Have you seen the film THE SHIFT? I personally am a little cynical about the value of films like this. There's no doubt that people are waking up and a quantum leap in consciousness is occurring in many, but after watching this particular effort I was reminded of that wonderful quote from Tolstoy:
Everyone thinks of changing the world but no one thinks of changing himself.
It is my view that nothing is really going to change until we start to tackle the fundamental problems in our world and they begin at our own front door. Once that revolution occurs then everything else will slowly start to 'shift' too. For example if you refuse to buy into this consumerist society where this years must-have toy for your young child is something from the same company that also produces violent video games for teenagers, you are making a difference. That difference is not only to your own family but one small step towards changing the wider world.
There are lots of ways we can make a difference. There are lots of people who could single-handedly make a huge difference right now, today.
TV talent shows - mentioning no names - have a global appeal. What type of society are we living in where they can, within these shows, make pleas for a certain amount of money to provide anti malaria nets for an entire village in Africa when, if all the presenters, judges and executives on that one show gave just a small percentage of their wage each month, that particular issue could be dealt with overnight.
What we seem to have lost is not our willingness to act to 'save the planet' but our willingness to embrace a return to old fashioned values and spirituality. Consumerism and greed are God and too many people have a sheep or 'keeping up with the Joneses' mentality. We are meant to enjoy the money we earn and I have no problem with the fact that some will earn more than others, or how they choose to spend it BUT the more you have surely the more you can give back. It seems to me though that many of wealthy people make cursory donations (after consulting their tax lawyer) but nothing that makes any visible dent - a gesture that would set an example to the young people who 'idolise' them.
That said I don't intend to waste energy being against something. I'd rather be 'for' something and one way that we could really make a shift is to bring back the practice of Tithing. This would soon sort the people who really want to help from the hypocrites. It would also reveal those who truly feel they are part of a collective movement. Tithing is an offshoot of the 'Law of Flow' - the knowledge that nothing is at rest, everything is moving and just as if you give love you will receive love, so too if you give money you will receive it back in equal or greater measure.
Originally tithes (10% of income) were made to the Church, the idea being that they would distribute the wealth. We all know that this is a bad idea nowadays. Corruption, even in ecclesiastical organisations, is widespread. Likewise giving money to huge charitable concerns seems futile to me these days. So much goes to the Government or to the running costs that often only a fraction reaches the cause itself. Giving a percentage of your wage every month on a total whim to whomever you encounter, or whatever small charitable cause catches your eye and heart, is a far better idea. You'll undoubtedly be magically attracted to exactly where it needs to go.
If you are willing to embrace this practice whatever amount you decide to tithe, the key is to always tithe just that bit more than you believe you can afford and to do it consistently, without fail. If you are already baulking at the idea and thoughts are running through your head like 'Huh, in a credit crunch when I'm already deep in debt', no way or ' Are you kidding me? I can't even afford to feed and clothe my family let alone some strangers' then you are exactly the type of person who needs to be tithing. Why? Because you have lost your connection with the Universe; the connection that keeps you in a state of abundance. It's an inner knowing that if you keep the energy flowing it will always come back to you.
If all this goes right over your head then so be it but to many of you reading this will strike a chord. It's not about money per se it's about a trust in a supportive universe - and that in my book is the foundation of true spirituality. Unswerving belief in a fair and just universe is what I believe will really allow 'a shift' to occur.
