Coming Out of The Shadow

I really do believe that we live in amazing times. I told Margaret Wheatley a few years ago that I am very hopeful for the future because I am hanging out with so many amazing people. Margaret put her hand on my arm and told me that my only problem is that I am hanging out with all the right people. Well there are even more of you today and I am feeling even more hopeful.

And Jean Houston shared with me recently that our country was coming out of the shadow. I would define shadow in this context as that part of ourselves that we are in some form of denial about. I asked her what our country’s shadow was. She expanded the idea as follows:

1. The Puritans were literally pushed out of Europe not because they were not being allowed to personally express their religion, but because they were very extreme in their views and tried to push others to their way of life. Our country’s DNA was impacted by the passion of this group. The Baptist movement has its roots in rejecting the extremism of the Puritans. Our young country is still caught up in the duality of Puritan thought versus expansiveness.
2. Our treatment of Native Americans, Blacks and Mexicans has never spoken to our higher ideals and can still call us to the values of separation.
3. After WWII the country entered into a period of liberal expansion of the middle class leading to a sense of euphoria that created some of the excesses of the late 60’s and 70’s.
4. This expansive period was followed by the pull back years of the Reagan and Bush era with attempted moments of moderation. In many ways this period was marked with a return to older values of religious extremism, greed based economics, prejudice and domination. (the shadow)

I believe that there is evidence that Jean is right about our coming out of the shadow. My sensing is that a large group of us have been in training for this moment for a long time and are itching for a chance to show off our tools. Metaphorically we are the enlightenment. We have been learning human relationship and caring skills, sustainability and body work, mediation and meditation. There are tens of millions of us in this country alone. (A huge lot of those right people)
It is not about Democrats coming to power but more about people moving out ahead of politics and really carrying about the future. For example Gore, Bloomberg and Schwarzenegger saying that there are issues above political parties that we need to be concerned about. Another example is the large majority of people who are questioning the Iraq war. And most importantly is the fact that we are waking up to the dangers of global warming. I have attached to this message an amazing speech by The Right Reverend Steven Charleston, Dean and President of Episcopal Divinity School that speaks volumes about the shift I see taking place. He spoke recently at the Interfaith Festival in Seattle. Please read it.

So my question for you is--- Do you see this shift occurring?

ForTheGrandChildren
Victor Bremson

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