Urban Shamanism

"Stay positive!", "Everything will work out!", "Think happy thoughts!", "Connect with Light!". You've probably heard this and similar advice many times, especially from people who work on awareness and spirituality. This is valuable, sure, but it's not always possible and may be profoundly detrimental if forced, because this life isn't always awesome and sometimes, simply put, shit happens. We smell it, we see it, denying it isn't wise or productive.

Seems like every week that passes is packed with more astounding news from all over the world, doesn't it? The French just went through a scary election and, although the greater danger may have been averted, they're hardly out of the sinkhole's sway. The British also grapple with a political class that considers itself above the law and for good reasons. The war in Ukraine rages on and the horror only picks up. China's making not-so-shy overtures to take over Taiwan while they torture their citizens with an inhumane lockdown. In Nigeria, an illegal oil refinery explodes, killing over a hundred people. In Sudan, tribal warfare wipes nearly 170 lives. There are no less than five shootings in the U.S. on average daily as wildfires ravage the southern states. Violence between Israel and its neighbors continues.

This is all quite dreadful, no doubt about it. Meanwhile, April will end with a partial Solar Eclipse in Taurus that brings its own complexities. Isn't there anything good to look forward to? Why, yes, of course there is! But unfortunately, we can't get there without going through the hardships. Dark times hold the highest Light, and wisdom demands sacrifice. Many things we thought were ok about our world have steadily been unveiled as lies, and this is why it's important that we don't attempt to deny what's going on. It's not useful to avert our eyes, trying can only disconnect us from reality, after which no choice can lead to true growth. I've seen it in myself before, I see it in many people I love and whose processes I can only observe and, of course, I see it in strangers everywhere. I pray for greater global awareness, I make offerings for the reconstitution of our species, I send Love to every corner of our world so that the sufferers may find solace and the transgressors meet full justice.

There are very good and very old reasons why our world is in this situation. Ancestral wounds don't heal in unconsciousness, they bleed and hurt deeply until we realize they're there and do something about them. Wishing them away isn't enough, we have to take a serious look, seek the cause of our discomfort, walk through our fears. As Shakespeare wrote, "Hell is empty and all the devils are here", which might sound foreboding and horrible, but the power of the Shadow is distraction and confusion. If we can't help but seeing it, then it's losing power instead of gaining it. The more eyes see, the more hearts feel, the more ears hear, the more its sway declines.

I don't call you to hope for better times, I enjoin you to be witnesses, to let your hearts break if necessary, because what's happening is rooted on our ignorance. Tyrants gain power because we let them or actively support them. Violence arises from our mass resentment and hatred. Crime unfolds in the unlit corners of our consciousness. You may think that you'd be incapable of atrocities, that you'd never kill anyone willingly, that you'd never steal or cause lasting harm to your society. Think again. Delve deep. It's the only way you can be sure. The disgrace we're seeing is how our world purges the poison and the disease, bringing it from the unseen recesses of our collective mind so it can be cleared. Neither you nor me, nor any other person in this world (yes, even the ones who are victims now) are beyond moral bankruptcy.

That doesn't mean that we should spend every hour of every day in vigilance, that we absolutely have to follow news or anything like it. As I've said before in previous posts, there are also wonderful things taking place during these times, there's beauty to be found everywhere, even and perhaps especially amidst catastrophe, where the best of our character surfaces out of necessity. But it's extremely important now that we don't try to evade the sorrow and the indignity around us, because it's also within us and only by growing aware of it can we heal it and move on. Let's indeed build our art, tend to our flowers and fruits, embrace our joy, but let's also acknowledge the cost and the pain, it's the only real means to secure global progress.

Nauthiz. Necessity, Separation, Definition

Tend to what you need and then think of what you wish for, you can't fulfill your desires if you lack the essential. Genuine pleasure requires moderation and responsibility. You can't step firmly on unstable or slippery terrain, reconsider relationships that demand more than they offer; constantly reading between the lines is an arduous and often useless task. Don't submit to unjustified conditions nor attempt to impose them, the perspectives of others don't compel or concern you. If there's discrepancy between what you think and what you feel, always listen to your instincts. Conciliation isn't always possible even with those you love; withdraw in time, being right is never more valuable than your personal peace. Practicing the same routines will give you the same results, if you're not obtaining what you seek, change your habits, try a different attitude.