We Can’t Change the World…

…nor should we, at least not in the way we normally think about it. The world is already designed to perfection. We understand that gravity is already working just fine and does not need to be fixed. But we do want to change aspects of our world that seem to be spinning out of control. Pick your favorite topic – the economy, Wall Street, healthcare, the environment, politics, government, or your own personal experience of life.

We want to fix what we do not understand. We think something “out there” needs to change. Gravity is a physical science principle that is easy to understand, so we simply surrender to it and allow it to fulfill its purpose. There are spiritual principles that work perfectly well and have a purpose too. We simply need to understand and embrace them. The world was designed with these principles and they do not need to be fixed; they need to be honored.

Scientists are discovering what spiritual mystics have known all along. So some of our most important principles have been scientifically confirmed; others can be confirmed by your own anecdotal experimentation and experience. Our work is to change the world by first changing our relationship to spiritual principles. This is what will bring us what we are looking for no matter what occurs with our outer world: peace and joy and prosperity.

What are some of these principles?

1. More information travels from our hearts to our brains than vice versa.
2. The information moving from our hearts to our brains can affect our performance.
3. Focused reflection on our hearts can alter our emotional state in a positive direction.
4. Meditation and quiet reflection reduces stress and improves our health and vitality.
5. The electromagnetic signals generated by the heart can impact people around us.
6. One person’s heart signal can affect another person’s brainwaves.
7. All of life is interconnected and interdependent.

So, we are hardwired for heart to heart connections that affect how we use our brains and bring the best out of one another. We long for the experience of “genuine connection” that is already built into humanity. Cooperation is fundamental to happiness and survival. Sharing brings more joy than hoarding. Love can overcome fear and the limited thinking that is at the source of our struggles.

I know this to be true. And sometimes I forget. When I look at the outer world I can lose heart. I can buy into the idea that the world is not ready to embrace the truth of what really works. I can be disheartened when I see the waste, greed, and corruption that cause people’s suffering. But I can always return to my heart and remember that love prevails when it is called upon. My practice never lets me down. It reminds me that right now in this moment I can always choose to take inspired action… to speak out for what works… to live within the principles that bring about joy.

The world does not need to change. We do. It will happen voluntarily or it will be thrust upon us. We received an illuminating email from a survivor of last week’s earthquake in Japan:

I am very blessed to have wonderful friends who are helping me a lot. Since my shack is even more worthy of that name, I am now staying at a friend’s home. We share supplies like water, food and a kerosene heater. We sleep lined up in one room, eat by candlelight, and share stories. It is warm, friendly, and beautiful.

During the day we help each other clean up the mess in our homes. People sit in their cars, looking at news on their navigation screens, or line up to get drinking water when a source is open. If someone has water running in their home, they put out a sign so people can come to fill up their jugs and buckets.

Utterly amazingly where I am there has been no looting, no pushing in lines. People leave their front door open, as it is safer when an earthquake strikes. People keep saying, “Oh, this is how it used to be in the old days when everyone helped one another.”

Shifting our consciousness will ease our transition to a world where collaboration more equitably parallels competition . Business leaders can lead the way by ensuring their people become wisdom workers who add value with their hearts. They can reinvent their businesses to address the deeper needs of our society.

We are a global community that is learning to become a global economy. There are spiritual principles that will help us if we embrace them. Those who “fight with gravity” will fare worse than those who seek a softer spiritual landing. We invite you to rely on your heart as you continue your journey into what many say is the “unknown.” But if you are quiet I believe you can see what’s coming.

For further inspiration you may want to check out www.heartmath.org for their scientific research findings; and we definitely recommend you see the movie documentary – I Am – (http://iamthedoc.com/) for the sheer joy of what’s possible!