Articles

Envisioning Evil

We need a new vision for evil. The old black and white vision of evil vs. good or dark vs. light isn't good enough. It doesn't help us to truly understand what is going on in the world today. The forces moving today demand that we "see" them clearly with an inspired mind and understand them deeply with a courageous heart.

The reality of our own making is rearing its ugly little head and we don't like the truth we are seeing. Hatred and misunderstanding on a global scale, lies and greed rotting our homeland, and weakness in our own faith and ability to stay the path. Malaise. Apathy. Fear. Hopelessness. Even a return to old religions and old values as if they are an answer and not part of the problem.

The answer never lies in the energy level of the problem. This is why our minds must reach for inspiration and new ideas. Nor does the answer lie in fear and the Big Lie that we are separate from God. The reality of Spirit can save us from ourselves if we choose to use it. We must engage the spirit world to strengthen our hearts and open our minds to new ways of understanding what life has placed before us.

There is perfection in the Oneness of all things and yet, you can still choose to step out of that Oneness. Every human is first a soul and is therefore at his/her essence good. And yet all humans can choose to doubt their own soul and its connection to the Oneness. All humans can choose to become afraid. In that fear we become susceptible to evil. It is that fearful vulnerability that makes us potential carriers for evil, as we would carry a flu or cold when our over-taxed immune system leaves us vulnerable. It is that easy and that normal to allow evil in.

Evil is like a virus. It is something incubated in and born of humans, carried by humans, and shared by humans. It is a creation of the collective that we can add to in a multitude of ways, from small hard-hearted thoughts to large heart-breaking actions. Evil has no power other than what we give it. It has no lifeforce of its own. It uses the life of its host. Once we give it life, evil will fight to stay alive as if that life were its own.
There is no axis of evil outside of our selves, for the outer world is but a perfect reflection of our inner world. There is no source of evil outside of our selves for the same reason. It is a self-righteous relief to pass the buck to Satan, but that's all it is, passing the buck. As seductive as the illusion of Satan is, we cannot afford the luxury of that illusion a moment longer. The buck must stop here in the compassion of our hearts. We must pick up our responsibility for our own actions, thoughts, and feelings because humanity can no longer afford the path we are collectively on.

Evil is like a virus, therefore how we live daily makes a difference. Action is the issue. Through right action we can live in a way that makes us invulnerable to evil.

We each choose whether or not to be a carrier for evil in each thought, word, and deed throughout the day. In millions of moments through out the day we think hard-hearted thoughts about our selves and others, we indulge feelings we cannot afford, and we act in ways that knowingly cause small harms to our self and others. Even so, each morning your soul rises from the dreamtime and asks you, "will you be integrity and impeccability in action today?" Are you listening to the quiet, persistent voice of your soul?

Cultivating Invulnerability to Evil
Through right action you can live in a way that makes you invulnerable to evil. You can live in a way that cultivates an energetic "immune system" that will not allow you to become a carrier for evil, no matter what environment you find yourself in. The price you pay for this invulnerability is becoming a disciple to your Self. The cultivation of a practice, or a discipline, is dynamic, however the essential elements are outlined below.

• Groundedness. Follow your breath into your body and feel what it feels like to live in your body. Choose to show up and be present in your body, not hovering above it. Then extend your awareness from your body into the earth. Ground your self to your body and your body to the earth.
  
  
• Boundaries. Reach your awareness out from your center to feel the edges of your energy. Where are the holes, thicknesses, or thinning? Imagine your boundaries are a flexible and consistent egg-shape of energy that contains you from head to toe. Cultivate your awareness of where you end and others begin so that you can then choose what crosses that line.
  
  
• State of Being. Select an activity that you enjoy that cultivates a balanced and peaceful state of being. Do it regularly. This could be a yoga or mediation form, journaling or other creative act, chanting or any activity that affirms your place in the Universe. You can choose one or utilize several. What matters is that you do what truly works for you even when it's hard to do it.
  
  
• Heartful Activity. Exercise your heart, literally. Our bodies are meant to move and they love us for moving them. Breath hard. Sweat. Allow the energy of your heart to move and circulate in your life. The secret is to choose what you will actually do and do what suits your age and health at the moment. Walk. Go to the gym. Dance. Move.
  
  
• Food is Medicine. What you eat always alters the chemistry of your body. That directly affects your state of being and level of energy. Never take what you eat for granted. It affects everything. Educate yourself about food and find a way to express your love for yourself through the food that you eat.
  
  
• Call in Spirit. You are not alone. You cannot be alone. You are not meant to do it all alone. The spirit world is there waiting for you to ask for help. Develop a practice that goes beyond random acts of desperation. Develop an intentional practice, like journeying, chanting, or dancing, which allows you to focus your intention and receive answers.
  
  
• Demand Meaning. Do what has meaning for you. Demand of yourself that what you commit your time and energy to is meaningful to you. Risk caring. Create a life that matters to you, passionately, and give of yourself to it.
  
  
• Celebrate Life. Celebrate life often, without apology. Celebrate in small and large ways. Celebrate in personal and communal ways. Create art. Sing. Dance. Give a party. Take yourself on a date. Do something special. Be special and celebrate it.