The US presidential election has been stirring something in me for a long while now. I was struggling to put a finger on it, till it distilled, with Trump's so-called 'locker room' talk. I wondered, earlier, if the election stands for what seems rather obvious: Democrat versus Republican ideologies, man versus woman and so on, till the 'locker room' stuff laid it bare. In his own obnoxious way, Trump served to haul out of the closet, for the world at large, what was deemed unspeakable. Under the guise of equality, education, social and political correctness, we have feared to name some inner wars that have raged in our minds and therefore on our planet.
There is the ubiquitous rage of girls and women - and boys and men - against their molesters and rapists. But there is also the silent simmering of those that allow sex willingly, for the sake of money, convenience or simply because they believe they do not have a choice.
There is the overt anger of the poor against the rich, protesting the inequity of things. But there is also the imploding frustration of having lived with one's poverty (of money, love or anything else) and having spent a lifetime fighting against those that have, instead of fighting for what one could create.
There is the stress and breakdown and burnout after living a professional corporate life that does not permit emotion and softness. But there is also the wrecking guilt of not having challenged that reality and not questioning what is deemed to be professionally acceptable.
There is the numbing fear and anger about the destruction caused by terrorism. But there is also the deep shame of the weaponless terrorist in us that manipulates the world around us, unless they give in to our demands.
There is the sorrow and depression and fear connected with being a failure in the eyes of the world. But there is also the overpowering sense of truth in knowing that success is different for everyone, and yet, not standing up for oneself and voicing it.
Trump has brought out for the world, the primal nature of our universe in all its glorious nakedness: wearing only its polarities. In trying to be 'good', 'moderate', 'politically correct', 'diplomatic'... and all the other things we try to be, to be socially acceptable, we collectively pushed into the shadows the overarching truth, that the universe as we experience it in the human form has a dual nature. There is positive and negative, minus and plus, male and female, bad and good. In the name of tolerance, shame and social correctness we pretended to walk the middle ground for a long time, trying to transcend the polarities, 'fitting in'.
And now, it is laid bare. And we are asked to vote. Good or bad? Right or wrong? Judgmental or non-judgmental?
It is not just about the President of the US. It is about what will preside in us. And it is not a one-time vote. It is a vote we need to cast every moment of our existence. Are we ready to engage our polarities, and not transcend them? Are we willing to acknowledge all that we are - a fascinating mess of possibilities - and consciously choose a stance for every moment of our lives? Sometimes it serves to be good and sometimes the bad helps too. To some I am an angel, others learn from the devil in me.
This is way beyond the elections. Are we, as humanity, ready to vote for conscious living, over and over again?
There is the ubiquitous rage of girls and women - and boys and men - against their molesters and rapists. But there is also the silent simmering of those that allow sex willingly, for the sake of money, convenience or simply because they believe they do not have a choice.
There is the overt anger of the poor against the rich, protesting the inequity of things. But there is also the imploding frustration of having lived with one's poverty (of money, love or anything else) and having spent a lifetime fighting against those that have, instead of fighting for what one could create.
There is the stress and breakdown and burnout after living a professional corporate life that does not permit emotion and softness. But there is also the wrecking guilt of not having challenged that reality and not questioning what is deemed to be professionally acceptable.
There is the numbing fear and anger about the destruction caused by terrorism. But there is also the deep shame of the weaponless terrorist in us that manipulates the world around us, unless they give in to our demands.
There is the sorrow and depression and fear connected with being a failure in the eyes of the world. But there is also the overpowering sense of truth in knowing that success is different for everyone, and yet, not standing up for oneself and voicing it.
Trump has brought out for the world, the primal nature of our universe in all its glorious nakedness: wearing only its polarities. In trying to be 'good', 'moderate', 'politically correct', 'diplomatic'... and all the other things we try to be, to be socially acceptable, we collectively pushed into the shadows the overarching truth, that the universe as we experience it in the human form has a dual nature. There is positive and negative, minus and plus, male and female, bad and good. In the name of tolerance, shame and social correctness we pretended to walk the middle ground for a long time, trying to transcend the polarities, 'fitting in'.
And now, it is laid bare. And we are asked to vote. Good or bad? Right or wrong? Judgmental or non-judgmental?
It is not just about the President of the US. It is about what will preside in us. And it is not a one-time vote. It is a vote we need to cast every moment of our existence. Are we ready to engage our polarities, and not transcend them? Are we willing to acknowledge all that we are - a fascinating mess of possibilities - and consciously choose a stance for every moment of our lives? Sometimes it serves to be good and sometimes the bad helps too. To some I am an angel, others learn from the devil in me.
This is way beyond the elections. Are we, as humanity, ready to vote for conscious living, over and over again?
