“None of the great human achievements have ever come from the heads of those who deem themselves practical people. Practical people have no definite opinion about what constitutes true progress for humanity.
“Only when people have roused themselves to an appreciation of the great factors that stir civilization, that proceed out of the spirit and soul, and only when they are under spiritual guidance, can they bestow the great impulses on humankind.”
— Dr. Rudolf Steiner, 1905
M0RALITY, HUMAN DECENCY AND GOOD MANNERS
After an hour this morning of deepening work with yoga practice and Ayurvedic medical studies, it struck me — with even more force than usual — just how immoral and ill-mannered modern folk have been educated to become as thinking, feeling and willing beings.
So many people have been educated to do violence to the finer aspects of themselves, of their families and friends, and of the various larger communities in which they participate. We humans heartlessly and thoughtlessly exploit our fellow human beings and destroy the myriad sentient living beings making up the natural world. We sacrifice our time, energy and material resources for illusory security, comfortable living and insatiable greed for consumer products. We occupy our days with inferior interests and concerns that distract and blind us to our greater potential to grow into more spiritually evolved, happier and healthier human beings.
In the course of the 20th century, as ‘free-market capitalism’ and ‘democracy’ spread throughout the world, cultures characterized by deeper penetration into the nature of Reality, more compassion and subtler thinking lost their natural environments and social identities to the bulldozer of greed-driven multinationalism followed by globalization. Monolithic Communist states, characterized by materialistic thinking and repressive state apparatuses destructive to the individual, offered people no healthy social alternative to aspire towards.
Yes, this destructive trend has escalated in the first quarter of the 21st century. It is a great tragedy. The destructive forces have gathered a good deal of momentum.
YOU ARE NEEDED
It is up to spiritual mentors, healers, and social and environmental activists to stand their ground; to counter the onslaught by dark forces in our inner and outer worlds; and to move us step-by-step towards a saner, healthier civilization.
“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. …the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way.
“I learned a deep respect for one of Goethe’s couplets: ‘Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it!’”
William Hutchinson Murray (1913-1996)
The Scottish Himalayan Expedition
If not you, who then; if not now, when? Make a start or increase your current commitment to bringing positive change into the world. You will find new ideas rushing towards you from within and new opportunities to engage presenting themselves from without. If this does not happen immediately, it will gradually. The important thing is to make a start or to increase your present intentful contribution to the Good.
© 2018 Joseph Michael Contrada
Joseph Michael Contrada
Heilpraktiker (Lic. German Healthcare and Psychotherapy Provider) specializing in Holistic Nutrition, Planetary Herbalism, Western Alchemical Medicine, Anthroposophic Medicine, Ayurveda and Chinese Energetic Medicine
Spiritual Healer and Energy Therapist specializing in Western Esoteric Healing, Yogic Prana Healing, Qi Gong Healing and Reiki
Spiritual Healer and Mentor
Yoga, Qi Gong and Meditation Instructor
Christian Minister
Social and Environmental Activist
Painting: “Burning the Darkness” by Nicholas Roerich (1924)