Mortal Thoughts

To feel the thrill of an unclouded vista
and not fear or fret about bombs
muddying the picture.

To imagine the grace that can light a heart
and not sink into despair
creeping in the dark.

To know that it ends all too soon
and not worry about the hours
spent staring at the moon.

To wonder about love and the hope it brings
and not take it for granted,
richer than kings.

To feed your mind before it slips free
and not become too sated.
Filled with awareness. How to be.

Reflections on Russian Invasion of Ukraine

A truly dark chapter for Europe and the world with Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. To think this can happen in 2022, in a world of increasing globalisation and mutual empathy! What will the endgame be? Will Putin come to his senses and realise that there can be no winner here with his heinous acts? Will peace ever prevail as long as “unhealthy” nationalism and perverse extremist rhetoric run amok? Is mankind forever destined to live in a perpetual cycle of war and destruction?

In an nutshell, peace can never truly prevail until there is a wholehearted revolution in man’s consciousness and emotional regulation. This will happen again and again. All too easily, people are swayed by the specious lies that demagogues shout with incendiary passion. And the demagogues prey upon this vulnerability that lurks within the darker recesses of the human psyche with rapacious intent. Add to this other baser instincts such as: lust for money, unquenchable greed, unfettered envy and a false understanding of history, then you have a perfect cocktail of deadly despair.

It is only when we possess the requisite skills to take care of the darker aspects of our selves will we see our more positive aspects flourish. It is only when we step out of the bunker of fetid, bigoted thinking and absorb the torch of tolerance and togetherness, that openness of spirit shines a light upon, will we recognise our shared humanity. Perhaps, in these tenebrous days, when so much of the world feels on edge, we need to cultivate, more than ever, those civilised qualities that allow both humans and societies to prosper: love, compassion, liberty, interdependence, truth, reconciliation. In the end, it is only love and philosophy of the will, action and mind to practise good and perform joyful acts that will save us. Nothing more, nothing less.

Hope In The Time Of Covid

Stepping out beneath a full moon (always a magical experience) I felt a powerful presence that despite this difficult period the world is currently experiencing, things may turn out for the better, if we humans listen and learn from this crisis. The onus is very much on us. Will we understand the lessons and go forth with zest – full of confidence and altruism – eager to create a new and more compassionate world? Will we be mindful of this essential truth – that mankind is not separate from earth but part of it. We are nature. Or will we crumble beneath the weight of responsibility? Surely the spectre of disease and death should be enough to change people’s mindsets? This chapter in history ought to affect us all – not just in the way we think and love and work and simply be, but also our relationship with the natural world.

William Wordsworth, the great British Romantic poet, once wrote these enduring words, “Come forth into the light of things/Let Nature be your teacher.” It strikes me that this is precisely what we ought to be doing – adopt a note of humility, sit still and listen. Now is the time to pay heed, now is the time to rid ourselves of worldly vanities, now is the time to realise that healing can only come from accepting the wounds that man has caused through a combination of corporate greed, wilful blindness and a failure to see that everything is interdependent. Humanity has to seize the moment. If we don’t, then this would be a great disservice to the many thousands who will die as a result of this virus.

Hope tempered with romantic idealism is a beautiful thing. Hope tempered with compassionate understanding is even better. As long as we hold on to the idea that something good can grow from this catastrophe and actively reshape the way in which we engage with the planet, then all is not lost. It isn’t merely a coincidence that this pandemic should strike at a time when it is patent for anyone who can see that we are living in a time of great peril. Our bodies are under attack just as earth has been under attack in recent years; the two cannot be divided. We are of the natural world, not aloof from it. Those of us who were previously distant and apathetic need to absorb this imperishable truth: every action has a reaction. How we recover from this will be inextricably connected to how we deal with the climate emergency.

It is only by coming together, recognising that the world is not simply a commodity to be plundered, and putting our various intelligences together, that a better world will emerge. Come together with a burning desire to make things better, come together in hope and not in despair, come together in love and not in hate. Let’s make the most of this turning point and see this as an opportunity to create a sustainable, healthy and flourishing planet for everybody. Once we get this pandemic under control, let’s zoom in on ourselves, create a new consciousness, and reaffirm the idea that humanity and nature can live and thrive in mutual accord. Otherwise, humanity may as well cease to be.