I think you’ve given up. I think you mistake where the power and the fault lies… We humans have an inalienable power vested in us by God. It is not our government’s fault that they don’t meet our highest vision. It’s ours because we don’t do the requisite work of creating a higher vision. Here, you join the masses.
My ideal would be to see Kamala win, and you lead this Peace Council you have spoken of. When a house needs repairs, you don’t, in disgust, belittle & bemoan it. You work with what you have and find inroads for fixing every problem in it you can attack.
The ideas required to fix our country are challenging to come by. Because the challenges of our country are often the challenges of humanity - why do we give our power away? Why do we curse the mountain rather than climb it, or even will it to move as the “miracle workers” we have the potential to be? Why do we not conceive of solutions in groups together, as we come together for sporting events or to watch other entertainment? Why do we wait for government to conceptualizer all our solutions rather than putting our heads together to reinvent what needs to be reinvented ourselves?
Humans are creators who “know not” what they are. When we imagine the best possibilities, the Laws of the Universe will be engaged to begin sparking those seeds into manifestation. When we envision together we come up with new plans to replace what has grown inadequate for the needs of today. This is our charter & responsibility. We cannot abdicate it, for if we do, the lesser common denominator amongst us WILL fill in with the same old, useless answers. Because nature abhors a vacuum.
You can’t anti-create what is. You cannot will the past away. You can, but conceptualize something better, and join forces with like-minded individuals to collaborate on the effort to create better going forward. This is the task with which we each are tasked with applying our energies. As I read once somewhere “Peace, pure and undefiled, will not be a suddenly settled thing. The kingdom of God cometh not with observation. Peace must be worked for and won. Its structure must be built, brick by brick.”
We have much building to do. This, indeed, should be a joyous & exciting endeavor.
"I think you’ve given up." I don't, but I do know that Marianne has been put through the political-machine wringer by the "democratic" Democrats in this election cycle, worse than the first time, and has taken hits that that no onlooker has, so you might want to cut her a little slack while she regroups.
I guess I’m hoping she hasn’t given up, but by saying this, I’ll egg her on like a coach does, to stay in the game. Or, actually to recreate the game. Because, while I think she’s not wrong, all of these cliques & “mean girls & boys” attitudes are readily apparent - it just does no good, imho, for that to be the focus of one’s energy. It’s like saying “The environment is disgusting. The oceans are filled with plastic. We’re losing animal species in droves.” And it’s true. But maybe more motivating is the recognition that this Earth is stunning. My sister & 2 of her children are in Yellowstone right now, sending us back these pictures of this incredible, breathtaking location on Earth.
America is growing up. It has divested many, many of its most evil tendencies. We must continue the arduous journey.
Marianne is a brave, articulate, abundantly soul-rich individual. She took on so many deeply ingrained, fiercely hostile environments to attempt to win the presidency. I can understand being bitterly shaken up from the process. But I wish I didn’t feel so many remnants of bitterness. We need her light. These times offer the opportunity to rewrite the systems that create political results. We can form alliances outside of the old configurations. I think Marianne can be powerful outside of the presidency. I would love to see her lean into her power and lead hearts, maybe not so much discourage them.
She will make a gifted world leader on some new platform where you don’t have to kowtow to the powers that be, but where we reconfigure our affairs from an inner organization, where we build consensus amongst people who love, more than try to out yell those who are just frustrated, vindictive & mad. We literally have to learn to play by the rules in “The Course in Miracles” & like doctrines of faith. We’ll build with the acknowledgement that we are miraculous beings straddling this world & a greater, non-material one, from which our energy actually manifests. And from which we can truly move mountains.
I DO like your style Sondra! Much love to you! God I hope Marianne reads her comments! Actually it won't matter, because she'll feel the love and light and excitement anyway.
Nor do you live in my experience. How about you do you? I disagree with much that you’ve said. But it takes forever to explain the minutia of how “everyone is entitled to their own expression, and why that perspective is valuable.” I’m very much aware of Marianne’s contribution. It’s why I take the time to endeavor to comment with value on what I read of hers, as mindfully as I know how. I’ve observed her in person & engaged in her teaching offerings for so many years. I’m not you. I’m me. And I’ve offered my perspective. I don’t endeavor to be a sycophant by any means. It’s not the way I love.
I don't see that you have taken into account that she must be physically exhausted, possibly experiencing some level of burn-out...she's been working her ass off non-stop for however many months, travelling all over the place, giving speeches, talking with all kinds of people, interviews, published a book, etc...and of course the emotional exhaustion of everything. On top of that, a number of interviews where she has been trying to help Harris not blow it, which would require significant inner strength given everything she's been put through.
I think you need to spend a little time trying to put yourself in her shoes, i.e. empathy, i.e. understanding that she is actually a human being. I don't see that now is the time to be "egging on" in this particular fashion, or that now is the time to be "egging on", period. She doesn't need a coach. She is the coach.
Thank you! I write a lot (and think a lot) but usually it’s just stored in my phone. 😆
I found that quote about 40 years ago on the back of a book about Nostradamus’ prophecies. I haven’t ever been able to find it again. I don’t know who said it, or in what context it originally would have been put forth. But I wrote it on the back of one of my notebooks & think about that idea a lot. I think it’s a brilliant description of the work that needs to be done to create the phenomena of peace we so ardently desire to see constructed.
I have a suggestion for those who are inspired by what Sondra's written. It's time to give Marianne the support that she's so brilliantly and lovingly given to others for decades. This is one of Marianne's own recommendations that I heard her make to someone in Melbourne a few years back, although she was talking to someone who was experiencing difficulties with one person.. Pray for the Happiness of every politician and every person behind the corporations and everyone who's influencing the very real crappy stuff that Marianne is talking about here. Pray for their Happiness for two minutes a day - up to five minutes a day for 30 days. Quote from Marianne 'At the end of 30 days they'll have either changed their behavior or you won't care." And if you're not religious then just "I wish you Happiness to them" While you're praying, be open to notice, observe and track OUR OWN feelings about what's happening, curious about what's REALLY going on here, in what I like to call The Big Picture", which Sondra has expressed so eloquently. If you care enough about it to feel crappy about what's happening, then give it a go. What have you got to lose? Actually, I'm off to do that for Marianne... I, from the bottom of my very open heart - wish you Happiness Marianne. I can feel that flowing from here... Much love to you.
Woohoo Sondra well said! Marianne doesn't need us falling all over her in commiseration at the moment and escalating her misery. This is a gobsmackingly strong and powerful and incredibly wonderful woman having a momentary aberration. She needs the same kind of loving reminder that she's given and given and given everyone she comes in contact with. And that is that she, like all of us, are powerful people creating our own destiny. Find, track, observe and understand every crappy fear about every crappy aspect of what we feel about what's going on, until our hearts are filled with understanding, peace, love and the capital T truth of it and then freaking change it! Joyous and exciting endeavour indeed...
Actually Sondra, I've just had an ahhaaa moment. A derrr... one. My apologies Marianne. This was a perfect post at this moment in time, reflecting the very real crap that's going on, stimulating folks to feel outrage and think and eventually to create differently. See, I knew if I wished Marianne Happiness I'd see the Big Picture!
I am scared and heart broken by our political climate, and the state of the press reporting the story.
I am glad that my WWII era parents are not here to see what is happening.
I just welcomed a doctor friend of more than 30 years, a Honduran and a legal permanent resident of the US, back to the states for a few months.
We met when I served in Peace Corps in her country. She builds hospitals, and addiction recovery centers in her country, provides social services and spiritual guidance to the Honduran people.
I welcomed her back by apologizing for the state of our nation and the rampant racism we are experiencing.
I told her my late father did not get drafted into WWII at the age of 17 ( yes I said 17). Get wounded. Survive and go on to raise a family, send me to university while working in manufacturing to build our country... for us to end up here!
I am heart sick. I heard Kamala Harris say, we will build affordable housing. I did not hear her say we are going to stop Wall Street from buying up the housing stock, driving up the prices, controlling the market, while working people go without homes!
(Whew! Breath Rebecca!)
I need to meditate now! Marianne, your political articles come in the same in box as your morning meditations. So sometimes I am not successful at reading the meditation first!
I just hope people turn out to vote! You’ve stated two evils.. clearly one would end all elections. With less than a week the reader is not empowered to vote with those thoughts in mind. Please ask us to have courage and vote for the first woman candidate that will reinstall reproductive rights. With this candidate we can work on future reforms to this process. The other candidate is going to increase violence, rip apart families, deport immigrants yes all of us and destroy our mental health and call the military to destroy 1/2 the nation that did not vote for him. In addition have Putin by his side selling the soul of our nation .
No further elections. I don’t want that and all who have not yet voted should vote for better or for worse. Do we strive for health or sickness. Please vote for freedom! Deport the fascists to Russia. Thank you Marianne for your insights but truly the majority have not voted yet!!
Thank you for your message and not making it a political statement for one side or the other. No one is clean this time around. The country is in a highly competitive mud slinging contest with an endless supply of mud coming from an invisible source. Politics is competitive, our whole country is competitive with forms of tribalism spanning from sports to religions. What we need now, especially in politics, is collaboration. Left and Right convening for the best solutions aimed at the people and the country and not for individual or party gain. Thanks again for addressing the real issue.
These truths you speak of with such grace. Thank you for all you do, for all you tried to do. I came to volunteer for you last year in Iowa and actually got to meet you. You were so humble, and kind, and real. I supported you as much as I could and only dreamed of a world where you were out leader. A great wise mother in the whitehouse. Something we so desperately need. I can only pray someday enough people will see these truths, to shift the consciousness of what was once a great nation. Although I'm beginning to think it was only built on violence and lies anyway, so perhaps it must end the way it began. This may be the beginning of the end, and the next four years will become the slow death of what we know, giving way for something new and real to be born. I hate that I am ashamed to be an American. I hate that I feel so much sorrow for how those who are supposed to be leading us have failed us and countless others. I think more and more people are beginning to see through the BS. I hope.
Thanks, Marianne. Your thoughts as always, are clearly expressed - taut and comprehensive. They made me think of something that Maria Popova said in a recent issue of "The Marginalian" that I believe is fitting, maybe useful, here: "Perhaps the most hopeful thing about being alive is that we are never finished and complete." That is, we need to keep living, moving forward, as Shakespeare wrote, "To the last syllable of recorded time.”
Ok to share a somewhat different perspective? I was glad to see the New Yorker article on Biden's investing in blue-collar clean-energy jobs... a bit late in the game to be much help in the elections, but regardless of the outcome, he did some significantly good things that I was glad to learn about, and which merit being acknowledged more widely than they have been. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/11/04/bidenomics-is-starting-to-transform-america-why-has-no-one-noticed
Whilst I see what Marianne is getting at, I think this post is overly cynical. We can't give up hope. When I see videos of Kamala interacting with individual people, she seems like a truly good person. Of course, even when/if she becomes president (which I daily pray for), her power will be limited by the system. But there is the potential for her to begin to change things.
I hope you read to the end of the article. I do feel hope and I want others to as well. I just don't underestimate the depth of the problem. Perhaps I should have expressed more hope sooner in the piece!:)
Frankly, I'm confused by the placement of politics in the midst of what is suppose to represent a forum to encourage, inspire, enlighten, lift, love, sanctify, heal, and ease minds that wrestle with things of the world on a day to day basis.
Politics is a WORDLY endeavor.... regardless of what country or nation it's infrastructure takes place in. The institution of politics is a made up of ideologies and practices intended to protect and support the needs of all of its citizens. That's an admirable but lofty goal. We should expect the process to be messy.
Here.... in this SPIRITUAL forum...I believe people come for solace and comfort from the confusion of the world. At least I do. I seek out reputable Teachers and resources in spirituality to give me encouragement and strength to get through my wordly existence.
When I first read "it is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us", every cell in my body vibrated. Those words penetrated so deeply that I became acutely aware of how afraid I was to fully embody my power and use my voice. From that point forward, I determined to walk a path up that mountain, reminding myself with each step that "I AM". This is a fundamental teaching that I now pass to every single being that God sends my way.
Those of us who are active in some sort of spiritual practice are obligated because of love to pray for the world and never, ever give up on the belief that every single human being will one day know the truth of love.
Christians say "render onto Ceasar the things that are Ceasar's". Buddha taught that all of this worldly stuff is impermanent. Islam teaches similarly stating that wordly life is temporary. All three religions also share a common truth that no human aspiration is higher than that of true love which desires the best for all of humanity. We learn how to love from others who have awakened to love. Please don't let this truth get lost in the messiness of politics.
You are so eloquent and everything you write and do inspires me. I wish I had contributed so much more to your campaign than I did. I am so sorry that I didn’t, and for that I apologize. I see so clearly how one person can make a difference. Thank you for being a shining example of that.
I am usually so impressed by your writing, and supported you strongly in your Presidential Campaign, but I am disappointed in your lack of enthusiasm and support for Kamala Harris. I did not think she would be a successful candidate before Biden stepped aside, but I am tremendously impressed by the way she has stepped up to meet the moment and is fulfilling the tremendous responsibility she is currently carrying. I was greatly encouraged by the immediate endorsement she got from Unions and Governors she has been working with, unknown to all of us, and how positively they regarded her.
I would have thought you would be there for her, helping, inspiring, promoting.. instead I sense a bitterness in your perspective. Envy?
I am excited to support a strong, vibrant, capable Woman to become our FIRST female President. I think her past experience as a Prosecutor is a great asset against the corrupt opposition she faces and will be defending our Country from for years. She was the perfect person, already in the perfect position, completely catching the GOP off guard, able to use the existing bankroll, the Perfect Candidate for these times. A Woman, running to defend Women's rights, Equal Rights. A Person of mixed racial heritage, running to defend Civil Rights.
Your support & enthusiasm would be very helpful, your personal defeatism is not.
There's a difference between voting for someone and saying it's a shame we couldn't do better and openly supporting them. I read resignation in your words, and a tinge of bitterness that it's her and not you on your ballot.
I'm ok with that, personally, but I do think it's unfortunate that you don't or can't admit that Kamala is extremely qualified to lead this nation, and she is an exceptional human being.
The future of this nation rests on her shoulders and on the shoulders of her most committed supporters.
Kamala Harris "running to defend Civil Rights", except for the Palestinian people. Only one of her unfortunate statements: "There are so many tragic stories coming from Gaza, and of course the first in this phase of everything that has happened, the first most tragic story is October 7th." So, the most tragic story is 1,200 versus, according to the UK Lancet medical journal, a true death toll in Gaza that could be more than 186,000.
I don't have enthusiasm for Harris because of her blatant hypocrisy on the topic of this US-funded and armed genocide, which you seem to be unaware of and which colors everything I hear from her. Are you also unaware that Kamala Harris would not allow any Palestinian American voice to be heard at the "joy" convention? Is she still stupidly going around saying that "Israel has a right to defend itself"? Please explain to me how this administration could be more right-wing than to fund and arm a genocide. Support, yes. What choice do I have? But enthusiasm? No.
I think Kamala Harris wanted to put controls on Bibi before authorizing any more funding , and it cost her some Jewish Voters. It probably is what persuaded Miriam Adelson to donate even more Millions to Trump.
I don’t think she wanted to shut-out Palestinian voices, but they were disrupting her with calling out and chanting while she was trying to give her Campaign speeches. Anyway, she would be better than Trump who will let Bibi do whatever he wants. In Russia too.
Of course Harris WANTED to shut out Palestinian voices, which is why Ms. "Democracy" did precisely that at the convention. You may recall that early rally when Kamala "I'm speaking now" Harris reprimanded the protesters of genocide, and was widely lauded for her so-called strength. Roughly 200 Jews were among those protesters. Also, the Biden/Harris administration has been letting Netanyahu do whatever he wants for over a year. I recommend Mehdi Hasan's interview with Senator Chris Van Hollen, "Democratic Senator Slams Biden’s ‘Shameful’ Inaction on Gaza".
I'm talking about choice within the next couple of days. As for "We know that they won't" reject the system, that's not at all what I know. I've seen strong indications all over the place for months of people rejecting the system, that it's a huge issue, but having no insights as to what to do about it, except more emphasis on a third party. And your attitude isn't exactly "How to Win Friends and Influence People".
"Strong indications" means people's comments, including my own, which are very often specifically directed at MSNBC/CNN. What I hope is that Jill Stein gets enough support to make enough of a dent that her positions...her positions...can't be ignored by mainstream news and omitted from their commentary; for me, Gaza is at the top of the list.
Most people have been heavily trained to vote out of fear, trained to believe that anyone who isn't a D or R is "spoiler", trained to believe that any candidate other than Biden within the Democratic party was a "spoiler", i.e. Marianne, basically trained to believe that voting your values, your conscience is not an option. This is one thing I work to blow up in my comments for those news channels when they crap all over the 3rd-party idea, the "spoilers". Ralph Nader was also a vilified "spoiler", as I like to point out to them...and for others to see...and that the country would be screwed in a number of different ways without his contribution. And regarding Gaza, etc., I often include either relevant titles to non-mainstream segments and/or some of my sources for honest news. People don't know what they don't know.
An election alone isn't going to get this done. It requires an unrelenting chipping away at this consciousness hold...that's the crux of the issue...in as many ways as people can think of. I get the sense that people have kind of been holding their breath until this election is over, not wanting to make waves..."Let's just get through it and make sure Trump doesn't win." But afterwards, I wouldn't be surprised if the shit really starts hitting the fan regarding the genocide, as I see more and more comments about it. I've already flung quite a bit myself, at length, and hope I get a lot more company.
As an example, this is at the end of one of those lengthy posts left for CNN a couple of days ago:
Further to Michigan election problems, I have looked through my CNN and MSNBC notifications, and have seen no coverage of Bill Clinton's speech in Michigan. Could it be because of these headlines?
"Bill Clinton Justifies The Mass Killings Of Palestinians In Racist Michigan Speech"
"Bill Clinton's Vile Anti-Palestinian Racist Speech"
"Bill Clinton criticised for saying Israel 'forced' to kill Gaza Civilians"
"CAIR Condemns Bill Clinton's ‘Insulting and Islamophobic’ Justification of Gaza Genocide"
"Bill Clinton's Insane Speech to Michigan Muslims"
I think you’ve given up. I think you mistake where the power and the fault lies… We humans have an inalienable power vested in us by God. It is not our government’s fault that they don’t meet our highest vision. It’s ours because we don’t do the requisite work of creating a higher vision. Here, you join the masses.
My ideal would be to see Kamala win, and you lead this Peace Council you have spoken of. When a house needs repairs, you don’t, in disgust, belittle & bemoan it. You work with what you have and find inroads for fixing every problem in it you can attack.
The ideas required to fix our country are challenging to come by. Because the challenges of our country are often the challenges of humanity - why do we give our power away? Why do we curse the mountain rather than climb it, or even will it to move as the “miracle workers” we have the potential to be? Why do we not conceive of solutions in groups together, as we come together for sporting events or to watch other entertainment? Why do we wait for government to conceptualizer all our solutions rather than putting our heads together to reinvent what needs to be reinvented ourselves?
Humans are creators who “know not” what they are. When we imagine the best possibilities, the Laws of the Universe will be engaged to begin sparking those seeds into manifestation. When we envision together we come up with new plans to replace what has grown inadequate for the needs of today. This is our charter & responsibility. We cannot abdicate it, for if we do, the lesser common denominator amongst us WILL fill in with the same old, useless answers. Because nature abhors a vacuum.
You can’t anti-create what is. You cannot will the past away. You can, but conceptualize something better, and join forces with like-minded individuals to collaborate on the effort to create better going forward. This is the task with which we each are tasked with applying our energies. As I read once somewhere “Peace, pure and undefiled, will not be a suddenly settled thing. The kingdom of God cometh not with observation. Peace must be worked for and won. Its structure must be built, brick by brick.”
We have much building to do. This, indeed, should be a joyous & exciting endeavor.
"I think you’ve given up." I don't, but I do know that Marianne has been put through the political-machine wringer by the "democratic" Democrats in this election cycle, worse than the first time, and has taken hits that that no onlooker has, so you might want to cut her a little slack while she regroups.
I guess I’m hoping she hasn’t given up, but by saying this, I’ll egg her on like a coach does, to stay in the game. Or, actually to recreate the game. Because, while I think she’s not wrong, all of these cliques & “mean girls & boys” attitudes are readily apparent - it just does no good, imho, for that to be the focus of one’s energy. It’s like saying “The environment is disgusting. The oceans are filled with plastic. We’re losing animal species in droves.” And it’s true. But maybe more motivating is the recognition that this Earth is stunning. My sister & 2 of her children are in Yellowstone right now, sending us back these pictures of this incredible, breathtaking location on Earth.
America is growing up. It has divested many, many of its most evil tendencies. We must continue the arduous journey.
Marianne is a brave, articulate, abundantly soul-rich individual. She took on so many deeply ingrained, fiercely hostile environments to attempt to win the presidency. I can understand being bitterly shaken up from the process. But I wish I didn’t feel so many remnants of bitterness. We need her light. These times offer the opportunity to rewrite the systems that create political results. We can form alliances outside of the old configurations. I think Marianne can be powerful outside of the presidency. I would love to see her lean into her power and lead hearts, maybe not so much discourage them.
She will make a gifted world leader on some new platform where you don’t have to kowtow to the powers that be, but where we reconfigure our affairs from an inner organization, where we build consensus amongst people who love, more than try to out yell those who are just frustrated, vindictive & mad. We literally have to learn to play by the rules in “The Course in Miracles” & like doctrines of faith. We’ll build with the acknowledgement that we are miraculous beings straddling this world & a greater, non-material one, from which our energy actually manifests. And from which we can truly move mountains.
I DO like your style Sondra! Much love to you! God I hope Marianne reads her comments! Actually it won't matter, because she'll feel the love and light and excitement anyway.
Much love to you too! I think we feel similarly! 😊
It appears so... <3
Nor do you live in my experience. How about you do you? I disagree with much that you’ve said. But it takes forever to explain the minutia of how “everyone is entitled to their own expression, and why that perspective is valuable.” I’m very much aware of Marianne’s contribution. It’s why I take the time to endeavor to comment with value on what I read of hers, as mindfully as I know how. I’ve observed her in person & engaged in her teaching offerings for so many years. I’m not you. I’m me. And I’ve offered my perspective. I don’t endeavor to be a sycophant by any means. It’s not the way I love.
I don't see that you have taken into account that she must be physically exhausted, possibly experiencing some level of burn-out...she's been working her ass off non-stop for however many months, travelling all over the place, giving speeches, talking with all kinds of people, interviews, published a book, etc...and of course the emotional exhaustion of everything. On top of that, a number of interviews where she has been trying to help Harris not blow it, which would require significant inner strength given everything she's been put through.
I think you need to spend a little time trying to put yourself in her shoes, i.e. empathy, i.e. understanding that she is actually a human being. I don't see that now is the time to be "egging on" in this particular fashion, or that now is the time to be "egging on", period. She doesn't need a coach. She is the coach.
So well said! I feel the sense of hopeful expectation, eyes wide open now!
I looked into your Substack acct hoping to find a blog of writings but it seems you have yet to develop it.
Please consider writing more.
Even your comments show me that you have valuable things to say.
Say more of them, please. ❤
Forgot to mention that IMO, you write very well. And, by the way where did you find that closing quote? I'd like to read the whole essay if possible.
Thank you! I write a lot (and think a lot) but usually it’s just stored in my phone. 😆
I found that quote about 40 years ago on the back of a book about Nostradamus’ prophecies. I haven’t ever been able to find it again. I don’t know who said it, or in what context it originally would have been put forth. But I wrote it on the back of one of my notebooks & think about that idea a lot. I think it’s a brilliant description of the work that needs to be done to create the phenomena of peace we so ardently desire to see constructed.
What a great message.
Agree with you on all points.
I have a suggestion for those who are inspired by what Sondra's written. It's time to give Marianne the support that she's so brilliantly and lovingly given to others for decades. This is one of Marianne's own recommendations that I heard her make to someone in Melbourne a few years back, although she was talking to someone who was experiencing difficulties with one person.. Pray for the Happiness of every politician and every person behind the corporations and everyone who's influencing the very real crappy stuff that Marianne is talking about here. Pray for their Happiness for two minutes a day - up to five minutes a day for 30 days. Quote from Marianne 'At the end of 30 days they'll have either changed their behavior or you won't care." And if you're not religious then just "I wish you Happiness to them" While you're praying, be open to notice, observe and track OUR OWN feelings about what's happening, curious about what's REALLY going on here, in what I like to call The Big Picture", which Sondra has expressed so eloquently. If you care enough about it to feel crappy about what's happening, then give it a go. What have you got to lose? Actually, I'm off to do that for Marianne... I, from the bottom of my very open heart - wish you Happiness Marianne. I can feel that flowing from here... Much love to you.
Woohoo Sondra well said! Marianne doesn't need us falling all over her in commiseration at the moment and escalating her misery. This is a gobsmackingly strong and powerful and incredibly wonderful woman having a momentary aberration. She needs the same kind of loving reminder that she's given and given and given everyone she comes in contact with. And that is that she, like all of us, are powerful people creating our own destiny. Find, track, observe and understand every crappy fear about every crappy aspect of what we feel about what's going on, until our hearts are filled with understanding, peace, love and the capital T truth of it and then freaking change it! Joyous and exciting endeavour indeed...
Actually Sondra, I've just had an ahhaaa moment. A derrr... one. My apologies Marianne. This was a perfect post at this moment in time, reflecting the very real crap that's going on, stimulating folks to feel outrage and think and eventually to create differently. See, I knew if I wished Marianne Happiness I'd see the Big Picture!
I am scared and heart broken by our political climate, and the state of the press reporting the story.
I am glad that my WWII era parents are not here to see what is happening.
I just welcomed a doctor friend of more than 30 years, a Honduran and a legal permanent resident of the US, back to the states for a few months.
We met when I served in Peace Corps in her country. She builds hospitals, and addiction recovery centers in her country, provides social services and spiritual guidance to the Honduran people.
I welcomed her back by apologizing for the state of our nation and the rampant racism we are experiencing.
I told her my late father did not get drafted into WWII at the age of 17 ( yes I said 17). Get wounded. Survive and go on to raise a family, send me to university while working in manufacturing to build our country... for us to end up here!
I am heart sick. I heard Kamala Harris say, we will build affordable housing. I did not hear her say we are going to stop Wall Street from buying up the housing stock, driving up the prices, controlling the market, while working people go without homes!
(Whew! Breath Rebecca!)
I need to meditate now! Marianne, your political articles come in the same in box as your morning meditations. So sometimes I am not successful at reading the meditation first!
Let us all pray for our nation.
Sending you a hug.. ✨
I just hope people turn out to vote! You’ve stated two evils.. clearly one would end all elections. With less than a week the reader is not empowered to vote with those thoughts in mind. Please ask us to have courage and vote for the first woman candidate that will reinstall reproductive rights. With this candidate we can work on future reforms to this process. The other candidate is going to increase violence, rip apart families, deport immigrants yes all of us and destroy our mental health and call the military to destroy 1/2 the nation that did not vote for him. In addition have Putin by his side selling the soul of our nation .
No further elections. I don’t want that and all who have not yet voted should vote for better or for worse. Do we strive for health or sickness. Please vote for freedom! Deport the fascists to Russia. Thank you Marianne for your insights but truly the majority have not voted yet!!
Thank you for your message and not making it a political statement for one side or the other. No one is clean this time around. The country is in a highly competitive mud slinging contest with an endless supply of mud coming from an invisible source. Politics is competitive, our whole country is competitive with forms of tribalism spanning from sports to religions. What we need now, especially in politics, is collaboration. Left and Right convening for the best solutions aimed at the people and the country and not for individual or party gain. Thanks again for addressing the real issue.
These truths you speak of with such grace. Thank you for all you do, for all you tried to do. I came to volunteer for you last year in Iowa and actually got to meet you. You were so humble, and kind, and real. I supported you as much as I could and only dreamed of a world where you were out leader. A great wise mother in the whitehouse. Something we so desperately need. I can only pray someday enough people will see these truths, to shift the consciousness of what was once a great nation. Although I'm beginning to think it was only built on violence and lies anyway, so perhaps it must end the way it began. This may be the beginning of the end, and the next four years will become the slow death of what we know, giving way for something new and real to be born. I hate that I am ashamed to be an American. I hate that I feel so much sorrow for how those who are supposed to be leading us have failed us and countless others. I think more and more people are beginning to see through the BS. I hope.
Thanks, Marianne. Your thoughts as always, are clearly expressed - taut and comprehensive. They made me think of something that Maria Popova said in a recent issue of "The Marginalian" that I believe is fitting, maybe useful, here: "Perhaps the most hopeful thing about being alive is that we are never finished and complete." That is, we need to keep living, moving forward, as Shakespeare wrote, "To the last syllable of recorded time.”
Ok to share a somewhat different perspective? I was glad to see the New Yorker article on Biden's investing in blue-collar clean-energy jobs... a bit late in the game to be much help in the elections, but regardless of the outcome, he did some significantly good things that I was glad to learn about, and which merit being acknowledged more widely than they have been. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/11/04/bidenomics-is-starting-to-transform-america-why-has-no-one-noticed
Whilst I see what Marianne is getting at, I think this post is overly cynical. We can't give up hope. When I see videos of Kamala interacting with individual people, she seems like a truly good person. Of course, even when/if she becomes president (which I daily pray for), her power will be limited by the system. But there is the potential for her to begin to change things.
I hope you read to the end of the article. I do feel hope and I want others to as well. I just don't underestimate the depth of the problem. Perhaps I should have expressed more hope sooner in the piece!:)
And you too provide me with hope, Marianne. Keep doing what you're doing. You are an inspiration!
Thank you for your leadership Marianne. 🙏
Frankly, I'm confused by the placement of politics in the midst of what is suppose to represent a forum to encourage, inspire, enlighten, lift, love, sanctify, heal, and ease minds that wrestle with things of the world on a day to day basis.
Politics is a WORDLY endeavor.... regardless of what country or nation it's infrastructure takes place in. The institution of politics is a made up of ideologies and practices intended to protect and support the needs of all of its citizens. That's an admirable but lofty goal. We should expect the process to be messy.
Here.... in this SPIRITUAL forum...I believe people come for solace and comfort from the confusion of the world. At least I do. I seek out reputable Teachers and resources in spirituality to give me encouragement and strength to get through my wordly existence.
When I first read "it is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us", every cell in my body vibrated. Those words penetrated so deeply that I became acutely aware of how afraid I was to fully embody my power and use my voice. From that point forward, I determined to walk a path up that mountain, reminding myself with each step that "I AM". This is a fundamental teaching that I now pass to every single being that God sends my way.
Those of us who are active in some sort of spiritual practice are obligated because of love to pray for the world and never, ever give up on the belief that every single human being will one day know the truth of love.
Christians say "render onto Ceasar the things that are Ceasar's". Buddha taught that all of this worldly stuff is impermanent. Islam teaches similarly stating that wordly life is temporary. All three religions also share a common truth that no human aspiration is higher than that of true love which desires the best for all of humanity. We learn how to love from others who have awakened to love. Please don't let this truth get lost in the messiness of politics.
Kamala Harris is an exceptional candidate for the US Presidency and I urgently hope she wins.
Thanks for voting for her.
You are so eloquent and everything you write and do inspires me. I wish I had contributed so much more to your campaign than I did. I am so sorry that I didn’t, and for that I apologize. I see so clearly how one person can make a difference. Thank you for being a shining example of that.
Amen and Amen!
Brilliant, as always.
I am usually so impressed by your writing, and supported you strongly in your Presidential Campaign, but I am disappointed in your lack of enthusiasm and support for Kamala Harris. I did not think she would be a successful candidate before Biden stepped aside, but I am tremendously impressed by the way she has stepped up to meet the moment and is fulfilling the tremendous responsibility she is currently carrying. I was greatly encouraged by the immediate endorsement she got from Unions and Governors she has been working with, unknown to all of us, and how positively they regarded her.
I would have thought you would be there for her, helping, inspiring, promoting.. instead I sense a bitterness in your perspective. Envy?
I am excited to support a strong, vibrant, capable Woman to become our FIRST female President. I think her past experience as a Prosecutor is a great asset against the corrupt opposition she faces and will be defending our Country from for years. She was the perfect person, already in the perfect position, completely catching the GOP off guard, able to use the existing bankroll, the Perfect Candidate for these times. A Woman, running to defend Women's rights, Equal Rights. A Person of mixed racial heritage, running to defend Civil Rights.
Your support & enthusiasm would be very helpful, your personal defeatism is not.
I have said repeatedly I am voting for (I already did). I appeared on both the Dan Abrams show as well as PIers Morgan in support of her.
There's a difference between voting for someone and saying it's a shame we couldn't do better and openly supporting them. I read resignation in your words, and a tinge of bitterness that it's her and not you on your ballot.
I'm ok with that, personally, but I do think it's unfortunate that you don't or can't admit that Kamala is extremely qualified to lead this nation, and she is an exceptional human being.
The future of this nation rests on her shoulders and on the shoulders of her most committed supporters.
According to the UK Lancet medical journal, the true death toll in Gaza could be more than 186,000.
Kamala Harris "running to defend Civil Rights", except for the Palestinian people. Only one of her unfortunate statements: "There are so many tragic stories coming from Gaza, and of course the first in this phase of everything that has happened, the first most tragic story is October 7th." So, the most tragic story is 1,200 versus, according to the UK Lancet medical journal, a true death toll in Gaza that could be more than 186,000.
I don't have enthusiasm for Harris because of her blatant hypocrisy on the topic of this US-funded and armed genocide, which you seem to be unaware of and which colors everything I hear from her. Are you also unaware that Kamala Harris would not allow any Palestinian American voice to be heard at the "joy" convention? Is she still stupidly going around saying that "Israel has a right to defend itself"? Please explain to me how this administration could be more right-wing than to fund and arm a genocide. Support, yes. What choice do I have? But enthusiasm? No.
I think Kamala Harris wanted to put controls on Bibi before authorizing any more funding , and it cost her some Jewish Voters. It probably is what persuaded Miriam Adelson to donate even more Millions to Trump.
I don’t think she wanted to shut-out Palestinian voices, but they were disrupting her with calling out and chanting while she was trying to give her Campaign speeches. Anyway, she would be better than Trump who will let Bibi do whatever he wants. In Russia too.
Of course Harris WANTED to shut out Palestinian voices, which is why Ms. "Democracy" did precisely that at the convention. You may recall that early rally when Kamala "I'm speaking now" Harris reprimanded the protesters of genocide, and was widely lauded for her so-called strength. Roughly 200 Jews were among those protesters. Also, the Biden/Harris administration has been letting Netanyahu do whatever he wants for over a year. I recommend Mehdi Hasan's interview with Senator Chris Van Hollen, "Democratic Senator Slams Biden’s ‘Shameful’ Inaction on Gaza".
I'm talking about choice within the next couple of days. As for "We know that they won't" reject the system, that's not at all what I know. I've seen strong indications all over the place for months of people rejecting the system, that it's a huge issue, but having no insights as to what to do about it, except more emphasis on a third party. And your attitude isn't exactly "How to Win Friends and Influence People".
"Strong indications" means people's comments, including my own, which are very often specifically directed at MSNBC/CNN. What I hope is that Jill Stein gets enough support to make enough of a dent that her positions...her positions...can't be ignored by mainstream news and omitted from their commentary; for me, Gaza is at the top of the list.
Most people have been heavily trained to vote out of fear, trained to believe that anyone who isn't a D or R is "spoiler", trained to believe that any candidate other than Biden within the Democratic party was a "spoiler", i.e. Marianne, basically trained to believe that voting your values, your conscience is not an option. This is one thing I work to blow up in my comments for those news channels when they crap all over the 3rd-party idea, the "spoilers". Ralph Nader was also a vilified "spoiler", as I like to point out to them...and for others to see...and that the country would be screwed in a number of different ways without his contribution. And regarding Gaza, etc., I often include either relevant titles to non-mainstream segments and/or some of my sources for honest news. People don't know what they don't know.
An election alone isn't going to get this done. It requires an unrelenting chipping away at this consciousness hold...that's the crux of the issue...in as many ways as people can think of. I get the sense that people have kind of been holding their breath until this election is over, not wanting to make waves..."Let's just get through it and make sure Trump doesn't win." But afterwards, I wouldn't be surprised if the shit really starts hitting the fan regarding the genocide, as I see more and more comments about it. I've already flung quite a bit myself, at length, and hope I get a lot more company.
As an example, this is at the end of one of those lengthy posts left for CNN a couple of days ago:
Further to Michigan election problems, I have looked through my CNN and MSNBC notifications, and have seen no coverage of Bill Clinton's speech in Michigan. Could it be because of these headlines?
"Bill Clinton Justifies The Mass Killings Of Palestinians In Racist Michigan Speech"
"Bill Clinton's Vile Anti-Palestinian Racist Speech"
"Bill Clinton criticised for saying Israel 'forced' to kill Gaza Civilians"
"CAIR Condemns Bill Clinton's ‘Insulting and Islamophobic’ Justification of Gaza Genocide"
"Bill Clinton's Insane Speech to Michigan Muslims"
as always, on the mark.