{"id":180,"date":"2011-09-04T19:16:11","date_gmt":"2011-09-04T19:16:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/acceleratingevolution.info\/?p=180"},"modified":"2011-10-08T22:52:01","modified_gmt":"2011-10-08T22:52:01","slug":"challenges-can-the-forces-of-pushpull-help-us-let-go-of-our-resistance-to-developing-to-integral-and-spiritual-consciousness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/acceleratingevolution.info\/?p=180","title":{"rendered":"CHALLENGES [Can the forces of push\/pull help us let go of our resistance to developing to Integral and Spiritual consciousness?]"},"content":{"rendered":"

It sounds so easy; we just ride the stage escalator to Integral and Spiritual \u2013 to peace and happiness. Actually, like the birth of a child, the birth of a new stage requires blood, sweat and tears.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Today we have terrorism, famine, AIDS, genocide, war, racists, judgmental fundamentalists, greedy executives, avaricious corporations, environmental rape, global warming, huge wealth inequalities, angry gangs and poverty even in rich countries — as well as angry tree huggers, social activists, and anti-globalists.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Globalization itself, which I suggest will increase global wealth and help reduce these problems, causes enormous disruptions and changes: lost jobs in America; the inner turmoil in values when a Chinese peasant moves to a city; the sense of betrayal and frustration of the Islamic middle east; or the use of modern technology to murder tribal rivals or even blackmail the world. <\/span><\/p>\n

The Pull and Push Forces that can help the transition.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Change always incurs pain and stress. People do not let go of their established ideas or positions easily. It took centuries of blood for democracy to replace autocracy in Europe. But there are some forces that can help with the transition.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The mystics say mankind connects heaven and earth. To open to a new stage we can benefit from both these forces: <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

1) Push from below.<\/strong><\/span> Growth in consciousness is supported by the ratchet effect of external manifestations like technology and economics that stabilize a culture and resists us falling back into earlier ways of thinking. <\/span><\/p>\n

2) Pull from above.<\/span><\/strong> The attractive pull of our Source (God if you will) for opening to greater creativity and compassion (the evolutionary force). <\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Let us look at three major challenges and how these forces are helping us meet them: <\/span><\/p>\n

Inequality.<\/span><\/span> On a purely economic “push from below” basis, inequality is recognized as underutilizing the creativity of a country’s people and dragging down its productivity and growth. The pull of spirit can be seen in a general rise in compassion for the world’s disadvantaged.<\/span><\/p>\n

Environment. <\/span><\/span>For the first time in history, we are working at the world level to help the environment. Besides the push of economics and survival concerns, many people are starting to care, not just about all the world’s people, but about all the world’s creatures and about the planet as a whole ecosystem — about Gaia. This is a huge shift from prior times. (Hopefully we will take action before the water level rises above our heads!) <\/span><\/p>\n

Conflict.<\/span><\/span> It is difficult to go to war with someone you trade or work with.\u00a0 No countries that have McDonald’s franchises have ever gone to war (almost).\u00a0 A few years ago, the possible loss of outsourcing funds silenced an atomic shoving match between India and Pakistan.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 In places like India or Malaysia or South Korea or Latin America many of these problems have been alleviated in the last half-century. So it is certainly possible they can be resolved elsewhere in the next half-century.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Increased communications and trade has pushed us to expand our concept of “who is human” and allowed us to open more to our natural compassion for other people.
\n\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Biggest Challenge.<\/strong><\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0 Our biggest challenge in giving birth to the Integral and Spiritual stages will be in relaxing and opening our own consciousness — stretching of our tightly protected world views and habitual egoic patterns.<\/span><\/p>\n

Any change causes pain, but <\/span>resistance<\/span> to change exacerbates it enormously. For example, on a daily basis I try to help recovering alcoholics and others (and myself) who are suffering (and causing others to suffer) because of their resistance to what has already happened in their world — to what “is”. They complain “My parents did not raise me right” or “Nasty people have done bad things that threaten my safety and happiness” or “My boss is mean” or “People don’t recycle” or “Life (or spouse or government or globalization) is unfair.”
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 We clutch our self righteous judgments painfully to our heart — defending them with all the fury of our fearful ego and habitual childhood patterns of behavior.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 My goal is to help these folks (and myself) release their clutched fist and soften and expand their rigid egoic box — to let some space in for their center core of peace and power (some call it God). Then they can act with power and compassion instead of with fear and anger. <\/span><\/p>\n

What is true on a personal level is also true on a global level. There is a tremendous opportunity for each of us to expand our view. <\/span><\/p>\n