Inside the pandemic that continues to shape our global, day-to-day reality through its roiling, seething cauldron of overwhelming and often conflicting ‘facts’, the battle rages on to determine who’s right and who’s not. Once firmly ensconced on the platform of being correct, we can then seek to define what behaviours we should/must exhibit (and insist upon from others) in order for us to ‘stay safe’ in the shadowy presence of that which has been labelled a silent, invisible and pervasive killer…. and even that is a matter of opinion.
Non-stop, breathless reporting fills our homes, our screens, our minds and the pit of our collective stomach with copious amounts of information – data combined with opinion of any and all who have one – bandied about as ‘fact’ and ‘truth’…. only to be debunked or re-adjusted 24-hours later when further information is revealed with regard to how this data was defined, produced and collected; and what adaptations were imposed to ensure that a particular perspective would shape the requisite outcome.
As I watch all of this unfold – mindful of that which is far more compelling and imperative to a world that sustains Life – I am struck by the very precise and evident line of demarkation that emerges relative to what constitutes that which is ’true’ and subsequently, adopted as the ‘right’ course of action.
The Great Divide…. the line in the sand… between the allopathic (i.e. pharmaceutical) externally referenced, medical model approach and the organic (i.e. energy medicine), multi-layered, internally referenced approach is becoming more and more visible. In fact, the emerging distinction is less a line and more a deep and wide chasm in mind-share, with people lining up on one side or the other, ready to do battle often with great rage carving out strategies to prove themselves right and be declared the winner. Perhaps the pandemic is only the messenger for us to notice those distinctions and ask ourselves: who runs my life?
As the gap widens, what I hold to be the two primary distinctions become more evident:
* the distinction between an internal reference or cue, and an external one.
Internal is tied to what makes sense inside; my own intuition about that which affects or defines my life; my awareness of a veil and just what might be lurking behind it; my bullshit metre and what it indicates as I move through and consider not only the information that is presenting but the context within which it appears and the interconnections of that information to that which is considered peripheral yet relentlessly present. Its hallmark is complexity, with yet an underlying grace that surfaces when we becoming willing to trust. Often what matters most is what is NOT being said or explored.
External is tied to that which exists outside of us and overrides that which lives inside of us. It’s seduction lies in the perception of its simplicity and our willingness to be sufficiently exhausted to long for it. As much as we recognize that the days of being taken care of are long gone, we long for it, nonetheless, and the illusory and simpler time it represents to so many.
* the hidden world-view which these distinctions reveal: that of a deep trust in established authority and its underpinning of the parent/child model of living (i.e. some authority/expert always knows better what is good for you than you do); and an increasing intensity in the strengthening of the legitimacy and relevance of the individual’s perspective relative to their own wellbeing. The gap between eager compliance and self-directed individuation is impossible to miss!
The grip of the allopathic is a marker for the degree to which we remain captive to the dictates of some external authority… with both directives and remedies to be accepted without resistance, discernment or even direct enquiry. We should simply trust that this ‘other’ knows best… has our best interests at heart…. always tells the truth… will protect and care for us…. blah blah blah.
I know where I stand. I am less interested in convincing you one way or the other, than I am in encouraging you to be discerning; to allow thoughts that don’t match your presumptions to enter your awareness; to bypass the fear and embrace the natural curiosity that seeks to be expressed. I’m not saying that the allopathic perspective is wrong – and I am saying that it is incomplete. Perhaps you might want to explore beyond the mesmerizing sway of the often-questionable data and look inside yourself. To what degree do you accept authority without challenge in your day-to-day reality? To what degree do you welcome it; rely on it; abdicate to it? To what degree have you considered a non-allopathic perspective, choosing to invest time and effort in allowing other-than-allopathic information to penetrate into your certainty? (BTW, to even hope for a differing perspective, you will have to move away from main-stream media and seek out alternative, credible sources.) To what degree do you want it to be handled by someone else, so that you can get back to ‘normal’ and get on with your lifestyle?
History tells us that no matter what is happening in our lives, we would do well to look beyond the event of the moment and notice the path unfolding as a result of its expression. Perhaps it is less about the event and more about the stepping stone that the event becomes, leading us to a destination that we have overlooked in our frenzy for details about the stone. In a world defined by factory farming as a metaphor for how large numbers are managed, we would do well to lift up our head and scan the horizon. Take heed where the path might lead. It may be less about what we will gain and far more about what we are being pressed to surrender.
Notice, it’s all about degrees…. about layers of refinements and discernments… and it is not about absolutes. Do not be duped into the bi-polar outcome; pressured into choosing one ‘side’ or the other. Rather, take the time to examine yourself and notice how YOU respond in the face of pressure to succumb to fear and abdicate to the highest bidder for your mind-share. Your mind-share is the most powerful and precious aspect of your existence. How much of it is in your own hands?
Perhaps the greatest call to us to awaken is in the recognition that the divide of perspective of the pandemic is really an invitation for us to notice the divide within ourselves: who/what do we trust? Can we trust ourselves? Can we think thoughts that ‘authority’ does not approve of? Can we choose for ourselves, allowing the chips to fall where they may? Is our fundamental expectation one of good or evil; safety or danger; the end of something or the beginning of something different?
The quality of our lives will not be defined by the accuracy of our answers but the courage of our questions. Now is as good a time as any to test that out.
Ah yes! For those of us that are aware of the internal versus external choices we make minute by minute, I am clear around how I choose to move through this current state of affairs. I have never before in my 49 years, been so aware of the fear based messaging tempting me into the external world of control. I find it tempting at times, infuriating as I attempt to run my business but overall just sad. The grief I’ve experienced marked by tears and a loss of hope has come as I look around and see a changing world, one marked by anger and impatience and external referencing. My challenge is to let go of outcome……this, the ongoing challenge of my being.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts – much appreciated. As I read your words, I am reminded of those many, many times in my life when someone, faced with a challenge, wanted a ‘solution to the problem’. Few have been willing to invest themselves in the education required to redefine the problem, that their ‘solution’ might actually create change. Behaviours are never the problem – the state of mind that creates them, is. I have always been deeply appreciative of your great willingness to do what it takes to make the difference.
Yes, thank you for ‘writing it down’, yet again. This resonates so much for me as to the state of things a mere 12 weeks have played out in our lives. In some conversations I have become an ‘outlier’ to so many others. ‘How could I possibly be questioning?’ I know I am responsible to question. Thanks for this and for encouraging the questioning when so many seem to not be.