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During the Christmas 2004 holiday, a young English schoolgirl saved her family from certain death. They, like thousands of others, sought to exchange the cold greyness of the Northern European winter for the sunny warmth of a Southern Asian beach resort. It was a bright morning, with gentle breezes blowing off the sea. Sunlight danced on the placid water and palm fronds swayed rhythmically in the background. The adults relaxed in their beach chairs, sipping tropical drinks from coconuts. Children chased each other up and down the beach, or sat quietly building sand castles. The resort was comprised of comfortable suites. There was an abundance of food and drink. The only thing that seemed to be lacking was…any lack. In this sunny, tropical paradise, all seemed right with the world, but, despite appearances, all was not right with the world that sunny morning. Something was wrong. Something was very seriously wrong.
Elsewhere, along other coasts, people were beginning their workdays. Some were shopkeepers, others were fishermen, while others were employed in the newly booming tourist industry. As the sun came up over their homes that beautiful morning, no one suspected that for many of them, the end of the world had come. Their lives would be forever changed by the armageddon which lurked, just offshore. Those immediately by the ocean’s edge began to notice unusual activity. In certain places, fish splashed the surface of the calm sea, jumping up out of the water, as if to escape some unseen predator. In other locales, crabs by the thousands abandoned the shallows, clambering over each other in a mad dash for high ground. Birds in the trees began shrieking and flying inland. Dogs and cats paced back and forth, wanting to flee, yet reluctant to leave the safety of the families with whom they shared their lives. Elephants, long employed in forestry and construction, began trumpeting frantically towards the heavens, aware of a danger as yet unseen by their human companions. They urgently made their way inland, seeking higher ground. Most people were caught up in the routines of daily life, making a living, feeding their families. They didn’t pay much attention to the natural world beyond their immediate concerns. Even the few who paid enough attention to their surroundings to know that something unusual was happening, didn’t know how to interpret the signs around them. They would soon be overtaken by events beyond their control, not because they were bad people, nor because they were unintelligent. Tens of thousands of people died because little by little, generation after generation, their connection to the natural world around them had been abandoned. There were still a few, a remnant, who knew, who paid attention, and who interpreted events correctly. Most people, however, were too busy to listen to those who warned them.
Meanwhile, back at the exclusive beach resort, packed with European and American holidaymakers, the same signs were unfolding. The water retreated hundreds of yards offshore, revealing the sea bottom. Our heroine, the small English schoolgirl of whom we spoke earlier, ran up to her parents. She shouted, “Mum, we’ve got to get off the beach right now. There’s a tidal wave coming!” Thankfully, her parents paid heed to her warning, grabbed her brother, and the family made it to safety before tragedy struck. Many others were not so fortunate. How did that young English schoolgirl know that a wall of water was about to slam ashore? She had, quite simply paid attention during one of her school lessons about earthquakes and tsunamis. She remembered the signs. She interpreted the signs correctly, took the right action, and saved the lives of her family. She wasn’t able to prevent the earthquake or the giant ocean waves crashing ashore. That wasn’t within her power. She did what she could.
Instead of listening to their daughter, what if the parents had told her to be quiet, that she was spoiling everyone’s fun? What if they’d told her to stop being so negative, and to think positive thoughts? What if they’d told her not to worry, that if there were a problem, the authorities would have taken steps to protect them? What if the parents had demanded proof of her allegations of a tidal wave coming?
Every human being who died that awful day probably had, deep within his or her heart, the same knowing that informed the animals that something was amiss. We humans are also animals. More precisely, we are mammals. The intuitive knowing that caused the cats’and dogs’ nervousness, and birds and elephants to flee inland is also part of our birthright as Homo sapiens. The birds didn’t muse, “Well, this must be my imagination. Look how pretty the sun looks shining on the calm sea today. And soon, that old man will be along to feed us pieces of bread and peanuts. I don’t want to miss that. I’m just being a nervous nellie. There’s nothing the matter. I need to calm down”. Animals don’t behave that way. Animals don’t rationalize and explain away their intuitive knowing. People do.
How has this come to pass? How have we lost touch with such an important part of our being? The answers are many and complex. As human society has become more urban, more technologically dependent, more mainline religious as opposed to naturally spiritual, and especially as human society has become blindly materialistic, people don’t know who they really are. The material comfort and abundance we live with has come at a high price. Like most people, I love having a comfortable home, nice clothes and plenty to eat and drink. I enjoy the convenience of my cars, and the miracle of instantaneous communication. I take full advantage of modern medicine and dentistry. These things are all blessings, intended to ease our material concerns, leaving us more time for other pursuits, like spiritual pursuits. It hasn’t quite worked out that way, has it? It seems that as people become more materially comfortable, they become more distant, even cut off from spirit. The Hopi creation story speaks of this, explaining that the Creator had the Hopi settle on their dry, parched, yet beautiful mesas, so that rain for their crops would be dependent upon them living balanced lives, respectful of all beings. Their creation stories tell of them living, once upon a time, in a warm, wet, tropical, land to the south, where life was easy. Crops grew all year, and the trees were laden with delicious fruit. In their abundance, they forgot their life path, they abandoned their proper relationships with each other and the Creator. A great disaster came upon them. Many were killed and the survivors were forced to flee with little more than the clothes on their backs. The remnant wandered many years, finally settling on their mesas in Northern Arizona, where they live to this day. The elders tell us that they exchanged a life of comfort and abundance for the lives of simple farmers and weavers. In this way, they are forced to walk in balance and harmony, in proper relationships with each other and the Creator. The elders teach that if the people forget their path, they, along with their way of life, will perish.
What if someone said that there was a tsunami offshore, rushing toward us? What if someone told us that a great earthquake had sent a giant wave of water speeding directly at us? Many people would ignore the warnings. Some might even organize a vigil at the beach, lighting candles, sending thoughts of love and peace out into the ocean, visualizing a calm sea. Many people would say, “Don’t think negative thoughts! We’ll just flatten that tidal wave with our positive thinking!” Others would set up shop, selling life preservers and rubber rafts. A few, recognizing the symbolism of tidal waves, might say something like, “Hey, I remember reading about this in school. Powerful countries invade other less powerful countries, seeking their resources. Empires grow and prosper upon the backs of those less fortunate. Empires collapse, usually quite suddenly. Didn’t Jesus say that they who live by the sword will die by the sword?” Yes, Jesus did say that, although it seems to me that many of his followers don’t pay much attention, as it interferes with their nationalistic pep rallies. They love supporting their troops while their troops go and kick butt, despite the message of Jesus. That same Jesus, whom the president identified as his favorite philosopher, also said, “Let those who have ears hear, and those who have eyes, let them see”. Right now, at the middle of 2006, for most of us, all seems well. The Americans sit at the top of the heap. Their military dominates the world. The Americans see themselves as missionaries of the new god, democracy and the new religion, consumerism. The Neocons have declared this to be "The New American Century." The country feels comfortable, abundant, and on the ascendant. As far as many are concerned, all is right with the world, but despite appearances, something is wrong. Something is terribly, horribly wrong.
Elsewhere, along other coasts, people were beginning their workdays. Some were shopkeepers, others were fishermen, while others were employed in the newly booming tourist industry. As the sun came up over their homes that beautiful morning, no one suspected that for many of them, the end of the world had come. Their lives would be forever changed by the armageddon which lurked, just offshore. Those immediately by the ocean’s edge began to notice unusual activity. In certain places, fish splashed the surface of the calm sea, jumping up out of the water, as if to escape some unseen predator. In other locales, crabs by the thousands abandoned the shallows, clambering over each other in a mad dash for high ground. Birds in the trees began shrieking and flying inland. Dogs and cats paced back and forth, wanting to flee, yet reluctant to leave the safety of the families with whom they shared their lives. Elephants, long employed in forestry and construction, began trumpeting frantically towards the heavens, aware of a danger as yet unseen by their human companions. They urgently made their way inland, seeking higher ground. Most people were caught up in the routines of daily life, making a living, feeding their families. They didn’t pay much attention to the natural world beyond their immediate concerns. Even the few who paid enough attention to their surroundings to know that something unusual was happening, didn’t know how to interpret the signs around them. They would soon be overtaken by events beyond their control, not because they were bad people, nor because they were unintelligent. Tens of thousands of people died because little by little, generation after generation, their connection to the natural world around them had been abandoned. There were still a few, a remnant, who knew, who paid attention, and who interpreted events correctly. Most people, however, were too busy to listen to those who warned them.
Meanwhile, back at the exclusive beach resort, packed with European and American holidaymakers, the same signs were unfolding. The water retreated hundreds of yards offshore, revealing the sea bottom. Our heroine, the small English schoolgirl of whom we spoke earlier, ran up to her parents. She shouted, “Mum, we’ve got to get off the beach right now. There’s a tidal wave coming!” Thankfully, her parents paid heed to her warning, grabbed her brother, and the family made it to safety before tragedy struck. Many others were not so fortunate. How did that young English schoolgirl know that a wall of water was about to slam ashore? She had, quite simply paid attention during one of her school lessons about earthquakes and tsunamis. She remembered the signs. She interpreted the signs correctly, took the right action, and saved the lives of her family. She wasn’t able to prevent the earthquake or the giant ocean waves crashing ashore. That wasn’t within her power. She did what she could.
Instead of listening to their daughter, what if the parents had told her to be quiet, that she was spoiling everyone’s fun? What if they’d told her to stop being so negative, and to think positive thoughts? What if they’d told her not to worry, that if there were a problem, the authorities would have taken steps to protect them? What if the parents had demanded proof of her allegations of a tidal wave coming?
Every human being who died that awful day probably had, deep within his or her heart, the same knowing that informed the animals that something was amiss. We humans are also animals. More precisely, we are mammals. The intuitive knowing that caused the cats’and dogs’ nervousness, and birds and elephants to flee inland is also part of our birthright as Homo sapiens. The birds didn’t muse, “Well, this must be my imagination. Look how pretty the sun looks shining on the calm sea today. And soon, that old man will be along to feed us pieces of bread and peanuts. I don’t want to miss that. I’m just being a nervous nellie. There’s nothing the matter. I need to calm down”. Animals don’t behave that way. Animals don’t rationalize and explain away their intuitive knowing. People do.
How has this come to pass? How have we lost touch with such an important part of our being? The answers are many and complex. As human society has become more urban, more technologically dependent, more mainline religious as opposed to naturally spiritual, and especially as human society has become blindly materialistic, people don’t know who they really are. The material comfort and abundance we live with has come at a high price. Like most people, I love having a comfortable home, nice clothes and plenty to eat and drink. I enjoy the convenience of my cars, and the miracle of instantaneous communication. I take full advantage of modern medicine and dentistry. These things are all blessings, intended to ease our material concerns, leaving us more time for other pursuits, like spiritual pursuits. It hasn’t quite worked out that way, has it? It seems that as people become more materially comfortable, they become more distant, even cut off from spirit. The Hopi creation story speaks of this, explaining that the Creator had the Hopi settle on their dry, parched, yet beautiful mesas, so that rain for their crops would be dependent upon them living balanced lives, respectful of all beings. Their creation stories tell of them living, once upon a time, in a warm, wet, tropical, land to the south, where life was easy. Crops grew all year, and the trees were laden with delicious fruit. In their abundance, they forgot their life path, they abandoned their proper relationships with each other and the Creator. A great disaster came upon them. Many were killed and the survivors were forced to flee with little more than the clothes on their backs. The remnant wandered many years, finally settling on their mesas in Northern Arizona, where they live to this day. The elders tell us that they exchanged a life of comfort and abundance for the lives of simple farmers and weavers. In this way, they are forced to walk in balance and harmony, in proper relationships with each other and the Creator. The elders teach that if the people forget their path, they, along with their way of life, will perish.
What if someone said that there was a tsunami offshore, rushing toward us? What if someone told us that a great earthquake had sent a giant wave of water speeding directly at us? Many people would ignore the warnings. Some might even organize a vigil at the beach, lighting candles, sending thoughts of love and peace out into the ocean, visualizing a calm sea. Many people would say, “Don’t think negative thoughts! We’ll just flatten that tidal wave with our positive thinking!” Others would set up shop, selling life preservers and rubber rafts. A few, recognizing the symbolism of tidal waves, might say something like, “Hey, I remember reading about this in school. Powerful countries invade other less powerful countries, seeking their resources. Empires grow and prosper upon the backs of those less fortunate. Empires collapse, usually quite suddenly. Didn’t Jesus say that they who live by the sword will die by the sword?” Yes, Jesus did say that, although it seems to me that many of his followers don’t pay much attention, as it interferes with their nationalistic pep rallies. They love supporting their troops while their troops go and kick butt, despite the message of Jesus. That same Jesus, whom the president identified as his favorite philosopher, also said, “Let those who have ears hear, and those who have eyes, let them see”. Right now, at the middle of 2006, for most of us, all seems well. The Americans sit at the top of the heap. Their military dominates the world. The Americans see themselves as missionaries of the new god, democracy and the new religion, consumerism. The Neocons have declared this to be "The New American Century." The country feels comfortable, abundant, and on the ascendant. As far as many are concerned, all is right with the world, but despite appearances, something is wrong. Something is terribly, horribly wrong.
