Our Current State of Affairs -- Reality or Illusion?

Our world is going through a hard shift. On that, I believe, everyone is likely to agree. Not only does it seem that our planet is being traumatized by increasingly frequent disasters, but also the people inhabiting it are struggling to just make it to the next day. All one has to do is open any newspaper, or listen to any random newscast – conflicts are on the rise, the economy is at its lowest since the depression of ’29, and tension is growing in many parts of the world. It is not uncommon to hear a collective sense of panic in the voices of the people, and to detect a quickly-spreading sense of doom in the very air that we breathe.

So, what’s happening to our old world? Are the prophets of doom right, and are our days counted? Has evil in our world reached such levels that it is no longer manageable? Or is it possible that we, as individual pieces of the greater puzzle, are making mountains out of mole hills?

Our world is indeed changing, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. We tend to be extremely defensive when it comes to change, and cling to the ways of the past as the answer to dealing with fears for our future, but in reality everything must continue changing, even us. Our bodies and minds change every year, every day, every single minute we move through life, and as these changes take place, we become fearful; not necessarily because changes can bring upon anything unpleasant, but because change and the passage of time necessary for changes to take place are related to our mortality. Change is not the evil many believe it to be, but rather it is a necessary process of renewal which runs right along the path of evolution of body and spirit.

Clinging to the past is more common than many bother to acknowledge. We perceive old music as more melodious, old movies seem better directed and acted out, old ways of life appear more wholesome and void of hardship. In reality, the past was not any easier than today is. Our grandparents looked at the new generations of the forties and fifties with the same apprehension that our parents exhibited when glimpsing at the ways of their children, us. Now we are doing the same with our children, and unless we come to grips that change is a good thing, our children will do the same with their own.

So, has a world without hardship ever existed? We can fool ourselves by thinking that yesterday was filled with roses and pink unicorns, but if we open our eyes to the cold, hard facts of reality, we’ll see that our history was saturated with injustice and wars, fear and famine, suffering and illness, probably to an even greater extent than we can identify in our present days. Illness itself is not an invention of progress. In fact, people used to get sick and die much more in the past than they do today. With the advent of modern medicine, improved technology and better education, we have been able to conquer milestones once thought impossible to even be considered.

Crime seems rampant, but is it really? I can think back to a time not too long ago in our history when people could murder someone without even being held accountable for their actions. Robberies and crimes of passion or abuse have always existed. Back then, people just didn’t know about anything that happened to others and only were concerned with all that was taking place in their immediate circles. If a tsunami hit Indonesia two hundred years ago, people didn’t know about it in Europe – not because it wasn’t happening, but because the communication between different countries was not in place. So, it seems that all these changes people fear are nothing more than regular happenings just displayed for the eyes of a larger crowd. There are, however, things that are shifting, and it is up to us to prepare for their arrival.

The last two thousand years was the age of religions and patriarchal institutions. Within this time window, Jesus, Buddha and Mohammed were born, and initiated an incredible shift of consciousness on our planet with their teachings. Patriarchal structures replaced the fluid thinking of the previous ages, and they served the purpose of teaching the world self-discipline and the importance of using the benefits brought along by the conscious mind. The age is nearing its end, and in the last few decades it has become increasingly apparent that our world is once again preparing to shift toward the heart center and toward feminine energy. In our lifetimes we will witness the fall of patriarchal empires and all they have come to stand for. The economic crash of 2008 is only the first sign of what’s to come.

Our world is not dying, and no world-wide catastrophe is lurking in the shadows, but our realities are changing, and preparing for a shift of consciousness which will affect us as a whole. We could sit here and wonder what exactly will happen, but nobody really has that answer; and really, wasting our energies on forecasting good or bad will not change the impact of what’s coming on our realities. Our children are ready for the shift; the increasingly apparent new “attitude” our youth is expressing is not a symptom of their downfall but a manifestation of the new type of energy necessary to welcome the change from being mind-centered to being heart-centered.

What can we do, as individuals, to prepare for this shift of energies and not be swept away in the process of transition?

First of all, we must learn to let go of what no longer serves us. Fear tactics, guilt, and isolations are the ways of the fathers, and they will no longer work in our new world. We must learn to reconnect to one another and to see the divine into each manifestation around us. Some of this process is already taking place as people are trying to keep their heads above the water during the economic disaster which has befallen our communities. Families are coming together, friends are reconnecting and helping one another, necessities are shared, and in light of greater evils, some of our differences are being overlooked. Many wounds are also coming to the surface and are being healed below the skin of immediate awareness. Racism, superiority of one life form over another, and greed are being exposed through conflicts that have the healing power of uncovering old wounds so that they can be cleansed. Conflict itself is not an evil but a savior, because it is through conflicts that we step out of viscous waters to fight, and we detach from complacency and acceptance of unnecessary pain.

Our world is changing, just has it has for ages unrecorded. Our current times are not evil but they are in need of spring cleaning. Although apparently the scale has shifted its needle toward the illusion of negativity, the only thing that’s nearing its end is the age of the fathers. Balance is at close proximity, and the best way to be a part of it is simply to acknowledge the fact that we are not walking this path alone but we are all holding onto the same rope leading us to the top.

Driving the Distance

“Before whining about the distance you drive, think of someone who walks the same distance with their feet.” ~Author unknown

I don’t think many of us ever realize just how fortunate we are. Yesterday, I had a chance to briefly enter the world of someone who has very little, and I realized how much I take for granted.

While talking to this man, I learned that they have a specific amount of money they can use for food every month; with the prices of groceries going up, what used to be enough to feed their family for a month no longer is. As he was talking, I tried to imagine what it must be like – with three kids to feed – to have to stretch out groceries that far. Then I thought about something else.

Just the other day, I went to the grocery store for my weekly run. After pulling into the garage I went inside for a minute, taking my time before I began to unload the car; somehow, bringing groceries in – and putting them away – felt like a chore. As I spoke to this man, that scene flashed in front of my eyes, and I instantly felt guilty. I thought about the times when my kids have complained because leftovers were being served, and also of the days when I complain about having to go to the grocery store.

And what about cleaning house? I would not have to clean it if I lived on the streets. I would not be able to vent about the challenges of parenthood if I hadn't been gifted with children of my own. I would not stay in line at the store to buy Christmas gifts for people I love, if those people weren’t in my life; I would not complain about my job if I didn’t have one, and was looking for employment.

Most of what we normally view as challenges in our lives is connected to that which we would not want to live without. We take our blessings for granted, and even complain about them, but how would we feel if, suddenly, they were gone out of our lives? Definitely something to think about.

The Vacuum in the Fish Tank

At any given moment one doesn’t know if something will happen – often a seemingly meaningless event – that will spark thoughts worth pondering over. One of those moments for me was two nights ago, when I cleaned out my fish tank.
I pumped out half of the water and used a vacuum to suck up debris from the bottom of the tank, while the tiny goldfish continued to swim in the little water that was left in there.

Right then, a thought crossed my mind – what could the fish be thinking in that moment? Certainly he had no idea of what I was doing, and all it was aware of was the tube moving around the tank and sucking up gravel. Every time it moved the fish swam away quickly, as if the tube was an underwater monster ready to swallow it in one bite.

All along the fish was never in danger. In fact, what was happening was for its greater good. Yet it was scared, and had no idea of its best interest being met.

In the greater scheme of things, we humans behave similarly when faced with situations we don’t comprehend the hidden value of. We run around in circles, scared and confused, afraid for our well-being and survival, without pausing a moment to see the greater picture. Some events are the catalyst for increased awareness and needed change, yet, it is hard for us to see or accept that.

With the recent fall of our economy, many are fearful for their present and future, and feel as if they are standing at the edge of a precipice, stable enough to survive in the moment but at the mercy of unknown events that might cause them to lose their balance and fall.

Yet, through some of this hardship, families and communities are coming together, and individuals are once again discovering the hidden treasures of family unity and human compassion. The hidden gains could also be of different quality altogether – maybe someone needs to learn humility, human compassion; needs to know he or she is able to take charge of life and be creative in regard to survival, or simply needs to recharge a weakened faith in a higher power.

Regardless of the fact that we may or may not understand the reasons behind some of the events unfolding in our lives, those reasons exist nonetheless, and those experiences are not placed in our lives by chance. Most important is to realize that we will not be harmed, but will instead draw benefits from them in the long run. One lady I know was laid off, and has decided to go back to school. Although right now she is going through hard times because of her unemployment, a few years down the road she will be happy of the decision she made. Had she not been laid off, she might have never taken the chance to leave a good job to pursue more education, and consequently would have given up the opportunity of having a better job for the future.

Ultimately, we are no different than the tiny goldfish – we fear and struggle, and are only able to see what’s happening beside the vacuum, when if we could instead see the full picture we would know that the tank is just being cleaned out.

The Seed in the Wind

“I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, “Move from here to there” and it will move. Nothing will be impossible to you.” –Matthew 17:20


As we move through hard times, it is quite challenging to remain true to one’s faith and to keep a positive outlook. Many proudly state their beliefs of a Higher Power taking care of things, but in reality few have the type of faith that will keep their heads above the waters of anxiety. True faith is not in hoping that we will be okay, but in believing it with every cell of our being while letting go of the illusion of control we cling to, regardless of the resistance we meet in our daily lives.

After the Tsunami in Indonesia, I remember watching an interview to a girl who had been picked up and swept away by the tidal wave from her hotel room. She explained that at first she had panicked and had tried to grasp anything she could; once she realized there was nothing she could do to win against the amazing power of the water, she had let herself go without fighting, ready to accept whatever was to come, knowing that she was going to be alright. Once she stopped fighting, after a few bumps along the path, the wave carried her safely off shore until she could swim back, away from the sweeping currents. Letting go, and allowing destiny to unfold without fighting, had saved her life.

As the Tsunami in Indonesia, the economical wave we have been experiencing the past few months has swept many families away from their platform of security, and has left most in a paralyzing grip of fear for their future and for the wellbeing of their loved ones. With unemployment funds drying up, and few jobs on the horizon, even the strongest believers are faltering in their faith, and are desperately clinging to whatever they can find to remain afloat. Many more have turned to prayer to drown the distress, but although their lips utter words of salvation, their minds paint pictures of hell the moment they say Amen. Prayer and fear are ill-fated roommates, and unless a deep faith in the outcome evicts the doubts, prayers are but a stream of pretty words.

Regardless of the gloom of our financial night, we must know the sun will rise again. As Jesus himself said, if earthly parents have the power to fulfill the wishes of their children, how can we possibly doubt God’s power in fulfilling the wishes of His children? No petition is hopeless if it is accompanied by absolute faith. Doubt is a human weakness which must be overcome if we can ever hope to rise above our limitations.

As the mustard seed, we know we are too small and powerless to fight the winds of destiny, but we are big enough to hang on tight to our faith and “know” that we will be safely deposited wherever we need to go.

The Deep Freeze

“In the depth of winter, I finally learned that there was within me an invincible summer.” ~ Albert Camus

No relief from the cold is in the forecast for North Carolina any time soon. With temperatures dipping into the teens at night, and barely reaching the low forties during the day, many have retreated into their homes and into themselves.

During a different cold spell a few years ago, I complained to a friend about the freezing temperatures, and her reply to me was that the earth and the plants needed to rest and regenerate. After doing a little research, I indeed found out that many plants cut off their water intake and go dormant during the winter months. In this time of inertia, they get the opportunity to regenerate within.

As of late, many of us have been cut off the traditional sources of energetic feeding, and they have come to feel isolated and forgotten. With the job situation deteriorating, and average incomes suddenly becoming less than average, our connection to our supply of “water” has been interrupted. Not only that – weakened by economic hardship, many relationships have cracked under pressure and fatally broken down. Many are facing the long winter alone and without the means to weather the elements.

We have become so programmed in our thinking by society and advertisements, that we can no longer see the difference between what we have and who we are. The two are so closely associated in our minds, that if we don’t have enough, we feel that we are nobody worth caring for.

The first reactions to having our external supply of “nutrients” and energy cut off are self-pity and anger, but once those stages have run their course, we realize we still exist, we still feel and we are still loved – by others at least. Each of us has hidden potential which often remains untapped until we need to come up with new strategies to survive. It’s through hardship that we find our true friends, and it is by going within that we learn how to function more effectively without.

The winter might be long and harsh, but spring will come around again; when the timing is right, our connection to external supplies will be restored, and what we have discovered during our dormant phase will help us blossom even more vibrantly.
Winter is a time to burrow inside of ourselves and learn who we are; it’s a time to discover the depth of our potential and the identity of our weaknesses; more importantly, it is a time to realize that our growth is not hindered by an unexpected cold snap.

Shedding the Colors of Illusion

“Events tend to recur in cycles.” ~ W. Clement Stone



I sat on my deck, yesterday afternoon, and watched the pouring of leaves carried by a warm mid-afternoon wind. The colors were mesmerizing – bright gold, buttercup yellow, fiery red and rusty – and as the leaves continued to fall, the trees began to suddenly appear a little less full.

The steady stream of colors bunching up on the ground led me to think about the passage of seasons, and I soon got on a roll thinking how similar those seasonal changes are to the cycles we routinely go through.

Especially during this latest economic crash, it is even more evident how life works in cycles. As the leaves of materialism are steadily shedding, many find themselves vulnerable and at the mercy of unfriendly currents. Once the illusionary protection of the leaves is gone, the trees are left out in the cold and can only go dormant for the winter. During that time, they go through a process of regeneration which will gradually prepare them for renewal in the spring.

Similarly, as the blanket of security we have learned to associate with material possessions falls, we remain frightened and at the mercy of the elements even if the core of our being rests assured that the present cycle will draw to an end, and new beginnings will ensure survival. As we go within, we reconnect to our true selves, and are able to discover what our strengths and weaknesses are.

No low can last forever, just as any high would be robbed of its value if we were never reminded of it by occasional obstacles threatening to take it away.

Blog for Hope - Golo Yard Sale on 09/12

Good morning everybody!

Blog for Hope will be hosting a yard sale to benefit families who are experiencing hardship due to the shaky economic conditions. The event will be held on September 12 between 8am and 12pm at the parking lot of Eastgate Shell, 4043 Wake Forest Rd in Raleigh NC.

If you have items you would like to donate fto the sale, please get in touch with me at lunanera@netzero.net and please include "Golo yard sale" on the subject line. No attachments, please.

Have a wonderful, relaxing weekend, and always remember that if everyone gives a thread a poor man will have a shirt.

Blessings to all!