Creating a New
Paradigm
"All the
darkness of the world cannot put out the light of a single
candle."
The Old Paradigm
Together, we are creating a new
paradigm on Earth. Yet in order to give meaningful suggestions to further
support this, we first need to speak candidly about the old paradigm. It appears
that there are factions within the world's power elite which still desire to exert as much
control as possible over the world. Their primary means for establishing
control are through promoting fear, secrecy, and polarization, and through
distracting people from their deeper purpose in life. When these factions
gain greater power and control, our freedoms and liberties are increasingly taken away, sometimes without our even realizing
it.
Fear is used as a powerful tool of
control by these factions of the global elite. "The terrorists want to kill us
all. Your job, home, and retirement are no longer secure. You are either for us
or against us. We might be attacked at any time." All of these messages push us
towards fear. And by encouraging us to focus blame on others such as
terrorists and "evil" leaders, the global power brokers push us away from
feeling in control of our lives and towards the role of powerless victims, so
that we look to them for protection. The more we slip into fear and being
victims, the easier it is for us to be manipulated.
Secrecy leads to control through
preventing the exposure of hidden agendas, and through breeding distrust,
suspicion, and paranoia in the world. In the name of "national security," we
have been told ever more frequently that we should not know what is
happening behind closed doors in government. Yet we are encouraged to keep
vigilant watch over our neighbors, over those who question the government, and
over those who look or act different from us, as they could secretly be
terrorists in sheep's clothing. Rampant suspicion and secrecy cause us to
lose touch with the common humanity we share with all around us.
Polarization leads to "us vs. them"
ways of thinking. Divide and conquer is a tactic that has been used successfully
by the power elite of the world for centuries. As long as people focus on
blaming and attacking "the enemy," they are not likely to look for the deeper
causes of their problems. Controlling factions of the power elite work to keep
public and media attention focused on issues which divide us into two
polarized camps, so that their greatest concerns of power
and control go unnoticed. The power brokers then control both sides of the
divided public by assuring that corporate ownership of the media and key
candidates from all political parties support their deeper power and
polarization agendas, which often involve war
profiteering.
A final subtle, yet powerful method
of gaining control is to distract people from their purpose in life. Consider
that television, radio, and movies have been filled with ever more greed,
violence, and empty sex. Our educational system has increasingly prioritized
passing tests over developing intelligence and creativity. Excessive corporate
control of the media has limited what news we receive, and often shaped our decisions
and the way we think. Our attention has been subtly diverted from our
deeper purpose in life to the more superficial attractions of sex, consumerism,
and money.
When we succumb to fear, secrecy,
and polarization, and when we lose touch with our sense of purpose in life,
elements of the global elite are able to exert ever more control over our lives
and world.
The New Paradigm
What can we do about all this?
Ultimately, it is the collective fear, secrecy, polarization, and loss of
purpose within all of us that has allowed leaders to take power who would
subvert democracy, and who would take away our freedoms and liberties. By
each one of us making a commitment to work on these issues both inside of
ourselves and out in the world – and to inspire others to do the same – we are
changing our collective direction and building a solid foundation for a new
paradigm. Several actions can help us to take firm steps in that
direction.
Develop purpose and intentions
for your life. To live full, rich lives in today's complex world, it's
vitally important to give your life clear direction by exploring what is deepest
and most meaningful to you, and by developing
life purpose and intentions based on this. Then choose to live your
intentions and follow your purpose to the best of your ability every day. By
choosing to live with clear direction and focus, life becomes deeper and more
meaningful. This then weakens the seduction of consumerism and media hype which
distract us from our purpose, and allows us to more effectively focus on
creating a new paradigm.
Choose to transform fear into
acceptance and love. When we notice ourselves feeling fear, we can trace the
roots of that fear, so that we are able to identify our core
challenges and deal more consciously with them. We can open to guidance from
friends, teachers, and spiritual sources in helping us to move from fear to acceptance
and understanding. We can also transform our fears through welcoming the
ever-present love of our divine creator, and the love that lies always deep
within our own hearts, and in the hearts of those around us. In doing this, we
begin to recognize fear as an invitation to growth.
Become aware of when you are playing
the role of victim, and choose instead to take personal responsibility for
creating a new paradigm. In blaming others for our problems, we often avoid
taking responsibility for how much we are involved in creating these problems
through the choices we make. Whenever we catch ourselves playing the role of
victim by blaming others (including the power elite) for everything that's wrong
in our lives, we can choose to take a look
inside ourselves, and to explore and take responsibility for our role in
what's happening. By focusing less on blaming others, and more on improving
ourselves, every one of us can make a difference both in our lives and in our
world.
Avoid secrecy and encourage
openness and transparency. An important way we can do this is to work
together to inform friends and colleagues about the major cover-ups being
hidden from the public. Then in our personal lives, when we notice ourselves
keeping information from others, we can examine our motives for this secrecy.
Are we withholding information out of our own self-interest, or because this is
really what's
best for all involved? And on a deeper level, where are we avoiding being
honest with ourselves?
Move beyond polarization and the
focus on "good vs. evil" and "us vs. them." Consider the possibility that
all of us are doing what we believe to be right based upon our beliefs,
circumstances, and upbringing. Each of us has a place in our heart that
wants only to love and be loved. As we focus less on blaming and judging "them"
and more on supporting the highest motive in all people – including
members of the power elite – we increasingly come to see that we are all one
human family, and that we can choose to transform our world by working together
for the good of all.
And finally, come together in
groups and communities to support each other in making these positive
changes. In these groups and
communities, we support each other in transforming fear into acceptance and
love. We exchange information about all that is being hidden from us and explore
ways to move beyond polarization. We also share our life purpose and
intentions and encourage each other to live these as fully as we can. And
we inspire each other to take responsibility for our lives and to be the best
that we can be. When we gather in community to support each other in these
intentions, we join in building a growing network of inspiration and empowerment
around the planet.
These suggestions emphasize changing
the collective consciousness of the world by transforming both our own personal
lives and the world around us. Let us do all that we can to stop destructive
behaviors of the global power elite. Yet let us not overly focus on changing
the outside world without first having a solid internal foundation, lest we fall
into blaming others, and into the polarizing "us vs. them" ways which only
further divide us. By reminding ourselves that the most powerful change starts
inside each one of us, we can develop more balance and strength to then work
towards positive change out in the world.
As we change ourselves from the
inside out, we send ripples of inspiration and healing out into the world. By
joining together in groups and communities to support each other in this, those
ripples become waves which are powerfully helping to create a new paradigm for
all of us.
For another short, powerful
essay on shifting paradigms, click
here
For a
guide to developing your life purpose and intentions, click
here
For a
powerful online course exploring all of this in greater depth, click
here
New
Paradigm
A Comparison of
Old and New Paradigm Perspectives
Our world appears to be
making a profound shift to a new paradigm. The old paradigm served humanity for
many, many years, and in some ways serves us still. Yet this exciting new
paradigm is paving the way for a more loving, harmonious way of living and
interacting with all around us. The below comparison is an attempt to capture
the spirit of the old and new paradigm without the intention of making one
better than the other, yet also inviting us to join in welcoming inspiring new
ways which can support us all in being the best we can be and making a
difference in our lives and world.
New Paradigm
Comparisons
Old: Man is
born into sin, essentially corrupt at the core.
New: All people
in their core essence are beautiful and worthy of love.
Old:
Hatred and vengeance are justified for wrongs suffered. An eye for an eye.
New: Love is
the most transformative force. Forgiveness is an act of courage and compassion.
Old:
Don't show real feelings, or you will get hurt. Create a convincing persona to
present to the world.
New: Welcome authenticity
and vulnerability. It's all about being honest and real with each other.
Old:
Emphasis on hierarchies. Focus on competition so that the best rise to the top
of the hierarchy.
New: Emphasis on equality. Focus on cooperation in order to support
the greatest good for all.
Old:
Tend to avoid personal responsibility by blaming those above or below them in
the hierarchy.
New: Take
personal responsibility for actions and learn from our mistakes.
Old:
People need to be led or controlled by those believed to be better or more
capable.
New: Each
individual is a powerful creator capable of meeting their needs with the help
of others.
Old:
The mind and science is supreme. The scientific paradigm supersedes God and
religion.
New: The heart
and personal relationships are of paramount importance. The deepest essence of
life is a divine mystery to be welcomed and explored.
Old:
Don't question the accepted scientific paradigm. Focus on three-dimensional,
five-sensory world.
New: Foster fluid
intelligence. Explore the edges of consciousness, especially other dimensions and
capabilities not believed to be possible under the old paradigm.
Old:
Categorizing and dissecting nature allows us to better control it and to profit
from it.
New:
Recognizing the interconnectedness of all life leads to greater growth and
harmony.
Old:
Focus on order, discipline.
New: Welcome
flexibility and even occasional chaos and disorder as means to see new
possibilities.
Old:
Value boundaries, borders, and divisions. These give security, safety, and
comfort.
New: While
respecting and honoring differences, look for shared vision and ways to work
together. Take risks in order to grow. Short-term pain can bring long-term gain.
Old:
You can't trust anyone.
New: Surrender
to and trust in a divine force greater than our egoic selves.
Old:
Focus on defeating and conquering the enemy, us versus them. War against evil.
New:
Committed to transforming and integrating life's challenges. The external
reflects the internal.
We all have
our feet in both paradigms. How much we live in each paradigm is but a matter of
degree. The old paradigm is not necessarily something to be shunned or avoided.
There are times when principles of both paradigms can be useful and beneficial.
Yet overall, the new paradigm invites more love, support, and deeper connection
into our lives and world. In every moment we can consciously choose the paradigm
to which we give our focus, time, and energy.
Remember
that all of us to some degree are afraid of our shadows. At times we avoid
looking at the disturbing parts of ourselves and our world. Yet consider that
a willingness to explore and even dance with these shadows can be a potent
catalyst to a new paradigm. And when we set a clear life
intention to choose and support what's best
for all, our lives can't help but become richer and more fulfilling.
For an
incisive, inspiring two-page essay on developing a new paradigm for our world,
click
here. For a rich and empowering online course which powerfully inspires new
paradigm awareness and is offered free of charge, see the Insight Course at www.insightcourse.net. If
you have time for only one lesson in this heart and mind expanding course, check
out the inspiring lesson three or surprising lesson six. For the PEERS network of websites which are all
about creating a new paradigm, see www.peerservice.org.
|
No comments:
Post a Comment