As important as the content of my previous post on the voting in Victoria’s federal by-election was; and, as important as the voting for a new Premier in this province, a new Prime Minister in Canada, or a President, Congressman or woman, or Senator is in the US – or any other elected official at local, regional or federal levels – all of this pales in significance compared with how we vote in every moment, with our thoughts, feelings and especially our actions. That is to say that what each of us does, individually and from within, in simply showing up (or not); being present to the moment as it is, and as consciously as possible, choosing how to respond to what is seen to be True in the moment (or not), IS what collectively determines our reality – in each and every moment.

So in contemplating that last post and what I am called – literally called – to share,  I realise that the calling in this moment IS to consciously share this writing. There is also the hope that it resonates with others, but truly whether it does or not is none of my concern. In fact, that is a perfect example of the way in which egoic agendas arise trying to co-opt an answer to the call to Presence. I simply need to share this with you, and let you take from it what is useful and reject what does not ring true. I would ask that you feel into your response to what I am writing here though. See if it feels like it has value to you, or not.

As you will see in the provided links, below, to the two (brief) Ian MacKenzie videos, there are important and encouraging developments that point the way in terms of present moment actions, in service to the whole of humanity, which are already an expression of the possibility I am pointing to here with this post. People are voting with their hearts, their feet, their full conscious minds, their intelligence, their commitment – and their vulnerabilities. As Michael Stone, a Buddhist teacher, and subject of the short film “The Gift of Our Wounds” demonstrates, even our wounds (and perhaps especially them!) can be a great opportunity to connect us with  the Presence We Are. Much more eloquently than I, Michael Stone tells us how in the many, many hands of Bodhisattva (an Indian Goddess) she carries a tool. Many of those tools are often actually the wounds sustained in our lives. And instead of seeing those wounds as a scar, something we need to heal, or get beyond, or remove, we can (and need to in these times) realise that those wounds can be the very thing that allow us to see what is needed. The wounds can show us how to make conscious choices from a place of commonality with others who have also suffered similar wounds. This is to see the gift of those wounds – the opportunity to simply Be Present, to Be Here Now, making conscious choices, and having actions spring from that.

I couched the title of this post in the form I did to demonstrate that consciously or unconsciously the reality we experience in any moment is always  already the result – the direct, cumulative result – of the choices we’re making. Being in stasis, moving from fear, feeling paralyzed about making any choice, feeling overwhelmed, acting in anger or defense, these are actions that sum up to create a certain reality. It also follows then that all that is improving, going deeper, becoming more co-operative and respectfully celebratory is likewise unfolding from collective action in alignment with that.

Now let me be clear, this is not about blaming the victims – of any sort of suffering. It IS to point to where I believe we can free ourselves.  And, I am NOT saying (just as one possible example) that the people in the World Trade Center on 9-11 simply manifested their own demise by collectively willing it. What I am saying is that the planetary (not just human) consciousness as a whole has given rise to everything that has unfolded in the history of Earth. But to bring it back to an everyday scale, everyone alive and affected by the events of that fateful day of 9-11 has chosen (whether consciously or not) their response to the events. Through those choices moment-to-moment we create the colours and textures of our own experience. For me, then, freedom lies in the opportunity to make conscious all of my decisions – and many, if not most of them, are not yet conscious. But by waking up to the realization that I can grow quiet enough, and support myself in the quest to become present enough to simply BE, then I can see what action(s) arise(s) from that Being – if indeed any, in a particular moment.

Finally, the second video below is an interview with Charles Eisenstein on his book Sacred Economics. It briefly sketches a whole new paradigm for our relationship with money, and the economy. My friend, Nicole Moen, is one of the organizers of a conference still going on in Vancouver (it finishes tomorrow, November 25th), at which Charles Eisenstein is the keynote speaker.

Okay, if you have read this far, I encourage you to check out these short videos: