The above quote is from Heather Blakeslee, one of the panelists at Sunday evening’s event. More from her below.
I just went through my hastily written notes, to pick out quotes that resonated with me. I had told you I would go through each panel, doing this.
But first, I thought I’d take a look at some of the organizations associated with those on the panel.
Oops! After looking at them, I admit, I got roped in, subscribing to a number of them. Will I have time today to do the other? Or will it have to wait?
After some thought. . . yep, it will have to wait until tomorrow.
For example, here’s founder Heather Blakeslee of Root Quarterly magazine again. In response to the CK shock she has chosen some articles from back issues and made them freely available, here:
https://www.rootquarterly.com/founders
I loved the introductory material so much!
“A thousand years from now, the first 500 years of our country will be considered early-American history. That means we are all founders, responsible and accountable for the direction of the United States.”
Obviously, Blakeslee assumes the US will still be alive in a 1000 years. Let’s assume that’s true, shall we? In other words, let’s set the direction of our intent, so that the universe may flow in that direction. US. We, The People.
And, when you remember that the U.S. will have it’s 250th anniversary on July 4, 2026; and when you remember that echoes of the very first U.S. Pluto Return (2022-2024, every 248 years) are still resonating now, guaranteeing Death, and possibly Resurrection, depending on how we respond (and not just react), then this moment — which radiates backwards and forwards in ever-increasing loops, is THE MOMENT when we must wake up, all of us, and stop dissing one another, hating one another, righteously calling each other out, pretending our perspective is the only right one, and so on.
BORING!
And especially of course, we must let go of violence. Violence which has been a feature, not a bug, throughout the entire U.S. history. Violence against Native Americans, violence against other countries, other ways of life. Violence against each other. Fueled by callous greed of the few — and fear of scarcity of the many. F.E.A.R. (False Evidence Appearing Real).
Let’s face it: both the Few and the Many experience loneliness, isolation, lack of trust in each other. The causes of this are legion. We need to both identify them and pull them out by the roots.
This country is like no other. A nation of immigrants since its founding, our ancestors gathered into a community of odd fellows that, since 1789, guarantees FREEDOM, thanks to the First Amendment to the Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution.
But of course, freedom of religion is and always was, an issue. Right now, it appears to be Islam vs. Christianity. And freedom of speech does seem to be constricted; in fact, our entire education system has been skewed in one direction politically and culturally. Freedom of the press? What a joke. MSM is “fake news,” most of us now agree. But so, of course, is much of the alternative news, including social media. And the “right to peaceably assemble?” Well, what just happened to CK?
Here let me quote from Maury Giles, the new head of Braver Angels, at Sunday’s event (which I promise I will get to more in full tomorrow):
“Real life vs. online. One is real, the other is contrived. . . . Why do we even call it social media? One is fueling the rage; the other is fueling the real. Braver Angels: Courageous Citizenship!”
He then calls the CK murder “the end of one chapter of BA (Braver Angels) opening to another. We who mourn together can be comforted.”
He, like virtually all the panelists, calls for a return to real life, at home, and with friends and neighbors, within our own small towns. They even have a name for groups that meet up: Porch-ing.
Let’s go hang out on the porch. Let’s each of us speak about whatever is concerning us. And do it without reserve. And then listen, truly listen, to the other person, whom we can see breathing, just as we are breathing; and let us seek each other’s eyes, and yes, truly listen, to their point of view, though it may be diametrically opposite to ours. That’s okay. That’s called free speech. Let’s be outrageously courageous, eh?
And love one another. Just love one another. No matter what another person thinks, know that, like our own mind, theirs has been filled, both voluntarily and involuntarily, with all sorts of ideas that come from the outside, not the inside. That the sources of such “news” are literally infinite and increasing, thanks to the internet. That each of us must remember to listen to our breathing, and our own hearts beating, knowing that we are vulnerable, equally vulnerable, to violence coming from not just the outside but the inside, where our unconscious dwells, often full of awful ideas that we deny consciously, but which then flash out as projections, upon another.
Pay attention to our own inner worlds, and the outer world will take care of itself.
The universe radiates endlessly, out and in from each of us — our core, our intuitive-right-brain-heart-connection to source.
Yes, the universe radiates out, from YOU.
Whatever you express, will amplify.
Just the kind, bright look in your eye;
Just the slight lip curve signaling smile;
speaks volumes.
We relax.
Our culture’s drift
into isolation, loneliness,
dissolves.
Souls engaged.
In my nearly 83 years, I have learned this, over and over and over again.
