We grew up in a world where we were taught that we could pursue anything we wanted – that if we worked hard enough and were smart enough, we could have lives based on projects and careers that create direct value for our world as we place our hearts in alignment with the causes that speak most strongly.
Then, one day, we awoke to the realization that our lived narrative is quite different: that our world is not about pure creative genius and hard work to bring good into form, but instead, our world is much like all those stories: the ones where darkness rises as powerful forces that wish to squash our creative potential, make us work for ends that do not align with our hearts, and continue the too-fucking-old narrative of spreading evil (which I will define here simply as intentionally causing harm for harm’s sake).
Ugh. It happened. We awoke to realize that this is, to an awful degree, our existence, and now it feels futile to show up for much of anything anymore.
Alas, what are we to do?
How is it that there is so much real work that needs to be done to address the serious problems in our world (e.g., climate change and healthcare), yet those in power are actively taking us in the opposite direction?
It breaks my heart wide open when I look out on the ecosystems and human populations that are in direct need of help; yet, instead, are being directly targeted by those in power. The only word I can possibly come up with to understand what is happening is “evil.” Because, when all data clearly points to a need to address problems, but those in power actively pursue paths to cause even more harm, we have to consider what is happening in a bigger context.
For me, the bigger context requires the need to release the narrative that everyone out there is actively working for a heart-centered cause; that, instead, many (if not most) people are caught up in cycles of self-centered desire. But it gets more complicated than this. We can be connected to our own self-interest in a way that truly serves our whole selves. It isn’t selfish (in the traditional use of the word) to take care of our own needs and pursue heart-aligned desires.
Instead, what we are dealing with here is a group of people who are fully disconnected from those parts of self that keep humanity grounded and soul-aligned. We are dealing with people who know ego, and ego alone. And, we are dealing with people in power who know ego in relation to the most primitive and basic forms of desires (i.e., money and power).
It is an old story, one that I believed had died out and been replaced with grounded individuals actively caring for the world. I was wrong. Alas, I grapple with what I am to do.
What are we to do when we wake up to the realization that those in power seek direct harm to all things good in this world for their egoic gain?
First, we face the fact that we, as individuals, cannot save all that is good in the world. At least, not as separate individuals trying to solve all of the problems all at once!
Together though…. what is possible?
What is possible when we become grounded, centered, and focused on what matters? Could we then, as a collective, truly change the face of this world into one that fully allows the expression of that which is bright and beautiful?
If so, we best be clear on actions that can be taken, even now, as many are losing hope. This, I believe, is the perfect starting place.
The following list of action steps is one I created after years of observation of the chaos being stirred in this world. These observations have been ongoing for some time now, but it’s worth noting that this sort of topic clearly got my attention back in 2016, then amplified when we entered into the 2020 pandemic. As the problems that have shown up at my own door have amplified, my response has been to pay deeper and deeper attention (and, to learn to respond with increasingly skillful action; which is, indeed, a learning process).
First steps:
When chaos (often stirred up through intentional harm) is what is handed out by those in power, our first action steps begin by staying grounded, held out of the chaos, to the best of our abilities. From here, we stay focused on the work that matters (as we see it from our grounded, heart-aligned and embodied selves).
From here… well, the path unfolds into conquering evil forces (again, those working purely for those primitive egoic wants), and into our ability to actually heal and transform this world for the better.
The following is a short, simplified list of actions to be taken during these chaotic times. Read it through, recognize the places in your life that you can more fully show up, and take action steps to actually step into the healing and transformation that is needed. Know that this list isn’t the end-all-be-all, but a starting place to get you on your feet and into action in a way that truly makes a difference to this world.
Action steps that matter:
- Take care of your own shit: Heal the wounds and patterning that propagate harm onto others. Call upon what infuriates you in others as a mirror unto yourself. If you are using your energy to hate on others, you are wasting energy (or worse, actively propagating harm). Use the unskillful action of others as a mirror for your own self to clean up your channel.
- Do your own beautiful work to become an ever-brighter beacon of light for this world. This is really just a different way of repeating the first point, but it is worthy of noting this process twice! Call upon these dark times as a pressure cooker for transforming yourself into a brighter, more beautiful light on this planet. Allow these times to turn you into a kinder, more compassionate individual that is more fully capable of skillfully showing up for others.
- Embrace your own personal freedoms fully. While we are experiencing forces who are actively trying to limit the freedoms of those who may dare to do anything that thwarts their cause, use this as a recognition for how powerful your personal freedom of expression is. You, showing up to shine your unique flavor of light, is the most beautiful and powerful thing you can be doing! Embrace your personal freedoms fully, and recognize that, yes, they still exist! Find them and live them! Plus, if you’re feeling to take action against these dark forces, recognize that your expression of this freedom is your greatest form of rebellion.
- Be in service where and when you are called. Be in service often, but do so in alignment with how you can best show up for this world. In other words, don’t fall into the trap of spreading yourself too thin and over-giving. Remember, your job is not to solve all of the problems that are present in the world. Your job is to show up where you can best serve, be a beacon of light, and call others onto the path of healing and light-filled transformation.
Again, please recognize that this is a short, simplified list: one that is written specifically to not overwhelm and to get into action where you are sparked. Focus on this short list, and we are sure to be taking large strides forward along a powerful path to a world with more awake, healed, connected, shining human beings with their hearts centered on that which truly matters. Seriously, imagine how powerful that could be!
From here, we continue our path in pursuit of that which matters most.
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The Bigger Picture
Before closing this piece for today, I must speak more thoroughly to a point up above having everything to do with your freedom of expression. The fact of the matter is, humanity has lived through century after century of cycles of patriarchal narratives that aim to squash individual freedom so that those in power can receive… what, exactly? Honestly, I’m not sure what is in it for them – money and power, I suppose; although, it is hard to believe that it is fulfilling in any way, but rather just a means to fulfill a vicious clinging to “more” because it does something for their twisted psyche.
Anyway, they have the bulk of the power and this is what they choose, so us humans and other forms of life must follow suit.
Except, we are fucking done with this narrative and not following suit. Instead, we rebel freely within the means that we can muster. And, we rebel not for the sake of rebellion, but we rebel because we know in our hearts and souls that we, as human beings, are here to express ourselves in as many creative ways that we can! This is the true reason for being human: that we get to call upon our minds and hearts and bodies and all parts of self to be who we are in truer and truer alignment with who that is.
And, as we do this, we recognize that our freedom of expression is the rebellion that brings down evil forces, and also that this freedom of expression is the whole point of being ourselves, after all! (Get that point? It’s a big one. If you need to, read it again)!
The question is, how?
I am no expert on rebellion, only so far as rebellion speaks to breaking the walls and chains that aim to squash individual freedom. In that case, I have good number of years of working on my own self to learn how it is I can live as freely as possible. And, because my own freedom is tied directly to a heart-centered desire to heal the whole web of life I am part of, then perhaps I have a thing or two to say on this topic.
Still, we need to get clear one exactly what I mean by “free” – because it is important as we go out living our lives, expressing ourselves fully while simultaneously being a light to others.
Freedom, from an individual, egocentric view, may look like the ability to do anything you want whenever you want. This narrative, pushed by many in our conscious collective, is really just a way to spread ill throughout the world. “I am free to say/do whatever I want whenever I want” is cue for the freedom to be an asshole. If this is what you want, I have to tell you that you are in the wrong place. We are not here to propagate wounds and patterns that cause harm to one another (as is clearly written in the first point). We are here as those seeking collective freedom for all, which requires that my freedom does not shit on your freedom. Get it?
Rather, we are interested in freedom as it relates to the collective ability to express ourselves as the sovereign forms of life that we each are. Note that I say “sovereign forms of life” because this extends beyond just us humans. The whole web of life is held in our care here. We must remember this.
All-in-all, this means that “freedom” in our context has everything to do with our ability, as individuals and as a collective, to express! But this expression is one that comes from an aligned, heart-centered space and not from an isolated ego void of connection to other.
Yes, this is something that needs to be learned for most modern humans (what does it feel like to express from heart and not ego?). If you want to learn more on this process, you are in the right place. Please see the embodiment work that forms the center of our work here at We Are The Forest.
Note to the reader… In writing this piece, I recognize the many different paths that I wish to take from here to more fully explore embodied activism, the path of waking up, and more! Therefore, expect this to turn into a sort of series. Make sure you are subscribed to the Newsletter to receive all the posts to follow this one.