A Unifying Vision

I was re-reading the Statement on Baha'u'llah and was struck by the first sentence:

“As the new millennium approaches, the crucial need of the human race is to find a unifying vision of the nature of man and society.”

A unifying vision. What does that mean? What would a unifying vision of the nature of man look like?

Right now we have a bunch of different views of the nature of man: In economics, we humans are defined as consumers, self-interested deal-seekers. Psychology views us as beings motivated by our unconscious desires. Biology defines us by our physical and chemical make-up. Medicine sees diseases that need to be cured. Business characterizes us as customers with money to spend. Government considers us taxpayers. Politicians court us as voters to be swayed to their point of view. Schools see us as empty vessels to be filled with knowledge.

But we know we are so much more than that. We love our children. We care for our neighbors. We volunteer for local and international causes. We give blood and donate money. We live, love, breathe, serve and strive. We ponder mysteries and seek to understand ourselves and others.

These are all spiritual activities.

What would happen if we were to view ourselves as spiritual beings first and secondly as consumers, producers, customers, taxpayers, voters and students?

How would our economics change? How would our schools be different? What would business be like? How would our healthcare support us? What kind of government would we create?

How would we act differently?

Hollow Reed

This morning I was reflecting on a line from a prayer:

"…make me a hollow reed, from which the pith of self hath been blown, that I may become a pure channel through with Thy love may flow to others."

I immediately saw an image of pure water flowing through a green reed and I realized that the reed stays green and flexible because the water nourishes it as t passes through to feed others.

That love takes many forms. It is creativity. When my "self" is quiet and calm, that creative energy just flows through me. I know what to say. I know how to put the words together. I suddenly solve a sticky problem, I discover a new design for the jacket I'm making. When I become the hollow reed, the creativity flows through me and takes physical form in the things I produce.

That love is also money. When my inner chatter calms down and I remember there is enough--enough for everyone--the money flows through my life too. The check comes in. The next job shows up. There's money and work to spread around. I can invest in others who are doing great work too. When I become the hollow reed, money flows through my life, nourishing me and those around me.

And that love is love. When I focus on doing my own inner work, on getting my "self" out of the way, I see the people around me more clearly. And they are beautiful! When I become the hollow reed, the love flows through me, nourishing me and it brings joy to hose around me.

Movement of Movements

How many organizations can you name that are dedicated to making the world better? Twenty, 100, 150? Did you know there are over 10 million worldwide? That's 10,000,000 organzations whose mission is to address the pressing needs of the day!

Never in the history or the planet have ordinary people organized themselves in such numbers. Paul Hawken, in his book Blessed Unrest, describes the phenomenon as humanity's immune response to the dire threats facing the human race.

Hundreds of millions of people, perhaps billions are dedicating their time, their money and their talent to address the issues of the day: poverty, social justice, environmental degradation, children's rights, racial equality, and much more.

When asked if he is pessimistic or optimistic about the future, Hawken replies: "If you look at the science that describes what is happening on earth today and aren't pessimistic, you don't have the correct data. If you meet the people in this unnamed movement and aren't optimistic, you haven't got a heart."

Not only can we do something about the world condition, there are millions, perhaps billions of people who already are doing something.

Can you imagine what we can accomplish?

Check out WiserEarth for a glimpse of what is happening.

Bilal Mosque

I went to the mosque today. Such wonderful people!

After 9/11, the community of the Bilal Mosque in Beaverton, OR realized they needed to reach out to the larger community and let people know that not all Muslims are bent on violence. So every year on September 11, they hold an open house where people can come and meet Muslims, ask questions, enjoy delicious food, and make friends.

The graciousness of these people, their tolerance and acceptance of all who step through their doors, and the curiosity and gratitude of the guests were such a powerful demonstration of the human spirit. Again and again the hosts were thanked for their courage and initiative in holding the event.

Channel 8 showed up. There were newspaper articles on the display table about Jewish-Muslim collaboration efforts.

While the nightly news may focus on the violence and tension in the world, there are people everywhere who are quietly working toward peace and understanding.

Thank you Bilal Mosque. You are indeed a ray of hope.

The Power of Joy

When I am joyful, I listen better. I can slow down and enjoy things more. And I discover that what needs to get done does get done. And it gets done at a deeper level.

I look my child in the eyes and I really see her. I hear what she's working on and processing. I see how she's becoming and what and who she's becoming.

I slow down and my work flows, rather than having to force it. When my heart is joyful, I sleep better. When I'm more rested, it's easier to be joyful.

Joy is not a feeling, although I do feel happy. It's more like a state of being—like moving from solid to liquid to air. How do I get there? I don't quite know. I'll need to be more observant.

The Power of Trees

How do you feel when you walk into the building where you work? Are you welcomed with daylight and a pleasant view? We all know that would make us feel better about coming to work. Now there is movement in the architecture and design industry to bring these elements into buildings more, to design buildings for the people who inhabit them. I went to hear Judith Heerwagen, Ph.D. talk at the Cascadia Region Green Building Council last week about the progress that's being made in this direction. The thing that fascinated me the most, though, were the studies on how connection to nature affects people.

In Europe, there are hospitals with working gardens where convalescing or long-term patients can get out and dig in the dirt and help tend the plants. They are discovering a notable improvement among Alzheimer's patients - more interaction and improved memory. Those who knew how to garden before they had Alzheimer's retain that knowledge - they know exactly what to do and how to do it. What a boost to the self-esteem! Even among those that weren't gardeners, getting out and digging in the dirt is helping them talk more and interact with the people around them.

The effect of nature on children is quite dramatic. In Chicago, they discovered that in high rise apartment complexes where there were large trees with benches underneath, the crime rate was reduced, aggression was reduced and there was an improvement in community bonds. Among the children, there was a reduction in symptoms of hyperactivity and ADD. With a pleasant place to sit outside, people came out, let their children play, got to know their neighbors and started looking out for each other. Chicago is now engaging in the biggest tree planting effort ever.

One playground in Seattle had the typical big play structure, but it also had a bunch of bushes where the kids could crawl in and look out without being seen. The bushes were by far the most popular - those that didn't get there first were relegated to the play structure. And the behavior was decidedly different. The kids in the bushes engaged in less aggressive play, more imaginative play. To the boys, the bushes were a spaceship, to the girls, a castle. A stick became a wand, a sword, a stirring spoon, a scepter. Imaginative play is the most important play for cognitive development. Pretending is vital for kids - it's how they process what they are learning.

When I left the lecture and went outside, I discovered across the street was a park-like passageway between apartment buildings to the next street. I didn't necessarily need to go to the next street, but I was drawn to that space and just had to walk through it. It was full of trees, bushes, and flowers. There was a winding path with benches along it. I felt rejuvenated just passing through and suddenly realized I was smiling. What would our cities be like if every neighborhood had such a place? If every office, every apartment had a view of a tree?

Where are the Youth?

Tears came to my eyes as I watched them—youth and adults, standing shoulder to shoulder, singing about 'everyday heroes.' I suddenly realized how rare this was. When was the last time you saw kids involved in a 'serious' event? Yet, here at the Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration, the young people were integrated into the entire program: the youth choir, the 9th grader who won the essay contest, the college students who created a video presentation on Dr. King and his life.

Not only the kids, but their families were involved too, younger siblings watching from the audience. The pastor, welcoming everyone to her church, particularly welcomed the children: "If you feel the need to squirm, we understand. We are glad you are here."

What a difference it made! We saw in these kids' commitment and creativity the hope that is keeping Dr. King's dream alive. When our children are involved, our own salvation seems possible.

So why do we keep the children separate? The business conference I went to last week, almost by accident, learned the value of including the arts. What would happen if they involved students?

Think of all the meetings and events you've been to - how would they be different if children were involved? What would happen if a 10-year-old attended the board meeting?

How would our decisions be different if we had to explain them to a kid?