Meditating on Global Shifts
Lately, I've been feeling off kilter. Cataclysmic events like the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, and the revolutionary violence in countries like Libya have sent my mind into a bit of a spin. A short visit to my Facebook wall showed plenty of evidence that I'm in good company. And it's occurred to me that there's a little more to this feeling of imbalance than an emotional reaction to what's happening halfway across the world. Recent news reports tell us that the earth itself has been pushed off its axis.
According to geophysicists, the powerful quake appears to have moved the main island of Japan by 8 feet and shifted the position of the earth's axis about 6.5 inches. That means that the temblor's force moved parts of eastern Japan as much as 12 feet closer to North America. Experts also say that the event also should have caused Earth to rotate somewhat faster, shortening the length of the day by about 1.8 microseconds, he said.
No wonder I feel like things are askew. I believe that everything in this world is intricately interconnected. So it makes sense that what's affecting the whole system would be bothering me on a microcosmic level.
Most of us have been programmed to respond to any kind world tragedy by taking actions, for instance, making donations, going to the scene of the tragedy to pitch in and help, or even posting charity information on Facebook.
The problem is, it's getting harder and harder to make an impact. With so many horrific things happening all over the world, events seem hopelessly beyond our control. It's like the fabric of the universe has been torn to pieces, and we're standing on the precipice with a needle and thread, wondering how on earth we're going to be able to hand-stitch it back together.
The truth is, we can't. That's why I'm proposing a different approach. There's an old saying that "the universe helps those who help themselves." So while it might seem crazy or selfish, I'm turning that saying on its head and helping the universe by helping myself. And I'm going to do it by meditating.
See, I figure, if the macro-universe can affect the micro-universe, than it also works the other way around. And I know from my 20-plus year practice that meditation makes me a better person. Calmer. Less reactive and more proactive. I know that meditating helps me make better choices about my own behavior. It makes me more empathic.This in turn, affects the way people respond to me.
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