Remember the old Simon and Garfunkel song? These ARE the days of "miracles and wonders," are they not? This biblical looking photo is one I took of an early evening sky in Montana last summer. Today, we are witnessing momentous happenings, from tornadoes and earthquakes to Greece's financial mess -- but at the same time, positive wonders. In my own life, there are synchronicities and spiritually startling moments. I wonder if you are experiencing something similar?
Some examples: I signed up for a class called "Integral Englightenment" (www.integralenlightenment.com) inspired by the recent theory of Integral Spirituality (Ken Wilbur). The course is about how we get over ourselves (our ego self) and come into clearer alignment with what the teacher, Craig Hamilton, calls the "evolutionary impulse." It's an inspiring concept -- and 700 people from 25 countries around the world agree with me, because that is how many signed up. And this telecourse is not free! From the class forum, I now have a shaman friend in Iceland (he liked the "transformational energy" of the volcano), a life coach from Germany, a yoga teacher from Guam, an advertising copywriter from Puerto Rico, many from Canada. But here's the amazing one: this class is on Maestro Conference, which has the first part as a lecture; then the large group is split into breakout groups of two or three, so you can have a small group discussion or do an exercise assigned by the course teacher. You have no control of who you get in your group; it is random. So 700 people, twenty five countries, right? In my breakout group this week there were three of us -- and one of them lives in the small town of Healdsburg where I lived in the 90's and again just a few months ago!
Here's another moment out of the usual: I am meeting for the first time with a counselor in a conservative, government run public agency. After listening to my dilemma, she pulls out a bag of Runes for me to pick one (Runes are an ancient Celtic form of divination). She reads me the writeup from the book of Runes for the Rune I picked, and it is dead-on perfect for my situation. Huh!? I totally dig it; but how is this happening in a Government sponsored therapy clinic?
I am walking toward the heart of downtown Reno by the river which runs through it. As I get near the bridge, a young man dashes from the road down to the river and jumps in, followed by several people. A woman leaps in after him with all her clothes on (freezing cold) and pulls him out, with the help of a couple of guys. I don't know if they know the young man. He was trying to drown himself. I see his face so clearly as they lift him up, so very pale, so sad -- like a Picasso Blue period -- only this is real life. I send him many prayers and blessings and I think how terrible for him to be in such despair as to give up his life at such a young age, and how grateful I am to those who saved him. And why was I there at just this very quick moment?
People are speaking of the Apocolypse, 2012, the Kali Yuga (Hindu Dark Age) all of that -- maybe. But I feel and see evidence that there is also something powerfully good connecting us and lifting us up. Please see Paul Hawken's short video from the TED talks....www.blessedunrest.com. From the site: "Paul Hawken has spent over a decade researching organizations dedicated to restoring the environment and fostering social justice. From billion-dollar nonprofits to single-person causes, these groups collectively comprise the largest movement on earth, a movement that has no name, leader, or location... Like nature itself, it is organizing from the bottom up, in every city, town, and culture. and is emerging to be an extraordinary and creative expression of people's needs worldwide."
