revelation of Truth

    Is it enough to have a strong faith when faced with such visceral hate? Is it enough to TRUST in G-d, yet remain silent? Is it enough to teach only your children the Moral Code? The answer to all of these questions is simply, NO. It’s not enough to have faith, a belief in G-d, or to teach your children, not anymore. No, we must stand up, speak up, be louder than the loudest bullhorn against the radical ideology that is plaguing our country, our society, pushing against our very way of life. 

  It isn’t enough to just hold these values. It isn’t enough to teach them only to our children. Our world needs these lessons. Humanity is, after all, beautifully flawed. We come here to experience, to grow, to expand. Yet how can we, when the very foundation upon which we exist is not only threatened, it is being destroyed? How can we protect, preserve and strengthen these foundations simply by living right and teaching our children? We can’t. At least not for the present. See, living right, teaching our children, lays the foundation for the future, but it will all be for not, if we cannot secure the present. So how do we do that?

   The answer seems simple, in concept, yet difficult when put to practice. Meet Hate with Love, shine the Light in the Darkest corners. That’s it. The only way we are going to “White Pill” anyone successfully is to meet their hate and anger and entitled attitude with Love & Light. It begins by teaching not just accountability, but intentionality as well. Which is to say that not only must we be accountable for our actions, but we must think BEFORE we act, just where our intentions lie. We must always be conscious in that intention not just in the moment, but into the future. So, the question is, how do you change how someone thinks? 

   It requires a great deal of patience and compassion to help reshape the way someone thinks. It starts with posing questions that challenge their core beliefs. As you begin to open their minds, replacing those toxic core beliefs with values and morality, they will see that it can actually uplift not only them, but their community as a whole. And while it may seem a futile exercise, I assure you it is not. The key is to challenge minor beliefs first. By posing a different take on a situation, one can begin to see that there is more than one perspective. From there, expanding upon a new awareness of differing perspectives, one can broaden their own understanding of themselves within the world they have created. The next step is to guide them to see that each and every one of us live within those worlds we create and thus, reality is not the same for everyone. That’s when the “Ah-ha” moments begin to happen. From there, it’s just a matter of allowing them the time to process and absorb, in a way that makes sense for them. 

   Welcome to the grieving process, which for some, is more difficult than the revelation of truth. They may fight against the feelings of anger, not wanting to trust that their own belief system was toxic and viscerally charged. Or they may deny this “new” reality, which is actually not new at all. They may get stuck bargaining with their own thoughts about the truth that has been revealed. It could be that depression overwhelms them and they feel as though nothing good can ever come from this truth. In the end, acceptance washes over them and they begin to come out of this vicious thought cycle that perpetuates not only negativity but judgement as well. For one cannot live in lies once they understand the truth. 

   Once you begin to live in truth, it becomes natural to stand in accountability, but not necessarily in intentionality. For that, one must be consciously thinking through their actions before they actually act. In order to understand what that looks like, first, we must understand what intentionality is. As defined, pertaining to the capacity of the mind to refer to an existent or nonexistent object, the state of a person’s mind that directs his or her actions towards a specific object. 

   It isn’t enough to simply intend to do good. Most people intend to do good, yet fail to understand the consequences of their own actions. Most people think that just because they believe one thing to be right, everyone MUST believe the same. But, when we open our minds to full capacity, we can see multiple perspectives and endless possibilities. In that, we can see the potential of what we intend and how it may play out. Which allows us the ability to consciously move through our actions with the knowledge that we are justly intentioned and accountable. And when one is conscious, accountable and intentional, their actions are pure. That purity IS TRUTH. And that truth is never forced or coerced. It is organic in nature simply due to it’s own purity. For when we see the endless possibilities, we see exactly how to move through any situation conscious to every potential outcome, thus giving us a path of clarity and focus to allow for the best possible outcome.

   However, just because someone is conscious in their intentions doesn’t mean the outcome is always favorable. There may come a time when you realize that no matter what you do, the result you want isn’t possible. Those are the moments that try your intentionality the most. For example, I have, many times, intended to help someone through a very difficult and trying time in their life, only to be met with absolute resistance and hatred. See, just because someone comes to me seeking guidance doesn’t always mean they are ready for it. Once I realize their resistance, I tend to challenge them to see if they are actually serious. Most of the time, they are not and I am forced to walk away. So, my intention to help guide them never comes to fruition, but my consciousness allows me to accept that truth and move on. It’s only when we refuse to accept truth that we attempt to force our ways upon others. Which, of course, begets resentment and anger, thus, the vicious cycle of toxic thoughts continue. 

   So the challenge then becomes an internal one to face the very foundation of the need to be right. Accepting truth often means admitting we were wrong about something, we followed the wrong path, or trusted in the wrong ideas. That is a huge blow to the ego, especially if your ego is the driving force. And in this world, ego is everything. 

   It’s time to smash the illusion that our egos have anything to do with truth.  Because in reality, truth exists beyond the realm or capacity of the ego. And the ego does everything it can to convince you otherwise. The ego wants you to to believe that it alone knows what’s right and will push back against anything that gets in it’s way.

   Funny thing about the ego, it only holds as much power has you consciously allow, proving it’s actually not the one in control. So, if the ego isn’t in control, then the illusion ceases to be perceived as reality, and truth reveals itself fluidly. When the veils of perception are lifted, truth is revealed and infinite existence is understood. Which allows one to realize that all that is negative, all that is hateful, all that is evil comes solely from ego. And in that realization, spirit arises within and encourages the soul to propel forward in truth and understanding. Accepting that each soul, each individual is on this journey together, yet all alone. And to cause harm to another is to cause harm to the self. 

   So, again, I ask, is it enough to simply have Faith? To have belief in G-d and to teach that to our children? No. We must open hearts, open minds and allow for open discourse. We must meet Hate with Love, Darkness with Light, and Deceit with Truth. 

It’s time to Stand Up

                      Stand Out

                        Be the Light

Miriam     

Faith

 “Faith is allowing oneself to be seized by what we do not see.”- Martin Luther

  What is faith? Is it religion? No, for I know many who have faith but no religion, Bono of U2 fame, for one. Is it spirituality? Mmm, no I don’t think so either, for I know those terms are not synonymous, because spirit is merely consciousness. 

  Faith, is putting trust in the unknown. Faith is believing in a moral path. Faith allows us to yield control to that unknown. Religion, as we know it, is about control. Religion is judgemental, predatory and fear filled. Religion came to rise when power sought control. It took away one’s ability to dig deep within oneself to find where that faith lies. For there is no need to search for something when it’s spoonfed to you. So what, it’s not exactly what you might find when you dig, but it’s close enough, right? And when one is thirsting for direction, one will follow anyone who promises the right way. 

  Faith is personal. Faith is unique to each individual. It is neither right nor wrong, it is what YOU believe. YOUR relationship with YOUR CREATOR is something only YOU can choose. And THAT is the true nature of Faith. It is not brow beating, fear mongering or deceit. It is remembering a simple Hebrew phrase-

בּשׁבילי נברא העולם ואנכי עפר ואפר

  For my sake, the world was created and I am dust and ash. The first part speaks to one’s potential, the second to what one has actualized. It’s a way of looking at the dichotomy of our self-worth. And that keeps us humbled in faith. 

  For when we can stay humbled in our own deeds, our Faith grows. It is not enough to just believe in a higher power, you must see the Grace in everything you do to truly hold Faith. And when that Grace reveals itself to you, it can be in the smallest of ways. Or it can be larger than life itself. Either way, it lets you know you are supported in your deeds. You are connected to YOUR CREATOR.  

  

Ill-Ease

   This feeling of ill-ease, this place of limbo, of the unknown, is testing the strength of my faith to its very core. While I remain trusting in my Faith of G-d’s plan, I must admit I am skeptical of the outcome of our election. Skeptical because as we are all seeing, there is much reason to be, from voter intimidation, to ballot stuffing, to voter turnout being 100% or higher, I could go on as it is rampant everywhere. There is much about this election to be questioned. We know those who are seeking to steal this election will not go down quietly. We know they will scream the loudest, push the hardest, yet when met with real Opposition, they will fold like a cheap suit. But this post isn’t about the election. This post isn’t about keeping us divided. This post is about who will rise to the challenge of being that Opposition. 

   We have an opportunity to affect REAL change in our society. So I ask, “Will We The People stand together and fight against those who seek to destroy our society or will we sit placidly by and watch the fall of our Republic?”

   I am hedging that We The People will rise up. Why I feel this way is simple, we have spent too many generations building a strong representative Republic. We have become accustomed to a certain way of life. I am one who believes that way of life lends itself to individual freedom. I am one who believes that we stand on a foundation of morals and integrity that far surpass that of most of the world. With that said, we are facing a serious crisis in our country of moral degradation. 

   I am one of many, perhaps thousands, who were put on this earth to usher in the era of morality. To remind Humanity of its obligation to keep the scales balanced. We are here to influence change. Whether we were conscious of it or not, our entire lives have been preparing us for this time, this work, this voice. Through our unique experiences with very similar ties, we begin the daunting task of returning Us all back to a strong Moral Society. One that cannot be threatened by any outside force or ideology. To return to an Ancient philosophy that knows neither “Conservative” nor “Liberal” politics. An ideology, a mindset rich with infinite possibilities that celebrates the beauty and importance of individual talents and contributions to society. One which knows the truth that each individual is woven into the fabric of the collective human experience, one that does not negate the importance of either. For it is neither about EQUALITY nor EQUITY. It’s about balance, symmetry, synchronicity, symbiosis. It is understanding that one is not complete without the other, for the individual needs the collective just as much as the collective needs the individual. 

  But we must strive to support and champion the individual regardless of station, regardless of any perceived level of importance, to respect the beauty of its place within the collective experience. Not every person is equal, nor every situation fair, but if you look closely, you will find the balance. Every talent, every gift, every individual is important. To say otherwise is to negate its very existence. In truth, our focus has been on all the wrong things for far too long. See, not everyone aspires to be a famous star, yet, if you look at social media, one could argue that. Conversely, not everyone aspires to be a plumber, or a physicist, or a doctor, you get the idea. But if we continue to focus on EQUALITY and EQUITY, we will never be happy as individuals. We will never satisfy the thirst for more. More money, more toys, more power, more influence, etc... If we shift the focus onto balance, we find it much easier to see the individual and their unique addition to the collective experience. One need look no further than the animal kingdom. Would you say there is EQUITY or EQUALITY amongst a pride of lions or Bonobo Chimpanzees? Or how about the honey badger? I would strongly argue no. But, is there a balance? The answer is yes. See, we Humans are fallible and in that fallibility, we tend to forget that mistakes are meant to teach us, to help us grow.

   By looking beyond the evils that stand in the way of true freedom, freedom of thought, expression, religion, action, we can see that it is not an impenetrable wall,  it a sheer veil and we’ve been fooled by its opacity. It is a veil of deception, that when you lifted, you see the truth of knowledge, the truth of perception, the truth of existence. But we get caught up in the deception, feeling that our focus needs to be on growing all the wrong things. We value our self worth based on a culture that tells us no matter what or where or who we are, we will never be enough. We idolize the false premise of GREED. We’ve turned a blind eye to theology and instead embraced idolatry. We took for granted the VERY RIGHTS given to us by the ALL MERCIFUL G-D. We’ve become lazy, lackadaisical, lethargic. We’ve traded integrity for luxury, morals for wokeness, and accountability for accusatory behavior. For it is easier to sit all comfy on our homes pointing fingers and judging, than go help at the soup kitchen. It’s easier to go along with the crowd than stand up and speak truth. It’s easier to blame someone else than take accountability for your own actions or lack thereof. We live in a world based in emotional reaction instead of moral integrity, logic and reason. We do not respect those with whom we come in contact, nor will we give them an inch to express themselves if we think they might not line with us. Speaking from my own experience, living that way only leaves you feeling empty. And when you feel empty, you feel alone. When you feel alone, you tend to live on anger, hurt and resentment. And thus, the cycle begins. Remember, hurt people, hurt people. 

   So the result is what we are facing in our world today. An entire society of ego centered hurt people. A collective mindset of somehow being wronged, forgotten, empty. Which brings about a righteous empowerment, this belief that your way (your wronged, hurt, empty way) is the only way and must be followed by everyone. Because misery loves miserable company. It becomes infectious, invading and consuming every facet of life. It creeps in through an action, a whisper, a look. It is righteous judgement, though it has no merit or foundation other than perception. For it comes not from seeing one clearly with an open heart and mind, but from a lack of objectivity and critical thinking. From a lack of compassion and understanding. From a place of fear of the unknown, the unfamiliar. It comes from a selfish conflated narrow mindedness. A belief that one view is the only view and no opposing independent thought is allowed. That is NOT Love. That is hate. It is intolerant, disrespectful and comes from that place of hurt, empty pain.

   Which brings me to the “how” we got here and what we can do about it. The simple answer can be found when we look back just sixty years ago to the middle part of the last century, with the ushering of the Civil Rights Movement. There was so much we got right, yet so much we got very wrong. Just as we did during the Reconstruction Era, post Civil War. To do it right, we only have to look at the Old Testament or the Torah. When Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt,, did he take them directly to the promised land and set them free? No. He led them on a journey to teach them HOW to create their own civilization. It took forty years. Enough time for an entire generation to be born and learn the ways of independence. Fast forward to present times, it’s taken a generation or 2 to be re-enslaved, only this time, it’s mental slavery. We have been molded into a victimhood ideology due to politicizing identity. It comes from complacent acceptance of little infractions, infringements over a long period of time. One minor infraction upon liberty, one small infringement of our G-d given rights is forgivable, right? The problem is it opens the door to more and more until one day, you wake up and your freedoms, your liberties are gone. It’s design, by nature, is rooted in the destruction of the family unit, the impossible climb out of poverty, the need to trust the “system” to raise your children because you have to work 60+ hour weeks just to make ends meet. It stems from a society who’s lost their way for the sake of a perceived “politeness”. 

   It’s time to do away with political correctness and identity politics. It’s time to usher in moral consciousness and policy based politics. It’s time to do away with career politicians and return to the honored duty of public service. And it all starts with WE THE PEOPLE. 

  It’s time to return to seeking truth of knowledge, transparency, doing the right thing simply because it’s the right thing to do. A return to treating everyone with dignity and respect, regardless of station. A return to understanding accountability and responsibility. A change in how we recognize, teach and support the individual talents so unique to each one of us. It’s time to hold our elected officials accountable to their constituents. To decide what we will accept and what we will discard. 

   I come at this not from one side or the other, though I do not deny being Conservative. I come from the side of unity. From a perspective within and outside societal norms and constructs. I see things from a wider angled lens, if you will, though I am not immune to the persuasions of this dilemma we call the Human Experience. I come from a place of Ancient Wisdom that flows within me like water, sometimes taking me over angry rapids and heart wrenching waterfalls only to be rewarded with the calmness of a lazy river. This wisdom, this voice was placed in my hands to pass on to you. It is not mine to hold but to give. It is yours to do with what you will. My goal is is that in some way, you find a small piece of this dialogue to hold onto. Something with which to grow upon. Something to share so that it too may grow. 

   Blessings to you all

      Remember to always

                                  Stand Up

                                     Stand Out

                                        Be the Light