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peace on earth to
all
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We have learned that the essence of
goodwill, what really empowers and lies at its core, is the
heart-grasped realization of the essential divinity of all beings.
Tom Carney
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It may have seemed, in the last three
years, that fear made some powerful inroads in the world,
particularly in the
US. But in the beginning of this past year we had a most profound planet-wide expression of something much stronger. Nearly 30 million people
around the world, got off their couches and took to the streets in one of the greatest
expressions of Goodwill the planet has ever known. Our efforts to
stop the war in Iraq may have been overridden, but the power of this
amazing act will
live on. It has transformed the way we perceive ourselves. We know
now
that we are not alone in our perception of the essential divinity of
all beings. It is this perception that drives goodwill and it is
the basic principle of goodwill that drives us to work for a better
world for all life on this planet.
This is such a vast
subject that we can only touch on it in the most superficial way,
but we hope that you will begin 2004 somehow uplifted and inspired
by what you read here. And that we will join together in resolving
for 2004 and all our futures, to work consciously and consistently
to make goodwill the motivating principle behind all our actions and
thoughts. We are told that "Goodwill is the touchstone that will
transform the world". Let's make it so!
This month's issue has
been blessed with the serene and lovely nature watercolors by Rod
McIver of Heron Dance. We are profoundly thankful for this beauty.
Thank you Rod!
You can see and purchase his art at
http://www.herondance.org/. |
Adirondack Sunrise
Rod MacIver
http://www.herondance.org/
"Goodwill is not an object. It is an energy field."
...Many folks in the esoteric
community, and many of the world’s more mainstream thinkers and intellectuals,
have been saying for sometime now that Humanity is on the brink of great
change. Personally, I think we passed the brink some time ago and that we are
well into the Great Change, or the transformation of the world. That dye was
cast longer ago than most of us can imagine...
From most observers, we get one
or another of two views of this presently grave, extremely fluid and totally
confusing world situation. On the one hand we get a vision of gloom on the
brink of doom, on the other, we are presented with the jumping off place into
all sorts of salvation scenarios. It is very hard for us to see the changes
that are actually happening because they are so in our face. Clear vision
requires that we withdraw from the physical morass, the maya of the thing, and
try to see the picture whole.
From an elevated position on the
mountain, the valley becomes understandable, and the truth is that both of
these options are going on simultaneously. We have, on the one hand, strident
and unending messages, to say nothing of daily, graphic and horrendous
examples of gloom and doom or, to give these two frequencies their ancient
Kali Yugic names, fear and death. And on the other we have, here and there,
examples of joy and birth, new light and new life, new order and new living
going on right now in the very center of the gloom and doom. You understand,
of course, how all nebulas have these incredibly bright centers of impelling
power.
As Life moves into
manifestation, something has to make room for it. Something has to go. Those
of us who endeavor to work on the subjective side of this equation understand
this Cosmic fact as yin/yang, the ceaseless motion of creation, that two phase
process of birth and death wherein death is simply the shattering of the old
forms that have embodied or imprisoned the Life, and birth is the movement of
the Life into new more appropriate forms or “stately mansions” as the poet
said. Creation is the passage of truth and beauty—which two always and only
co-exist—in and out of time and space.
This is all very well,
lovely even. The knowing of it—and many of us really do know it— makes a
comforting glow on the horizon of our daily lives, gives us hope and
reassurance, fortifies our courage and strength in the darkness. We need these
gifts of spirit, the strength and hope, and we are grateful for them, for the
fact is that we do not dwell constantly, or even very much on the mountain
top. We live and move and have our being right down here, right in the middle
of the vortex of change the Great Wheel is generating. The Master Morya put it
very clear, “Man has fallen into a dark
pit and closed the outlet with a black cover.”
Hierarchy, #118
Thus, we have Kali Yuga, the Dark Age.
This is where we are. And
friends, it can be terminal for humanity if we forget or ignore that fact. We
are in the trenches, where the action is. We are precisely where we need to be
if we are to be useful to the Custodians of the Plan and the “dispensers of
assignments.” Another of Master Morya’s injunctions comes to mind. “…the
complete task ...must be expressed now, amidst today’s animosity and
destruction.
Agni Yoga #511
So, that being the case, what I
want to talk about this evening is what we need to do down here in this black
pit. Let me assure you that there is much that we can do. Indeed, friends,
there is much that we absolutely must do.
NEXT>>>
Click here for a
printable version of the entire article
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Marsh Call
Rod MacIver
www.herondance.org/
"Hope is the thing
with feathers--
That perches in the soul--
And sings the tune without the words--
And never stops--at all--"
Emily Dickinson
From the
Souled Out Website
The
Spirit of Goodwill:
The Spirit of Goodwill is a great unifying
Principle. The individual will is subordinated or even sacrificed for
the greater good of all, "Thy will, not my will be done."
The Spirit of Goodwill can produce an
atmosphere in which true cooperation can take place, problems can be solved,
and obstacles overcome. Goodwill represents the firm belief in the divine
possibilities—the Essential Divinity—of all beings. Goodwill is often
present in difficult situations just awaiting release. It needs only to be
cultivated and used.
...As Goodwill becomes a
dynamic, positive factor in all human affairs it lays the foundation for a
new understanding.
There is a natural relationship (Unanimity)
between all of
Humanity that dissolves all barriers and ends the spirit of separateness
and hate. Building upon this foundation of Goodwill, we will bring about an
unprecedented era of Right Human Relations. With the alignment of heart,
mind and will, Humanity will take the next step in our Divine evolution.
The positive shift in difficult situations
when employing goodwill can be immediate. Goodwill promotes harmony and
unity, breaks down barriers and builds bridges, for it stimulates right
action between individuals, groups, and peoples. Practicing goodwill creates
open lines of communication, fosters understanding, dispels fear and evokes
trust—demonstrating goodwill naturally evokes cooperation with others.
Self-centeredness, resentment, hostility,
prejudice, criticism, and intolerance prevent goodwill in our lives. The
elimination of these requires an attitude of self-observation, of sincere
self-analysis, and of detached assessment. Paradoxically, an initial amount
of goodwill is essential to overcome these self-defeating states and to
enable goodwill to become a force in our lives.
Evoking in ourselves the opposite qualities of
the above—compassion, patience, generosity, humility, a sense of
brotherhood, a spirit of service, and gratitude—will naturally create much
goodwill for ourselves and others. Goodwill is contagious and spreads like
wildfire throughout the human heart.
How to incorporate goodwill when dealing with
a problem? Find common ground to build from. Examine a problem from every
point of view. Determine what is the greatest good that will come with
suggested outcomes. Try to keep the solution geared to what benefits
everyone the most and include it in a larger frame of reference, a greater
"whole." Consider it from "above," from a higher level of personality
detachment, if possible. Lastly, a willingness to compromise is essential.
Be willing to put aside some immediate
benefits in favor of future greater returns produced by agreement and
cooperation. Decide what needs to be done and take action, together.
Remember that good attracts good, generosity evokes generosity.
Where is goodwill needed? Everywhere, from our
closest associates and family members to the broader community we live in,
and broader still, if possible, to foreign lands. In all these relationships
let us endeavor to understand those with whom we come into contact
that the needed goodwill in interaction with them is built and maintained.
Remember transformation works from within
outward. It is the cultivation of the will-to-good within us that gives
us the power and arouses the energy necessary for active demonstration of
goodwill in our outer lives.
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Autumn Portage
Rod MacIver
www.herondance.org/ |
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Excerpt
from
Dialogues
With The Dalai Lama
Ó
2003
Corinne McLaughlin and Gordon Davidson
Click here for a printable
version of the entire article
Helping the Tibetans and the Chinese
One of our major dialogue topics
was about what we, as Americans, could do to help the Tibetan people. Many
suggestions were given, but his (the Dalai Lama's) response to these was remarkable. First he said,
“We cannot do anything that would cause harm to the Chinese people! We must find
a course of action that will not only benefit the Tibetans, but will also
benefit the Chinese.” This was a stunning comment from the temporal and
spiritual leader of the Tibetan people who was driven from his homeland by the
Chinese, who knows 1.2 million of his people (primarily lamas and other leaders)
have been killed, and the rest of the population is still being cruelly and
relentlessly oppressed. Yet we could all see that he holds no anger towards the
Chinese.
His Holiness also said that we
must always be thinking for the long term and looking for root cause solutions,
rather than short term answers. In his long term view of the issue, he sees that
the causes for the current suffering of Tibet “were set in motion a thousand
years ago.” In fact, we later discovered that in 821 China was invaded by Tibet.
“It’s all cause and effect, cause and effect,” he noted.
He also said that we must first be
clear about our motive and intention for taking any action towards the Chinese
or anyone, and be reasonably sure about the intended outcome. “Our motive must
be harmless,” he said, smiling. What a contrast to the modern western approach
to action! To consider motive and intention and the effects on others first,
rather than they being last on a list, was such a refreshing relief from “will
it make a profit” or “how will I benefit?”
Tibetan Spiritual Priorities
But his concern for the Chinese
has much deeper roots in Buddhist philosophy. A key member of the Tibetan
government-in-exile shared how the Dalai Lama has instructed them to arrange
their political priorities: “First you should identify yourself as a sentient
being; second as a human being; third as a Buddhist; fourth as the Tibetan
people; and fifth as the Tibetan political entity.” All actions must first
be considered as to how they will affect all sentient beings, then all human
beings, then all Buddhists, then all the Tibetan people, and lastly, how it will
affect politics. What a wonderful world we would have if these priorities were
even partially adopted by all nations!
Yet the most astonishing statement
that we heard in our entire time with the Tibetans was from this same lama. He
said the Dalai Lama had told them that if some action would clearly benefit the
billions of Chinese, then the Tibetans would be prepared to make a sacrifice,
because their primary identification is with all beings. Perhaps by the
assimilation of the Tibetans into China, the seeds of Buddhist compassion will
eventually take root within the Chinese people, and temper and balance their
current ruthless materialism.
Practices Recommended by The Dalai Lama
His Holiness suggested that we do
a simple practice when we return home, and share it with as many people as
possible: Spend five minutes at the beginning of each day remembering that
all people want the same thing—to be happy and to be loved, and that we are all
connected to each other. Then take five minutes to breath in, cherishing
yourself, and breath out, cherishing others. Then extend this attitude to
everyone we meet during the day—the important people in our lives, as well as
casual people we meet, but especially to people we don’t like.
NEXT>>>
Click here for a printable
version of the entire article
Corinne McLaughlin and Gordon Davidson are
co-authors of Spiritual Politics (Foreword by the Dalai Lama), and
Builders of the Dawn, and co-founders of The Center for Visionary
Leadership.
http://www.visionarylead.org/ |
“When [people]
of goodwill meet, no matter what their political party, nation or religion,
there is no
problem which they cannot eventually solve and solve to the
satisfaction of the various parties involved.”
Problems of
Humanity P. 119
A. A. Bailey
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(CNN) --
Just back
from a trip to South Africa to visit needy children, television talk show queen
Oprah Winfrey said she's changed her mind about adopting and, instead, plans to
spread the word about the AIDS crisis threatening Africa's future.
"I think most of the people watching us around the world really don't
understand the level of devastation that's going on," Winfrey told CNN's Larry
King in a rare television interview Tuesday. "You have 11 million children in
sub-Saharan Africa now suffering as orphans. ... They're AIDS orphans. What I
realized is they're children left to take care of themselves."
"If we, as a nation, do not do whatever we can to support these children,
you're going to have social chaos in 10 years," she added.
The United Nations reports that up to 28.2 million of an estimated 40 million
people worldwide infected with HIV live in sub-Saharan Africa.
During her most recent trip to Africa, Winfrey visited clinics, schools and
attended a star-studded AIDS benefit hosted by former South African President
Nelson Mandela. In the past, she's visited South Africa to deliver gifts to
needy children. She also taped a special about AIDS in Africa that is expected
to air on ABC December 17 -- and her own show will feature the trip on December
22.
"There's so much sadness in the world and I wanted to be able to do
something," she said about the 50,000 gifts she delivered to the African kids.
"I wanted to be able to bring a joy to children who would not have had a day of
joy. Because I remembered in my life there were times when people did that for
me, so I wanted to be able to extend myself and kindness."
Winfrey, 49, who was considering adopting, said she had given up the idea.
"I don't think that that's for me," she said. "I feel that I have a calling.
I feel that part of that calling certainly has been to be on television, and to
use television in a way that can make a difference. I want to be a voice for
those children who don't have a voice."
While not revealing much her hard-core fans don't already know, Winfrey
dismissed a caller's question asking if she would consider running for public
office.
"No, ma'am, I would not," Winfrey said. Television "is the best forum in the
world. I think all the senators wish they had that for themselves."
She said she marvels at her life, rising from poverty in segregated
Mississippi to her current status as one of the richest and most powerful women
in the world.
"I'm always looking for ways that I can use myself and use my life, use my
money, use my time, use my energy," she said. "What I'm interested in doing now
is creating a lasting impact. ... My efforts [are] going into schools because
education is freedom."
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“Goodwill
is the touchstone which will transform the world.”
A.A.Bailey
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Osprey Portrait
Rod MacIver
www.herondance.org/
Volvo For Life Awards
Mischa Zimmerman
Montclair, New Jersey
Having been hospitalized and disabled from catastrophic
illness, Mischa knows first-hand how lonely and isolating it
is to become a sick person. Mischa co-founded an
organization to harness the power of kids to help other kids
who are chronically or terminally ill. This program raises
funds to benefit medically compromised kids who need
physical and emotional support. The organization tries to
help them cope and improve their lives by funding mobility
devices such as electric wheelchairs, wheelchair ramps,
hospital exercise bikes--anything to help ease the transition
back to the "normal" world. In addition, teens organize
annual toy drives that support ten area hospitals.
The most extraordinary feature of Kids Helping Kids is
that it is run by teens. They determine the fund raising
events, work at them tirelessly and develop the plans for
whom and what to fund. Fundraising includes sports events,
art shows, musical concerts and this year's kid-created
"Heart Bracelet" initiative. The teens spend countless hours
in hospitals, participating in recreation programs and
helping to relieve the isolation that sick kids feel. As a
result, the program not only benefits sick kids, but also
teaches well teens to care about others and be productive
and efficient in running a volunteer organization.
Mischa co-founded Kids Helping Kids when he was 14, one
year after being diagnosed with a brain tumor. Since then,
he has endured many rounds of chemotherapy and surgery. He
uses a motorized wheelchair, has double vision, extensive
nerve damage in his face and a distorted voice. In spite of
his illness, Mischa today attends New York University.
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"ponder on the
notion that goodwill is the energy of transformation"
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Great Egret Blue
Rod MacIver
www.herondance.org/
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more
Volvo For Life Awards
Robert Young
Bellevue, Washington
Our Indian reservations contain some of the deepest pockets of
poverty in the United States. Over three hundred thousand Native
Americans are homeless. Countless homeless families and others live in
shacks and up to 20 people can live in a single uninsulated mobile home.
It is heartbreaking!
In the face of this enormous problem, Robert and his volunteers are
going into reservations and teaching communities to build their own
homes out of straw bales. He has been able to form a partnership with
the University of Washington and Penn State University, and together
they have designed a community-friendly model that is three times more
energy efficient than a typical home. Families are saving enough in
heating costs alone per month to pay the majority of the mortgage on a
new home.
For seven years, Robert Young has kept Red Feather afloat with his
life savings and donations from caring individuals. But the ignorance in
our country of the plight of native families is deep. Most funding
organizations do not want to look at the problem. The result is that Red
Feather turns down hundreds of volunteers a year simply because they do
not have funding to conduct additional building projects.
Several years ago Robert was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.
Despite this tragic disease and its complications, Robert continues his
effort...
For more information about Robert's work with the Red Feather
Development Group please visit
www.readfeather.org.
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Coming Home
Rod MacIver
www.herondance.org/
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“The will-to-good is the Father aspect, whilst goodwill is the Mother aspect,
and from the relation of these two the new civilization, based on sound
spiritual (but utterly different) lines, can be founded. I would commend this
thought to your consciousness, for it means that two aspects of spiritual work
must be nurtured in the immediate future, for on them the more distant hope of
happiness and of world peace depends.”
The Rays and The Initiations P. 110
-A. A. Bailey |
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Bull Moose
Rod MacIver
www.herondance.org/
"Goodwill, simply does not deal
with the illusory, old totalitarian world order concepts of
superiority and inferiority. The power of goodwill flows exactly
from its willingness to search for and find the inclusive common
ground that weaves the diversity of the Father’s Plan together.
Goodwill is the energy which discovers the unities in the
diversities which in turn reveal the synthesis that is."
Are we Up For This? Tom Carney
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Marsh Flight
Rod MacIver
http://www.herondance.org/
http://vicpeace.ca/centre/update48/goodwill.htm
Peace, Goodwill and Much More
by David Turner
In the perceived reality of our cutthroat global
economy, many governments and corporations choose to maintain docile and cheap
workforces. Racism, propaganda and fear of poverty are often used in this
exploitation. This also results in animosity towards "outsiders" (people who are
culturally and socially different), fear for their own survival and the widening
gap between rich and poor. These are ingredients for serious conflict all over
our world: no country is immune.
Peace on earth and in our nation cannot be left up
to leaders in politics or business. Our goodwill and more are required now and year-long. We must act upon it.
Each of us must find ways to reach out to our
fellow human beings, especially to outsiders and the poor, in the spirit of
welcome, support and conciliation.
In our families, how long has it been since we
tried to talk out our differences between members?
In our schools and workplaces, when did we last
try to include lonely students or difficult colleagues in our social activities?
On our streets, when did we last meet with
complaining or isolated neighbours?
In our communities and neighbourhoods, when did we
reach out to troubled youth, poor families, lonely or sick, elderly, unemployed
or unattached single people, the homeless, mentally ill or racial minority
person?
In our city and province, when we see inequality,
poverty and injustice, when did we last speak out publicly or challenge our
civic and provincial leaders to take action?
In our nation when groups such as the poor,
aboriginal people, gays and lesbians, children, the elderly, women, ethnic
minorities and people with disabilities are being oppressed and discriminated
against and their human rights violated, do we protest politically and offer
support? In the world when did we try to cross the barriers of difference and
intolerance and connect with our global sisters and brothers? We must all reach
out to each other in any way we can, to share the human condition of our dreams
and burdens of hurts and pain. We must promote non-violent ways of conflict
resolution in our families, in our schools and at work, on our streets, in our
communities, in our nation and on our globe.
Sustainable peace demands this of all of us.
David Turner is a professor of Social Work at the
University of Victoria and is a director of the Conflict Resolution Centre.
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http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0312/S00015.htm
UNICEF Marks a Milestone:
50 Years of Goodwill Ambassadors for
Children
LOS ANGELES/NEW YORK, 3 December 2003 –
UNICEF today marks 50 years of celebrity goodwill for children, honoring the
global stars who for five decades have carried on a trail-blazing tradition of
service that brings hope to hundreds of millions of children worldwide.
“For 50 years, starting with Danny Kaye, these
remarkable individuals have chosen to take advantage of their household trust to
help those who are often faceless and forgotten,” said Carol Bellamy, Executive
Director of UNICEF. “By generously giving their time and talent, they have
helped improve the lives of hundreds of millions of children throughout the
world. It’s been 50 great years of goodwill, and we look forward to 50 more.”
Today, virtually every cause in the world enlists
the support of well-known individuals, but in 1953 it was a different story.
That was the year when a chance encounter on a plane introduced Danny Kaye to
Maurice Pate, UNICEF’s first executive director. Together, the two forged a new
kind of partnership between celebrities and global organizations that is now
widespread.
In 1954, when Kaye got behind the controls of his
own plane and took off on 33 years of globe-trotting for children, UNICEF became
the first organization to harness the power of celebrity to reach millions of
ordinary people and bring the world home to them.
“We all owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to
Danny Kaye for his original, inspirational work,” Bellamy said. “Every celebrity
for every cause can trace the roots of their good will to Kaye.”
“Whether raising millions of dollars for UNICEF
programs, holding a child’s hand, or holding world leaders to their promises,
these beloved stars have shown that the compassion and dedication of a single
individual can make a world of difference,” Bellamy said.
“The special bond embraced by UNICEF and Danny
Kaye half a century ago has become a standard for good causes everywhere,”
Bellamy remarked. “Our stars are true ambassadors of good will, and it’s a joy
to celebrate them. Their gift is in connecting us with one another, introducing
us to the wide world beyond our doorsteps, convincing us that we can each make a
difference.”
* * *
Founded in 1946, UNICEF works in 158 countries to
ensure that all children survive and thrive through adolescence. UNICEF’s
efforts on the ground emphasize immunization and micronutrients; the best start
in life, including safe water and sanitation, basic health and nutrition, and
loving interaction; education for all children; fighting HIV/AIDS and caring for
children orphaned by the disease; and a protective environment that shields
children from abuse, exploitation and violence.
UNICEF is funded entirely by voluntary
contributions from governments, foundations, businesses and individuals.
* * *
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Misty Canoe
Rod MacIver
http://www.herondance.org/
| Nothing that I can
do will change the structure of the universe. But maybe,
by raising my voice I can help the greatest of all
causes -- GOODWILL among men and peace on earth.
Albert Einstein |
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Shorebird
Rod MacIver
http://www.herondance.org/
Neighbors Helping Neighbors
An elderly Salt Lake City woman who couldn’t afford to buy
a new furnace found an unexpected helper four years ago: the University of
Utah Graduate School of Social Work.
A program called Goodwill’s Neighbors Helping Neighbors,
sponsored by the Graduate School of Social Work and the W.D. Goodwill Family
Foundation of Salt Lake City, was just getting started. Replacing the
woman’s furnace was the organization’s first project.
In the four years since, upward of 125 low-income elderly
residents in a 48-squareblock area of Salt Lake City have received
assistance from Neighbors Helping Neighbors. The program helps low income
elderly with projects as large as replacing a roof or as small as buying a
new bird feeder so a woman could watch the winged creatures in her yard.
..."Universities have a unique role in creating a new
paradigm," says Farley... "They have a
responsibility to find better ways to help people."
Neighbors Helping Neighbors was started with the aid of
Wilford W. and Dorothy Goodwill, a Salt Lake City couple who wanted to honor
their deceased daughter through public service. The Goodwills saw the chance
to combine their family foundation’s money with the efforts of social work
students who needed to fulfill practicum requirements to get their master’s
degrees. It turned out to be a good fit.
Students canvassed homes from 1300 South to 2100 South and
from State Street to 700 East and found that about 20 percent of the
residents were elderly. The students then set up a network of neighborhood
volunteers who speak with their elderly
neighbors to find
out who needs
assistance.
The Goodwill family foundation provides money to buy materials for projects,
with local businesses often donating labor. No one with a legitimate need is
turned away.
In the process, the Graduate School of Social Work is
creating a new paradigm—and in doing so, Farley, Goodwill, and others hope
it is the start of something larger.
"If we can make this work at the University and the state
level, it will spread," Farley says.
http://www.socwk.utah.edu/aging/pdf/Continuum_Winter_2002.pdf
The
University of Utah
College of Social Work’s W.D. Goodwill Initiatives on Aging was established
in November, 2001 under the auspices of the
Social Research
Institute (SRI).
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