Dear Ones,

How are you today?

I am always intrigued by the inner workings of this “phenomenon” (not sure that it is the appropriate term) known as consciousness—consciousness, or perhaps Consciousness.

Most people would be inclined to think that, over the last twenty centuries, humanity has progressed quite rapidly along what one might call a “continuum of consciousness”—an ascending consciousness, that is. Yet, nowadays, one might wonder whether we are evolving upward… or perhaps downward?

Wars, conflicts, hatred and mutual massacres have borne only bitter fruit; yet, there may exist an unknown reason explaining why this sinister spiral perpetuates itself on a planet endowed with such technological prowess—and, conversely, why the spiritual impulse is so tenuous on a global scale—an impulse that would serve to ward off, or even prevent, wars.

What could that reason possibly be?

To appreciate our “evolving consciousness,” I often reflect on a passage from one of Parker Palmer’s books, From A Hidden Wholeness, which beautifully describes the tension between reality and possibility.

Perhaps this tension between poles—poles that are generally opposed—also constitutes a driving force in our world, even today?

Let us hope that the heart of humanity will soon open to let in an unwavering sense of justice and peace—thus blessing every little creature on the planet.

“The Quakers took a stand against slavery early in American history partly because one man—John Woolman—was willing to hold the tension between reality and possibility. But it is important to note that the entire Quaker community was also willing to hold the tension until [their members] were opened to a more integral way of being in the world. They refused to succumb to the impulse to resolve tension prematurely, whether by throwing Woolman out or by voting to allow the slavery-approving majority have its way. Instead, they let the tension between reality and possibility break their collective heart open to justice, truth and love.

“There is an old Hasidic tale that tells us how such things [come to pass]. The pupil comes to the rabbi and asks, “Why does Torah tell us to ‘place these words upon your hearts’? Why does it not tell us to place these holy words in our hearts?” The rabbi answers, “It is because, as we are, our hearts are closed and we cannot place the holy words in our hearts. So we place them on top of our hearts. And there they stay until, one day, the heart breaks and the words fall in.”

From A Hidden Wholeness, p. 181

Topic: An evolving consciousness

Time: Mar 19 @ 2:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Meeting ID: 885 7689 2573