APRIL 2020 BLOG

THE GREAT SHIFT – UNCHARTED TERRITORY

We are now experiencing a collective shift in our global society. In the past blog I reflected upon the many plagues that came as teachers to all societies indicating the need to shift our understanding of Nature. That is the way humans have evolving – pestilence, war, famine and pandemics to name a few, coming upon humanity over thousands of years. Therefore, we were forced to evolve as biological beings, mental (psychological) beings and spiritual beings. It is like a collective rite of passage created by a sense of darkness coming into a light of understanding and awakening to the reality that we are all one.

Now the global community is facing the new reality that asks us to take hold of our old sense of connectedness. The coronavirus is saying that we are all in this together and evolving together.

This pandemic is unlike anything any of us have ever experienced in modern times.

Whether we’re facing sudden economic hardship, fear for our health and the health of those we love, grief over a devastating loss, or the unnerving prospect of being homebound for months, all of us are being challenged to rapidly adapt to a life and a world we couldn’t have imagined a few months ago.

This collective fear and anxiety lead us to the eventual fear of death. Yet, our body says: “STOP”! We must face our feelings and be present to what is. Whether it is our fear of abandonment and left alone or being overwhelmed by the on-going spread of the virus, we feel sick without the actual disease taking hold of our body. The collective need to STOP and listen to our body and at the same time listen to NATURE – our mother Earth. 

The human SOUL seeks to evolve and to grow by making the journey into darkness (the unknown). Therefore, all the events we are accustomed to, as usual; like travel restrictions, closure of religious places, self-isolation and so on, are teaching us to seek the inner place of soul.

What is going on? Here is a wonderful inspiring quote by Richard Hendrick OFM:

“Suddenly I woke up one day and everything changed, all Disney magic faded, the Chinese wall was not as strong, now New York sleeps, and no roads lead to Rome. A virus is crowned as the owner of the world and gave us an account of our frailty. We do not know if the damage is deliberately or is an irresponsibility by  ourselves, but the threat is there -  stronger every day, and memes do not cause much laughter, hugs and kisses were transformed into dangerous weapons and product shortages  show us once again how selfish we are, so selfish that some  say: "no problem this virus only takes oldies" as if we never had our parents or as if we were not going to be old ever.

We want to assert our "right" to decide whether to let live or not to others and now we realize that we cannot even decide for our own life. A planet that today is not only a mask for a virus but also covers our vulnerability mixed with pride and so we wash your hands for not recognizing our responsibility just as the ancient Pontius Pilate.

If there is fear. If there is insulation. Yes, there is panic buying. Yes, there is disease Yes, there is even death.”

Fr. Richard Hendrick, OFM - March 13, 2020

But they say in Wuhan after so many years of noise you can hear the birds again.

They say that after a few weeks of silence, the sky is no longer filled with smoke but blue and clear.    

They say that in the empty streets of Assisi people are singing from their homes and keeping their windows open in balconies so that those who are alone can hear the voices of families around.              

They say a hotel in the west of Ireland provides free meals and home delivery.

Today a young woman I know is busy handing out flyers for the neighbourhood with her phone number so that the elderly can have someone to call.

Today churches, synagogues, mosques and temples are preparing to welcome

and protect the homeless, sick and tired.

Around the world people are decelerating and reflecting.

Around the world, people look to their neighbours in a new way.

Around the world people are waking up to a new reality. So strong that we really are. What little control we really have.  TO LOVE is what really matters.

Then we pray and remember that:

Yes, if there is fear, there must not be hatred.

If there is insulation, but we do not have to be alone.

Yes, there is panic buying, but there must not be no selfishness.

Yes, there is illness, but the disease does not have to be a disease of the soul.

Yes, there is even death, but there can always be a revival of love.

Wake up and choose how to live today.

Today breathe, pause and listen behind the torments of your fear.

Birds sing again, the sky is clearing, spring is coming, and we are always surrounded by love.

Open the windows of your soul and if you cannot walk on an empty street, so DANCE at home.”

CONCLUSION

This is the time that Nature is giving us as a gift for all – rich or poor. It is said that 65 billionaires in the world have more money than the 300 million poor. Hope that they will help - eh? But we need to take a positive attitude and do what we wished to do when we had so much work and had no time to enjoy PEACE.

So here is a suggestion or two:

1.       Develop a daily ritual with your family. Yoga - like the FIVE TIBETANS. (see YouTube for a

demo).

2.       Summon the elders and spiritual teachers by creating a sacred space and arrange the four directions: NORTH, SOUTHEAST & WEST – stand in the middle and call your teachers and then Listen.

3      Pay attention to the energy that heals:    

    Body – experience your body energy.

      Intellect – become aware of your symbolic imagination.

     Soul – enter the place of the heart and note the mythic messages.

       Spirit – become aware of the essence of the universe (Nature) speaking. Stay calm in a solitary space like a forest.

Recommended book:

Plotkin, Bill. Soulcraft: Crossing into the Mysteries of Nature and Psyche. New World Library. Kindle Edition, 2003.

Bill Plotkin’s prophecy:

“When we have the situation beyond our individual souls. The industrial world seeks to exploit this lovely planet with its flowering meadows, its sky-reaching forests, its flowing streams, the wildlife of its forests and fields until only remnants will exist. Yet now, as we begin the twenty-first century, we start to realize that the industrial world has had its day. Those of us who have lived through its twentieth-century dominance believe, as I do, that a new age is dawning. The industrial-commercial world can go no further.”

Michael Meade podcast

MARCH 2020 BLOG

                BEWARE OF THE IDES OF MARCH

THE TEN PLAGUES OF EGYPT IN THE MODERN DAY CONTEXT

Dear Reader,

We are entering the month of March and historically this month has many premonitions and warnings. From the Greek ancient history, the great Julius Cesar was assassinated on March 15^th. As the story goes. Everyone knows that the soothsayer in William Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar" was talking about March 15 when he warned the Roman emperor to "beware the Ides of March." We also all know Caesar's response: "Nah, I gotta head into the office that day."

Death of Julius Cesar

The story and Shakespeare drama lives on as a reminder that changes happen and the time between seasons are the ones to watch. We also have learned about the ten plagues of Egypt when the Pharaoh did not listen to Moses and suffered devastating plagues. So, here we go again – the global plague is upon us. But first I want to reflect on the biblical ten plagues” from the more modern and scientific perspective.

Scholars broadly agree that the Exodus is not a historical account, and that the Israelites originated in Canaan and from the Canaanites. Most scholars nevertheless believe that the Exodus has a historical basis of some kind, even if this does not closely resemble the biblical narrative. The Ipuwer Papyrus, written probably in the late Twelfth Dynasty of Egypt (c. 1991–1803 BCE), has been put forward in popular literature as confirmation of the Biblical account, most notably because of its statement that "the river is blood" and its frequent references to servants running away; however, these arguments ignore the many points on which Ipuwer contradicts Exodus, such as Asiatics arriving in Egypt rather than leaving and the likelihood that the "river is blood" phrase is simply a poetic image of turmoil. Attempts to find natural explanations for the plagues (e.g., a volcanic eruption to explain the "darkness" plague) have been dismissed by biblical scholars on the grounds that their pattern, timing, rapid succession, and above all, control by Moses mark them as supernatural.

 THE TEN PLAGUES OF EGYPT

1.       The river Nile covered in blood - possible spread of red algae.

2.       Frogs or poisonous toads - frogs breed in times of river floods.

3.       Lice and ticks - animals distribute ticks to humans.

4.       Swarms of flies - common event in hot weather.

5.       Sick domestic animals - common in areas not cared for.

6.       Skin rashes and boils - common in hot climates.

7.       Land fires - dry weather and storms cause fires.

8.       Locusts - common pests in Africa.

9.       Three days of darkness - possible eruption of a volcano.

10.   Death of children - viruses common in children before vaccines.

History and science.

Scholars are in broad agreement that the publication of the Torah took place in the mid-Persian period (the 5th century BCE). The Book of Deuteronomy, composed in stages between the 7th and 6th centuries, mentions the "diseases of Egypt" (Deuteronomy 7:15 and 28:60) but refers to something that afflicted the Israelites, not the Egyptians, and never specifies the plagues.

The traditional number of ten plagues is not actually mentioned in Exodus, and other sources differ; Psalms 78 and 105 seem to list only seven or eight plagues and order them differently. It appears that originally there were only seven (which included the tenth), to which were added the third, sixth, and ninth, bringing the count to ten.

In this final version, the first nine plagues form three triads, each of which God introduces by informing Moses of the main lesson it will teach. In the first triad, the Egyptians begin to experience the power of God; in the second, God demonstrates that he is directing events; and in the third, the incomparability of Yahweh is displayed. Overall, the plagues are "signs and marvels" given by the God of Israel to answer Pharaoh's taunt that he does not know Yahweh: "The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD.” (Wikipedia)

What is a plague?

PLAGUE (in Gr.) λοιμός, in Lat. pestis, pestilentia), in medicine, a term given to any epidemic disease causing a great mortality, and used in this sense by Galen and the ancient medical writers, but now confined to a special disease, otherwise called Griental, Levantine, or Bubonic Plague, which may be shortly defined as a specific infectious fever, one variety being characterized by buboes (glandular swellings) and carbuncles. This definition excludes many of the celebrated pestilences recorded in history -such as the plague of Athens, described by Thucydides; that not less celebrated one which occurred in the reign of Marcus Aurelius and spread over nearly the whole of the Roman world (A.D. 164–180), which is referred to, though not fully described, by the pen of Galen; and that of the 3rd century (about 253), the symptoms of which are known from the allusions of St Cyprian.  There is a certain resemblance between all these, but they were very different from Oriental plague. “ The Plague” was formerly divided into two chief varieties: (1) mild plague, pestis minor, larval plague (Radcliffe), paste fruste, in which the special symptoms are accompanied by little fever or general disturbance; and (2) ordinary epidemic or severe plague, pestis major, in which the general disturbance is very severe. Cases which are rapidly fatal from the general disturbance without marked local symptoms have been distinguished as fulminant plague.

The new plague or CORONAVIRUS

In spite the current amazing scientific developments and cures, the smart virus today has come out taking the world. This is definitely called the “ FULMINANT” type of plague. Here is the latest news:

Global death toll from coronavirus now more than 3,000 and growing.

The coronavirus death toll in mainland China increased by 42 Sunday (March 1), according to China’s National Health Commission (NHC). All the new deaths were in Hubei province.

The additional deaths bring the total death toll in mainland China to 2,912.

There have been 129 deaths reported outside mainland China, raising the global death toll to 3,041.

Confirmed cases in mainland China increased by 202. Of those cases, 193 were in Hubei province. That means there were nine new cases reported in the rest of mainland China outside of Hubei.

Other deaths across the globe include:

54 deaths in Iran

34 deaths in Italy

20 deaths in South Korea

12 deaths in Japan

2 deaths each in Hong Kong and France.

1 death each reported in the Philippines, Taiwan, Australia, Thailand and the United States

The total number of confirmed cases in mainland China is now 80,026, bringing the global total to 88,443. A total of 44,462 patients in China have recovered and been discharged from hospital.

Battle against bubonic plague 100 years ago

Conclusion

History tells us of many plagues over time but not much about a total GLOBAL plague or PANDEMIC that is testing our modern science and technology. It is amazing to read that the solution to avoid coronavirus is to keep washing your hands and avoid contact in public places. There is no vaccine – as yet – and time will tell and surely we will come up with a vaccine like it was done before. But we must be AWARE and learn from history!

Your comments are most welcome

Yaro Starak