e-volved living

KQED’s (SF public radio station) Forum program invited listeners to call and share their reaction to this election, and how (if at all) they intended to get involved in our democracy, as Obama is asking us to do.  I tried and tried, but just kept getting the busy signal.  It would have been the first time sharing my perspective on the radio, even though I’ve been listening for years.  I guess that’s a little example of how I plan to get involved: to use my “voice” (whether written, verbal, or physical/mental/emotional action), to share my thoughts/feelings/ideas, to ask questions, to make suggestions, and to try different options (experiment.)  Isn’t that what this thing called life is all about – learning, growing, figuring stuff out? The other key element in doing all that is listening (again, not just hearing, but observing, sensing, and reading, too.)  Through this give and take, done with an open mind and heart, the evolution of consciousness occurs.

Yes, money equals power, unfortunately, at this current blip on the path of human consciousness and it takes mind boggling amounts to get elected.  But, what really mattered in this election was our personal experiences.  Concerns about survival (good work, food, shelter, safety, and hope for the future) are affecting a majority of people on this planet, not just the poor and marginalized.  The fundamentals of human, and therefore planetary, life are in need of fresh approaches.

Jeph and I watched a recorded teaching by the Dalai Lama last night.  Much of the session focused on the history of Buddhism (names of places it was taught, teachers, and documents/sections of documents) and I didn’t absorb a lot of that.  What I took away is fairly basic: discourage anger and ignorance (not just the absence of knowledge but also the belief that your knowledge is right) and encourage emptiness (an awareness of the finiteness of material reality and the infinity of the soul.)

As I harness my new found hope for the future (yay!) and do my part to lead us in a positive direction, I will follow that guidance.

This is my reaction to the election results, which I shared with family and friends who I thought would relate.  There are other family and friends who I think would have preferred a different outcome and I hope we can work towards increased understanding and collaboration on all the goals and dreams we do share.

What a great gift we have been given, and it came when we Really Really need it!

Let’s all pick ourselves up off the floor where we’ve been crouching, dust off the fallout of 8 loooooooooooooong years, envision a country we can be proud of (and the world can respect) again, and DO SOME GOOD for each other, our communities, and the people and creatures across the globe who need and deserve to be raised up.

No politician/no human is perfect, and Obama is not a god, but he offers commitment to positive change and hope for a brighter future.  A class act, and what a classy first family!  How wonderful to be inspired by words that are spoken with eloquence and true passion.  I look forward to not turning off the tv or radio every time our administration speaks, but rather listening with interest.

“Two wars, a planet in peril, and the worst financial crisis in a century.”  Things are a mess all over.  It will probably get worse before it gets better.  The good stuff in life is rarely easy, though, and inspiring leadership along with actively engaged citizens will go along way towards guiding us on the journey.

I just jumped up and down and did some jumping jacks and it felt great.

Let’s cultivate kindness.  Let’s question reality.  Let’s write a good chapter.

I’m happy to be alive at this moment,

Dorothy