[Dennis Slattery]

Hi Shaahayda:

Your posting is very provocative. I think we as a species wrestle constantly with the energies of contemplation and those of action, symbolized in Dante’s poem by the rich feminine figures of Rachel and Leah. How we balance the energies of the more enclosed world of contemplation and perhaps ritual, and when we step into the world to effect change, is a constant tension. Now some will argue that in contemplation and self-reflection and self-awareness one is in fact affecting the planet. I think the assumption here is that if Everyone did so, our world would be much more humane, balanced and moderate in both consumption and expenditures. And it would take too long, as our planet’s shelf life is growing closer to expiration dates.

I do believe all of us need to be heard, to speak out and up and not to let the rhetoric of the few and the wealthy run the story line when there are so many of us who do not buy it, on any level. All this takes fierce acts of the will and courage. With out our voicing not just our concerns but demands for change we will continue to approach the abyss, led by forces that, to be frank, care not for the health or wealth of anyone but themselves. So greed and narcissism are for me the two great plagues, or viruses on the soul today. Thank you for a very rich posting. I enjoy them.