Shall we dance
The ravages of the war in Ukraine, and the devastation of the floods in Queensland and NSW, dominate Australian news media reports. Amidst such tragedy, why would we choose to dance? Why would we choose to consciously engage in the dance of being and becoming? Being refers to our identity, to who we currently know ourselves to be in the world. Becoming refers to a shift in our identity. So, why would we dance? Because alongside the war and floods, our world continues to cry out for deep change; deep change toward a more equitable world for all life forms.
The deep change required in today’s world demands a new values system, one that seeks the flourishing of all life. Yet, a new values system cannot occur without a new identity. The reason for this is that our identity determines our purpose. Our purpose determines our values system. Our values system shapes the way we live in the world. Therefore, deep change requires a new values system, which in turn requires a new identity. As such, the deeper spiritual Call of the era is toward inner transformation, through consciously engaging in the dance of being and becoming for our time.
The above understanding of deep change aligns with the words attributed to scientist, the late Albert Einstein: “No problem can be solved from the same consciousness created it.” In a similar manner, no values system can be transformed through the same consciousness, or identity, that created it. The good news is that a new consciousness is emerging into our cultural world view; a new consciousness is breaking through like an underground stream rising to the surface, gently bubbling into the light of day, then slowly seeping into and nourishing the land in close proximity. The new consciousness draws from a systems view of life. A systems view is grounded by a principle of interconnectedness, through unity with diversity. (For more on a systems view see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7gt1YePVaE)
In accord with the new consciousness, a shift in identity is from Self-Vs-life to self-in-Life. A shift toward self-in-Life breaks through and transcends the limitations of the principle of individualism which grounds the current values system and seeks the flourishing of the individual, or select groups of individuals over and above all else. In contrast, a shift in identity toward self-in-Life enables each individual to know they are unique beings in their own right, while at the same time they are intrinsically connected and response-able to a much wider web of relationships, both human and non-human. In turn, a shift in identity toward self-in-Life will naturally give rise to a values system which seeks the flourishing of all life.
In short, our era is calling those of us who are not directly impacted by current tragedies, to do the sacred work of attuning to the new consciousness bubbling up to the surface of our collective awareness, and engaging in the transformative dance being and becoming for our time.
