stephanie brail

If you look at my list of recommended websites, you’ll see a very weird mix of things ranging from new age spirituality to Christian televangelists, sustainability, libertarian thought, left and right-wing bloggers, and more. Why? Because I try to read and be open-minded to all sorts of ideas and opinions. I try to find the good in both sides and find the common ground. I’m kind of a holistic-minded free-thinking libertarian-leaning radical. Or something.

We’re so caught up in partisanship and “beliefism,” i.e., labeling people as good or bad depending on what they believe, that our country is becoming quite toxic. Every little belief has become a litmus test: gay marriage, global warming, Jesus.

If you don’t fit into a standard belief system, you don’t exist, it seems. I happen to be a person who wants to see more public transportation. I want our environment to be taken care of. And, I am also concerned about the federal government getting too much power – i.e., what conservatives call the “Nanny State.” And I want small businesses to be given room to grow, by not over-taxing or over-regulating them. Sound contradictory? Not so much if you consider that one of the biggest targets for government power-tripping happens to be small, holistic businesses. When an organic farm gets raided by the FDA, who might just be in the pockets of the big food conglomerates such as Monsanto, this is where left and right meet. So a small business owner such as myself, who in part practices holistic healing, is of course going to become a bit more libertarian-minded than your average tree-hugger. I’m also a Christian yogi who is also a follower of Buddha who believes in reincarnation. Go figure.

This is just one example of how we should not put people into narrow boxes.

What I’d like to see: open-minded, empowered, self-actualized people.

Here’s the problem in my mind: We cannot solve our problems by doing what we’ve done in the past. The systems are not sustainable. And because we’re all so caught up in black and white thinking, we can’t come up with any real solutions. Instead, we’re busy yelling at each other using juvenile names such as “Faux News” (Fox News), “libtards,” “Rethuglicans,” “Demonrats” and the like.

The only cutesy political epithets I dig are “Demopublicans” and “Republicrats” because those terms identify the corrupt, intertwined nature of the partisan system and remind us we need to transcend it in order to make any real progress.

Sometimes I wonder if we shouldn’t just turn all our legislative sessions into football games. Then people can paint their faces with red and blue and have fights in the stands like they do at soccer games in England. But we don’t need more bread and circuses. We need solutions to problems, and that can’t come from a football match. It has to come from listening to each other respectfully and working together to build more positive outcomes.

So how do we get people to stop yelling at each other and start listening? I think part of it is that we have to look deep within and get past the hatred we have in our own hearts for people who disagree with us. That’s just a start, though.

Ultimately, I believe all of our problems are deeply spiritual in nature.

The problems go beyond us vs. them thinking. Why do we have so many problems in society? Why do the rich get richer while the poor get poorer? For one simple reason: People aren’t self-actualized. The rich people who take advantage and defraud others do so because they are spiritually bereft and trying to fill the void in their souls with money and power. Please note: I do not think all rich people are bad, but a good number of the guys running the Wall Street scams that have destroyed our nation’s economic stability are pretty screwed up people. You have to be one screwed up, selfish guy to take millions in bonuses while gutting your company, laying off people, and destroying lives with your sheer incompetence and greed.

Many poor people are also spiritually bereft, but in a different way. They are disempowered. They are disconnected from their souls and the mighty power of spirit that is within them. These people will never get out of their predicament as long as they blame the rich or blame the government for not helping them more. Heck, it might even be the fault of the rich and the government, but you can’t wait for others to solve your own problems. You need to take the bull by the horns, get off your butt and help yourself. That’s what being spiritually empowered is all about – believing in your “soul power” and your connection with God to help you be the fully aware, powerful person you are capable of being.

Until people wake up to their spiritual power and their connection to God, we’ll still have major problems. Don’t get me wrong. It’s not that I think everyone needs to be a Christian, or that everyone who is an atheist is a regressive caveman. Actually, many atheists are more evolved spiritually than many religious people. They are kind, care about others, and do things with the highest good in mind. These good atheists just don’t realize how spiritual they actually are, that’s my take on it. Their soul lights shine forth regardless of the belief in that soul.

So. There are a few things I am fairly certain of. One is that we are spiritual beings, and the “reality” we perceive around us is most likely some sort of big virtual reality game that has been constructed for our personal growth and experiential enjoyment. Two is that open minds and open hearts are required to face the big challenges we collectively face ahead. When we realize that we are here to learn and grow, and that we are all connected to something greater, maybe, just maybe, we can move forward in peace and harmony with one another.