Photo – Merrit Thomas – Unsplash

What a powerful message of hope that the Covid 19 lesson has brought even some of the most entrenched defenders of the System to start questioning its existence! After all, is it not incredible that a little beastie (virus) so minuscule that one needs a microscope to just see it has just brought the most powerful economic system the world has ever known to its very knees, gasping for air and begging for mercy.

However, the world battle for sanity rather than selfishness is far from won. Powerful representatives of the capitalist monster still believe it can – and should – be saved. Even our governments are speaking of renewing with growth as soon as possible. There is nothing wrong with growth – it can be deeply inspiring and should be limitless if it means the growth of compassion and wisdom. But the growth of a sick cancerous tumor – such as an economic system that has no other aim but the maximization of profit in the minimum of time for a small minority (around 130 super billionaires on the planet corner a wealth equivalent to the 40% poorest) – such a growth cannot but lead to disaster. And of course, the disaster has been around for well over a generation for the above mentioned 40%. 

So, what can you and I do about it? That is THE one question that concerns us all. 

There is evidently no one reply. Some will feel led to political action, or even joining fringe movements that wish to shake the system or becoming active in world movements like Greenpeace whose actions often question the System. Others will write or communicate, be it as journalists, writers, or teachers. Some will prefer being active in a labor union or a church. Some will make major changes in their consumption habits. And a very few will make the conscious choice to concentrate on spiritual work, which can be very powerful even on a social level as the stunning story of Mapululu Ma Kengo, the spiritual healer from the Democratic Republic of Congo who, in the middle of the night, stopped in their tracks a psychotic band of ethnic killers come to murder and dismember his family during the 1994 Rwanda genocide. Two hours later they left without touching a hair of his family members’ heads – (see my book, The Gentle Art of Blessing, p.126-27).

Each one of us CANNOT HELP but being concerned in the totally interconnected world we live in, where helping my neighbor is helping myself.

PS: If you are involved in a specially creative action, please share it with us and we will mention it in a future blog (pierre@vivresautrement.ch)