Imagine

Imagine that we will bring about a renaissance of democracy while celebrating the prospect our shared involvement in the decision-making that affects our lives, and empower one another in the evolution of human politics on Earth.  

This journey is one of many people taking small steps together, and so I invite you to join in as we make this road by walking. 

Even though we have been conditioned not to see the possibility of genuine democracy, imagine that we will explore—and realize—ways of collaborative self-governance that would fulfill such mutual needs as those for participation, belonging, contribution, empowerment, self-worth, understanding and harmony.

Imagining revives the will to connect and create, so I invite you to envision what it might look and feel like, our democracy transformed—but before thinking that change is not possible, simply experience your longing for the world you want.  

Longing is a kind of prayer, like planting a seed that has the innate ability to manifest in the world.  Longing brings us back to life, to the creation of what is missing, beyond a situation of lack to a place of abundance. 

We can feel hesitation, anxiety and fear when we approach our unacknowledged pain for the devastation of the Earth, but our unmet pain for the world is the doorway into our power: whenever we unlock this passage, through awareness and intent, the energy stuck in ignored pain becomes the flowing energy of our liberation.

Imagine a time of deep trust and inspiration, when we flow with the enlivening energy of our gathering and move into our connecting, common desire, and celebrate the power of our intention to bring balance and healing to ourselves and the planet. 

What feelings are alive for you now when you hear me say this?  Because the potential of this rebirth lives within us, through us wanting to be realized, let’s be present with whatever joy or pain arises, seeking freedom.

I am grateful for our creativity and our ability to rise to great challenges, for our resilience, and our capacity to reach in and bring out what is enriching for others, for our potential and deep caring for one another and this Earth.

Love, our awareness in connection with all that is, is the spirit of true democracy, and whenever we open to it our politics becomes spiritual practice: when we understand shared decision-making as a process also of self-discovery, we see how the same spirit moves through us and into the intelligence of our collaboration, and when we value the contributions of those with different perspectives from us, we come to know greater wholeness and mutual security. 

If we can imagine new ways of democracy then we can create them, and when we believe in our capacity to develop effective forms of meaningful self-governance, we will give ourselves the authority to create the world we want.  This will remain a dream until we wake up and make it happen. 

This time calls us to responsibility, and if we are able to respond to our painful disempowerment before the desolation of our world, then we can also take part in our awakening to new ways of sharing power.  How close is this time—when we may hope to truly thrive—depends entirely on us.

May we find the courage and determination to live our truth and become true servants of life on this planet.  Not just our survival, but our mutual happiness and well-being depends on whether we will transform how we make decisions that affect the whole of life on Earth.