For this Sunday, August 7th, the focus for
our meditation will be on Interest. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Elie
Wiesel, who survived the Holocaust after being imprisoned in two concentration
camps and went on to author numerous books, traveled the world to lecture and
speak out against oppression, passed away last month at the age of 87. In one interview he was quoted as saying, “The opposite of love is not hate, it's
indifference. The opposite of beauty is
not ugliness, it's indifference. The
opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, but
indifference between life and death.”
Now that our two primary political parties have selected their candidate
for election this fall citizens who perhaps remain dissatisfied with both
nominees have a choice to make. They can
opt to learn as much as they can about the positives and negatives of all
candidates, research where they stand on various issues, pay attention to all
of their communication and analyze it with objectivity, or they can simply
withdraw in resignation and choose not to even bother exercising their right to
vote. It doesn’t matter to me whether
someone ends up voting for a different candidate from the one I ultimately will
have to choose. They presumably have
assessed that candidate and truly believe them to be the best qualified. The greater harm comes from someone who is
apathetic and fails to participate at all in the election. When we cast a vote we are contributing our
energy to the nation, and I firmly believe whichever candidate ends up being
selected will be supported by that cumulative energy that is amassed for the
nominees. When people withdraw entirely
from the process they fail to contribute any energy, and their criticism from
afar may actually sap the energy the nation needs to gather to see us through
this important process. As Elie Wiesel so
wisely noted, the greater harm to the world comes from indifference. This week in our prayer and meditation let us
ask that all citizens across this nation cultivate a genuine Interest in educating themselves about
the nominees for political office. May
all our citizens develop a serious Interest
in casting their vote and contributing their energy to the entire country as
they do so. May the energy of sincere Interest in our political process ripple
across this country and help keep at bay the more insidious movement of apathy
and indifference that will only weaken us as a nation.
In our efforts this week let us also continue to use the
energy of our prayers and meditation to amplify the light that covers and fills
this nation. As we perform our
meditation this week let us begin by re-energizing the brilliance and power of
the light we create. Just as before,
begin by forming a concentrated ball of light that is so bright it is almost
impossible to look directly at it. Raise
this sphere of light up high over the nation and then let its rays cascade down
to create a solid, impenetrable dome of light that completely covers every inch
of our country. From shore to shore and
border to border let the entire continent be filled with this brilliant, dense
light that will serve to magnify the best and highest qualities of our country
and the people who live across its vast lands.
Please follow the same practice as before: Get centered in
your body, ask to bring in your guides and others who are there to assist us,
and connect to the circle of others participating in this project.
Ask yourself what do I feel in my body when I am able to summon
the necessary Interest to
participate rather than withdraw? How does it feel in my body when I become
genuinely Interested in learning
more about an issue? Then send the energy and intention of those feelings
to the nation.
Be sure to disconnect from the circle at the end and express
thanks for those who have helped us in this effort.
If you have feedback or experiences you would like to share
please let me know via e-mail to kmiritello@gmail.com
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