One Approach to Recent World Events

Categories: Jack's Blog | Blogs

When disasters like the earthquakes, tsunamis and release of radiation from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan happen, we are all confronted with our own fears of natural disasters. Living in California, there is always the possibility of earthquakes and tsunamis, mudslides and flooding, and forest fires which sweep through our forests often consuming hundreds of homes. In other parts of the country we live with the threat of hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding rivers, ice storms, wildfires, and oil spills. At times like these we are reminded just how fragile life on this planet can be. And that reminder can be scary.

When you add the social upheaval and the often brutal reaction from dictators in the Middle East and elsewhere around the world, the potential terrorist attacks, the financial instability in the world, global warming, environmental degradation, and so many more local challenges, it is no wonder that there is a lot of anxiety and fear in the world. And as I am always teaching, you cannot make your best decisions when you are afraid. Nor can you make them when you are in a state of anger toward the people or that you believe are creating the problems or not solving them the way that you think they should be.

During the recent Japanese nuclear crisis I watched many of my family members and friends in California move into some pretty deep places of fear—buying up potassium iodide pills and other remedies, and several even leaving the state for awhile. There is nothing wrong with taking intelligent precautions and making preparations for taking care of yourself and your family, but, as it turned out, there was very little factual evidence that anything was happening that was unsafe.

Granted, none of us want to be exposed to any more radiation than is necessary—what we are normally exposed to with x-rays, the new airport screening monitors, flying at high altitudes in airplanes, etc. But what I think we really need to protect ourselves from is fear and panic. We need to be part of the solution to the world's problems, not part of the problem caused by our own fear and our own beliefs that something shouldn't be the way it is. The truth is that most of our pain in life comes from resisting the way things are. We think reality should be different than it is. We think others shouldn't act the way they do. And we deny, resist or try to change the feelings we don't want to feel.  

As I was thinking about all of this, my friend Hale Dwoskin, who teaches the Sedona Method, sent me a link to his new blog on the Huffington Post. Included in the blog was a link to a video on YouTube of him leading a "Release for the World." In this 12-minute video he leads participants through a process of releasing any emotions that come up around thinking the world and what is happening in it should be different than it is. Obviously there are actions that support peace, harmony, love, cooperation, social justice, environmental sustainability and conscious evolution that we can participate in, but we will know what is our part to do and what is for others to do, and we will not add to more conflict in the world, when we are coming from a place of being centered, in touch with our essence, in touch with our true inner guidance—which we are not in touch with when we are acting or reacting out of fear, judgment and anger.

I participated in the process Hale led on the video, and afterward I found myself much more centered and connected with my true self and clearer about what actions I would take to help the people in Japan and also in help contribute to environmental sustainability. I also felt moved to transcribe the process so that I could lead it in my upcoming seminars and workshops. I then sent a copy to all my Advanced Train the Trainer students to use in their workshops and trainings. And now I am including it below along with the original video that Hale posted on YouTube.

I hope you'll take advantage of this valuable process, and also share it with other family members, friends, and colleagues.

As always, I send you lots of love and the invitation to continue working toward creating a world that works for everyone. Just follow your heart and do what feels right for you. If everyone tunes in and does what they are personally called to do, I believe everything that needs to be done will be done. In times like these I find it valuable to remember this piece of wisdom that I learned many years ago:

Be a teacher to those below you,
a fellow traveler to those beside you,
and a student to those above you.

Let me end with an excerpt from an e-mail which was forwarded to me by an American woman who was teaching English in Sendai (one of the hardest hit towns in Japan) a few days after the earthquake and tsunami struck.

"During the day we help each other clean up the mess in our homes. People sit in their cars, looking at news on their navigation screens, or line up to get drinking water when a source is open. If someone has water running in their home, they put out a sign so people can come to fill up their jugs and buckets.
  
…there has been no looting, no pushing in lines. People leave their front door open, as it is safer when an earthquake strikes. People keep saying, 'Oh, this is how it used to be in the old days when everyone helped one another.'
  
No one has washed for several days. We feel grubby, but there are so much more important concerns than that for us now. I love this peeling away of non-essentials. Living fully on the level of instinct, of intuition, of caring, of what is needed for survival, not just of me, but of the entire group.

…And the Japanese themselves are so wonderful. I come back to my shack to check on it each day, now to send this e-mail since the electricity is on, and I find food and water left in my entranceway. I have no idea from whom, but it is there. Old men in green hats go from door to door checking to see if everyone is OK. People talk to complete strangers asking if they need help. I see no signs of fear. Resignation, yes; but fear or panic, no.
  
…Somehow at this time I realize from direct experience that there is indeed an enormous cosmic evolutionary step that is occurring all over the world right at this moment. And somehow as I experience the events happening now in Japan, I can feel my heart opening very wide. My brother asked me if I felt so small because of all that is happening. I don't. Rather, I feel a part of something happening that is much larger than myself. This wave of birthing (worldwide) is hard and yet magnificent."

We are indeed all in this together—one humanity striving to survive and thrive in what often appears to be an uncertain world. We can do this much more elegantly, efficiently and appropriately when we are connected to our own true self, and not swept away in a tsunami of fear or futilely attempting to control that which we cannot.

 

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"A Release for the Planet" Adapted from Hale Dwoskin and the Sedona Method

"We're going to do a release for the world. As you discover the truth of who you are, you begin to realize that there is really no separation between you and this lovely planet – all the people, animals, plants, and geography.
So, in this moment… could you just simply be what you are… and be what you are… and be what you are… And could you allow yourself to think about something about our lovely planet, planet earth, that may not be going exactly the way you would prefer. See if there is anything unfolding on planet earth right now that you are wanting to change or control. And if so, could you simply welcome that thing you are wanting to change or control and allow it to be here? And could you, just for now, let go of wanting to change or control that? …

And then could you allow yourself to hold the perfection in mind. Could you allow yourself to love planet earth because it is the way it is? … And then could you be open to that particular body mind, or whatever body minds are appropriate, to take conscious, supportive action to support our home world? Could you allow yourself to see the healing of the planet and all its species that call it home? …

And then could you call to mind anything else on planet earth that you would like to change or control, that you wish were different, that you think should be improved? … And can you welcome anything that that brings up inside of you? ... And could you, just for now, simply let that go … and hold the best vision or the solutions in mind and let the problems dissolve… and, as best you can, can you see the planet as already whole, already perfect, already in the healing process? … And then could you be open to that particular  body mind or whatever other body minds are appropriate to getting into conscious supportive, creative action to allow and support that healing to unfold, and could you just simply see it as perfect now, simply love our planet, our home as it is? …

And then just think of something else, another thing on planet earth that you think has room for improvement, that that you wish someone would fix or change… And could you just simply welcome whatever that brings up inside you? … And then could you just simply let it go? … And could you be open to at least the possibility… that no matter how it appears now… there is hope for our home planet? That progress is already happening… Positive change is already unfolding exactly as it is or it should? … And could you be open to possibility that that particular body mind or appropriate body minds are already taking action to heal our earth? …

And could you love this planet in this moment as it already is. And in this moment could you allow the love that you are to shine? ... Notice how it is already bringing love and light to every cell in your body and mind… and it is spilling over to all other minds and all other bodies and all races … and all species… embracing all creeds, loving all as it is, supporting all … as it is. Being all as it is… And could you just simply shine as the light of love that you are? ...

And notice how you are already everywhere present … around and through this entire planet, and also notice … how you are shining love down on planet earth… as all space, and simply smile… at our home world. Let the love that you are bathe the entire planet... supporting all that is positive, all that is healing, all that knows the right way or the appropriate way… to allow for harmony… balance… and truth… and equality… and environmental sustainability… and peace. ... And in this moment, could you allow yourself to be the peace that you would like to see for planet earth? Could you allow yourself to be the solution? Could you simply allow yourself to be... and be… and be. ... And so it is.

Great!  Thank you all for participating in that."