Welcome back, Pioneers! As we enter our 11th day of intensive exploration Beyond The Boundary of The Known, we are nearing The Precipice, looking out into the vast expanse of The Unknown that lies Beyond. The deeper in The Unknown we Progress together, we more we face the inevitable necessity of continual and Transformational Change - the transformative, life-altering, and often uncomfortable process that is as much a part of Life Beyond The Boundary as breathing.
Truly Transformational Change often brings about a swirl of emotions - excitement for The New, mourning for The Past, fear and anxiety about The Unknown, and, often, a desperate impulse to cling to The Familiar. We are not unique in this experience. History, literature, mythology, and spiritual traditions provide numerous examples of this struggle. You may have also experienced it if you have ever attempted to teach a child to swim. They often grip the edge of the pool as if their life depended on it, certain of imminent death and destruction should they let go and attempt the seemingly impossible feat of surviving Beyond the safety of The Edge. It takes immense patience, love, and compassion to get them to release their iron grip on Where They Are, and support their attempt to courageously venture out Beyond.
Let us explore one such example from the wisdom of The Exodus, where the Israelites, led by Moses, escaped from their oppressive captivity, journeyed out into The Wilderness, and made their way towards the The Land of Promise. Freedom, however, was not as they expected - it brought with it uncertainty, hardship, and the difficult responsibility of Self Governance in the absence of totalitarian control. As they confronted these Challenges and Opportunities, they began to Look Back nostalgically at their life in Captivity. They started to romanticize their past and yearned to return to the familiar oppression and control, where, despite the cruelty and exploitation, they were at least clothed and fed.
This tendency to Look Back when confronted with the arduous path of change is not unique to the story of The Exodus. It is a deeply human trait, an aspect of our consciousness, shaped by our perceived need for security, our preferential attachment to The Known, and our fear of The Unknown. This pattern is embodied in another parable: The Story of Lot's Wife. Warned not to look back as they fled the doomed city, Lot's wife did exactly that, and immediately was transformed into a pillar of salt. This serves as a powerful metaphor of the danger of refusing to move forward and clinging desperately to the past.
These narratives are not merely historical or mythical tales, but deep mirrors that illuminate the Pattern Language of our personal and collective journeys. As we confront the degeneration and captivity of our Reality, are Awakened and Called to move out Beyond, and recognize The Necessity of Change in our lives and society, we often find ourselves longing for the familiarity and perceived comfort of the Old. However, as we awaken to the call of a higher Truth, stepping into our fullest potential, we must understand the spiritual principle these stories embody: once we are enlightened and called out of the past, turning back to our Old Ways is a betrayal of our True Selves and the Spirit of Truth, because the Old is incompatible with the Spirit and Truth, Who We Are Becoming, and Why. It can hold us in a state of paralyzed and death-like inertia, like a 'pillar of salt,' preventing us from answering the call to move forward and embrace the New, and yet unable to return to the Old.
Transformational change, although challenging, is the process through which we evolve, learn, and grow. Embracing it means Facing Fears, leaving behind Old Habits and Old Patterns of Thought, Speech, and Action, and stepping into New Possibilities and Potentials. The journey is often uncomfortable and filled with uncertainty; it demands the fullness of Faith, yet it is a path we must traverse in our Quest for a Higher Truth and a Better Future.
Consider again the transformative Metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly. The process is tumultuous, completely altering the caterpillar's existence by dissolving the Old to make Way for the New. If it were to resist this change, it would never realize its Potential to become what it is destined to become, to fly, and to pollinate and nurture the world around it.
Our journey as a community Beyond The Boundary of the Old mirrors this transformation. We are navigating a necessary metamorphosis, leaving behind Old, outdated patterns, structures, and ways of being that no longer serve us or our planet. We are stepping into a New World, a world of meaning, purpose, unity, harmony, cooperation, deep respect for All life, and Stewardship of our society and our environment on behalf of all past, present, and Future Generations of life. This transformative journey is our own modern Exodus, our pathway towards the Promised Land of a more conscious, Just, Regenerative, Loving, Beautiful and Good society and planet.
Reflect on the changes in your life and in the world around you. How have you reacted to these changes? Have you found yourself looking back, yearning for the comfort and familiarity of the past, despite its limitations, restrictions and failures? What might be the tendencies in your own life and consciousness that could transform you into a 'pillar of salt', holding you back from embracing the opportunities that come with change, and yet unable to return to your prior state of existence? Do you have have any intuition of what aspects of the Old, that you know have no place in Who You Are Becoming and Where You Are Going, might be hardest to Let Go of?
Consider the narrative of Exodus and the parable of Lot's wife in the context of our collective journey. As a society, are we not standing at the edge of our own awakening and transformation, faced with the urgent need to alter our course, but also terrified of what lies ahead "out there" in The Wilderness that lies Beyond the security of our Captivity in the Old? Are we not, like Lot's wife, tempted to look back, to cling to the Old Ways that both provision and enslave us, even when they clearly and inevitably lead to our collective demise?
Transformation, whether personal or collective, demands that we move Forward, letting go of our iron grip on what no longer serves us, even when the way ahead is unclear. It requires Courage and Faith, the willingness to step into the Unknown, to make mistakes and learn from them, and to adjust our course and navigate together towards The New as we gather new insights and understandings from our experience.
It is important to understand that change is not about abandoning everything from the past or starting over. It is about Wisdom and discernment, about choosing what serves the Highest Good and the well-being of All, and carrying forward only what is Valuable and Good. It is about taking the wisdom, the learnings, the beneficial practices, and the resources from our past, and consciously and intentionally transforming and integrating them into the New, while releasing patterns, beliefs, and structures that lead to suffering, failure, division, and destruction. It is in this Way that as The Exodus from Captivity commences, the Value of the Old is carried forward with those advancing together towards the New.
Today's exercise is about understanding our relationship with change and exploring the ways in which we can consciously embrace it:
Take a few moments to center yourself. Breathe deeply, calming your mind and body. See if you can allow your Self to find a moment of meditative presence subtly longer and deeper than you were able to experience yesterday.
Reflect on a significant transformative change in your life. How did you navigate it? Were there moments when you longed for what was past? Have you ever experienced a time of feeling like Lot's wife, unable to move forward because you were so attached to what you were leaving behind, yet unable to return without betraying your soul?
Now consider a change that you see as necessary in our world today. How does it mirror the personal change you just reflected on? How might society collectively be acting like Lot's wife or the Israelites in Exodus, longing for the 'good old days' of life in the Patterns of Degeneration and Captivity, and Looking Back at The Old instead of advancing with Courage and Faith towards The New?
What do you think is required for you, your family, your community, and society at large to embrace this necessary change? What Old patterns, beliefs, or structures need to be released? What New habits, practices, or ways of being need to be cultivated? Which aspects of the Metamorphosis do you anticipate will be most difficult? How might we start preparing for those now?
Jot down your reflections and insights. Feel free to share them with the Pioneer Cohort as you feel called to do so.
Remember, Transformative Change is a necessary part of growth and evolution. Consciously Embracing it is a step towards Wisdom and the manifestation of our Highest Potential and Greatest Good, both individually and collectively.
As we close this day of exploration and reflection, let's remind our Selves that change, while challenging, is also the harbinger of new possibilities. The Way of transformation is to focus not on clinging to the security of the Old, but voluntarily laying it down, and trusting that the very best aspects of it will rise with you as you co-create the New.
Pioneers, as we continue to traverse this wilderness of change and transition that lies between the Old and the New, let us focus on designing and building the New - a new consciousness, a new society, and an entirely reNewed and Regenerated world. Let's fix our eyes steadfastly ahead on The Goal, and commit to not Looking Back out of fear or nostalgia, but to moving forward with Courage, Faith, and unwavering Commitment to our shared Vision and Goal.
Until tomorrow, journey well and keep rising, Pioneers. It is a joy to be out here with you, Beyond the Boundary, meaningfully and measurably progressing towards The Goal.
Good day, good night, and remember: we are all in this together. If you need any help or support, reach out. Perhaps a few of us might consider joining together to co-create a Support Group to help any of our fellow Pioneers who need assistance as we progress.
With Love, In Community,
~ J
P.S. We are forging the Lionsberg Invitation v0.2, which will be extended to over the next 1.5 weeks to potential members of the Second Wave Cohort. The Second Wave Cohort is restricted to a minimum of 12 and maximum of 20 individuals. If you would like to nominate someone for consideration, please let Jordan know.