Where do we go from here?


Wonder if we look, inside our hearts, exactly what
We’d find
Or Maybe we could take a lot of pain away
Yeah
Or maybe we could heal the world today
Yeah
Or maybe, you know, something, I don’t, if you do then

Tell me    
Where do we go from here
Where do we go from here
Where do we go from here

                                                   Chris Rene, American Singer

A few weeks back I had watched the limited coverage of the national convention of the Chinese Communist Party. Rows and rows of party leaders listening and taking notes as a new leader Mr. Xi Jinping took over China’s leadership. With China’s flagging growth, Mr. Jinping is widely expected to provide his vision of the Chinese economic and living standards growth going forward.

The current UPA Government in India seems to be on its last legs and is frantically trying to reverse the ominous dip in GDP growth rates through desperate reform measures. While the jury is still out on the short-term impact of these “big ticket” reforms, it is obvious that no coalition or party can come back to power without a proven record of economic and consumption growth.

This story repeats in country after country in the developing world. Per capita growth, higher standards of living, endless availability of goods and services seems to be the universal mantra. The flickering images on the LCD panels, the endless sitcoms on myriad channels instigate us to go for that I phone 5. Or a fine dining experience. Or hanker for that newly launched car or luxury home. Our ability to consume, to pander to whims and fancies is seen as our success and growth.

But what happens when the two and a half billion folks from China and India come onto the field and want to play ball? What happens when the Chinese and Indians turn around to ask, “Hey you guys in the west, you followed your own American dream for more than a century. Now it’s our turn.”

Thomas Friedman did allude to this in his best seller ‘The World is Flat” but  said it in the context of Globalisation and a world view of a level playing field allowing everyone  an equal opportunity. Methinks however that the far more critical issue is the emerging stress on sustainability. The strain on our planet to continue to produce in pace with the exponentially rising consumption. To put it bluntly, mankind is well on course to strip this planet dry. Do see my earlier post “We need a second planet by 2030” in which consequences of mindless growth and consumption have been discussed.

So where do we go from here?

We need a shift in perspective and mindset. The twentieth century dream of conspicuous consumption cannot remain a role model any longer. This needs to be revisited, reviewed, redefined. We need to be able to answer the following.

“What really is personal prosperity, what constitutes our success?”

“Does success necessarily have to come from ownership and self-aggrandizement?”

“Could our hunger for access to better products and services be satiated, not necessarily by owning, but by sharing?”

This of course is easier said than done. We remain conditioned to acquire and own for our psychological security and comfort. This harks back to days of yore when scarcity and competing for scarce resources was the norm. This mindset continues even though access and availability is on a different plane. In our mind, Owning signifies upward mobility and prestige, of having arrived in a brave new world of capitalism. While Sharing is looked down upon as the vestige of a failed experiment called socialism.

Clearly a tectonic shift in perspective is called for. In a different context in “Age of Discontinuity and the Chinese Shi”, I had brought up the aspect of the Shi mindset which eschews the heaviness of resource ownership. Could this be a perspective that may be needed today?

I think of this and wonder who could play a catalysing role. Political leaders? Opinion makers? Media? What could be the trigger for them to buy-in and play such a role?

The good news is that technology and engineering acumen exists to achieve the above shift. Through better public transportation, better residential spaces with higher density, superior services delivery and energy efficiency, better use of public spaces, better reuse of stuff which we tend to throw away etc.The other great opportunity is of more and more “have not” folks gaining access to products and services which till now have been out of their reach.

Could this be the moment when the best tenets of Capitalism and Socialism coalesce and synergise to open up the path to sustainability?

In Learning………                                        Shakti Ghosal

 Acknowledgement: The World is flat A brief history of the twenty-first century: Thomas Friedman, 2005.

Author: Shakti Ghosal

* A PCC Credentialed Executive Coach mentor and trainer for leaders & performance. * A qualified engineer and a PGDM (Faculty Gold medalist) from IIM Bangalore. * Four decades of industry experience spanning Engineering, Maintenance, Projects, Consumer durables, Supply Chains, Aviation and Tourism. * Top level management positions to drive business development, strategy, alliances all around the globe. * A visiting faculty at the IIMs. *A passion to envision trends & disseminate Leadership incubation globally. www.empathinko.in , * www.linkedin.com/in/Shaktighosal. shakti.ghosal@gmail.com . +91 - 9051787576

56 thoughts on “Where do we go from here?”

  1. Shakti, the humanness in being a human is the main strife and your poem is well manifested. What a piercing poem ! Cheers.

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  3. You have touched upon another very worrying aspect of our society. On the one hand it is heartening to see ‘everyone’ clamouring for ‘good’ education. But I have always wondered how our country – and China – can cope with such a vast number of upwardly mobile, educated youth who aim for everything the west has enjoyed so far. How will the world feed their dreams? Leaders with vision are the need of the hour, sadly I don’t spy any in the horizon, in India at least. Call me a pessimist, but I am afraid things will have to get a lot worse before they can get any better 😦

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    1. Delighted to see your comment Madhu. The irony is that so few folks can take the time out of life’s rat race to ask what the rat race is really about.

      Being a pessimist or otherwise is , at the end of the day, a perception we carry.I guess at that very moment we need to ask our own selves what is it we could do? Again I come to the aspect of taking responsibility. I believe this is the only way forward and as more and more folks morph into this mindset, change would become visible.

      Cheers, I appreciate you for your presence here.

      Shakti

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  4. Moving , powerful, truly an eye opening for 2013. This new year, so many things we need to heal and overcome. It’s also a year of starting new and picking up the pieces. It’s a year of hope. Great post!

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  5. It has begun Shakti, and whether the awareness is there or not yet (for most people), you and I both feel the connectivity that is occurring around the planet. Thank you for being who and how you are, my friend! Just knowing you’re a voice of reason and wisdom that people can turn to is so important! Much affection, Penny xx

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    1. Hi Penny,

      Good Morning!

      Yes, more and more people are getting connected and the collective thoughts and intentions are gaining power. Governments and Politicians are getting conscious of this and are trying to shift their responses. All for the good! Whether we would see the realisation of a critical mass of opinion which would propel change in our lifetimes is a moot point. But sure, this change is coming,will come!

      Loved your comment, thank you.

      Shakti

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  7. Hi Shakti, a Dreamwalker gets around eventually..

    ” Where do we go from Here?”
    Only forward… if we search for our answers Within… for thats the place we really need to cultivate.. Our hearts,. as we learn to move forward as One..

    Wishing you a Joyous Season.. and sending you and your family all the very best for 2013…
    ~Sue

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  8. Shakti, forgive me for being so very late to come by. Not only are your own words probing but each of your commenters as well. There is a particular sect of worshiping of money here in the US. It is what propels so many from the top on down.

    I believe that our real ills stem from a universal lack (in the US) of spiritual growth. We are not only our physiques, our minds, our emotions but also we are our spirits. It is the spirit that can best guide the mind but the spirit must be developed in order to do so. It is really not developed here. It is greatly lacking. And there in lies the primary imbalance. And when I mention the spirit … I speak not of religion.

    This is a wonderful piece/peace. Thank you Shaki, it gave me pleasure to visit.

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    1. Hi Raven,

      Thank you for your visit and kind words.Indeed if there is an imbalance between our spiritual and materialistic aspects of life, our actions would never be in harmony with our community and environment. Delighted you have brought up this aspect here.

      Cheers and God bless.

      Shakti

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  9. sustainability and energy efficiency are def. things we have to think about..and not only think but also do steps in the right direction…many companies have already changed course, there are lots of environmental audits and i think it is developing into a good direction …but still lots of things to do and change..we def. need a shift in perspective and mindset

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    1. Hi Claudia,

      Sorry for the delay in my responding but I had been travelling. To me what possibly matters even more than external attempts at sustainability and adoption of technology to achieve higher energy efficiency, is a shift in our perspective regarding “ownership” To me this is at the core of our problems.

      Thank you for commenting Claudia.

      Shakti

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  10. Now that is food for thought… What will happen where do we go .. I think the damage is already done and it is too hard to reverse back.. but what we can do is slow the damage ..

    I can understand india and china would want to have there time now But I just hope it is done sensibly if at all

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    1. Yes, Bikramjit, you are right. While it may not be right to deprive folks from the lifestyle they dream of, we need to instil the consciousness of sustainability. And then hope that good sense prevails.

      Thank you, I appreciate your presence here.

      Shakti

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  11. Sir,

    Humans are incapable of sharing on a larger scale. A few who do, are exceptions rather than a rule. We shall either continue to advance technologically enough to churn out more from the same resources and keep the doomsday at bay or shall perish. I fear the latter but hope the former shall happen.

    Just 30 years ago, few, if any of us, had an airconditioner at home, maybe one or two coolers at best. Today, those who can afford would have an AC in every room. Those who don’t aspire for it. Ask any or even better be the first to set an example of living without an AC and bet everybody would backout.

    We are good at asking for sacrifices, as long as the sacrifice is made by others. Few practice what they preach.

    So, for me the only solution lies in technological progress. Somewhere down the line, humans shall perish too, become extinct just like many other species before us. I do not see any special reason why we are destined to rule the planet forever into eternity, no reason to believe we are the chosen ones. In fact, perhaps the chosen ones are the cockroaches.

    Regards,
    Gaurav
    Sent from BlackBerry® on Airtel

    From Lounge session YAHOO group

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    1. Hi Gaurav,

      Hi Gaurav,

      My guess is we would continue to “advance technologically” if that phrase means better optimisation, utilisation of resources available at our command and higher levels of productivity. My problem is that I cannot conceive of technology that can reverse the trend of fast depletion of finite resources.Your example of the life style change over a span of 30 years only reiterates this argument.

      I really like your end-game perspective.Indeed who are to assume we are the chosen ones? The Universe knows its only perennial companions to be Space, Time and probably as you have mentioned cockroaches.

      Thanks
      Shakti Ghosal.

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      1. Sir,

        I have often felt the same; food for example for a population that’s set to cross 8 billion, water, oil etc. But on the other hand technological advances too are amazing. Some ideas, not yet anywhere near success appear crazy today, but may well end up realistic tomorrow.

        I was amazed to read about NASA’s project for a warp drive (hopefully not a hoax). Could a star trek be a reality? Some people are thinking of mining asteroids, there is gentleman who proposes to set up a colony on Mars. Oil which was supposed at one point of time supposed to be enough just to last into part of the 21st century, is now likely to go into the 22nd. If I am not completely mistaken, there are attempts to artificially create oil, who knows we might actually succeed. The research on dark matter and dark energy, if it succeeds might unlock something beyond our present comprehension. The list goes on and on.

        Humans have so far managed to push the boundaries. Yet I do recognize that we are far too puny when compared to nature. We are as yet powerless in the face of earthquakes, storms, floods, well even against viruses and bacteria. Hence the ever persistent feeling that for all our intelligence, we may be taken by surprise by nature and unprepared for it we may perish. Till then let’s enjoy and celebrate the human spirit for physically, we are amongst the weakest of species, especially looking at our size and yet we have survived and thrived.

        Regards,
        Gaurav

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      2. Hi Gaurav,

        These are great thoughts.Let me also share with you a thought I have been carrying for long, crazy as it might sound.

        Whatever we have seen about the Universe is balance and sustainability. Intelligence is an engine to push the boundaries of such a balance. We are yet a very young species by universal standards. Probabilistic-ally there would have been and should be myriad other intelligences with technologically evolved capabilities to push the “balance boundaries” much more. In a limiting case therefore, such an intelligence should have overcome the balance of the Universe and should have been doing warp drives and much more. How come we have not been able to find evidence of this?

        One may argue that we have existed only for a mere blink in terms of Universal time and need to give ourselves more time and leeway for such awareness and knowledge. This could indeed be true. On the other hand could it also be that intelligence, by its very nature and propensity to disturb the balance of the Universe and nature, may be a “cancerous growth” in the overall scheme of things and thus can exist only for brief periods till it self- destructs and the Universal balance is sustained.

        Could this be the reason why there is no evidence of really old and advanced intelligences?

        Thoughtfully yours

        Shakti Ghosal ’74

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      3. Sir,

        The answer here is probability of “them” finding “us”. We took a long time to even find an exo-planet. That too, one whose size was sufficiently bigger (Earth standards) to cause the stellar wobble.

        Secondly, our ability to recognise external events are severely limited due to the sense organs that has evolved with us. Our science has also taken a wrong turn, becoming extremely energy dependent and energy intensive. For example, think of the energy use to make a simple computer (including its raw materials). Compare it with the human brain (itself a computer) made out of common food as raw material and at room temperature. Similarly, the spider’s web, ten times stronger than steel and made from similar raw material at room temperature.

        Next, we come to the matter of dimensions. Our species “know” (using our God gifted senses, not mathematics) only of three, where (domain) we can deal with “verifiable data”.

        Let us first understand the physiology of “Turriptosis Nutrecula”, the truly immortal species on our planet. As they say in the movie “Talash”; the answer lies within.

        Regards,

        Saibal Bose

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      4. Dear Saibal,

        You are right, the answer surely lies within.But that “drill down” competence assisted by awareness is part of our evolution. And we remain a “new kid on the block”species.

        To me there is no right or wrong turn in science. It is all about the enquiring attitude and a philosophy embracing possibilities that we need to hold dear. The journey itself then becomes what matters, no judgement becomes necessary about the direction.

        Cheers and all the best.

        Shakti Ghosal’ 74

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  12. The simple definition of globalization is the interweaving of markets, technology, information systems, and telecommunications networks in a way that is shrinking the world from a size medium to a size small. It began decades ago, but accelerated dramatically over the past 10 years, as the price of computing power fell and the world became an ever-more densely interconnected place. People resist this shift — see, for example, the G8 protests of 2001 (one of the bloodiest uprisings in recent European history) or the recent rioting in Pittsburgh at this year’s G20 conference—because they think it primarily benefits big business elites to the detriment of everyone else. But globalization didn’t ruin the world—it just flattened it. And on balance that can benefit everyone, especially the poor. Globalization has pulled millions of people out of poverty in India and China, and multiplied the size of the global middle class. It has raised the global standard of living faster than that at any other time in the history of the world, and it is supporting astounding growth. All world economic activity was valued at $7 trillion in 1950. That’s equal to how much growth took place over just the past decade, even including the recent downturn. Whatever people’s fears of change, globalization is here to stay—and, if properly managed, it will be a good thing.

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    1. At the outset do accept my apologies for the delay in my responding.Strangely your comment had got pused into the spam folder and I could see and recover it just now.

      Of course Globalisation is a great trend holding the capacity to meet the aspirations of the billions of “have-nots” in the world.The issue I am concerned with is the stress on sustainability which Globalisation might inadvertantly fuel.

      I appreciate your taking the time to visit and comment, thank you.

      Shakti

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  13. You are one of those most thoughtful people anyone can find in this blog world. I confess that, it’s been long since last time I came here. But yes I was missing your thoughtful words. Your observation and their interpretation is wonderful. Thanks for this thought provoking post. It was a great read for me.

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  14. In some ways, we can’t worry about the people who don’t have much wanting more. We have to focus on ourselves, so I agree. We have to change that there is such inequality. And so no one feels depraved and seeks to acquire things to fill that void. We have to heal inside of ourselves, first. Our sense of inadequacies, so that there is no longing. For anyone.

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    1. Yes Jodi, you are so right.We need to heal ourselves from within. For it would be out of this healing that consciousness for sustainability would flow. As we gain this consciousness, we become stakeholders of our planet.

      I loved your comment, thank you.

      Shakti

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  15. Yes, I fully agree about the emerging stress on sustainability. Companies are changing their policies, becoming environment friendly, making judicious use of available resources. But, what is the government doing? Preaching but never practicing. Filling their own bellies out of the poor men’s money.

    Does the UPA Government have any chance for survival in the next election?
    If they do, up to what extent? Any thought on it?

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    1. Hi Ramu,

      The focus of my post was to really explore options available to us to mitigate the stress on sustainability.You are right when you say that there is consciousness amongst organisations and people and that is a great first step.My sense is that this would, over time, put pressure on Governments to adopt more environmental friendly and sustainable policies.

      Thank you for your kind comment here.

      Shakti

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  17. I like your conclusion about what I perceive as an intrinsic mull of the best of capitalism and socialism, but don’t tell that to a large balance of my country’s people! We have some very hard heads over here in la-la-land, stubbornly refusing to recognize the warning signs at the twelfth hour (forget the eleventh!) that things do, will and must change. We have greedily gobbled up the world’s resources beyond any imaginings of other nations, and now, dammit, we want our dessert in this endless feast! Shameless.

    It is time for a massive global shift in consciousness to one that levels the playing field for ALL sentient beings, not only westerners, but those in all corners of the globe and for the animals as well. The trees and insects, for heaven’s sake – we have to stop putting every living thing in zoos and parks and trying to rein it in and control it so we can feel safe in their containment. (And let’s, please and thank you forget bombing anyone who threatens the status quo.)

    Am I angry? Hmmmm … I don’t like to admit it, and would rather call it “passionate.” But yes, I’m a bit disgusted with our lack of awareness of cause and effect. With finger-pointing and tongue-clucking. We need to accept responsibility for our part in this, and use our wealth and intellect to devise plans to malama, (Hawaiian for ‘care for’), this incredible planet. To empathize and collaborate rather than to dominate.

    Thanks for the post, Shakti – as always and ever. Peace.

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    1. Hi Bela,

      You always bring in aspects which make me muse some more.( Not that I hate doing that!)

      This planet is the only one we have but as happens with two people living in proximity to each other for long, we take the other for granted.And so it has happened to mother earth unfortunately. It has been rotating and revolving for so long without complaining, most of us are no longer conscious of it. We have got conditioned to live in our own small cocoon- home, car whatever, knowing this is how it has been and believing this is how it will be…. on and on. What will it take to shift us out of this mental groove I wonder? A shock, a jolt but in what form it needs to be?

      Love your presence here, Bela.

      Shakti

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      1. Yes Shakti – I am given to wonder the same – what form will it (NEXT) appear as?We’ve had a global market meltdown and subsequent financial crisis, several earthquakes, disasters, flooding, polar ice caps melting … and though I agree that familiarity leads to a sort of complacency, I can’t help but wonder what it will take for a critical mass to pay attention to the need for change before our dear Mother Earth kicks us out of the playpen 😉

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      2. Hi Bela,

        Believe it or not, I too carry this lurking suspicion that it is but a question of time before the balance of the universe is sustained and all intelligences and civilisations like ours which are ever pushing this balance off centre through the use of technology, self destruct like the way cancer cells do!

        Interestingly, on another closed forum in which I participate, we have been having the same discussion.I will bring that discussion here should you be interested.

        Your comments are always so thoughtful and holistic, you always make my day. Thank you!

        Shakti

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  19. Shakti, thank you for your very thoughtful post. It brings to mind products built with “planned obsolescence” in mind – that they are designed to have a short life so consumers will want to replace them. That is done by either making a shoddy product or producing the “newer, bigger, more fantastic product” to replace it.
    I have a big, old clunker TV – bought it in 1999. Many times, I’ve lusted after the trimmer BIG TVs. But my clunker will remain with me as long as it serves its purpose – bringing a picture into our home via the TV. Others have tossed out perfectly good functioning TVs, only to have bought one that failed after 2 or 3 years.
    You’re right. We do need to get a handle on our materialism and look for sustainable growth and consumption – for the whole planet.

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    1. Hi Judy,

      Planned obsolescence is a great engineering concept and in its successful form can really optimise on economies of scale and production efficiency.While this may help towards avoidance and clutter and wastage, it does lead to an anti-sustainability mindset which you have so beautifully pointed out.

      While in aspects of self-growth, we train our minds to retain those beliefs and values that continue to serve and change only those that no longer do, why is it that we no longer use this approach in the material world? My guess is that too much dollars get spent on media and promotion to allow us maintain a moral and sustainable balance.

      Dear Judy, I appreciate your presence.

      Shakti

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  20. I am not a pessimist but I do hope that the collective world community discovers some of these truths before it is too late. It puzzles me to see those in the U.S. who deny global warming. Do they truly believe this or do they just stick their heads in the sand? Why do so many feel that indulging in consumerism will bring about happiness or success when one need only look around and see the sadness and destruction it has wreaked on so many? So many parents say they want to leave a better world for their children but their very actions seem to suggest otherwise. I am heartened by seeing a shift towards sustainability and living a simpler lifestyle but it seems we have far to go. I am intrigued by the concept of ‘sharing’ as I try to do this in many small ways now. Your blog topics stimulate some much needed dialogue. Thank you for this thought-provoking post.

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    1. Hi LuAnn,

      Yes we need to keep faith in the collective wisdom of the human species.And each one of us need to play a more proactive role.How we are able to harness the positive intentions in this area would remain a challenge.

      Why is there a divergence between what we say and what we do? We say things which we feel are politically correct but inside our beliefs are not in alignment. Getting such an alignment and thereby a genuine buy-in is never easy and can take time. But history has shown that it is always a few early converts who have taken a cause forward till the majority catches on.

      Thank you for a great and stimulating discussion.

      Shakti

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  21. Shakti, a very topical and, at the same time, an age old issue man has pondered over for centuries, and surprisingly, even from the times when consumption and race for ‘ownership’ hadn’t yet turned so visibly rampant and all pervasive. The wise men from the east spoke (and cautioned) of the futility of it all many millennia back…… Not so long ago, Gandhi talked about there being enough for everyone’s need but not their greed…. Can you count the number of fables, poems, songs that we have grown up with – telling the same thing about ‘ownership’ (that ‘when you go, you carry nothing with you’ theme) and the virtues of frugality, simplicity and inner contentedness?…….. Far from tempering our desires and getting a good hold on ourselves, we, through the the ages, have actually hurtled down that down that field with the ever shifting goal post faster and faster……….. Only the range of goodies and the scope of ownership has expanded over time – from a brick house and a few more cows in the shed to homes, cars, stocks, gadgets and all that………. Therefore, we are headed exactly in the same direction for generations and there hasn’t been (and probably won’t be) any course correction……..

    Except for the few elevated souls, for lesser mortals, this realisation dawns on us with age and the ‘wisdom’ it brings in its wake. It is with the benefit of hindsight and the large canvas of experience, that we begin to question if the mad scramble has been really as fulfilling as we had believed it would be….. It is this stage that we begin to wonder if we didn’t miss a trick somewhere in the process……It is then that we begin to sense that a small void in our being, that all our material ‘achievements’ (!) can’t quite fill…………..Every generation has to ‘experience’ this after going through the entire process and the feeling of inadequacy that follows – there are no short cuts to it. No amount of well meant (but most likely to be viewed as patronising or condescending) advise or sermon is going to change that…….. Each generation has to carry its own cross, which it must – for self realisation and to grow!

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    1. Hi Dada,

      What a lovely comment and I need to acknowledge you for bringing up the several relevant aspects in such a direct manner. What you have said are two important aspects. First, that we as a species have always had this acquisition tendencies ( Does this indicate greed or insecurity?) Secondly, we gain the wisdom of “letting go” only later in life and if I may add, when the damage is already done:)

      My concern Dada is that with increased globalisation and access to technology, our demands would become unsustainable. Would that be greed or need?

      Regards

      Shakti

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  22. More and more, I’m hearing people speak publicly about different perceptions, filters and approaches. The past Cdn Ambassador to Jordan, Palestine, etc. just spoke about his counsel being one of inclusivity. Barring Palestine from participating fully as a UN member means we all treat them differently – both covertly and overtly. That is not a step toward peace.

    He’s also saying that the UN cannot tell countries they must be peaceful with another country. It’s essential that we create an environment where the two parties can meet and work out a peace agreement of their own…that they can live with.

    Out of fear, we become punitive. It hasn’t worked well to impose sanctions, rules, barriers or reputations.

    I believe we can change, Shakti. Thank you for writing about this problem. I feel so encouraged.

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    1. My dear Amy,

      The fact that you always bring such great perspectives to the table makes my day.

      Yes indeed, sustainable solutions would happen only if there is a “buy-in” by the stakeholders within a trusting space. Without this the energy to venture into untested waters would just not be there. So yes, inclusivity becomes very important. But Amy, how do we achieve this? Specially when such stressed disparity exists in the world. How do we start taking the baby steps needed?

      Thank you for your presence.

      Shakti

      Shakti

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  23. Thank you for this article… I will definitely be reading your blog again. I find that the more I learn, the more questions I have. I want to share a thought. I was asked to give a 30 min speech at an EcoFest last month. Writing and practicing brought me to this conclusive suggestion/question: “Might we find that the recipe we need to heal our soil, our environment, and our planet, is the very recipe we need to heal our global relationships, our communities, our families, and our own souls? And might we find that this is precisely what opens our access to the next stages in the evolution of our species?” http://biocadence.wordpress.com/2012/11/14/video-of-biocadence-speaking-engagement/

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    1. Hi Anne,

      I loved the speech on your site, thank you for leading me there!

      You have indeed brought a great perspective about a way of going forward.To me the challenge would come not from a lack of ” what should we do next” but how to get a buy-in from the stakeholders, specially those who exist in the “have-not” zone. But I guess every drop would count and the fact that you and I are debating this across the seas does qualify for some hope, does it not?

      I appreciate you.

      Shakti

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  24. I think we are seeing where we are going next Shakti….As our consciousness shifts so does the way we live our lives and we are headed towards simplicity and living meaningful lives. The days of consumerism are dying away. You would be surprised by how many people were thoroughly disgusted by Black Monday here. People are weary of always being sold something, they are beginning to figure out that it adds nothing to ones life on a meaningful level to have things. The new path is towards living a sustainable lifestyle in harmony with the earth. Life from here on out is going to be about reconnecting ourselves with everything. We are done living separate lives, it is time for oneness. When consumerism dies so to will the raping of the earth and we return to caring for it and honoring it. We are on the correct path now, actually we always have been as one must believe all things happen as they should. We had to take this detour to learn and in learning we will become more sustainable as a people. Have faith, we are on our way….I send you blessings always…..VK

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    1. Hi VK,
      You bring in so much hope in terms of consciousness and inclusiveness. While consumerism may be dying away, as you say, in parts of the developed world, I am not at all sure of this happening in the lands of the “have-nots”. Sadly, it is these latter lands which carry large tracts of the world population. Our challenge therefore remains. How do we convince folks not to acquire stuff when they do not have much in the first place? Thinking of this, I proposed ” sharing” as a way out.

      Thank you VK for the lovely thoughts and positivity you bring in.

      Shakti

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      1. Good question Shakti….I had hoped that at least India with its connection to spirituality could rise above this. I guess it will be up to the people of the developed worlds to grasp the new way of thinking and act accordingly and hopefully be a lesson to all to learn from, to set the example that simplicity brings meaning to life and more strips it away. Creator thought of everything as to how to bring balance to the world. It will come about on its own. Just as too many being awake would cause an imbalance and so we see so many still asleep, simplicity returning for the sake of a meaningful life will balance out the greed and need for stuff! We just have to have faith that the process is working as it should and right on schedule! Blessings to you friend and may you have a magical Winter solstice and a love filled holiday! VK

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      2. You are right VK, the way forward is setting examples at the individual level in any small ways we can.This should , over a period of time, get emulated by others around us and set a chain reaction.And yes we need to hold faith and be conscious of possibilities emerging.

        Thank you again for the very profound thoughts and intentions you have brought in.

        Shakti

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