The world is changing before our eyes. It’s in a state of turmoil, yes, and I believe it is also the great undoing of generations of systemic problems. Our healthcare, educational, and political systems etc need help. American society needs help. While it’s so hard to watch it all unfolding while fighting for the values we want to see, I believe it’s offering us an amazing opportunity to build a new paradigm.
I see we are being called to do things differently. To slow down, to question what’s the fast paced speed of ‘go, go, go’ that has been the backbone of american society. We need revamp our core beliefs and our systems.
I am holding on to hope that we’ll come out a new paradigm – one that supports Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, as well as LGBTQ+, all humans, and the planet. It’s the vision I have for the world, and one I hope we see in my lifetime. To create something we have to think differently. We have to dream of a different way.
One of my teachers would say that what we are thinking is what we are creating, and she would have us journey to our sacred garden to see what thoughts were growing.
The old ways no longer serve us
I was looking at this lately because I had had a thought that i wasn’t ‘successful’ because i don’t meet the old world metrics of money, power, and prestige. So in my mind there was less value created unless particular societally imposed metrics were met.
When I was speaking with a friend, that it didn’t have to be that way. I remembered that the country of Bhutan has a Gross National Happiness Index that includes four pillars: good governance, sustainable socio-economic development, cultural preservation, and environmental conservation. There are different ways to look at “success” and “value” in the world.
As I spoke with my friend, I could see how i’ve created many things of high value in my life – my children are kind, i educate students, I teach women how to feel better- they just didn’t meet these particular standard. And in that moment, I saw that all of the upheaval around us is creating a new paradigm, and with the crumbling of old systems and hopefully building of new systems. What if what we used to value (money, power) is not really what is valuable anymore? Consider what happens if compassion is the new currency? What if we had a Happiness Index?
The rage is unfolding
Part of all the rage I see here in the south is that the old metrics are being flipped and it is really uncomfortable for people to let go of the old (especially if they had created their lives around those particular metrics). What I see now, is we are being asked to value ourselves and others, and to be in the world in a different way (the new paradigm). We are being asked to see the value and the systems differently. And I think things are going to feel really hard until we accept this, and allow change to occur (even when it feels like the systems are crashing on our heads).
So let’s dream a new way of being into existence. What if …
Compassion is the new currency
Love is at the forefront of decisions
Kindness is our home
All sentient beings are valued
The earth is our home and is a top priority
Good nutritious food is a priority
Rest and slow living is the norm
Health and wellness and emotional life are nurtured
The elders are respected
Diversity is a natural aspect of our community
Community connection is the foundation for the systems
I also think we are being called to do the same thing internally. I encourage you to look at your internal system – your current beliefs. What’s working and what’s not? This is our chance to see things in a new way and change our own internal system.
Four questions to ask yourself to identify what internal systems are holding you in place:
💫Who do you want to be? What’s your dream?
💫What does that feel like in your body?
💫What systems (beliefs) are holding you in place?
💫Can you name one small thing you can do today to step into who you want to be?
I encourage you to take a few minutes and dream about new systems, and new values, and who you want to become.
Alright friends. Thanks for listening today, and I’ll see you next time.
