Tag Archives: pandemic

Leaning In

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Posted by on in collaborating, Personal goals, Personal Values, Service Activities, Striving

November 15, 2020-

What had been planned as a two-day visit to Petrified Forest/Painted Desert was interrupted by work, at the end of last week. Yesterday’s visit to Homol’ovi State Park sufficed, in its place. I have about a month or so left, of being available five days a week for subbing. In the second semester, my officially retired self will cut back to 2-3 days a week, and then because there seem to be so few people willing to take on the work. I am not doing any long term travel anywhere, until this pandemic lightens up enough for people to not feel leery of visitors. Right now, there is a return to Stay-at-Home orders in most neighbouring states-at least for the next two weeks. Thankfully, I can at least fly in and out of Dallas, and visit my little family, next week.

This week, though, I will be maintaining at least three days of work. Today, though I might have lazed the time away, was actually no different. A pallet-dismantling project, the eventual goal of which will be a winter residence for a homeless man, brought about twelve of us together, in a mountain community, south of Prescott. So, for nearly three hours, I busied myself with moving planks and removing nails from those planks.

The most effective way to remove nails from a board is to lean into the effort, thus putting extra pressure on the claw part of the hammer. Using a small piece of wood, as a brace, also speeds things up greatly. Of course, if I were really efficient, I would go out and get a pneumatic nail remover. The exercise was good for my upper body and forearms, though.

Leaning into any endeavour, with attention and perseverance, is the only way to approach a task. I am getting better at this practice, in my late middle age, and certainly feel an increase in satisfaction at each day’s end.

Treading Water

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Posted by on in Community, distraction issues, impediments, Personal Values, Poetry, Social

November 8, 2020-

Many people are holding back on any plans,

even of short-range span,

because they fear the pandemic will expand.

Yet, is that really the plan?

Many people are treading water,

not engaged in doing what they ought,

for fear of the renewed onslaught,

and not wanting to look like robots.

Still others throw caution to the wind,

offering a conspiratorial spin,

imagining the virus to have been sent by djinn,

and enhanced by the descendants of the Ch’in.

I see my road as set by my guides,

altered only temporarily by the viral tide;

I refuse to run and hide,

and so trusting in science, I abide.

Three Comforts

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Posted by on in Community, Inspiration, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving

November 6, 2020-

My faith in the Divine has brought me three consistent comforts, over the decades. As I sat in the second night of a four-night evening retreat, focusing on Divine Light, I saw an emanation of the first of these: The golden light in a neighbour’s window.

The glow of amber light, often lighting my way in a dark night, has reassured me-whether the street lights of my childhood-saying it was time to go home or the light in a window of a house in a forest, saying that in a time of need, there would be another human soul who might be of aid.

I have spent the past three days working with students in need of self-sufficiency enhancement. The second comfort to me has ever been the voice of a child asking: “May I do this myself?” My answer is always the same: “Go for the gold!” Whether it was a young girl tying her own shoes for the first time, or a little boy writing his own letters and numbers on a page, being present when independence results in genuine strength is a true honour.

The third comfort is the joy of being with others in a gathering, in whatever form the needs of the time provide. In many cases, electronic gatherings are the only way, either because of public health issues or because of the need to communicate with those who live far afield. I have carefully participated in physical gatherings, and as long as precautions are taken by one and all, I will continue to do so, in a limited manner, until the global health emergency is brought under control-in a real sense.

There are many comforts in my life. These are three of the most enduring.

The Summer of the Rising Tides, Day 58: Transitions

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Posted by on in collaborating, Community, impediments, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual

July 28, 2020-

I formally put in for my full Social Security, this morning, so that it will take effect on my seventieth birthday. There’s always a chance that the upper 5 % will move to cut back the amount, but right now, that seems mainly a scare story.

Every day is a transition of some kind. The amount of daylight increases or decreases, depending on where one lives. Some people enter this life and others leave. Some catch the virus, others recover. Most of us have not done either.

I follow the passage of time, even in the relatively unchanging weather of Arizona, fairly easily still-a wall calendar is one of the first things I see in the morning, upon waking; the newspaper is of different sizes and has a different feature section, each day and my Zoom calendar shows different meetings, depending on the day of the week.

Transitions of a wider scope are bound to continue this year, and for several years to come. COVID19 is all that those who are trying to get a handle on it can see, so the WHO and others are shouting that it, alone, will dominate world affairs, for 5-10 years. No pandemic has lasted that long, though some return 50 or 100 years after their first go round.

There are many other sea changes that are sure to come, socially, economically and politically. The ones that take, will be those with a spiritual basis.

The more things change, this time they just may not stay the same.

The Summer of the Rising Tides, Day 17: Dealing With Upside Down

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Posted by on in collaborating, Community, Inspiration, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving

June 17, 2020-

So many people are finding that all to which they became accustomed, took for granted and lived by, during the Age of Business-as-Usual, has been upended.

The novel pandemic has “broken every rule”, which those who are used to crises of no more than a month’s duration have formulated. The explosion of pent-up rage has not followed the course of times past-and even the occupied zone of Capitol Hill, Seattle, and the fluid night sweats of New York City and Portland, may not play out, by the rules of the two-week news cycle. Wild fires are hitting the Southwest, may well spread to other parts of the West ahead of “schedule”, and no one can predict the course of cyclones, in any of the world’s ocean cover.

This has been a year, a summer/winter, fall/spring, like no other in memory. The winter/summer, and probably spring/fall that are on the horizon, will bring ever more in the way of challenge. It will neither be a return to business-as-usual, nor will it be the decade of gloom that a certain morose writer in “Medium Magazine” conjures, nearly every other day.

It is an upside down, that calls for each of us to carefully tread our way along the horizon, to the point where we are upright again. We each must carefully thread the needle of safe haven and tie that tether to the tethers of others, that none is left hanging in space.

Some laugh at the term “Aquarius Rising’. All I can say is, wait be astonished and stay safe, in the meantime. Ther eis so much more to come.

In Whose Name?

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Posted by on in children, collaborating, Community, impediments, Inner Struggles, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving

April 28, 2020-

The current pandemic, like any previous crisis, has brought out the best and the worst of human nature.  There are those in this country who are convinced the ONLY reason that there is a big deal being made about COVID-19 is to keep their favoured candidate(s) for political office from winning.  Their opposites are saying pretty much the same thing about the handling of emergency funds. The bottom line: It’s about ME!

Yes, and no.  Every human being has to take stock of a situation, no matter how widespread or dire, with regard to his/her personal circumstances.  That’s fine, but then. the considerations must become more community-focused, then nation-focused, and, finally, globally-focused.  To their credit, there are people at all points along the political spectrum, and in all Faiths, who see the big picture.  Christians recognize that God is calling us all to the Altar.  Buddhists are having global chants via digital platforms. Muslims have, by and large, not insisted on in-house gatherings, during this season of Ramadan.  We Baha’is, likewise, are thriving with digital meetings, of various kinds, as well.  There are those, in both the conservative camp and the liberal camp, who resist the loud voices calling for “liberation” and defiance of any regulation, on the one hand, and for open-ended quarantine and forced digital identification, on the other.

The future course of action will be decided, in my humble opinion, by conditions that exist at the ground level.  I also feel, very strongly, that the length of the pandemic will be determined, to a huge extent, by how much of a community dedication there is to revamping the way we go about our community life.  Do we respect those who have no choice but to go to work?  Do we respect our children enough to find ways to honour their needs for exploration and activity-indeed, do we respect those needs in EVERYONE? Are we willing to stop the daily dogpiles on those who see things differently than we do, and just listen for once? Do we want to honour the health of our elders and those whose immune systems are compromised?

One of my advisers says that we are rapidly approaching a fork in the road, as to how our society, how all societies on Earth, will go forward.  There will be a choice between communal thinking, based on “the hurt of one is the hurt of all”, and a positive view of the future AND a greed-based, control-oriented mindset (seen on both right and left), with a cynical, negative view of this life.  I, for one, think the choice is quite clear.

The hurt of one IS the hurt of all.

Open Letter to the Elites

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Posted by on in collaborating, Community, impediments, Inspiration, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving

April 9, 2020-

Dear souls:

I recently watched the final episode for Season 2, of a science fiction television series, called “Manifest”.  In one of the climactic scenes, a low-level physician confronts a senior intelligence operative, about her duty to share knowledge with those underneath her.  The operative haughtily refers to the doctor as “Little Girl”, and says that, as she is responsible for protecting the nation, such as the doctor are as “insects beneath my shoe”.

It is a cliche, but still true:  “With great power, comes great responsibility”.  We also see that with great power, comes great arrogance.  Common people, whether ruled by those of liberal philosophy or conservative philosophy, are historically seen as nuisances, especially when such commoners speak their peace.

This is as true in self-styled democracies and republics, as in monarchies or dictatorships.  I witnessed the arrogance of power, first hand, in July, 2007, when Federal agents, in three instances, browbeat ordinary citizens going about their business. One of these was my wheelchair-bound wife, ordered out of the area of an overhang, in the midst of a torrential downpour.  We made it to another, more-welcoming shelter, as is often the case, when functionaries overly assert their power-and the citizen must decide to protest or improvise.

I mention these matters, as now we are witnessing the idea phase of the Coronavirusdisease2019 health crisis.  Vaccines are being actively touted, and these could be as simple as the vaccines of the 1950’s-70’s, or as problematic as the heavy metals-laden cocktails of the past three decades.  The latter brings in the most revenue, of course, and so we see entrpreneurs, investors, with scant medical expertise, in the forefront of the research funding.  We also see medical professionals, some of whom are among your number, stating that we ought to prepare to shelter in place until the vaccines are ready for mass distribution-possibly as late as October, 2021.

We see some of the same entrepreneurs calling for microchipping of human beings-a cause celebre of those who wish to control the masses.  Finally, there is a push for 5th Generation (5G) technology, in the communications industry.  This last is deemed essential, for speeding up said communication.

May I ask: Why do we need communication sped up any further?  Where is everyone going, especially following the end of the COVID emergency?  To my mind, one of the lessons of this pandemic is that humanity needs to connect more honestly, more civilly and more slowly with one another.  I see also that we need to live far more in harmony with nature, than the robust technologies being spoonfed us will allow.

I sit at the laptop, and can only sit so long, using my highly magnetic computer mouse, before my hand starts tingling. Then, I know to massage that hand, and apply essential oils.  I know, too, that a more powerful cellular device or computer will aggravate my nerves and blood vessels that much further- and I am in good health.  What of those with underlying health issues?

Friends, we are entering an age of greater spiritual awareness and of a greater sense of individual responsibility.  Fewer people, especially among those born after 1980, are going to kowtow to the “experts” or the “elites”, regardless of how you see yourselves.  As Bob Dylan once wrote: “The old world is rapidly fading.  Get out of the new one if you can’t lend a hand, for the times, they are a-changing.”  One of the features of that new world will be an increase in questioning decisions proferred from on high.

I look forward to that- and rest assured, I will be among those questioning your pronouncements.

May you choose peace and truth,

Gary

In Trust

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Posted by on in collaborating, Community, Inspiration, Personal Values, Service Activities, Spiritual, Striving

April 1, 2020-

The past month has been a time of highs and lows, for me,as for many others.  While I am gravely concerned with the rampage of Coronavirusdisease 2019, the lows did not stem primarily from the pandemic.  They were more psychic in nature, as several who claimed to be in tune with an elevated state of mind revealed themselves, especially these past few days, to be as hobbled with political intrigue and conspiracy theory, as the most troubled among my friends.

Trust comes hard for me, for reasons too varied to describe in this post.  I have long sought after those who have a clear view of the Universe as a whole, and of the essentially spiritual nature of humans.  Baha’u’llah, His Teachings and the Faith being built in His Name have given me that comfort.  I likewise feel close to those who understand and embrace the essential Teachings of Christ, Moses, Mohammad, Gautama Siddhartha, Krishna and of the Spirit Guides of ages even further back than our present historical records can fathom.

There have been those who claim knowledge of deeper spiritual truths, but my trust in them has been broken by their fallback into addiction, profanity, a judgmental stance towards others and a claim of superiority.  I do not judge them in kind, but neither can I place my trust in their pronouncements.

Thankfully, those coming from a Higher Realm give all the assurance that I need, in order to press on with what their messages tell me I must do- Stay in place and serve humanity now, and work farther afield, when the crises afflicting us at present are abated.