Make Voting Matter!

Some of us are still under the impression that our votes actually count. I used to be one of them--until I fell down the rabbit hole. The more I looked for answers, the more likely I was to find corruption at the highest levels of government. The memes I had been brought up with--things like "The United States is the most democratic nation in the world" and "The Constitution's checks and balances keep the government from going out of control"--were acceptable until I began questioning things. Those questions broke down the foundations I had built my world on, leaving my world in shambles.

Florida's hanging chad fiasco during the presidential race between George Bush, Jr. and Al Gore of 2000 highlighted for many people the fact that our system of voting was highly flawed. Between the black boxes of electronic voting and scandals involving uncounted absentee or provisional ballots, there are many ways those with power can artificially sway a vote.

Only We the People have the power to change this! We first need to recognize the need to diligently stay on top of the voting process to ensure it is fair and everyone's voice is heard. Then we need to stand watch to hold those in charge of counting votes accountable for their actions. We need to literally stand over them and monitor the counting of paper ballots. We need to veto the use of any computer system that relies on "proprietary" software that excludes the ability to look at the computer code to see if it has been tampered with to switch votes.

If we do not hold those in power accountable for their actions, they will continue to manipulate and control us in ways that erode our personal freedoms and power. We have the power to change our world for the better. We just need to be willing to be active participants in it instead of trust power hungry fools to rule us.

Make voting matter! Stand over the vote counters and make sure your vote is counted! Otherwise, they will continue to lie to us and place their puppets into power.

~CSE

T.E.A.M.

The Power Of Naps!

I have a definite fondness for naps. Part of my appreciation for them stems from my time as a Pre K teacher. My home state of Georgia uses its lottery earnings to fund a free Pre K program for students all over the state. Because students are only 4-years-old, lawmakers required an hour rest time to be included as part of the school day.

Needless to say, most of the kids did not appreciate nap time even though quite a few of them still needed it. As I observed them before and after nap, I could see it often made a huge difference in how they handled the rest of their day.

The older I get, the more I enjoy naps. Not only do they rest my body, but there is a component of naps that also nurtures the soul. Naps allow you to break away from the physical world and connect to the quiet, where God and Oneness dwell.

Take the time to take a nap! You may just discover the pieces of your life all begin to fall into place!

~CSE

Nothing Can Separate Us

Most days I feel very separate--separate from others, separate from the world, separate from God, and at times even separate from myself. I know I'm not the only one to feel this way. It shows up in the sadness that surrounds us in the world. 

I shouldn't really be surprised by this state of affairs. From the moment of our births we are taught to identify with our culture, our religion (or lack thereof), our politics, our genders, our sexual orientations, our talents and skills, etc. We learn there is a "right" way to do things and a "wrong" way to do things and it is important to stand up for what is "right" and "good" and "pure". Separation is built into the system because it forces us to look at our differences and judge them accordingly.

What often escapes our notice is the fact we are all connected through the energy of our hearts. Our hearts don't see differences. Our hearts feel a need and immediately rush to where our help is required. It is when we set about the work of following our hearts that separation no longer exists. 

Whether you actually believe in God or a universal power or a higher intelligence is not important. What is important is to be aware that we are all connected to each other and every other thing in the world through our hearts--through love. When we choose to follow the guidance of our hearts, we arrive in those places where we fit and where our gifts and talents can do the most good. We are connected in very real and positive ways. 

There is no separation in love.

~CSE

     

It Is Not About Building A Wall

An open letter to Donald Trump

Dear Mr. Trump,

You've gained a lot of popularity with your talk about building a wall to keep people from illegally crossing the border into the United States. I understand the desire to address safety concerns regarding criminals and terrorists being allowed free access to our country. I also understand wanting to limit the number of people who come here illegally and tap into what are now the country's very limited resources. We have a hard enough time providing for our own needy people. That said, let me be very clear. These problems will never be solved by building a wall.

Addressing the real issues involves asking better questions. Instead of asking, "How do we keep undesirable elements out of the country?" we need to ask questions like, "Why are people trying to enter the country illegally in the first place?" The difference in these two questions will determine whether Americans can come together to fix their own problems or continue to be mired down in the muck, the root of our problems untouched and growing.

I know why people desire to come to the United States. Many people hold the belief that the United States is the land of freedom and opportunity. On certain levels this is still true (although the past thirty+ years have brought more limitations to freedom and opportunity than I would have thought possible).

This brings to mind another even more important question: why are conditions so bad in other countries that they risk leaving their homes to try to find better lives for themselves and their families? This is the issue at the root of our problems. This is the issue that needs to be addressed.

Mr. Trump, you may not see this as the US's problem, but let me assure you it is our problem. Why, you ask? It is our problem because the United States has caused conditions to be bad in countries around the world.

Let's take a quick look at Iraq and Afghanistan. US military intervention in Iraq goes back to George Bush Sr. and Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. At the time, Iraq was accusing Kuwait of drilling sideways/at an angle to tap in to Iraqi oil reserves. I don't know that this is true. I don't know that it is not true. Considering the techniques they have perfected in more recent years to obtain shale oil, Kuwait might have been guilty as charged. US intervention in Afghanistan goes back even farther to when the USSR was trying to invade it to plunder its vast natural gas resources. Both instances were justified because America is all about policing the world and making sure democracy and freedom reign supreme. (At least that's what the citizenry are told in order to make sure they support whatever actions our military takes overseas.)

Are either of these countries better off today than they were back then after literal decades of US military intervention? The answer is a resounding "No!" They are still at war. People struggle to survive everyday life. Poppy fields and the heroin drug trade still thrive. The region is a breeding ground for terrorism as the people attempt to reclaim control of themselves and their resources.

Who has benefited from these police actions? Multinational corporations who profit from war--weapons manufacturers, food and supply companies, etc. Corporations who seek to control natural resources (oil, natural gas, minerals, etc.). Banks, who plunge countries into fake debt by promising much needed infrastructure that is really only put in place to provide for ease of military action and export of the country's resources and does absolutely nothing to help the people who actually live there. The debt does, however, make those people debt slaves.

The Middle East is not the only area of the world our multinational corporations control. Most of Africa, large portions of Asia, and pretty much all of Central and South America are included in such takeovers. Natural resources are controlled by corporations who subjugate the people in their quest for never-ending money and power. Life for these people is difficult at best. Under such circumstances, who wouldn't want a shot at an easier life?

Our military should not be used so that multinational corporations profit. Our military should be defensive only and not for our allies either. Our allies need to develop and/or rely on their own defenses and not expect us to go fight their battles. If they want our help, they need to be willing to bear the cost of the action and pay for our services. The bottom line is, the United States of America needs to stop interfering in other countries around the world. We have created worldwide problems that people want to escape from.

Mr. Trump, it is not about building a wall. It is about enabling people all over the world to control their own destinies. It is about allowing them the space they need to create abundance and prosperity. When they have what they need to lead healthy and productive lives in their own countries, they will have no reason to raid ours.

Sincerely,
Cindy Shippy Evans

 

       

My New Theme Song

I have been obsessed with the song "Glorious" by David Archuleta in recent days--especially the version as performed by the One Voice Children's Choir based in Utah. Not only is it a beautiful song, but the frequency it inspires is amazing!

The funny thing is, it is only after I began paying attention to the words that I began to understand why I have been so obsessed with it. David uses the metaphor of a symphony to explain how every one of us has a part to play/sing in the grander scheme of life.

"Glorious"

There are times when
You might feel aimless
And can't see the places
Where you belong
But you will find that
There is a purpose
It's been there within you
All along
And when you're near it
You can almost hear it

(Chorus)
It's like a symphony
Just keep listening
And pretty soon you'll start
To figure out your part
Everyone plays a piece
And there are melodies
In each one of us
Oohhhh, it's glorious

And you will know how
To let it ring out
As you discover
Who you are
Others around you
Will start to wake up
To the sounds that are
In their hearts
It's so amazing
What we're all creating

(Chorus)
It's like a symphony
Just keep listening
And pretty soon you'll start
To figure out your part
Everyone plays a piece
And there are melodies
In each one of us
Oohhhh it's glorious

(Bridge)
And as you feel
The notes build
Higher
You will see

(Chorus)
It's like a symphony
Just keep listening
And pretty soon you'll start
To figure out your part
Everyone plays a piece
And there are melodies
In each one of us
Oohhhh it's glorious
     ~David Archuleta

May each and every one of us be able to connect to the music in our own hearts so we may begin creating the world of our dreams!

~CSE

  

Rethinking Money And Energy Exchange

As I reflect on money this morning, I realize how seriously warped my ideas about money are. It has nothing to do with greed or taking advantage of other people. Rather, my thoughts flow to memes I have incorporated into my being that limit the money and other blessings I allow to flow into my life. I realize I am my own worst energy block when it comes to receiving! 

The first meme that has created havoc in my life is the idea you have to put effort out in order to gain money. The meme in and of itself is not a bad concept. Life is about putting energy out and gaining it back in a never ending cycle. Energy exchange. That is the way it works. What is messed up is energy exchange as it relates to physical money. We have been taught that only certain actions are worthy of receiving money. The fact of the matter is, each and every one of us expends a good amount of energy doing things for other people, animals, the environment, etc. that we do not get paid for--often actions that are extremely valuable to life on planet Earth.

A good many problems in our world are the direct result of believing only certain occupations are worthy of receiving money for. If the energy you put out is not on the list of jobs that can earn income, you are considered lazy and good for nothing. Ironically, much of this can be the exact same energy output as what we actually do every day. For example, you get actual money for taking care of elderly people in the nursing home. However, take care of your elderly parent in your home fulltime and get nothing back in return (except the knowledge you are providing for someone you love). Is this right? Is this fair? Granted, it all needs to be done. My point here is, we expend positive energy and should receive positive energy back. We allow society to dictate what we can receive back. Blessings blocked!

Our beliefs about income earning jobs are also warped because we value certain jobs much more highly than other jobs. That's why workers at places like Walmart and McDonald's get paid minimum wage and high level managers at corporations get paid millions of dollars. The basic idea here is that "brain power" should be much more highly paid than manual labor. After all, anyone can do physical labor. Not everyone is intelligent. Right?

I'm going to call BS on this idea right now! We are all gifted in our own ways. If we are putting our energy out in the world in positive ways, shouldn't we expect to see it come back to us as a liveable wage? We need to become a people so conscious of our actions that we value the contributions each of us makes to society, even if those actions are currently deemed selfish--like taking care of an older parent or our children! We need to understand that taking care of our own families often has even greater value than taking care of people outside our families because we are also loving, valuing and honoring the ones we take care of! We need to understand that flipping burgers at a restaurant has value! We need to understand that collecting others' trash has value! Even a simple smile has the power to make another's day better! We need to be a people who understand what REAL value is!!!     

The next meme that has created problems for me is "Do no harm". While this, too, is largely a good meme, I am one of those people who takes it to the extreme. I want to be sure that the energy that comes back to me is good, untainted energy. I am very conscious of my actions towards others, animals and the planet. What creates problems for me here is my prejudgment of situations and potential outcomes. 

For example, in my part-time retail job, we are encouraged to have our customers apply for credit. For each person we get to apply, we get a couple extra dollars on our paychecks. I have very definite ideas about credit and indebtedness being the very institution that creates modern-day slaves. Consequently, I do not get all that many credit applications. I do, however, find it interesting how several of my young, high school aged coworkers get lots of credit applications. I attribute their success to the fact they do not prejudge the impact applying for credit is going to have on the other person's life.

What I usually fail to recognize when I prejudge a situation is that there are often consequences I do not anticipate. I do not know what others came here to learn! Maybe one of the lessons they signed up for was to face hardships when they got themselves into too much debt! The point is, when I fail to offer someone else a certain experience, I may not actually be helping them. I am also denying myself the blessings the situation may be able to bring me. 

Our world is seriously twisted in so many ways. We are here to help bring it back into balance. It is only by questioning the status quo that we can make the changes that benefit the whole. Money and energy exchange play such a huge role in our lives on planet Earth today. Isn't it time we rethought how it functions so that it is much more fair and balanced as well? By doing so, we have the potential to create a life of abundance and prosperity for all!

~CSE