Hello my dear friends. With the permission of my publisher I am using a selection from my book, The Art of Being this week for my MindfulPurpose message. With all of the turmoil currently taking place in the media perhaps you’ll find this message relevant. ~ DMJ

A New Way of Being Human

“How do we surround that which is dying with love?”
~ David Whyte

If we are at all sensitized to what is really happening around our world, we will see that there truly is a new wave of understanding beginning to crest. This wave is rising to the call of a deeper compassion than we have ever known before. As this wave lifts us to a new perspective, we are being called to look beyond the trauma dramas with which the media are pummeling us. The old way of doing things is simply no longer working. In short, a large part of our culture and the belief system that has sustained it for so many years is changing. Metaphorically speaking, it’s preparing to die, and a new culture, a new way of being human is preparing to be born. To echo the words of Lynn Twist, who spoke with great elegance and clarity, we must begin to understand that we are going to have to help hospice an old way of life that no longer works and midwife a new one that does.

I truly resonated with this statement when I heard it because I can identify with the metaphor. Hospice workers are among the most compassionate people on the planet because their sole (soul) job is to assist individuals through perhaps the most difficult thing anyone of us shall ever do, to die. They practice the art of deep compassion and loving-kindness and manage to do so without being swept into the emotions of it all. In short, their job is to assist those who are making their transition from one dimension of life to the next with as little pain and as much dignity and peace as possible. In many ways, this is what we are being called to do now with our culture.

The aforementioned quote by David Whyte poses the question so perfectly: How do we surround that which is dying with love? In recent days, I have heard much anger and resentment expressed toward those who represent a holding on to “the old way” of doing things. They may not support an evolving humanity, be they in the corporate world, the political arena, and even in certain religious circles. As spiritually evolving individuals, we know that when someone is dying is not the time to find fault with him or her, irrespective of what they stood for. It’s a time to assist the process with kindness and compassion. Likewise, this is the time to be mindful that we don’t add to the pain we are all feeling by overreacting and being uselessly critical of the “old way” of being human, a way that is dying.

Granted, this may be difficult to accomplish when the old way of doing things is making such a ruckus on the planet, gasping for its last few breaths. Regardless of the appearance, now is the time to take a God-sized step back and see it all through the eyes of a compassionate universe. It’s about the evolution of our species, which includes each of us as well. Let us be sure that we are ushering in this new way of being human with reverence and gentle care for all—even those with whom we don’t agree.

I consider myself to be a midwife to this new way of being human, which is in the birth canal right now. How about you? I believe we are preparing for the birth of a new kind of human, a conscious humanity that will openly know and celebrate the fact that we are all one in God, honoring our diversity and how we practice it. Will this all come to pass in our lifetime? Maybe, maybe not. But the contractions have already started, so we had better be ready to receive the baby with open arms.

Mindfulness Practice

To personalize this message, take a look into your heart and see if there is any toxic emotion residing there for those who represent “the old way” of doing things. This can be in your own personal life or what you see going on globally:

*  First, imagine yourself as a hospice worker, assisting a dying person. How would you be there for that person? Of course, the answer would be, “With compassion and love for the spirit of God within the one who is transitioning.” Can you see yourself in the same capacity now?

*  Second, imagine you are in the delivery room, working as a midwife, assisting in the birth of the most amazingly beautiful baby you have ever seen. Holding this baby in your arms, looking into its eyes, you realize that you are looking at every human being on the planet. How does it feel to hold the future of humankind in your arms? The truth is, you are doing so right now. A new way of being human begins with you and me. It begins with love and compassion for every being.
Peace, Dennis