PURPOSE-FUTURE
If one is mission [purpose] and vision [future] driven, to evolve sparkling, energized stars in the quantum universe offers infinite challenges and opportunities. And each sparkling, energized partnership can move America closer to the overwhelming task of being united for generations to come.
America is at a crossroads between a democratic republic—freedom, and autocracy—control. As American partners we need to decide what type of country, individually and collectively, we desire; and what each of us can do to facilitate the strategic, competitive, commonsense battle with our global competitors. Some folks will pitch-in and make things happen; some folks will watch what happened; and some folks will wonder what happened.
There are a bunch of strategies and stuff that need to get done: non-political voting rights management, technology building, environmental leadership and management, infrastructure maintenance and improvement, jobs creation, healthcare, childcare, immigration reform, countering systemic racism, LGBTQ+ rights, minimum wage, climate control, confronting home grown, white supremacy, terrorism, fair share tax reform, COVID-19 vaccinations and preparing for future pandemics, education funding, leading and managing web3, the metaverse, and blockchains, sane gun control, policing in communities, foreign policy, et al. As the two Japanese characters for crisis offer on the tattoo, with danger comes opportunity. The danger is continued and expanded division and autocracy; and the opportunity is to dig deep and work on our unhealthy personal and collective issues, participate in interactive dialogue and coalitions, and get done what is good for all Americans and America.
An opinion is that cultic-tribal addiction—political party sorting—is simply unresolved discomfort within the emotional body, the unhealthy deep stuff, or as offered in Integral Life Practice: A 21st Century Blueprint for Physical Health, Emotional Balance, Mental Clarity, and Spiritual Awakening (Wilber, Patten, Leonard, and Morelli, 2008, Boston, MA: Integral, page 41, 92-93),
…the shadow or dark side of the psyche, those aspects of ourselves that we’ve split off, rejected, denied, hidden from ourselves, projected onto others, or otherwise disowned…repressed unconscious…because we’ve pushed or pressed it out of our awareness, and unconscious because we are not aware of it…But the fact that we are not conscious or aware of the shadow does not mean that it has no effect: it just expresses itself through distorted and unhealthy means-or what is typically called neuroses…
In Never Finished, David Goggins offers an eye-opening comment, “…one day, you wake up owned by the person who is destroying you.” (103)
Digging deep, uncovering, balancing, and reintegrating this repressed and denied unconscious to improve our psychological health is process and is not easy; however, the work can free energy that has been spent shadowboxing with the self, making excuses, spinning, blaming, and telling stories. An initial step is simply passionate intent, a sense of openness and a commitment to 100% responsibility (Life happens because of me, not to me.), a willingness to face everything and fear nothing, and taking time out to just sit in the flames of the unresolved discomfort and give birth to penetrating insight, self-restraint, and skillful means. Deep dialogue chats with partners and friends can uncover deep scars and offer learning and reflecting experiences, challenges, and opportunities.
This is simply the evolution of our human condition, and with patience, persistence, education, compassion, learning, common good, loving kindness, virtue, and spirituality, we can move, individually and collectively, forward together. The alternative is further division, closer to autocracy, more lying, zero leadership, orchestrated overthrow of elections, bypass of constitutional order, accelerated division and violence, racism, and direction of a violent insurrections. Individually and collectively, we can grow common good, compassion, virtue, mindfulness, awareness, and self-restraint, and quiet the insatiable, unhealthy ego; and the dampening of anger, egotistical pride, jealousy, envy, doubt, ignorance, attachment, and fear can begin to free energy to nurture peace-of-mind, a sense of happiness and joy, and purpose and relationships created on a solid foundation of compassion. Let us get this job done for all Americans, not just a select few. Casts, conflicting political messages, and deliberate, negative words that separate, attack, and divide are simply wrong.
If open to the challenge, ready for the opportunity, and in need of a boost to get started: 1) In her Mindfulness Journal, Catherine Price recommends, Buy a pack of small stickers—any kind will do—and place a dozen or so around your home and office in noticeable places, such as your bathroom mirror, your computer, the back of your phone, the wall behind your kitchen sink, your alarm clock, or the cover of (your) journal. Every time you see one of these stickers, STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING, BREATHE, AND BE. 2) Locate a credible meditation instructor and learn to meditate. 3) Questions for reflection and journaling: What unlocks compassion? What manifests happiness, joy, and peace-of-mind? What are the personal, predictable behaviors that show up daily? Do I have a thinking-feeling loop that has been showing up for a few years?
The individual and collective mission is to evolve sparkling, energized stars and sparkling, energized partnerships in the quantum universe. And each sparkling, energized star and partnership can move America closer to the overwhelming task of being united for generations to come.
