The politics of fear, sold through the voice of an authoritarian parent figure, limits our voice to the short term.  We end up with a focus on “self defense”, praying that “Daddy” will take care of things.  The selling comments are generally of separation.  For example, “We’ve got to get them before they get us” breeds a military of force with unlimited expenditure.  There’s a nationalistic focus with unquestioning loyalty to the parent figures in charge.  This approach quiets the populace, diminishing the questioning of authority to an act judged unpatriotic.  Today, even through our election process, few contenders question the federal budget dedication to “self defense” and debt service.  A focus from fear does not align with a stewardship and more often than not drives from greed and ignorance.

A politics driven from sense of stewardship and vision aims to the long term.  Many indigenous tribes ran their visions seven generations out.  Rather than spending 60% of every discretionary tax dollar on “self defense”, the primary focus would be on “Self defense”.  Our political decisions would be driven from a longer term perspective, would recognize the speed of change, our planetary interconnection, and our mandate to collaborate internationally for the health and well being of future generations.  A platform of Self-defense would aim to nurturing our planet from moderation and gratitude.  It would recognize that harm done to any life is harm done to oneself.  As such, a new voice would vision a planet aiming to a radical transition from our current politics of fear, greed and ignorance.  A true citizenry of hope would recognize that if we can’t “see” it, how in the world can we expect to manifest it?  With a vision of doom and gloom, anger and blame, fear and despair, we present a collective consciousness that does not bode well for future generations.  It’s time we all sat in front of the future generations and addressed long term stewardship.

“Dear grandsons and grand daughters, great grandsons and great grand daughters, and on and on, may we always drive our thoughts, emotions and actions from what’s best for all with harm to none?  We here present our vision for a planet of healing and nourishment for future generations.  Please hear our words.”

1.  We vision a politic that focuses on compassion, generosity and moderation.  Decisions in family, community, nation and planet will be driven from a perspective of “what’s best for all with harm to none”.

2. We vision a politic that views our children as our most valuable natural resource.  As such, budgetary spending will focus upon enhanced health and education to meet the rapidly changing universe with the skills necessary of harmonious living.  National budgets from all nations will be transparent, aiming to diminish the current trend toward ever increasing military spending.  Military objectives will command service without harm.  We vision a planet void of nuclear weapons.  The international community will not be tolerant of actions that harm innocent civilians and all citizens will be able to witness diplomatic forums where those who violate the law of harmony find their voice.  Healing will come from genuine aim to understanding rather than forced military actions that risk harm to even one innocent civilian.

3. We vision a politic where profit is taken away from those engaged in war, health care or education process.  A moral conscience will once again be restored when the corporate world’s current profit only motive is eliminated.  We vision a planet where all citizens nourish body and mind through adequate food, shelter and education.  In the spirit of “pursuit of happiness”, all citizens will have opportunity, regardless of sex, race, nationality, age, etc.

4. We vision a world of tolerance and understanding.  Citizens will be mandated to study history to be sure not to repeat the same mistakes, to study various spiritual traditions for similarities and differences, to care for the body with regular exercise and meditation, and to view all personal, business and political decisions from a perspective of long term effect.  Whether from the science of quantum physics or ancient spiritual wisdom, citizens will hold deep regard for our delicate interconnectivity.  Everyone counts, every thought and feeling matters, every action affects everything. A refocus on the arts, on rhythm and harmony, curiosity, and disciplined resolve to go deeper, will drive our humanity’s evolution.

5. We vision a world where all citizens are taught the laws of compassion, gratitude and forgiveness, not as religious dictates, but as necessary practices for the very survival of humanity.

6.  We vision a planet of wisdom councils.  Elders of the family, community, nation and planet will meet to take action on various issues of concern.  All laws will be directed from the mandate of “best for all with harm to none”.  When unique circumstances present to these councils, they will be addressed accordingly rather than rubber stamped from a law upheld by biased “parental” court figures.  The pro life/ pro choice conflict will vanish as people see they are pro life and pro choice, addressing issues from best for all, harm to none.  An attitude of “I know that” will shift to an attitude of curiosity, understanding and compassion.

7.  We vision a planet where nurturing, stewardship and the art of “taking care” takes a front position to the parasite of greed, ignorance and fear.  In the healing of our planet, America, community and family, we recognize that change happens, energy dissipates, and our commanded purpose is to slow entropy, nurture one another, and forever hold aim to a better world for our children. Our command is to care for the body/mind, hold feelings of hope and well-being, love our family with deep resolve, actively contribute to and participate in our community, and hold reverence for the very gift of life on this planet.

There are two very basic laws of the universe.  What we put attention to grows stronger and what we don’t will grow weaker. The first is call the Law of Attraction and the second is called the Law of Entropy, otherwise known as the Second Law of Thermodynamics.  It’s really quite simple.  If we put energy to something we slow its deterioration; if we don’t apply it the loss of energy is faster.  We can look at this from a personal, family, community, national, or global perspective.  We could say that putting energy to slowed entropy is good stewardship.  From an ecological global perspective, we become more aware of our carbon footprint, expending less energy through conservation.  At a personal level, we become more and more aware about what works in the stewardship of the health of our body/mind.  The focus of this article is to focus on our personal ‘practice’ in slowing entropy of body/mind.

It’s now accepted that regular exercise, a moderate and healthy diet, and the avoidance of toxic consumption lead to slowed entropy.  For sure, we’ll all one day say good bye to these bodies.  Also, there’s never a guarantee that if we exercise good body/mind stewardship we’ll live longer.  Yet, our quality of life seems dramatically richer when we ‘practice’ those disciplines that work for slowed entropy.  Our bodies clearly manifest a different outward look when we mindlessly consume food and drugs.  As we learn more and more about the destructive effects of toxic foods we become more aware of our need to ‘practice’ with resolve.  Mindful living slows entropy and aids in disciplining us to the ‘practice’ of that which works.

What works for one may not work for another.  Yet, it seems universal that stress speeds entropy and present-minded living slows it.  Living in the present, we meet the moment in peace.  Living in stress, there’s a tension gap between where we are and where we want to be.  This gap often robs us from our appointment with life, creating conflict and dissatisfaction.  Mindful living must not be confused with lack of ‘doing’.  Paradoxically, the more aware we are, the more we participate, the more we put our energy to living, the slower our entropy.  Some have called this the ‘use it or lose it’ principle.  When we neglect the exercise of the body it speeds deterioration.  When we neglect exercise of the mind through rigid belief systems, we speed deterioration of cognitive function.  Mindful living commands openness, willingness to adventure into the mystery, and resolve to maintain our practice to increased awareness.

This increased awareness raises our gratitude for the precious moment that will never be again.  The Law of Entropy states that everything is in process of change.  Nothing stays the same and nothing disappears.  This law is in tension with the Law of Interconnectedness.  Everything affects everything and our awareness to this feeds our ease with the Law of Entropy.  When we mindfully care for our body/mind, we care for all.  When we neglect and abuse our body/mind, we speed the entropy of all.  Simply put, our resolve to increased awareness ‘heals’ and our lack of awareness ‘wounds’.  Our resolve to practice stewardship to body, family, community, nation and planet leads to longer living.  Our practice of numbed or distracted living leads to earlier deterioration.

A simple practice is to return to our breath. 

Breathing in, say ‘yes’ to the opportunity to participate in this life.

Breathing out, say ‘thank you’ for this gift and for the resolve to practice increased awareness.

Yoga is a healing practice.  There’s recognition that the body loses energy over time, but there’s also recognition we can slow this entropy through our practice.  Increased awareness from yoga provides the ‘felt’ sense of our interconnectedness…our joined state of being.  Some have referred to this felt sense of connection as love or compassion.  It’s definitely healing.  In contrast, our sense of separateness speeds entropy and dis-ease.  Yoga, meditation and other practices leading to increased awareness and mindful living are not easy.  They demand tremendous resolve and discipline.  Yet, the sense of peace, harmony, gratitude, and ease of living continue to feed our ‘practice’.  Knowing our practice heals body/mind, family, community, nation and planet is strong vitamin to the depth and strength of our yoga practice.

The basic meaning behind ‘theology’ involves ‘going deeper’.  As such, curiosity may be one of the most divine attributes we could cultivate.  The strength of our religion may interestingly go to the core of our willingness to forever go deeper.  While our cognitive belief systems stop our spiritual depth with notions of right and wrong, our heart energy forever drills deeper into the felt experience of our interconnection.  The challenge is to find God within the heart of ‘all’.  In his book Honest to God, John Robinson writes:

A statement is ‘theological’ not because it relates to a particular Being called ‘God’, but because it asks ultimate questions about the meaning of existence: it asks what, at the level of theos, at the deepest mystery, is the reality and significance of our life.  p. 49

He goes on to point to the main question of ‘where’ is God.  A didactic approach, one based on subject/object, would place God ‘out there’ or ‘up there’.  Yet, the Christian theologian Paul Tillich speaks of God as the ‘ground of Being’, stating:

The centre of our whole being is involved in the centre of all being; and the centre of all being rests in the centre of our our being.

The god whom he cannot flee is the Ground of his being.  And this being, his nature, soul, and body, is a work of infinite wisdom, awful and wonderful.  p. 53  from The Shaking of the Foundation

Forever drilling deeper, outside the walls of knowing, further into the abyss of the heart, we touch the Divine, as Tillich referenced, ‘the ground of our Being’, beyond notions of the subject/object divide, touching the mystery of subject as one.

I put together a few of my favorite holiday tunes, hopefully for your listening pleasure.  The backgrounds are from Abersol and Leonard.  The mix is quick, down and dirty. The tones are from the heart.

Sample