Do you hear the call of the world? The headlines shout at us about environmental calamities, the pandemic, the constancy of war, struggle, and injustice. It can be overwhelming to look and really see the unhappiness, anxiety and fear in which people are living in our world today.
But do you hear the call of what is beneath the headlines? Do you hear the hearts calling for peace and harmony? Do you hear people calling for the simple pleasures of a walk in nature, a meal with friends or a grandparent’s hug? This past year and a half have called humanity to unify beyond borders. As we discover the subtle threads that connect us, there is a call to put an end to being labelled in limited ways.
Do you hear the call of your own heart? To be still and silent, to live simply and sustainably and to be free? Our hearts are calling to be free from all that binds and restricts, including those internal habits that steal our peace. Our hearts are calling for the freedom to be the best we can be, to reach our highest aspirations, to fly. And our hearts are calling out to help others experience freedom and peace.
Malcolm Gladwell wrote a book, titled The Tipping Point, in which he describes how the collective consciousness shifts slowly at first, beginning with one or two people thinking in a new way. When enough people adopt the same mindset, the scales reach a ‘tipping point’ and human consciousness rises and is changed forever. With each contribution made to the new call of the world, the closer we get to the ‘tipping point’.
It takes courage to listen for the call and even more courage to truly hear it. Given the negativity that surrounds us, it also takes courage to have faith in a positive outcome. It takes courage to trust the law of positive return (karma) and truly know that any giving on my part will ensure that I receive support when needed.
It takes courage to keep my feelings clean and prevent myself from sinking into negativity and complaints, or cynicism and bitterness. It takes courage to go to God at the first sign of struggle and clear away the noise of the world. Through silence and meditation, we can become beacons of peace and hope in the world. Do you hear the call?
Judy Johnson coordinates the activities of the Brahma Kumaris meditation centre in Halifax, Canada.