It's None of My Business?
by Marie T. Russell
 For many years, I never watched TV. I remember my TV breaking down and as I placed it out with the garbage, deciding not to buy another one. So in those days, I was not watching the news, or anything else on TV. This went on for many years. People used to ask me how I kept up with the news, and what if something happened that I needed to know about?
The reality was that the Universe would always inform me by some other method when there was something that impacted me directly and that I needed to know. When I would get in my car, I would turn on the radio, but would switch the radio station as soon as they started talking -- I wanted to listen to music, nothing more. Yet, in those instances when I "needed to know" something, I would somehow hear it.
When I was living in Miami, I remember one day leaving my house to head off across town to the Farmer's Market, and hearing briefly on the radio that there was a riot going on right off I-95 (the route I was going to take). So I took another road. It seems that I would always hear what I needed to -- either "by coincidence", or I would overhear it, or someone would tell me directly.
The year that Hurricane Andrew hit South Florida, I was living in Miami and the office was a few miles away. As my husband and I drove home from the office, we noticed strange things going on. People were boarding up their windows! Something was going on! When we got home, our neighbor was quick to inform us that a hurricane was heading our way. So -- when we needed to know something, the Universe made sure we found out when we needed to know it. We were spared the days and days of watching TV -- worrying if the hurricane would head our way, or turn around, or what. When came the time that the hurricane could affect us directly, we were told about it (by the Universe in the guise of our neighbors).
These days, I have a TV. Actually like most "good Americans" we have several in the house. While I tend to watch TV for entertainment purposes only (and sometimes educational purposes too), my husband who follows the news closely keeps me apprised of the "serious stuff" taking place in the world. The wars, the politics, the scams, the warmongering, the hatred, the rage... Now that I am deluged with this information, I am no longer living in my own little sheltered world (ah! those were the days).
These days, now that I'm aware of all that's going on in the world, I at times ask myself "What's wrong with the world? What's wrong with people?" It seems that the whole planet is at war -- it's the war in the Middle East, then the war on terrorists, the war in people's homes (family violence, etc.) and then even my computer seems to be involved in a war with computer viruses. I find myself having to constantly protect my computer against viruses. The wars, it seems, are everywhere.
In "new thought" philosophy the belief is that whatever we see "out there" is a reflection of what is inside us. If we see people fighting and in a rage, then there is also some anger and rage residing within us. In the same way, if we see people whom we think are "enlightened beings", then the fact that we can recognize it in them, means that the same enlightenment resides within us.
Now, as a metaphysician (someone who looks to the causes behind the physical) I have to look and see not only the causes on a bigger scale, but the causes on a personal level. Am I at war personally? While I may not be shooting guns and dropping bombs, in some ways, at times, my words and my attitudes and my thoughts are at war -- sometimes with themselves, sometimes with things I see "out there", sometimes with the people in my life that I disagree with.
If I want to stop the wars going on in "the world", I must first stop the wars going in "my world", inside my mind and my body. Yet to paraphrase what Mother Teresa said when asked why she wouldn't take place in anti-war demonstrations, when they have a pro-peace demonstration then I'll be there. So we must find a way of stopping the wars (in our personal lives as well as abroad) not with more wars, but with pro-peace methods.
So many of us try to "heal our bodies and minds" by going to war with them. We attack them with surgery, with chemicals and other ammunition. Alternative medicine takes another approach. It strengthens the weak parts of the body so that no "infection or disease" (or war) can have any stronghold. Rather than fight, alternative medicine makes strong the "good parts" and then the "bad parts" have no power. They find themselves unable to create war, or perhaps without a motive to do so.
In nature, the predators always attack the weakest animal in the pack. The wolves that used to hunt caribou, would always go for the sick and weak members of the herd. In the same way, when our body becomes ill, it's the weaker parts of our body that are affected by the illness. So, conversely, if all of me was healthy, then disease would have no stronghold. To take that further to the computer viruses, if my computer was healthy (i.e. if there were no bugs and holes in the operating system and programs that the computer uses), then the viruses could not get in and create havoc.
Perhaps that's the solution for the greater picture too. If there were no weaknesses in the world, perhaps there would be no cause for war. OK, I can hear some of you say that's a Pollyanna attitude. Perhaps. But let's just look at the truth behind it. The war in the Middle East is taking place because each side sees an injustice being done and wants to change the balance. The war on terrorism? Same thing. Both sides (yes the terrorists too) see something that is "wrong" and want to do something to change the balance. (We are not debating here who's right and who's wrong, if there is such a thing, but rather that each side sees something "wrong" and wants to change it.) The "wars" in families are also the same -- someone sees something they don't like -- and they try to change it in the only way they see. which sometimes involves violence.
Now of course, I do not advocate violence. On the contrary. I am simply stating that, in some cases, the persons involved in these "wars" see no other solution, they see no other way out -- or perhaps they see no way out at all, and violence is the only way they have of lashing back at the ones they see as the "bad guys".
Yet, going back to our holistic view of medicine and life. How do we become healthier? By strengthening the weak parts of the body. By giving nurturing and love to the parts that are weak and hurting. So, that's where we come in. Those of us (and I hope that's all of you) who have a strong desire for world peace and planetary wellbeing (as well as personal peace and wellbeing), must become planetary healers.
We must start with our own body, our own family, then carry that healing into our neighborhoods, and our planet. We are the healers. We are Love. And we must live it everywhere in every way. We must think it, say it, be it, and do it. We must see that we too are involved in this planet and that everything that goes on affects us, and in the same way, we can affect it.
Unfortunately, one of the repercussions of modern life with all our TVs and modern conveniences and big cities, is that we have become separated from our neighbors, from the people we see daily. We treat them all as strangers. We have become strangers in a strange land. Yet, there too, the way out is by strengthening the good parts. We must start treating everyone like someone we care for. If the girl at the checkout counter at the store looks tired, say something to her to make her smile. If the bus driver seems grumpy, send him love and gratitude -- it can be as a thought only, you don't have to hug him.
We need to care. Not just about the people we are intimate with, but care about everyone. We must care when a child dies of starvation, when someone is abused, when someone dies. We must care about the aggressed and the aggressor. Everyone is crying out for love, for healing, for a solution to their conflict. We must not react with rage, but with love. Care. Do something that can help the world. Care.
We must step out from the barriers of protection we have been living behind, and care. We must start seeing everyone as our family, as our brothers and sister. We must care about what happens to them, and then ask ourselves, what can I do? Your part may be simple, it may be grandiose... Only you have the answer to that. But, we must keep asking ourselves, What can I do, now? And do it, now, in the moment. Not later when we have time, not later when we remember, not later if we get around to it. And keep asking ourselves, what can I do now? As children of God or children of the Universe, we have a role to play. What is that role? Your answers will come as you keep asking yourself, "What can I do now?"
There is more at stake here than we may see. We have to change our m.o. (mode of operation). We have to become peacemongers, not warmongers. If a warmonger is one who (according to the dictionary) advocates or attempts to stir up war, then we must stir up peace. We must seek the healing in every situation, not the revenge, not the defensive position, not the "but I'm right". We must seek balance, we must seek healing, love, peace, harmony, fairness, balance, equality, justice.
It can be done. Where there is a will, there is a way. Each one of us is the way. We must all get involved in whatever way we are inspired to. We must start listening to our heart. It will guide us in the right direction. We need to take a pause from letting our head and our ego direct our actions. The heart will lead us to a place where we can all live in peace, joy, and harmony. The heart is the healer, and we all have one. Maybe it's time that we realize that the world is "our home" and that we must take care of it and of its inhabitants. Whether it's at home, at the grocery store, in our cities, or on the whole planet.
We in the "Western world" have been blessed with riches (not just monetary ones, but riches incorporated in our way of life and our beliefs. It is time to take a look at the whole "body" of the Earth and strengthen the weak places, the weak ones... Otherwise, dis-ease has a way of spreading from one weak area to the next weakest. We must make strong all the parts of the world, by sharing our love and our blessings. "No man is an island." We are all connected. The weaknesses are reaching out and affecting the stronger parts -- we must become strong, all together -- not one against the other, but as a whole.
I remember, as a teenager, owning a small statue that said "I'm a lover, not a fighter". That is our choice now. Which path will we walk? The way of the lover, or the fighter? We all have both capabilities! Which is our choice? We can't be both! We must choose, each day in our "inter-reactions" with our family, co-workers, neighbors, and worldwide...
"You may say I'm a dreamer. But I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us, and the world will live as one." -- John Lennon.
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 About The Author
Marie
T. Russell is the founder of InnerSelf Magazine (founded 1985). She also
produced and hosted a weekly South Florida radio broadcast, Inner Power, from
1992-1995 which focused on themes such as self-esteem, personal growth, and
well-being. Her articles focus on transformation and reconnecting with our own
inner source of joy and creativity.
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