Which Door Leads to the Future?
Initiation is a series of tests. These tests determine moral choices, strengths and weaknesses, and the ability to discern truth from illusion. Fairy tales abound about “picking the right door” whether it be the door of life or death, the door of fortune or folly on a game show, or the many doors that open and close on the path of life.
This election year Americans are facing an initiatory test: Do we open the red door or the blue door? On the surface the vote appears to be a choice between the leadership of two men and their VPs: Mitt Romney and Barack Obama. Behind this choice, we appear to be choosing between a Democratic or Republican administration, and between moral values based on how we treat the planet and the future versus a women’s right to choose the fate of her own body or a person’s right to choose whom they love.
Some say there is little difference between these administrations or the men that lead them – that the money interests will manipulate whoever sits in the White House. And while that is definitely true, expecting anyone we elect to save the planet for us is yet another illusion bound to lead to disappointment. But we can chose to avoid those who would hinder the process.
There is a trickster in every initiation – one who challenges the initiate with the task of discernment. The trickster may promise magic bullets, feed on a person’s fantasy of wealth, fame, pleasure, or ease – only to lead the initiate into a discovery of even more illusion. In this case the cost of choosing the wrong door is extreme.
The stakes are higher than ever before. Humanity’s impending environmental crises, food shortages, economic crises, climate instability, and change on every level require a leader who thinks in terms of change, even if they are limited by the status quo in how much change they can successfully create.
The real test may come down to a vote between those who dare to think, question, and embrace our future challenges, and those who prefer to believe what they’re told on Fox News, who swallow the illusions in attack ads, and believe that “business as usual” will solve the very problems “business as usual” has created.
In an important book that everyone should know about, Why Some Politicians are More Dangerous than Others, author James Gilligan tracks 100 years of political history, and proves that both suicide and murder rates rise significantly with each Republican administration and fall with each Democratic administration. The reason? High unemployment, reduced prosperity, and bigger gaps between the rich and poor. His study of violence indicates that the most direct link to increased violence is gross inequalities.
Romney is from the rich and serves the rich. He represents the 1% that values wealth and good looks above real humanitarianism – but he represents that illusory pursuit of wealth which is a central value in the culture. Believing that 47% of the population are victims looking for handouts, while his wife has never held a job in her life, proves just how out of touch he is with reality. Yet his comments are a call for all of us to come to maturity, to take responsibility for ourselves, and to pierce through illusion to consider our important future. And lest you think Obama is a shoe-in, check out this important investigative reporting from journalist Greg Palast on the peril of election fraud.
As we approach this Equinox with an integration of light and dark, we can see that the darkness of our collective shadow is highlighted for us to see-from the Muslim anti-American sentiment to the attack ads from our most expensive election ever. Hopefully, we can use this darkness to pierce through illusion and pick the door that will lead to the brightest future – one we can all walk through together.
But these days, we are all harvesting more than food. We are harvesting whatever we have been creating this past year – from the seeds of vision planted in the winter, cultured in the spring, and nourished with the summer light.
CREATING ON PURPOSE!
One of my proud harvests is a new manifestation book is coming out called, CREATING ON PURPOSE: THE SPIRITUAL TECHNOLOGY OF MANIFESTATION, co-authored by Lion Goodman. This book contains the best of our workshop material from the class, CREATION IS ECSTASY, plus lots of new material, to help you get on track and stay there in finding your highest purpose, and making a contribution, while creating the life of your dreams.
Check out the new website to which we will be adding guiding meditations and exercises to increase your powers of clarity and manifestation.
Blessings,
Anodea