A New World Paradigm

We all see it. Things are getting a little out of hand in the world. And though we have so many theories and controversial topics, we all know that we are not headed in a good direction. Why are we doing this?

Religion, for one, has overtaken much of how we live today- even if we aren’t religious. And with this, we are told to live a certain way- what we say, how we act, what we do…which is inevitably taking away our own freedom. Now, understand that I have nothing against religion itself, its those behind religion who tend to take it too far- taking it out of context or way too literally, using it as a weapon or a threat or a scare tactic, as a reason for hatred and separation. Religion is man-created for people to have a basis of morals to live by, to give them a sense of purpose and direction. And each religion is essentially the same in that there is a higher power guiding us. So why can’t we just be okay with that?

Aside from religion, we all have our beliefs, so we can’t say it’s just religion. We are all  accustomed to the way we are brought up and what we have personally experienced which make us think and do in different ways. I have always been one to speak my mind and to think outside the box. I also know that I can be called an atheist, non-believer,  or conspiracy theorist, but i really don’t care. One thing we should know is that putting all of this aside, we NEED to be putting it aside! That’s what’s going to get us out of this grave that we’ve dug for ourselves! We are all human, we are all different yet all the same. We need to see that in order to rise above ourselves, because we are literally killing off our own species.

With this whole 2012 ‘doomsday’ theory and ‘global warming’ threats, we are truly missing the message. The message is that we are destroying our own world by what we do and how we act. We are not going to be judged or become extinct next year….2012, by the Mayan calendar, is merely a mark of a big shift in world consciousness. The whole claim of the world ending in 2012 is a myth conjured up by non-Mayans. Mayans have already explained what their calandar means. Here is a clear example: http://www.shiftoftheages.com/Maya-Message-2012

We need to see the pattern here. We need to look at the big picture. And we need to act. Now. Below are the 10 key components that will indeed help the shift of human and worldly consciousness. People are already starting to wake up and follow the New World Paradigm, and you will see how, and you will see that it is truly up to each one of us to make this shift a shift for the better.

1. SHUT UP & LISTEN

To others, to ourselves, to nature

Too many of us tend to talk over one another these days. We aren’t really listening and paying attention to one another, especially if we don’t agree with what the other is saying. This is one of the things we are doing to cause destruction in this world. All we want is for our voice to be heard and to be right. We are losing our open-mindedness. We may be missing something vital- something we never saw before- something that could more so shape who we are- something that could save us.

We also need to be focusing on what our instincts are telling us. Yes, we really should be listening to the voices in our head. They are there for a reason. Hence the term “voice of reason”. We all have it, but can be altered by the outside world, drugs, etc. Media and society are implanting and brainwashing us to think and act a certain way, so we become engrossed in the exterior and lose focus on the interior. I used to consider myself a hardcore Christian until I decided to follow my inner voice, expand my horizons, and just let all ideas seep in until I found my ground. And what I landed upon is that religion is man-made, spirituality is what we all possess. We are all spiritual beings. Many become more relaxed, centered, enlightened, happier, and more tolerant with the outer world by means of meditation, yoga and prayer.

(Mind you, prayer doesn’t have to be religious or done a certain way, either.)

The one other voice we are ignoring is that of nature. It’s been trying to relay a message to us for a long time now. It’s crying out to us for help. It needs to let us know that we need nature to survive, that it is a part of us and we are a part of it. If we can’t see that we are indeed one with nature and need to live cohesively with it instead of abuse it and take advantage of it, it will run dry and we will not have an inhabitable planet much longer. We need to start taking care of it as it has been taking care of us. Without nature we can’t have food, water, fresh air, fuel….And natural disasters are a form of a wake-up call to humanity. They are becoming increasingly dangerous and sporadic. And what are the two same messages we get after such an event? 1. Nature is more powerful than us. 2. We are all the same. Religions, politics, lifestyles, races are all tossed aside and forgotten about.

2. TAKE A GOOD LOOK IN THE MIRROR

Stop blaming others for your unhappiness!

Going back to the whole right and wrong thing here- we need to quit pointing fingers and blaming others for our strife, and we also need to get off our high horses of pride and start looking within. Instead of saying that we are right and they are wrong, we should be asking ourselves what’s wrong with us and what we can change. This again has led to separatism and problems in the world.

We can’t seem to own up to our mistakes or closed-mindedness or apologize for any faults we may bare. This whole American Pride thing has been taken way out of context, I’d say. If we can respect each other in what we believe in, how we live, and what we choose to say and do without someone getting offended, world peace could actually happen.

Just imagine the barriers that would be knocked down- mentally, spiritually, physiologically, and would even cause a massive (yet positive) upheaval with politics and countries. To have that weight being lifted off our shoulders would help us breathe again, personally, and as a species. If we don’t start correcting and evolving ourselves, we will not be able to respect or accept others.

3. THE ONLY TRUE FEAR IS FEAR ITSELF

Stop living in fear.

We tend to act out of fear. Fear is not the opposite of love, because love is all their is. Fear stems from love. It is essentially the dark side of love. Love can cause positive and negative emotions, but it’s what we do with those emotions that make all the difference. When we act out of fear, it is because we love something so much. But fear is not an emotion to let guide us. Fear turns into anger, distrust, hatred, war and separation.

We are surrounded by fear on a daily basis. The things that we fear the most is having no money, losing those we love, and not succeeding in life. Corporations remind us all of the time that we must have more in order to feel happy- which can solidify that we have money, that we are succeeding and have something to show it for, and that money can buy love. Some may even fear the simple notion of losing. That’s when we tend to hold onto something or someone so tight that it slips through the cracks between our fingers. The big whammies here is failure. We are a society based on consumption and achieving- and if we don’t meet these expectations to the highest degree, we’ve failed. Getting 2nd place or a 3.8 GPA isn’t good enough anymore.  We end up making excuses for ourselves, because we fear that we have failed. Reminds me of a great book by Wayne Dwyer called Excuses Begone.

We become so wrapped up in covering up our own failures, fearing that we will be judged and rejected, that we start blaming others to hide it all. For instance, the hate against certain topics such as homosexuality, abortion, and transgenders. ‘They’ are the ones who are wrong, ‘they’ will be judged and ‘they’ will be committed to eternal damnation, because ‘they’ are full of blasphemy and of the devil. If you truly believe this, then you would believe and know that if there is such a thing as ultimate judgment, then it will be handled appropriately. Church, for instance, have been digging themselves a hole for hundreds of years that it has gotten nearly impossible for them to get out.  They fear failure and judgment. And though they are taught not to live a life of pride, that’s exactly what they are doing when they judge, condemn, or not be accepting of someone like them. Pope Joh Paul II made a public apology in 1993 of the Vatican laws that had been broken over the years including the crusades, the Inquisition, the Holocaust, child molestations, and actions and judgments of hate put upon those of other religious realms. Wow! The pope apologized on behalf of other Catholics! Because he was not afraid to tell the truth. He was not afraid to admit that no one is perfect- not even the Vatican. (Now, politicians are a whole other blog!)

4. THE ONLY SEPARATION SHOULD BE THAT WHICH SEPARATES US

The church, the law, and the facts

Three major components have somehow intersected and have become the most destructive factors in the world: Religion, politics, and science. Each alone can be pretty harmless and unquestioned. However, humanity has chosen to use them with or against one another for the satisfaction of power. Especially with America, we have become a country structured around one main religion- Christianity. We wouldn’t have separate political parties if it weren’t for religious beliefs and certain political leaders wouldn’t be where they are if it weren’t for their religion. It has been proven that those candidates who voice their faith in God and Christianity are more likely to win a political race, due to the fact that America is a Christian-based nation. Does that really mean that they are they best leaders for our country? That’s what some people think- others think it is quite cutthroat and will lead to biased decision-making.

So, then, maybe we should be okay with taking out the words “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance. Afterall, that wasn’t in the original script- not until 1954. Some religious politician decided to add it in. Oh, and then what about “In God We Trust” on our money? Because that’s the only one we can trust? We are undoubtedly a Christian-American nation, but it has done us more harm than good. Now we have to deal with ‘political correctness’ and try to avoid offending others by no longer displaying Christmas trees, Nativity scenes, or Easter bunnies. We are encouraged to only say “Happy Holidays” to respect and include others’ religions. This is all just getting out of hand.

There has always been a clash with religion and science, also. Science exists to prove or disprove theories and is based off of facts- facts that can’t be changed, though how we do the experiments can change. Religion has changed over the years, and there isn’t just one religion. Atheists tend to argue that there needs to be scientific proof of God or a higher existence for it to be true. Scientists say it can’t be proven, but the one thing that has been proven is that energy is everywhere and that it cannot be destroyed, only manipulated. Religious folk state that it has to do with faith.

So why even bother trying to prove anything? Science should be kept science, religion should be kept religion, and politics- well…they wouldn’t be so confusing or frustrating if it weren’t for religion, because of the different views and beliefs which have led to different parties and affiliations. I bet there could be a great scientific study done on that theory!

5. ENJOY THE LITTLE THINGS & DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF

What really matters to you?

With all of this separation, hate, drama, media, and war, we sure do take for granted the smaller things in life. For example, when listening to Amanda Knox’s dad speak after she arrived to her hometown of Seattle, where I also live, the one thing I remember the most is when a reporter asked him “What do you think she looks forward to the most?” His reply was refreshing to hear. “Honestly, it’s the little things we take for granted, like, she can’t wait to lay in grass. She’s been surrounded by concrete walls for 4 years.” This poor, innocent girl has had to suffer in confinement, to crave the feeling of grass against her body. We don’t think of such a thing on a daily basis. Literally stop to smell the roses! Stop to pet the cute puppy! Stop to take a breathe of fresh air! Stop to take in the beautiful sunset! Take a moment to tell the ones you love them!

We need to re-instill in our minds how fortunate we really are. The one thing I always relish is a nice, hot bath. But I live daily giving thanks to the essentials, especially when life seems to get rough. I have a wonderful partner, an amazing son, a house to live in, food to eat, my family, and a job. I have a job. Even though it’s not exactly what I want to be doing or as much as I’d like to be paid, at least I am employed. And I think of those (who I know and who I don’t know) that have been jobless for a long time or who have recently been laid off. The economy is rough right now and it won’t get any better unless we start following this essential paradigm. We can’t wait for someone else to wave a wand and change it for us. And we can’t keep sitting here blaming someone else for where we are or the state of our economy. Instead, we need to go within, be thankful for what we have, and find peace with all that is going on.

Many of our larger frustrations with the economy have effected our relationships, families, habits, and attitudes. It’s time we shift gears, here. This wave of negativity is spreading into areas of our lives which is causing physical and emotional ailments as well as divorces, abuse, death, and addictions. This is where Gandhi’s saying resonates with so much truth: “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” Change starts from me. It starts from you. This is where the first 4 and next 4 elements of the paradigm meet. Stop getting pissed off at the driver who doesn’t turn quick enough, quit getting frustrated at the computer for the error message it keeps giving you, stop ranting because the barista forgot to add whipped cream to your mocha.

And the one thing we are neglecting to do is talk about our feelings. We become so overwhelmed with our worries and fears that we forget that there are people who are there, willing to listen and help. To close up is to give up. We need to know that we are not alone and that there are people who care. Otherwise, if we ignore our feelings, we will bury ourselves and not be able to find a way out, which usually resorts to a vice of some kind- whether it be self-infliction, drugs, alcohol, sex….we always try to replace our guilt with another. Don’t let it build up or else it will somehow come back and slap you in the face. Be thankful for what you have, know that you have people that care about you, and know that there is always a solution- always a way out. Remember to take care of you. Don’t give up so easily.

6. KINDNESS IS CONTAGIOUS

Just put on a happy face!

Ok, it sounds cheesy and cliche, but we should all know how true it is. As a negative attitude is contagious, a positive attitude is even more so. Have you ever seen that Liberty Mutual commercial where one person stops to help someone then that someone helps someone else and so on? It really does and can happen! When someone does something for you that makes you feel good, generally you are apt to do something for someone else to make them feel good. It’s a natural domino-effect instinct. It’s an exchange of good energy. In tying in with the whole ‘be the change you wish to see in the world’, change really does start with you. The simplest act of kindness we naturally contract and pass along like a disease is a smile. So, the basic assignment here is to just smile more. Smile at the cashier. Smile at the crazy driver. Smile at the barista. Smile at the angry customer. And, to add another saying; “Smile. People will wonder what you’re up to.” Ah, that’s the enjoyment of it all. It’s like you have a secret, and that secret is that you are spreading happiness and changing the world one smile at a time. How great of a feeling is that?

Want to move up a level? Go the extra mile to help someone or make them feel better. Hold the door for people, Let the person behind you go first, volunteer at a homeless shelter or library, donate some charity and see how good you feel afterwards.

And next? Be open-minded. Be accepting. Know that we are all of the same species, and we all want the same thing: love. Why wait for a natural disaster or catastrophe to be kind and generous?

Scientists and doctors alike have only recently revealed their discovery that stress induces poor health and disease. Well, it’s been said for thousands of years that the only thing that kills us is stress. We are truly causing our own sicknesses. Not only with personal stressors, but chemicals, pollutants, and other such environmental stressors. The opposite of this, too, is being overprotective of our health with high paranoia of germs. We need the bacteria in order to build up a tolerance and to strengthen our immune system. Not all bacteria is bad. We stress out more on stress itself, really! “I’m so tired of being stressed…” Well, then find something that will de-stress you! Change your habits, your sleep pattern, your diet, your thoughts, write a journal, go for a jog, work out, meditate, do yoga…find a healthy outlet so that stress will not build up, and change your attitude so that you have your own natural defense shield against stress.

We are so focused on the pain and suffering in this world, which only makes us more unhappy and stressed out, which then leads to illness. So why not let kindness and happiness be the spreading diseases in this world? If we were less stressed and had less stressors around us, we’d be a lot healthier and happier and the number of diseases would go down in the world.

7. GO BACK TO YOUR ROOTS

Ah, the simple life.

This should be fundamental for our survival through rough times. Resources are getting low. Now, I am a thrifty person, but why not go the extra mile? Support local businesses, especially farmers markets and naturally-made products. Community is what will keep us thriving. Also, organic products- TRUE organic products are much healthier for us and do not require fuel or chemicals. Organic products in the store are not 100% organic. The truest form of organic foods will be from farmer’s markets or your own back yard. Start growing your own food if you can. And, if you are able to do that, learn to recycle and compost food waste and use for fertilizer which is rich in the nutrients needed to grow more food. Many city dwellers currently grow their own food as well as own chickens for eggs. This is definitely prominent in the NW, but no matter where you live, it can be done.

Also, we need to stop being so obsessed with and consumed by such things as electronics and fashion. I sure as hell don’t have to have the latest model or best name brand, but so many of us do. We’ve got to stop letting corporations zap our brains into thinking we have to have bigger and better things so that we can get lazier, cooler, or prettier. These ‘things’ are consuming us, not the other way around! Soon we will be walking around mutated into these non-feeling beings.

Lastly, we have to stop being sucked into these over-dramatic reality shows and celeb stories. WHO CARES!!!!! Getting involved in other people’s drama is only taking away from the issues we are personally dealing with. It’s our escape from our reality. It makes us feel better about our lives. It’s just a bunch of garbage that is filling our brains so that we lose focus on what really matters. It’s almost like a drug, if you think about it. We take it in- we get consumed- we are a bit numb from reality- pretty soon we start talking about these strangers we don’t even know like they are our classmates in HS- thus we become delusional. Hate on me if you want, but from every conversation I’ve heard on Housewives of New Jersey or The Bachelor/Bachelorette or Survivor or Dancing With The Stars….Oi, makes my head spin with a very nauseous feeling in my stomach.

Now, I am very thankful for the world wide web- without it, I wouldn’t be able to be in touch with friends I haven’t seen in a long time or relatives half-way across the world. I wouldn’t be able to just send a quick message. I wouldn’t be able to do as extensive research with so many facts at the tips of my fingers. I wouldn’t be able to expressively share my thoughts on a blog like this. But there’s a big difference in making it useful and being addicted to it.

We are essentially missing the actual human interaction. We need it to survive. We need to cherish those in our lives. We need to stop putting all of our energy into things that really aren’t important- because the only thing that should be important is family.

8. RE-INVENT FREEDOM

‘The land of the free and the home of the brave’???

What made America free in the first place? The declaration of Independence claiming our freedom from Great Britain and France. We provided opportunity. We had much land to give. People still come to America to live the ‘American dream’ of freedom and opportunity. But it’s obviously not the same as it used to be. We became greedy. And with over-saturation of manufacturing, corporations, and population, we are only making matters worse for our own country. Certain ‘what-ifs’ were not thought through as we promoted our country and opened its doors. Now we deal with illegal immigration, greed, poverty like never before, and one screwed up justice system. All of this has led many Americans to be scared. Either we become suspicious and paranoid of the future and the state of our economy or we cover it with pride. American pride. Embellishing the ‘We are better than you’ attitude makes us all the more feeble as a country. 9/11 shook us all up, there’s no doubt about that. Some immediately threw up defence and plastered the American flag wherever they could. The government decided to then start a war, which has now been dubbed the longest American war in history. Some came up with conspiracy theories, saying that the government helped plot the ‘terrorist attacks’. No matter what, thousands of innocent lives were taken that day as well as over the period of the following war. I just ask- where is it all getting us? Not freedom, that’s for sure. So what are we fighting for? War is an action of fear and to give a sense of pride.

There has to be a way to recreate the meaning of freedom for our country. And what has caused the disintegration of that would obviously be everything else I am speaking of in this paradigm that we need to change. We need to stay out of other people’s business, cut the drama, stop being greedy, start being honest, and know that we are all in this world together. Once we start being the light of peace, it will spread. We were founded on being a free country, and it’s about time we bring that true freedom back.

9. KNOCK DOWN THE WALL BETWEEN RIGHT & WRONG

Imagine…

The Berlin Wall can be a physical and metaphoric example, here. This does have a lot to do with separation. The only reason there is separation in this world is because we think that there is a right and a wrong- and that the side we’re on is always right.

So, what makes something or someone right or wrong? Who says so? Let’s see….we tend to base reasoning off of a scripture, a law, a commandment….Hmmm, don’t these all derive from religion or politics? Aren’t these what cause separation? But it takes one person to say we must follow these scriptures, laws, commandments…Now I am not going to even dig up the argument of such things as if the bible was written by man or is The Word of God, what I am saying is it can just take one human to say we must live a certain way. Laws, on the other hand, are the end result of an area that lacks structure or has raised red flags of some sort.

Structure is good- we should have guidelines to live by, but over the years it has really gotten out of hand. That’s why we are fighting over the legalization of marijuana, that’s why there’s controversies everywhere we turn, that’s why laws have been overturned, and that’s why there is such a thing as being ‘politically correct’ now and we add to that list every day of the right and wrong ways to do or say things. We are all walking on eggshells so as not to step on anyone’s toes or offend anyone. It’s pretty much like we can’t be ourselves anymore. The only ones who can are comedians- quite frankly, I envy them. They get paid to tell jokes that can totally tear a certain type of person apart, but we laugh hysterically, even though there is a little bit of truth behind every joke. Yet, if an ordinary white person calls a coloured person ‘black’ nowadays, it’s wrong. All because someone said so.

This is getting to be such utter nonsense. We all just need to lighten up, be more open-minded, and stop the sickening pride behind the fear that we’re hiding.

10. LOVE CONQUERS ALL

How deep is your love?

Believe it or not, we are all beings of love. I’ve slipped in bits of spirituality in this blog, but that’s what it’s all about. We are spiritual beings in human form. No one has to believe that. But we are all here for one purpose- to love and be loved. We need love in order to survive. There was a scientific experiment done with couple of baby monkeys. One baby monkey was put in a small room with a dummy resembling the mom, made of terry cloth, but there was no food or water available. The other baby monkey was in another small room with a dummy that was made of plain wire, though it had a bottle of food attached to the mouth area. The monkey in the room with the terry cloth dummy and no food/water found comfort against the dummy and seemed content. The monkey in with the wire dummy ate some, but became scared and lonely.

Love has been scientifically proven without argument. But can we take that and prove that love conquers all? Even world hunger? Even homelessness? Even crime? Even war? Even hate? YES! We NEED to see this! We need to just love. Love thy neighbor, and love thy enemy. Let go of differences and know that we are all unique but the same underneath. And the other important thing we need to understand is that there is no such thing as a bad person. The reason people do certain things is because of built up issues that they haven’t dealt with. Sure, you can call it the devil, but for everyone to be on the same level, we must dismiss blaming someone or something. These lost sheep know no other way, because of what they have experienced in life. We must be forgiving and understanding of that. Sure, I haven’t been in the position of having someone hurt or kill a loved one, and yes I am sure that I would have pain and anger, but I would need to remind myself everything that I just spoke of, as hard as that may be. But if we don’t start thinking and living in this perspective, we will never evolve as a species and become united.

___

So, now we need to ask ourselves- How do we want to raise our children? How do we want the generations after us to live? What kind of a world do you want them to experience? That of hatred, war, famine, suffering? Or of love, peace, abundance, and unity? It’s up to you. No, really. It is.

And I leave you with some well-known, powerful lyrics that you read carefully, or listen to them, and I hope that they will resonate within you:

<div class="player-unavailable"><h1 class="message">An error occurred.</h1><div class="submessage"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uC5AAqDrAmM">Try watching this video on www.youtube.com</a>, or enable JavaScript if it is disabled in Imagine there’s no heaven, it’s easy if you try

No people below us, above it’s only sky

Imagine all the people

Living for today

Imagine there’s no countries, it isn’t hard to do

No need to kill or die for and no religions too

Imagine all the people

Living life in peace

You may say I’m a dreamer

But I’m not the only one

I hope someday you’ll join us

And the world will live as one

(From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/j/john-lennon-lyrics/imagine-lyrics.html)

Imagine no possessions I wonder if you can

No need for greed or hunger a brotherhood of man

Imagine all the people

Sharing for the world

You may say I’m a dreamer

But I’m not the only one

I hope someday you’ll join us

And the world will live as one

transferred - original post date 10/14/2011