If we care to look, we can see a high incidence of disharmony in society (which is usually defined as statistics about groups of individuals, and not as a symptom of society itself). Yet if we see society as an individual entity, a patient requiring therapy and healing, we can more clearly see its symptoms:
-Sexual dysfunction and trauma as evidenced by the high rate of rape and sexual crimes
-Social psychosis as evidenced by numerous wars and a growing police state globally
-Stress disorders of all types as evidenced by social behavior in general
-Growing epidemics of self-induced diseases such as Type 2 diabetes and heart disease
-Drug addictions as evidenced by widespread hard drug, alcohol, and tobacco abuse
-Lack of trust in its leadership, government, and basic functions
As American (read United States) society engages in illegal wars (not voted on by a democratic majority of Congress) abroad, wars of aggression rather than defense of homeland, we lose faith in our fundamental ideals, and lose honor, respect, and influence in the world community. This is reflected in the high percentage (almost total) of veterans returning from non-defensive wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), and in spite of the cost in money, energy, and lives, our government is at the time of this writing contemplating using military force elsewhere in the Islamic world to force autonomous countries to do our bidding.
We typically see this epidemic of PTSD as concerning only veterans, but the effects of this are much more widespread than a limited segment of the population. As friends and families develop stress symptoms from being exposed to PTSD-related stresses of their own, the number of individual cases grows until it begins to encompass (or effect) a large and growing percentage of the population. But the problem goes beyond individual cumulative effects.
Society in general is in need of healing therapy, and like an individual, requires some of the same basics of restoring health and wellness; eliminating some unhealthy behaviors and encouraging other more healthy ones in their place, recognizing the problem and the need (and ability) to change, to name a few. Yet the blitheness with which we discount these societal ills, and the ease in becoming accustomed to them and thinking of them as normal (or part of 'the way it is') is indicative of not only an illness but a lack of recognition of having the illness.
To change society as a group requires consensus which is rarely achieved, and thus this revolution will require the cumulative effects of individuals to result in a widespread change that is eventually adopted as 'normal' by society in general. Thus, the therapies we implement to heal ourselves will eventually and slowly effect change, but change of any degree or at any accelerated rate would require us as a group to devise and implement healing changes, both in our individual and family lives, but in society at large as well.
Most of the ways to heal require change, which will be uncomfortable to all and resisted by many. Those living in the more affluent societies will need to give up personal comforts and conveniences, and few want to willingly give up some of their material wealth or lifestyle habits to make a change (the oil crisis a case in point, as many complained and blamed, yet few changed their won driving or oil-consumption habits). Sadly, the reality is that few would give up extra and unneeded pleasures to ensure others have basic life or survival requirements.
So what are we to do? Worry about our own selves, and hope that others do the same? Become social activists and dedicate our time and efforts to societal change (as opposed to individual change)? Try to balance both and hope for the best? The first step is to open a dialog, to begin using our top minds (and the collective and intuitive wisdom of all our minds) to address not only the symptoms of society's problems, but to work to heal and cure the source or root problems from which all the symptoms arise.
Perhaps through education and awareness, we can begin to develop a sense of commonality, of being one people and shipmates on Planet Earth, a sense of stewardship for the Earth, and some common goals on how to restore her to health and our society to peace and wellness. Perhaps we can begin to develop (and live) a new, higher standard of service to each other and to society, as well as to the planet. This all begins with a vision, a new paradigm of what is possible and desirable. Like all healing, the healing of society begins with the idea that healing is possible, and that it is desirable.
Like we need yoga (integration and transformation) for the individuals of society, we need a yoga therapy for society in general, Just like we need to incorporate a harmonious mix of healing technologies and modalities in our individual lives, so do we need to incorporate them into the life of our society. It all begins with us, and with the ideas we spread and share, with how well we listen to and consider new ideas, and respect those who present them, with how open our minds are to new concepts.
Like yoga, it may intially seem painful and beyond the bounds of what can reasonable be achieved, but also like yoga, the transformation becomes easy and natural once begun with attention and devotion. And like yoga, the effects of this transformation can spread, from our individual societies to the global society. All we need to do is begin.
So say prayers and make good intentions for the healing of the global community, and for every individual in it. Perform actions to help realize this dream, and make sacrifices and changes in your lifestyle to help speed them along. Send your healing love and intentions out to all, and let their benefical effects ripple across the universe.
AUM., Shanti, Shanti, Shantihiiii
"What you have as a goal depends on what you consider yourself to be"
-Ramanuja
-Sexual dysfunction and trauma as evidenced by the high rate of rape and sexual crimes
-Social psychosis as evidenced by numerous wars and a growing police state globally
-Stress disorders of all types as evidenced by social behavior in general
-Growing epidemics of self-induced diseases such as Type 2 diabetes and heart disease
-Drug addictions as evidenced by widespread hard drug, alcohol, and tobacco abuse
-Lack of trust in its leadership, government, and basic functions
As American (read United States) society engages in illegal wars (not voted on by a democratic majority of Congress) abroad, wars of aggression rather than defense of homeland, we lose faith in our fundamental ideals, and lose honor, respect, and influence in the world community. This is reflected in the high percentage (almost total) of veterans returning from non-defensive wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), and in spite of the cost in money, energy, and lives, our government is at the time of this writing contemplating using military force elsewhere in the Islamic world to force autonomous countries to do our bidding.
We typically see this epidemic of PTSD as concerning only veterans, but the effects of this are much more widespread than a limited segment of the population. As friends and families develop stress symptoms from being exposed to PTSD-related stresses of their own, the number of individual cases grows until it begins to encompass (or effect) a large and growing percentage of the population. But the problem goes beyond individual cumulative effects.
Society in general is in need of healing therapy, and like an individual, requires some of the same basics of restoring health and wellness; eliminating some unhealthy behaviors and encouraging other more healthy ones in their place, recognizing the problem and the need (and ability) to change, to name a few. Yet the blitheness with which we discount these societal ills, and the ease in becoming accustomed to them and thinking of them as normal (or part of 'the way it is') is indicative of not only an illness but a lack of recognition of having the illness.
To change society as a group requires consensus which is rarely achieved, and thus this revolution will require the cumulative effects of individuals to result in a widespread change that is eventually adopted as 'normal' by society in general. Thus, the therapies we implement to heal ourselves will eventually and slowly effect change, but change of any degree or at any accelerated rate would require us as a group to devise and implement healing changes, both in our individual and family lives, but in society at large as well.
Most of the ways to heal require change, which will be uncomfortable to all and resisted by many. Those living in the more affluent societies will need to give up personal comforts and conveniences, and few want to willingly give up some of their material wealth or lifestyle habits to make a change (the oil crisis a case in point, as many complained and blamed, yet few changed their won driving or oil-consumption habits). Sadly, the reality is that few would give up extra and unneeded pleasures to ensure others have basic life or survival requirements.
So what are we to do? Worry about our own selves, and hope that others do the same? Become social activists and dedicate our time and efforts to societal change (as opposed to individual change)? Try to balance both and hope for the best? The first step is to open a dialog, to begin using our top minds (and the collective and intuitive wisdom of all our minds) to address not only the symptoms of society's problems, but to work to heal and cure the source or root problems from which all the symptoms arise.
Perhaps through education and awareness, we can begin to develop a sense of commonality, of being one people and shipmates on Planet Earth, a sense of stewardship for the Earth, and some common goals on how to restore her to health and our society to peace and wellness. Perhaps we can begin to develop (and live) a new, higher standard of service to each other and to society, as well as to the planet. This all begins with a vision, a new paradigm of what is possible and desirable. Like all healing, the healing of society begins with the idea that healing is possible, and that it is desirable.
Like we need yoga (integration and transformation) for the individuals of society, we need a yoga therapy for society in general, Just like we need to incorporate a harmonious mix of healing technologies and modalities in our individual lives, so do we need to incorporate them into the life of our society. It all begins with us, and with the ideas we spread and share, with how well we listen to and consider new ideas, and respect those who present them, with how open our minds are to new concepts.
Like yoga, it may intially seem painful and beyond the bounds of what can reasonable be achieved, but also like yoga, the transformation becomes easy and natural once begun with attention and devotion. And like yoga, the effects of this transformation can spread, from our individual societies to the global society. All we need to do is begin.
So say prayers and make good intentions for the healing of the global community, and for every individual in it. Perform actions to help realize this dream, and make sacrifices and changes in your lifestyle to help speed them along. Send your healing love and intentions out to all, and let their benefical effects ripple across the universe.
AUM., Shanti, Shanti, Shantihiiii
"What you have as a goal depends on what you consider yourself to be"
-Ramanuja
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