Greetings Sunny Optimist Buddies,
I don't profess to fully understand all that is happening around the world at this time. There is a level of complexity to the global situation that often feels beyond my ability to comprehend. I could so easily put my head in the sand and hope it will all go away. And I appreciate that this is part of a primordial fear response within me. What I know in my heart is that I must rise above these 'egoic' concerns. I must move from fearfulness into a sacred energy space that enables me to respond in ways that contribute to the return of wholeness and balance to life on Earth.
I was pondering this when the poem 'FOR PEACE' by John O'Donohue came into my inbox this morning. The words felt like a message from the Divine reminding me to stay centred. So that from there, I can beam prayers for the wellbeing of all those impacted by the global disruptions that are unfolding at this time.
I received the email from the Findhorn Foundation's Great Turning Initiative above. The leaders of this initiative are great wisdom keepers of our time, Joanna Macy, Duane Elgin, David Korten, Bayo Akomolafe and many more.
It is important to have voices that call us to rise above and clarify what our new humanity has to 'be' for all life to thrive. These Great Turning voices say:
'The time has come; the call is clear. We, as humanity, are awakening to a pivotal, evolutionary turning point. We are learning how to transition from a life-destroying society to a life-affirming global family'.
Their programme, The Great Turning Experiment, will run from 16 March to 22 June 2022. Click here or on the image above if you would like to know more about this profound initiative.
Contemplation for Peace
It felt timely and appropriate to share the poem here today.
I invite you to sit in contemplation with the words and then beam your loving energy prayers out to life. May peace be in the hearts of all.
As always, I would love to hear how you are in this time of the Great Turning.
Ann
FOR PEACE
As the fever of day calms towards twilight
May all that is strained in us come to ease.
We pray for all who suffered violence today,
May an unexpected serenity surprise them.
For those who risk their lives each day for peace,
May their hearts glimpse providence at the heart of history.
That those who make riches from violence and war
Might hear in their dreams the cries of the lost.
That we might see through our fear of each other
A new vision to heal our fatal attraction to aggression.
That those who enjoy the privilege of peace
Might not forget their tormented brothers and sisters.
That the wolf might lie down with the lamb,
That our swords be beaten into ploughshares
And no hurt or harm be done
Anywhere along the holy mountain.
JOHN O’DONOHUE
From the book, Benedictus. https://johnodonohue.com/
Thank you Ann - a tingle through my body reading this.
Thank you Ann for sharing both your own turmoil and the poem. It feels to me that there are multiple emotions going on for me right now. Fear of what could/might happen; shame for what is happening and sorrow in my lack of agency to affect it much: frustration with the greed, hypocrisy and dishonesty of those who govern us. All negative emotions that I am sure are shared in divers ways by others, and yet... There are actions I can take, both in terms of mother nature in terms of mitigating my impacts, and also things like making my voice heard (or at least adding it) to the global pleas to stop and reset, as well as practical things around finding ways to contribute to reducing the suffering of others. Doing nothing and being a bystander in my mind makes me complicit in what is going on. In this vain I offer you the song "How I long for peace" sung by Peggy Seeger.