Voilà, j'arrive!

There is a serious mood at this time of year, at THIS time. World events beyond our direct individual control conspire to create a sombre background to any month, but to September in particular. Was it ever thus? Was there ever a time of innocence, of global sanity? We can argue, debate beliefs, delve into history, or scriptures here and everywhere.

Yet a fact remains: we, residents of the 2004 world have to cope. But how? This is what I would like to debate, just now. As I may have mentioned before, I have had to stop work because of poor health, therefore, my time is all mine. The result of this is an availability to others which would previously have been curtailed by my professional activities. So it is that many of my friends and acquaintances find their way to my door or to my telephone line and confide their fears and anxieties to me. (That's how I come to know that folks are so worried about the world, see?)

Now! Me, I watch very little TV, making an absolute point of avoiding the voyeuristic reporting of ongoing dramas. I reckon if something important is going on, I'll be informed soon enough (either on news bulletin on the car radio, or by the communal agenda which emerges when "big" stuff is going on).

And I do, indeed, get to know about all the latest craziness in the world: civil war and famine for refugees in Sudan, massacre in Russia, Australian Embassy bombing, French hostages in Iraq and on and on....

But I have a very strict mental policy which is a two pronged affair, and which I always share with those who ask- and as, you can see, sometimes share with those who don't ask!-

a) Send thoughts of support and love to those caught up in the current crisis- victims and perpetrators alike..by the way...however controversial this may sound.

b) Centre myself in my present. Where am I? What am I doing? Controlling my thoughts so that they do not wander in the danger zone of panic creating, disaster making, heart breaking, sorrow causing stuff.

This, contrary to first appearances, is not an avoidance strategy, an ostrich's head in the sand policy. It is a clearly thought out decision, based on the belief of the power of our thoughts, of the collective unconscious' capacity to generate more havoc from existing havoc. It is my way of taking responsibility for not adding to existing evil. Not judging (because all the information which would be needed to make a valid, informed, judgment on most global issues is not available) means not perpetrating the vicious circle of retribution, Mafia style, and not contributing thoughts of anger and revenge which probably account for a good half of all conflicts...

I know this is not a main stream way or opinion, but one of the remaining moral "pluses" of this part of the world is that I am allowed to hold and express these views.

And for that, as well as for the red of the Hawthorne berries in the lane at the back of my house, the green of the leaves and, yes, the blue of the sky, I am profoundly grateful.

OM SHANTI,

Jocelyne