Today is the “anniversary” of the January 6, 2021 insurrection on the US Capitol. As the US Justice Department continues to investigate and hold those accountable for their actions of domestic terrorism, it seems like a good day to reflect on the two worlds in which we are living.
The First World is where I, and many of my companions, friends, clients, students, and community members are choosing (have trained ourselves) to live:
The World of Unity and Love
This world exists BEYOND the trappings of the (other) world which is rooted in fear, power, oppression, and control. The World of Unity and Love exists BEYOND the imprisonment of Capitalism and all the rules that have kept that beast alive:
Fear Power Oppression and Control
The “other” world is that which has been built on fear, power, oppression, and control. Capitalism rules that world with its rules that make rich men richer, on the backs of the working class and poor. The “other” world is defined by separation and division, creating a perception of “us vs. them.” It is only out of such a world that events like the insurrection can happen.
The World of Unity and Love co-exists with the world of division but is not of that world. Being not of the world of division, allows those choosing Love to observe the divided world through an objective lens without getting dragged into the emotional reactions typical in division. It also allows us to disengage from the ongoing conflict and chaos of the divided world. We may see it, even become angered or saddened by it, but it doesn’t have to destroy our life.
Instead, we might look with compassion on those who are choosing division because they don’t yet know how to love.
Living in the World of Unity and Love is not escapism. Instead, it is a kind of Divine activism. Here we demonstrate to the divided world that Unity and Love are possible. That compassion is a strength, and empathy is a superpower. That harmony in a diverse world is possible and that in fact, diversity can be celebrated for the beauty it brings into our world. That the drive for peace is fueled by the search for understanding and that
PEACE IS POSSIBLE.
As we reflect on the events of January 6, 2021, let us ask ourselves, which world do we really want to live in?
Taking Back Our Power to Choose
For the past 5000 years our world has been imprisoned by those who benefit from a people afraid. For 5000 years, we have been conditioned by institutions that manipulate and control us through fear, guilt and shame. Religious institutions, governments, corporations, banks, advertising, social media, education, health care, pharmaceutical companies and the insurance industry (to name a few) are all guilty of benefiting from a people afraid. As has always been true of feudal societies, only a few truly benefit from a culture rooted in fear. The rest are made to suffer while those who are manipulating us are getting rich at our expense.
When we stop believing in these fears by healing the conditioning that caused these fears in the first place, we are no longer vulnerable to manipulation and are free to choose love instead of fear. In choosing love, we are able to experience the peace, freedom and union spoken of by the ancients and which has been taught by the highest expression of every spiritual tradition on this planet.
It is time that we say NO MORE by taking back our power to choose by healing our wounds and transcending cultural conditioning.
Lauri Ann Lumby 