Cognitive Dissonance and the Festival of Lights

So, are there any doubts that Big Pharma has a big hand in the opioid crisis (among other abuses)? I hope everyone had an opportunity to see 60-Minutes on Sunday to hear the courageous declarations from a former DEA officer who has blown the whistle on who is really at the heart of the opioid epidemic.  All I can say is, "It's about time we heard such things on mainstream media! ” Even they can no longer deny the truth even though the drug companies comprise most of their sponsorship.  And along with that, it is my hope that people will continue to awaken to the Truth about the “treat the symptom, not the cause” philosophy that has defined medicine for way too long.
Big pharma and the AMA are threatened no doubt, because alternative medicine takes money out of their pockets and will continue to do so as people wake up to the fact that there are many choices when it comes to healing. And as the establishment continues to try to remove those choices, it is “WE the people” who must demand a different healthcare system that enables us to have those choices.
 As we can see, many, many things that have been a part of the cognitive dissonance that has pervaded this country and even the world, are now coming to the surface, not to be ignored any longer.  And now more than ever, it is time.  It seems the courage of a few has sparked the courage of many to come forward about abuses that have contributed to the suppressed emotional body of the whole (women and men).  Again, we must remind ourselves that change must trickle up instead of down.  Clearly, we have been shown again and again that there is no leader who is going to save us. We must also remember that the current “leader”, as much as people want to throw stones and criticize, is a reflection of the collective whole, US; our decades of selfishness and consumerism at the expense of the Spirit. Everyone is a reflection, even those (especially those) whom we resist acknowledging.  Remember Spirit? Consciousness?  That part of us that is eternal and what we get to take with us when we leave here? Yet we spend so little time in that silent space between the thoughts amidst the chatter and the collective “hum” of sensory overload that predominates our lives these days.  We’re so busy looking down and multi-tasking that we are failing to take the time to look within and heal that which would contribute to the healing of the collective whole.
Amidst the disasters both natural and man-made, the tremendous acts of humanity cannot and should not be ignored; people who are celebrated as heroes yet have a deep humility and feel that anyone else would have done the same.  I like to think that’s true.  Why must it take disasters to bring out the best in us, that our Light can shine ever more brightly?
Many people ask me, “so do you think things are getting better or getting worse?” My answer is “yes”.  Both are happening simultaneously and we must be conscious of the fact that destruction must happen in order for something new to be built.  In Ayurveda, we have the three Gunas or tendancies; Sattva, Rajas and Tamas; equanimity & purity, passion & creation, and destruction & inertia respectively.  All three are necessary at all times and in varying degrees, and I can’t think of a better example than what is happening on our planet and especially our country currently.  Karma is playing out in ways we may not understand, but is necessary in order to balance out the energy of the past so our future can be healed.
It is the time of Diwali, or the Festival of Lights that is celebrated every year in India and around the world.  It is not just about the lights as viewed on the outside, but more of a symbolism of the Light on the inside of which we must become more cognizant.  Light illuminates the darkness and it only takes a spark.  Without Light, we do not have clarity. And we must have clarity along with quiet to discern our next action.  Reaction (especially aggressive and negative) does not solve anything and only serves to antagonize. Have you ever changed your opinion about something because someone came at you with aggression?  I know I haven’t.  Are you aware that you are using up your precious energy in being angry and aggressive? The cause may truly be important, but are you reacting aggressively or responding from a clear place of peace that is mindful of the whole?  When I am approached by someone whose inner light is already shining, simply by their mere existence, and because they have done their own inner work, my impulse is to move towards them and then my belief or opinion may be changed.  I change when I am invited, not when I am forced.  This is why we must turn our awareness inward now more than ever and get in deeper touch with that inner Light.  Feel, process, and let go of that which needs to be healed, so that the Light of clarity can permeate ourselves and each other that the collective whole can be renewed. As Light is shed on the many secrets and violations that have been suppressed for so long, whether it is big pharma’s agenda, sexual assault and trafficking, or a family secret that has been kept for decades, healing can finally begin and a new energy of peace, equanimity and tolerance can be created.  The energetic elements of space, air, fire, water and earth are speaking loudly while at the same time expressing within us. Are you ready to wake up to the Truth that you have known for so long? What do you choose to do with your energy?  How can it be used to truly benefit the Whole? 

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