Greetings on the ninth day of our Quest! Your dedication and resolve are admirable as we journey together towards our individual and collective Freedom and Future. Today, we delve deeper into the context of our departure as we strive to more fully understand the world we're leaving behind. Our theme this week remains Week 2: Departure From The Old World, and today's lesson is named "Day 9 - The World We Leave Behind - Examining and Understanding the Old World."
When embarking on any Quest, understanding our point of departure is as critical as grasping our destination. Understanding both Where We Are and Where We Are Going are essential to enabling us to forge wise strategies, plans, and roadmaps to enable progress along the Critical Path towards Destiny. Recognizing the light and darkness, strengths and weaknesses, Good and Anti-Good narratives, systems and structures of the Old World provides valuable insights into Why we must embark on our Quest. It illuminates the reasons we must move Beyond the status quo, and serves as a stark reminder of what we do and do not want to recreate in our New World.
Today, we will begin to dig deep into the shadows of the Old World, acknowledging its complexities, its accomplishments, and its flaws. We will consider the Stories we've individually and collectively told ourselves about our Old Reality, and the various narratives and ideologies that have shaped our lives, our societies, and our world. We will reflect on the consequences of these narratives, both positive and negative, so that we can use this understanding to guide our Co-Creation of the New World.
The Old World is replete with stories - stories of power and subjugation, wealth and poverty, progress and degradation, triumph and defeat, hope and despair. These narratives, layered, shaped, twisted, interwoven, and passed down and transformed through the generations, have collectively formed The Caves of our collective consciousness, the shadowy illusions that shape and give rise to our perception of Reality.
Consider the narratives of nationalism, tribalism, racism, and unearned spiritual and moral superiority that breed division and discord, fostering arrogant 'them versus us' mentalities that generate misunderstanding, tension, conflict and oppressive inequality. Look at the socialist government-driven visions of utopia that led to the suffering, starvation, and death of millions. Examine the capitalist-employee-consumer-slave culture that encourages unbridled exploitation and consumption at the expense of our lives, our wellbeing, our culture, and our planet. Ponder the narratives of hatred and fear that led to the deaths of over 100 million of our children through warfare alone at the close of the last millennium. Delve into the classic Game of Empire and Oligarchy that grinds up the poor, the weak, and the meek between the gears of exploitive and oppressive machinations. Marvel at the arrogance and disregard that lead us to actively destabilize and overthrow political and social structures around the world. Examine more closely the degenerated religious and political narratives that intentionally box-in and mislead people in name of God, Party, Country, and Values. Reflect upon the myths of scarcity that perpetuate dimensions of poverty and hunger for billions, when in truth, we have More Than Enough to provision every human being, plant, and animal on Earth.
Yet it is not all darkness. The Light of the Creator and the very best aspects of human nature, nature, beauty, and consciousness cuts right through the Old World. Reflect on the stories of achievement and valor that have awakened and inspired us to possibilities beyond the wildest imaginations of previous generations. Consider the remarkable ability of humanity to awaken from its ignorance and change course. Marvel at the depths of spirituality, right relationship, and Divine connection and partnership that have marked our finest and most lucid Co-Creative moments. Recall the brave souls who were able to rise above the Chaos and destruction of their time and place, and speak powerful and Truthful words that brought forth entirely new realities. Understand the marvels of engineering, logistics, and supply that are now capable of feeding and provisioning the world. Think of the diseases we no longer die from, and the streams of water and abundance that now flow in places that were once forsaken wastelands.
These narratives, and countless others, shape our realities and either restrict or expand our potential. By consciously examining and understanding these stories, we gain insight into the underlying structures that have constructed our societal and individual caves. It can be deeply painful and disorienting to realize that we have not only been enslaved within these narratives, but also have tolerated, perpetuated, and reinforced them, both through our speech and our silence. We may even be or have even been employed in one of their hierarchies, actively working to convert and enslave others within something we now understand to be less True, Wise, Right, and Good than we were led to believe.
Yet the Meta Story that transcends and unites remains one of Absolute And Unconditional Love, forgiveness, liberation, and grace, despite our difficult and complex past.
Narratives alone do not form a world. They both give rise to and are supported by tangible structures and systems, codified and entrenched through law, economics, politics, and social and cultural norms. These systematic and structural elements profoundly shape our lives and can either enable or hinder our progress towards liberation and Destiny.
Think about the structural inequalities embedded in our collective economic system, where a small percentage of the world's population controls and exploits the vast majority of its resources and potential, often against the will and consent of others. Consider the social structures that perpetuate discriminations and disparities in a myriad of forms, limiting opportunities for large sections of our local and global community. Reflect upon the legal and political systems that often favor the powerful, leaving the marginalized and poor unheard and unrepresented. Reflect how the injustices of those systems then ripple out up into our national and international institutions, before flowing back down to shape life on the ground for those deprived of the voice and agency to speak, act, and move towards their hopes, dreams, and aspirations.
Yet again, it is not all darkness. Consider the miracles that many of us turn a faucet, and water flows, flip a light switch, and light dispels the darkness, place and order, and it arrives, vote, and a candidate wins, plan a trip, and travel a network of paved roads and airports, press a button, and communicate across the world, suffer a wrong, and appeal to recognized universal human rights and common law, experience a catastrophe, and emergency aid arrives.
None of these systems and structures are a part of nature, or an unalterable part of Reality. They are a reflection of the Light and Darkness vying for control of our Consciousness, manifestations of the spiritual battle between the forces of Good and Evil being waged across the universe, and within each individual community, family, and soul. Amidst the systems of oppression and injustice are absolute miracles of justice and liberty, carved out of the Chaos of our past.
These structures and systems are the tangible manifestations of the narratives we believe, tolerate, and perpetuate. The prevailing narratives, and the underlying states of spirit and consciousness they arise from, are what co-create the conditions within which systems and structures rise and fall across Time and Space.
To transform our world, we must unravel these narratives, bring them into the Light of Conscious Examination, reconcile and align them with Wisdom and Truth, and thereby co-create the New set of conditions in which systems and structures of darkness cannot persist, and in which systems and structures that align with, uphold, and advance our shared Quest towards The Goal will flourish.
When deeply examining the Old World we find our Selves in, and the Old Lives we awakened to find our Selves living, we must learn to be very discerning, accurate, and incisive, and resist the urge to judge and paint every aspect as Light or Dark, Black or White. The history and patterning of our collective world is certainly no less complex than the history and patterning of your own existence. It is a incomprehensible complex emerging out of the interactions of countless billions of complex beings and forces in countless billions of dimensions of Time, Space, and Domain.
We can be certain that, just like us, nearly all of those beings and forces are neither purely and entirely Good, with no slight shadow of Darkness, nor purely and entirely Anti-Good, with no slight glimmer of Light. Each is unique, complex, and struggling to properly emerge, balance and manifest itself, just like us.
Every day, we hear the cries of those on the progressive extreme who paint the existing Reality as inherently evil, born solely out of the will towards power and exploitation. "Let it burn, and we will co-create the New" becomes the mantra.
In response, we hear the protestations of those on the conservative extreme who callously ridicule those crying out for mercy and justice, and shout the religious and political propaganda they have been indoctrinated in. "This is God's Country, and we must preserve the Order and return to our Values" becomes the mantra, even as the systems and structures forsake both God and Values.
Despite its flaws, the Old World is not solely a realm of darkness, for we are in it, you are in it, the Light is within you, and billions like us who are striving towards the Light. The legacy of the Old World, like ours, is a mix of shadows and light, failures and triumphs, pain and progress. We have made remarkable strides in technology, medicine, and social and environmental awareness. We have become a spacefaring species, eradicated diseases, forged out of the Chaos of the past international consensus on universal human rights, and raised standards of living for billions.
Yet, these advancements have often come at a high cost. The ecological degradation, social inequalities, and spiritual bankruptcy that mark our age are the flip side of our achievements. As we embark on our Quest, it's vital to carry forward the wisdom and knowledge gleaned and the very best of our triumphs and accomplishments, while resolving not to repeat the mistakes and Patterns of Failure that mark our past.
The Quest FROM the Old TO the New does not occur within the bounds of time and space. It is a spiritual Quest. As progress is made through the elevation and transformation of our spirit and consciousness, which are prior to SpaceTime, we begin to manifest New Patterns and New Ways of Being within SpaceTime. As they gain strength and primacy, these New Patterns progressively in-break and displace the Old Patterns that we used to embody and enact. As this occurs, our lives and our world are transformed.
This process, and our Critical Path towards The Goal, is one of evolution, transcendence, and phase shift, not revolutionary overthrow. When we consciously decide to articulate, embody, and enact New Way of Being, we have the opportunity to evaluate and retain the very best features and capabilities that marked our previous state of being, while gaining significant New capabilities that make us more capable and competent to survive and thrive in the New Reality we are co-creating.
This is the understanding that reconciles, redeems, and At-Ones the conservative and progressive tendencies that seem to be at war. Mastery is the ability to consciously allow elements of our Selves and our World to continually grow, evolve, die, and be reborn, retaining the very best of each iteration, while growing stronger and more capable with each subsequent iteration.
The Renewed and Regenerated Lives and World we are co-creating at this crucial moment in history will come about in this Way. Many aspects of our existence that are incompatible with Where We Are Going and Who We Are Becoming will be hospiced and allowed to naturally pass away, so that something entirely New and Beautiful can emerge. At the same time, everything we have co-created as a human species that is Wise, Right, True, Good and suited for the New World can be strengthened even more, and wisely and thoughtfully incorporated into The Future.
Today's reflection is two-fold, symbolizing the dichotomy and battle of the Old World.
First, consider the shadows and Darkness of the Old World. What are the narratives, structures, and systems that you feel have hindered our collective evolution and progress towards our Destiny? What aspects of our existence arise from our 'lower' patterns and vibrations? Identify these factors and consider how they have impacted your own life and the lives of those around you.
Second, contemplate the glimmers of Light in the Old World. What achievements and advancements do you value? What Qualities or aspects of existence do you Value the most? Which aspects arise from 'higher' patterns and vibrations, that you wish to celebrate and strengthen even more, and carry forward into our New World?
Objective: The goal of this exercise is to provide you with a tangible way to make the invisible visible, by visualizing and interacting with the concepts discussed today. By creating a visual map, you can clearly identify the narratives, systems, and structures of the Old World that you wish to leave behind, and those you would like to carry forward into the New World we are Co-Creating.
Materials: You will need a large piece of paper or a digital equivalent, pens or pencils in two different colors.
Procedure:
Divide your paper into two halves. Label one half 'Shadows' and the other 'Light.'
In the 'Shadows' section, use one color to write down or sketch the elements of the Old World you identified during reflection as hindering our collective evolution. These could be systems of power, societal norms, personal beliefs, unTrue narratives, places of ignorance, cultural practices, patterns of behavior, etc.
In the 'Light' section, use the other color to articulate and illuminate the elements of the Old World that you Value most and wish to bring into the New World. These could be specific advancements, shared experiences, cultural elements, systems that uphold justice, structures that strengthen and protect, core values and beliefs, cultural heritages, wisdom and knowledge, or any other aspects of existence that resonate with you.
Along the boundary that separates the Light from the Darkness, identify any areas you are confused about, or struggling to discern their Character, Nature, and Quality. What makes it difficult for you to discern the spirit or pattern of these elements? What are the 'fruits', or external manifestations or results, that arise from their roots and DNA?
Once you've completed your map, take a step back and review what you've written. Notice any patterns or insights that emerge from this visual representation.
Finally, reflect on the following questions:
Remember, this exercise is not about judgement, it is about illumination, articulation, discernment, and bringing aspects of our existence into the Light of Conscious Examination. It's about acknowledging the complexities of the Old World and our Old Lives, learning from them, and using this knowledge as a stepping stone for co-creating something New and Better. Feel free to share any insights or reflections you have with your fellow Pioneers.
Armed with this understanding of the Old World, we can then begin to envision how we can design, build, and progress towards our New World. Our quest is not just to ignorantly reject the Old World, but to learn from it, take what serves us, discard what doesn't, and build aNew with wisdom and intentionality.
In our quest for Wisdom, Liberation, and Flourishing and Abundant Life, we are not just freedom fighters, but conscious architects and co-creators of a New Paradigm, where the Spirit of Truth, Love, Justice, Wisdom, Stewardship, Regenerativity, and Co-Creation reigns supreme. To do and become this effectively, we must examine and understand the world we're leaving behind, and use this knowledge to Co-Create something more Beautiful, Just, and Good.
Today, we've begun to illuminate The Caves, shedding additional light on the stories, structures, and systems that form the bedrock of division and captivity in the Old World. We've acknowledged the mixed legacy of the past, and reflected on complex mix of the shadows and the light that it contains.
Our Quest cannot be oversimplified into the conservative excess of simply clinging to corrupted structures of the Old World out of fear, or the progressive excess of burning them down or letting them fail out of ignorance and naïveté. We are beyond that.
We must have the wisdom, insight, discernment, and sophistication to critically evaluate each and every aspect of our existence with humility, and to choose consciously what we wish to bring forward and incorporate into the New World, and what we would be better served to leave behind. Your reflections today will provide valuable insights into this process and guide us in our next steps.
Tomorrow, we will continue our journey by discussing The Meta Crisis - The Patterns of Failure Inherent in the Old World, and the ways in which a massive period of shaking, cracking, and failing of the Old is inherent in its logic, and therefore inevitable.
This will help us understand the necessity of proactive and immediate action before things get worse, while beginning to catch the glimpses, intuitions, and premonitions of something New and Better that is longing to emerge.
This begins to pave the Way towards next week, where will start to proactively and consciously EnVision, Articulate and Design our New Lives and New World.
By the end of Week 3, we will have a basic grasp of the Patterns and Design of the Old World and the New World, and enough of an understanding of Where We Are, Where We Are Going, and Why to enable us to begin to co-create a philosophy, strategy, plan of action, and System of execution to help humanity and All Creation advance:
FROM the Old.
TO the New.
Leaving no one behind.
As we move into Week 4, we will begin to explore Life In The Wilderness, and how we can begin to embody and enact the systems and Pattern Language of the New World, even in its most nascent stages of emergence.
Remember, every step you take as a Pioneer on this Quest takes us closer to our collective goal: A New World built on the foundations of Truth, Love, Wisdom, Justice, and Stewardship of our shared prosperity and flourishing.
Until then, reflect deeply, engage boldly, and continue to keep the flame of curiosity alive. Onward, Pioneers!
With Love, In Community,
~ J
P.S. if you are frustrated that "we" are not "beyond mere words" into more action yet, ponder who or what you are waiting for in order to embody and enact the desires within you. If you are waiting for permission, stop, because it will not come. If you are waiting for someone else to take the lead and organize the areas you are passionate about, qualified for, and called to, stop, because it will not come. If you are frustrated that "we" are not doing more, identify by name the individuals you are frustrated are not doing enough, and reach out to discuss. You can start with me, and we can explore what more I could be doing to better serve the emergence, and what might help might be needed.
You were chosen as a Pioneer, and it is your Destiny to lead the empowered co-creative effort that brings into being all that is lacking, removes everything that does not belong, and transforms and refines all that must be transformed and refined.
There is no "them" out there to govern us, provision us, or permission us. We are out Beyond The Boundary now, and we must learn to embody and enact our New System of self-governance and co-creation. You are hereby empowered to get into co-creative action. Honor the Rule of Three, grab a couple others, Forge or Join a Group, govern your Selves, and get moving. We are here to serve, support, connect, and empower your emergent calling.
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