Back in the 1990's, when I first lived in Duluth and was inspired by my view of Lake Superior, I tried to formulate a life philosophy based on the idea that the horizon line place where two "opposites" meet (say, lake and sky) is the most vivid and full of life. That one plane was not meant to fight the other -- and win. Both planes/opposites were meant to be in the picture, and to learn to interact vibrantly, not violently. I continue to like this concept, although I guess in the intervening 25 years or so, I have evolved into a post-duality "place" that simply emerges out of duality, a "place" more informed only by values of love, beauty, warmth and peace -- qualities that in the present world are considered "feminine". No violence is necessary; it seems to me that this is simply the direction we are headed in. It is evolution out of where we are, not a revolution. We will simply grow out of conflict, hatred, and pain as we enter the age of Aquarius.
But being in this "place" continues to be a real challenge, especially when watching world and national events unfold, or trying to participate. (Spoiler alert, as ever, I read and study relatively little about these events, because my system can't seem to handle even that much conflict!) No matter what happens at the UN meeting on climate change, the focus is undoubtedly (as it is almost everywhere it is mentioned) on "fighting" the phenomenon. Yet fighting any phenomenon only creates more of the phenomenon. And when you see climate change as at least partly Mother Nature's effort to rebalance earth's energies, "fighting climate change" feels like another form of fighting the feminine. Now, ignoring climate change and moving full steam ahead, continuing to pollute the earth, cannot work either. Is there a path forward? The only one I can see is to lovingly embrace the fact that enormous changes are coming, and to release all emotional attachment to institutions and solutions that are not, themselves, based in love. Addressing climate change (as a phase we must walk through) will only "work" in a context of love, not a context of fear or profit or conserving/fixing the status quo.
It was also surreal listening to what American voters were concerned about going into the elections -- high prices, education, lack of affordable housing, violence, etc. I guess it is too scary to look further down the road, beyond the horizon. Yet many of these issues may fade into insignificance when climate changes become even more acute. As I headed to the polls, if a reporter with a microphone had asked me what my greatest concern is at this moment, I would have said something like, "The fact that we aren't looking at the bigger picture.The fact that we are not looking beyond the horizon." That is the blessing -- and curse! -- of being a mystic!
