Birth Pains of a New Planet

Photograph © 2015 Peggy Kornegger
Photograph © 2015 Peggy Kornegger

The daily news is full of distressing world events. Terrorist attacks, lockdowns, drones, guns, and the targeting of entire religions, races, or nationalities as enemies. Racism, homophobia, violence against women, bullying—these too are pervasive. There is no doubt that much of the planet is living through turmoil. Many people are reacting within themselves to this turmoil, experiencing chronic depression, emotional upheaval, or physical/mental breakdown. In one way or another, we are all affected by events in the world and in the lives of those we care about. Still, beneath those events is the transformative energy of a planet in transition. The old age and the new age are engaged in a vibrational dance-off, and something entirely new is being born. The planet’s vibration is shifting radically, and our vibrations are shifting right along with it. Yes, change can be unsettling and frightening, but it also can be exhilarating and hopeful.

We hear lots about fear, violence, and conflict at both the global and the individual levels; yet, that is not all that exists. Stories of compassion, courage, mutual aid, and loving-kindness are under-reported, but they occur, as do stories about the spirit of people in the midst of crisis. The website Positive News (http://www.positivenewsus.org/) posts less-publicized accounts of the lives and experiences of people around the world who are taking positive action for peace, harmony, and global oneness. These are individuals and groups who live love day to day in their homes and communities as they step out of separation and embrace others as sisters and brothers. In that embrace is the beginning of the end of “otherness.” Through compassionate action, sharing, kindness, and mutual regard, these people are making a difference in the world. Small scale becomes large scale person by person.

The extreme polarities (love/hatred, war/peace, oneness/separation) that we are seeing now are all part of the planetary shift Earth is experiencing. No matter what you see in the external world or in the media, something greater is being birthed on our planet. At the deepest level, it is the full expression of love itself, the complete embodiment of spirit in human form, and the conscious awareness of the divinity that lives within each of us. That may sound like spiritual nonsense or utterly utopian and unrealistic when you look around at the anguish so prevalent in the world or in the lives of those we love. Still, ancient cultures have foreseen and spoken of this time. It’s not just wishful thinking or uninformed naiveté. The wisdom of elders in many cultures tells us that “now is the time” and “we are the ones we’ve been waiting for.”

This past Christmas Eve, I watched a late-night program called “May Peace Prevail on Earth.” Broadcast nationally and viewable online, it was organized by the United Religions Initiative and was meant to be a bridge between those of varied religions, spiritual beliefs, cultures, and backgrounds. The diversity of those participating was both impressive and grounded in a visible sense of community among those speaking, singing, dancing, offering prayers, and lighting candles. To me, it was a hopeful sign, that there are more and more people and groups dedicated to oneness and community instead of divisiveness and separation.

So if you listen to the mainstream news, don’t forget that it’s not the whole story. Those who pay for these newscasts benefit from keeping people uninformed, fearful, and powerless. We don’t have to buy into that reality. We can choose to love one another. That’s how a new planet is birthed. It may not be easy or clean or quick, but eventually, something miraculous appears. A new planet is being born, and we are the midwives. We are the newborn as well. In the midst of chaos, new life comes into being, and new being comes to life. Each of us is a miracle moving down the birth canal to emerge onto a light-filled planet, full of infinite possibility.

 

Lose Your Mind, Open Your Heart!

kornegger-loseyourmind-cover-front-finalWith the publication of my new book Lose Your Mind, Open Your Heart—Limitless Love on an Evolving Planet, I would like to share a short excerpt here to give everyone a taste of what it is about. The book is based on my belief that it is the love in our collectively opening hearts that will help us create a world that is truly livable as we move through this key time of global transformation. We can no longer afford to rely solely on the mind’s solutions without the balancing vision of the heart. In every single area of our lives, love is the answer. Indeed, it is the answer to every question we could possible ask in this lifetime.

In Chapter 2, “Irrational, Illogical, Crazy Mad Love,” I write about love’s power, which is much greater than we can know with our minds:

Love is not logical, linear, or politically correct. It is not the reasoned argument that will win a political debate in the U.S. Congress or United Nations. It’s not the point-by-point rational presentation of facts meant to persuade an intransigent opponent. Love won’t convince anyone of anything on the level of the mind. It comes from an entirely different place, and therein lies its power.

Love is all heart. It’s a no-brainer. Love is what you feel, not what you think. It’s a hug, a small kindness, a hand held, a sympathetic word, a single tear rolling down the cheek. Love is emotion, moving through us, wanting to be expressed, celebrated, and shared. Love is pure life force, the heart’s intelligence, the soul’s voice in the world. The mind can grasp love as a concept, but it can’t actually experience it. And it is through experience that we know ourselves, our neighbors, and life itself. When we love, we open the door to our hearts and welcome life with appreciation and gratitude instead of hesitation or apprehension. The mind pauses and weighs all the options; the heart just loves without reason or purpose….

Living soulfully in the world, conscious spirit in physical form, is the true meaning of this time of unprecedented change on the planet. Our soul selves are pure love, unique and unrepeatable, and we are here on Earth to shine our luminous individuality into every part of our lives. Each of us holds the key to personal/planetary transformation within our hearts. Imagine a world in which limitless love leads the way—and live in it! Be outrageous! Be crazy! Defy the status quo and the reasonable voices that say, “That won’t work.” Love everyone, even those who everyone else hates. Love the world into wholeness, one person, one sentient being, at a time.

Throughout the book, I give examples of groups and individuals who are living from their hearts (including my inspiring friend and favorite planetary catalyst Panache Desai). A peaceful planet based in loving kindness is possible. And it becomes more and more possible as each person makes the choice to live love in their own lives.

Lose Your Mind, Open Your Heart can be ordered from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other online booksellers. Love from my heart to yours….

Transformation 2012

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Photographs © 2012 Peggy Kornegger
“And I dreamed I saw the bombers
Riding shotgun in the sky,
And they were turning into butterflies
Above our nation.”—Joni Mitchell

The dream of a more peaceful, compassionate, and loving world has been with us from time out of mind, but perhaps never more powerfully imprinted on global consciousness than during this year, 2012. Maya elders and other indigenous peoples, as well as visionaries from all cultures, have spoken of the beginning of a new cycle of light and possibility. As 2012 draws to a close, and human beings on Planet Earth begin to realize the extent of the monumental changes before us, the way we view everything will shift. To me, the key word for this time, and for the coming years, is transformation.

As I look back on the year, I see countless moments of transformation, both in my own life and in the lives of others, even in the face of great challenges. My/our consciousness is cracking wide open, and the light is pouring in. What is particularly amazing to me is that I also saw these moments reflected in the natural world around me, specifically in the appearance of butterflies. Butterflies are often viewed as one of the most powerful symbols of metamorphosis and transformation: metamorphosis—the caterpillar breaking through the chrysalis to become a radiant, colorful being of light; transformation—humans breaking through the density of form to emerge into the light of higher consciousness. In 2012, butterflies came flying into my life in unexpected numbers and varieties.

IMG_0209In May, I participated in an online live video and interactive chat session with Panache Desai and hundreds of people globally. Positive messages of love and hope popped up from all over the planet—human voices merging in the manifested dream of a world “living as one.” My heart filled with joy as I felt the transformative energy radiating outwards. The next day, when I walked out my front door, a cloud of Red Admiral butterflies filled the air, landing on flowering bushes and on my arms and legs as well. Everywhere I looked were butterflies, and this continued for several days, unlike anything I had ever witnessed here in Massachusetts. I could not help but make a connection between the human event I had just taken part in and the highly unusual butterfly explosion. Both were sheer magic, each reflecting the other.

IMG_0639The magic continued in July after I attended  Panache’s “Awakening Your Authentic Soul Signature” at Omega in Rhinebeck, New York. Our entire group experienced personal breakthroughs and collective shifts during the week, and I truly felt as if my soul self had emerged in new, more expansive ways.* Upon my return home, American Beauty butterflies began to show up in increasingly large numbers in my back yard. Each day, the energy of the dancing butterflies was infectious. As they fluttered and zoomed around the yard, my spirit was flying right along with them!

The third butterfly event occurred in September after I attended a gathering with Maya elders in western Massachusetts, which included a powerful traditional Maya fire ceremony. The elders’ teachings combined with the fire ceremony made for an inspiring and uplifting four days. Once again, after I returned home, a large group of butterflies appeared in my back yard. This time it was orange-and-black monarchs, floating majestically through the air and landing on the purple flowers of the butterfly bush. As they danced all around and above me, their magnificence was beyond awe-inspiring. Tears rolled down my cheeks at the beauty. Was this yet another reflection? No doubt in my heart or mind.

So is 2012 the beginning of something as miraculous and beautiful as butterflies dancing on the wind? Are we co-creating a new Planet Earth when we come together in love and the openhearted desire to live in oneness and light? The challenges of being human have kept us trapped in suffering and sorrow for millennia—can we break free? The butterflies show us the transformative possibilities; they reflect the beauty of our infinitely expanding souls back to us. If we allow our hearts to fly with them, anything we envision becomes possible. May we step into 2013 trusting in the power of our own transformation.

*See previous blog posts “Birth Day” and “Rainbow Child.”

Mud in Your Eyes

Photograph © 2012 Peggy Kornegger

What do you do when life events hit you hard, knocking you to the ground, facedown in the mud? When you lose your job, your home, or your health? When a hurricane, flood, or other environmental disaster devastates your city or town? Does “oneness” or “universal love” have any relevance in a world full of pain and suffering? Having faced job loss, financial uncertainty, and health challenges myself in recent years, I know there are no simple answers to such difficult questions.

Some events, like birth and death, are part of all life cycles on Earth, but others, like war, economic turmoil, or global warming, are linked to human constructs and beliefs. We live on a planet currently experiencing extreme polarity and imbalance. Yet, within this seemingly chaotic tension, there is a glimmer of hope. The dissolution of rigid hierarchical forms that do not serve all of humanity is on the rise, and possibilities that did not exist in the past are coming to the forefront of human consciousness. We are finding the will to survive, and prevail, in our relationships with one another.

If you turn aside from the mainstream-media interpretation of world events and look instead at local community alternatives grounded in acknowledgment of the connection between all beings, you will see a new Planet Earth being born. If you pay attention to the lesser-known stories about individuals and groups stepping up to help others in life-threatening circumstances or dire need, you will witness compassion in action. We have not reached critical mass as yet, but the energy of transformation is expanding daily.

Countless people around the globe have envisioned and worked tirelessly for this transformation, and continue to do so. It takes tremendous courage to see clearly both what is and what is possible and remain centered in hope and love. But it is what we are being called to do at this time. If we don’t do it, who will? We stand at the very edge of possibility. We hold a vision of universal loving-kindness and generosity of spirit in our hearts. We truly are the change we wish to see in the world.

As the saying goes, it only takes one candle to light the darkness. We are that light, each of us and all of us. Loss is part of life, but love makes it bearable. Even when we bow our heads in sorrow or pain, we are never really alone. Look up, wipe away the muddy tears, and see the light of those who share the Earth path with you and who may be experiencing exactly what you are. Reach out to a stranger, and you may discover a commonality that bridges all seeming differences. It is oneness and universal love that creates that miracle of connection.

 

New-Earth Day

“A new heaven is the emergence of a transformed state of human consciousness, and a new earth is its reflection in the physical realm.”—Eckhart Tolle

Forty-two years ago, the first Earth Day was celebrated on April 22, 1970. It was the beginning of a long journey back to fully recognizing our planet as our mother, our home. Our energy, our consciousness, and our ultimate destiny are inextricably interwoven with that of Mother Earth. Humans have strayed so far from that awareness, lost in the extremes of separation and denial. Yet, slowly we are making our way back to seeing our oneness—our oneness with all living beings and our oneness with the planet we call home.

Some may look around and see only disaster and suffering—global warming, human destruction of the environment, the callous attitudes of corporate and political leaders. Still, there are ever-widening cracks in the facade of business as usual. People, young and old, are gathering together to bring about life-affirming change, in spite of the forces set against them. People are speaking out against the proliferation of chemicals in the food we eat, against the uncurbed killing of trees for timber, against the unnecessary dependence on fossil fuels for energy, against the loss of habitat and wilderness. Countless groups are working to bring our planet back to full alignment with its blue splendor and green magnificence.

One such group is Trees, Water & People (www.treeswaterpeople.org). Their stated goal is to “improve people’s lives by helping communities to protect, conserve, and manage the natural resources upon which their long-term well-being depends.” Specifically, their work includes a fuel-efficient, forest-saving cookstove program, community-led reforestation projects, a tribal renewable energy program, and watershed health programs. The Organic Consumers Association is another dynamic grass-roots public interest group (http://www.organicconsumers.org). They are concerned with issues of food safety, industrial agriculture, genetic engineering, fair trade, and environmental sustainability. Their over one million members take part in campaigns to urge public officials and politicians to address matters of concern to local and global communities, such as labeling genetically modified foods and stopping the pervasive use of pesticides, herbicides, etc.

Thousands of other groups and millions of individuals are now participating in the co-creation of a new Earth, one in which humans no longer heedlessly destroy the very environment that sustains them. The wisdom of indigenous peoples who have traditionally thought of the impact of their actions upon generations yet to come is finally approaching critical mass in the collective world consciousness. We still have so much yet to do, but looking back over 42 years, what we have achieved together is no small feat.

Celebrate Earth Day this year by buying organic vegetables and fruit at local farmers markets or food coops, taking part in a local tree-planting activity, or asking two or three friends to help you pick up trash in a local park. Attend an Earth Day celebration near your home and learn about all the community activities available to help our planet in small and large ways. You can also visit global online sites such as Earth Day Network (www.earthday.org) and participate in projects like their Billion Acts of Green campaign. Finally—take a few moments to look around with conscious awareness and appreciate the extraordinary beauty of our precious home sweet Earth. Happy New-Earth Day!