New Years message from Timothy Freke

[Hari]

Thoughts for the New Year

2004 saw an increase in the divisive power of religious literalism, further insane wars, no let up in the AIDS epidemic, more environmental destruction, continuing poverty and starvation, and the recent devastating tsunami. To make matter worse, to the dismay of compassionate people throughout the world, the US elected a dangerous president, backed by fundamentalist Christians with a very backward looking agenda. I receive emails everyday from people wondering where to turn. Our problems are so huge it is easy to feel impotent.

Our modern crisis is a crisis of vision. We need a ‘big idea’ which can help us make the world a better place. But in the past we have tried so many ‘big ideas’ which have failed. And this has left us defeated and cynical. What is the solution? Do we need to overthrow the capitalist system and challenge the power of the multinational corporations that run the world? This truly is a daunting task! And what alternative social system can we offer? Do we need to gradually educate people so that we understand the harm we are causing our planet and each other? Certainly. But this is a Herculean undertaking.

There is so much that needs doing, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and pessimistic. But perhaps there is another solution to our present predicament, which is simple and radical. I want to suggest that all we need to do to make our world a better place is to work together to spread a single powerful idea. And that idea is the big idea that has been taught by Gnostics for centuries: WE ARE ALL ONE.

Although we appear to be separate individuals, in reality we are different expressions of one awareness. The recognition of this fact is an experience of all-embracing love. And it is only by living in love that we can heal the divisions between us. Nothing else is ever going to do it! The vast majority of people are already caring and compassionate, but usually to ‘us not them’. We simply need to help people realise that in reality there is only ‘us’.

Our problems – both personal and political – arise from a fundamental misunderstanding of the human predicament. We mistakenly believe we are separate from one another. To transform things we simply have to challenge this mistaken idea by propagating the idea of oneness. Of itself, of course, this will not solve our social, economic or environmental problems. But if we see through the illusion of separateness, we will naturally start using the limitless power of our imagination to find compassionate solutions to our collective suffering, rather than squandering our creativity on the relentless quest to satisfy our transitory individual desires.

In this new millennium we need a new focus that will unleash our creativity, so that we discover new ways to make our world more loving, just, and enjoyable for all. We need to dismiss ideas predicated on the illusion of separateness as out-dated 20th century thinking and declare the basis of 21st thinking to be the recognition of oneness.

Humanity generally still seems asleep in separateness, but a significant number of people are waking up. Like the fall of the Berlin Wall, perhaps the thin veil of separateness which divides us could be easily and unexpectedly pushed aside if enough people would take the bold step of deciding to become mouthpieces for our collective awakening. The role each one of us can play is unique, but by recognising a shared vision we can help empower each other. The most important thing any of us can do is to embody oneness and love in our everyday lives. But there are also things we can do to promote the realisation of oneness more generally.

I am sending out this New Year message because I want to encourage us all to dare to be ambassadors for a new understanding in 2005. Can you imagine a future in which it is generally recognised that we are one and we do all we can to collectively live from this understanding? Is this just a utopian dream? I don't know. But what else are we going to do with this amazing experience we call being alive if not play our part in this great adventure of awakening?

In love

Tim Freke

PS Please feel free to share this message with anyone you feel appropriate.

www.timfreke.demon.co.uk

[Hari]

It be good to make allies of people like Timothy Freke.Shish of Satguru Nanak Shabad Brahman Svarup should make allies of people like him.

http://www.timfreke.demon.co.uk/