Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 03/14/2008 - 19:07
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Issue #2
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September 11, 2007
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Oracle Omnibus
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Issue #2
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September 11, 2007
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We acknowledge this day as The 6th anniversary of the start of the Paradigm Shift
And hope that you enjoy this Second Issue of the:
Oracle Omnibus
Notes from the President
by Laura
Today is the 6th Anniversary of the horrific attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C. We have been told (officially) that these attacks were perpetrated by Muslim terrorists and that a solution to such religious zealotry is the commencement of war in Iraq – a country that had no connection to 9/11. Most of us now realize that this “preemptive war” was a catastrophic mistake. Nevertheless, when the United States of America – previously revered as the world leader in fairness, justice, generosity, and diplomacy – makes an unprovoked attack on another sovereign nation, clearly something has changed. And now, our leaders are contemplating another unprovoked attack on another sovereign nation – Iran. We have never attacked countries in such a manner and on such flimsy evidence. What is going on?
A Paradigm Shift
Today, the world is fraught with religious zealots of every ilk, particularly in the three religions of Abraham: Jewish Zionists, Christian Evangelicals, and Muslim Terrorists. In the last Omnibus, we asked: Is religion the new racism? And in our first book, The Truth, we explored the ways in which the five primary religions shaped our reality during the past 4,000 years (a/k/a the Third Spiritual Paradigm). Clearly, if one of these manmade religions held the answer to spiritual unity, we would now be at peace. The Truth is that these manmade religions are flawed to the breaking point and are no longer serving us.
Fortunately, more and more of us are exploring new belief systems based on 21st Century science, philosophy, and spirituality. Moreover, the religious tension which helped fuel the events of 9/11, is an indication that humanity is at the brink of a new Spiritual Paradigm. The Oracle Institute was started to assist others in understanding the current Paradigm Shift. We firmly believe in this simple premise: Truth, Love, and Light will soon usurp mythology, hatred, and darkness.
Obviously, though, we are living in very dangerous times. But is this a burden or a blessing? There is a legendary saying which states: May you live in interesting times. And certainly, we are! Thus, we should feel blessed that we are participants in this revolutionary era which will soon herald a new and better Age of Enlightenment. This Fourth Spiritual Paradigm will arrive as soon as we reach a “tipping point,” which will occur when enough of us master and then consistently administer Love. The question we ask you to ponder today is:
Are you helping to bring about the Paradigm Shift?
The Shifting Paradigm
By Pat
Since before the year 2000, there have been discussions regarding an upcoming “Paradigm Shift,” with the implication that the world as we know it will be completely transformed. For many people, however, little is actually known or understood regarding what a Paradigm is, how it goes about shifting, and exactly what that would look like in terms of its impact on our world. This has given rise to some false beliefs, erroneous expectations, and even fear surrounding the concept.
Very simply, a Paradigm is a set of assumptions that a majority of us share about how the world works and what we expect based upon that particular vision of reality. It is a set of values, principles, and expectations that define the limits of what is currently known and accepted. It also provides information regarding how to operate effectively and successfully within those limits. Thus, it is a social contract that we collectively make and which we also may collectively decide to change.
Today, a number of overlapping, interconnecting, and conflicting Paradigms co-exist in our world. A Paradigm Shift is merely a way of saying that a change is occurring that will alter the values and rules in a particular area. If we understand how and why these changes occur, we can adapt and even promote the needed changes. And for those of us who eagerly anticipate and embrace the changes, we also may benefit from the Paradigm Shift – financially, socially, and spiritually. Let me give you some examples of prior Paradigm Shifts to illustrate what I mean.
The Industrial Revolution began a major Paradigm Shift in the production of goods, the average standard of living, and social change. Those who could not grasp this vision initially greeted the new ideas for labor saving machines with skepticism and even scorn. However, those who understood the new manufacturing techniques, were able to take advantage of novel technologies more quickly, and they even made money investing in the new equipment. Eventually, as more people adopted the changes, the profit to manufacturing plants and the income of workers began to increase. The net result was that people began to move to urban areas to work at factories and the economy grew at an unprecedented rate.
Socially, the Industrial Revolution led to the formation of labor unions and, ultimately, to an increase in the standard of living for most Americans. Indeed, the industrial changes revolutionized and impacted lives in a variety of ways, including introducing women into the workforce and, later, causing the government to issue regulations which protect workers from unscrupulous capitalists. Today, we live in the Information Age, another economic and social Paradigm that started with the invention of the computer and the internet. Now, concepts surrounding globalization challenge us to shift yet again.
In sum, Paradigm Shifts occur whenever a new way of looking at or working with a problem comes along and the old ways no longer seem to work as efficiently or fairly. Therefore, one of the first indicators that a Paradigm is getting ready to shift is that new problems exist which cannot be solved or addressed effectively using the old Paradigm’s values or rules. This sets up the potential for change. Oddly enough, however, that new solution always comes from outside the present system. The reason for this is that those invested in the old Paradigm are usually resistant to change – they are afraid of losing what they have in the new Paradigm. The result is a struggle between the old Paradigm and the new one. There are countless examples of this, but the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s is a classic example of a Paradigm Shift that was met with great resistance by those who wanted to maintain the status quo. Inevitably, though, the shift did occur, and the resulting changes then benefited all of humanity.
The lesson to be learned is that when the time is ripe for a Paradigm Shift, it will happen, regardless of the old order’s resistance. That being said, it is far wiser to embrace the necessary changes instead of fighting them! History has demonstrated that fighting a new Paradigm may prolong the period of chaos that always precedes the shift, but it never prevents it from occurring. Resistance only makes it more difficult for everyone going through the process. In other words, the only constant in life is change, and that which does not change eventually dies.
As for the current Paradigm Shift, the Truth is that the tremendous problems facing the world today (eg: religious intolerance, political corruption, global warming, global water shortages, poverty, famine, new diseases, dependency on fossil fuels, increased violence, unaffordable health care, etc.), will not be solved by applying the values and rules of past Paradigms. We are ripe for a major Paradigm Shift because we desperately need and crave a more just, balanced, and compassionate way of life.
Fortunately, new inventions and better models for living are being presented by innovative and creative individuals all over the world. Consequently, although we currently are living in an era of social and spiritual chaos and are facing what many believe to be the greatest challenges of all time, there are many reasons to be hopeful. As more and more solutions begin to appear, this period of disruption will give way to new and better values. Therefore, we encourage our readers to embrace change rather than add to the chaos by fighting the inevitable and evolutionary changes that will mark the new Paradigm.
The Voyage
I thought that my voyage had come to its end at the last limit of my power –
that the path before me was closed,
that provisions were exhausted,
and the time come to take shelter in a silent obscurity.
But I find that Thy will knows no end in me.
And when old words die out on the tongue,
new melodies break forth from the heart;
And where the old tracks are lost,
new country is revealed with its wonders.
Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941)
Gitanjali
Food for Thought:
In order to find the best and most worthwhile life that a human being can live, that is, in order to be happy, a person must discover his or her soul nature and then live according to that nature.
- Plato
New Thoughts and Research on Culture vs. Spirit
By Tobe
In his first book, The Crack in the Cosmic Egg, acclaimed author Joseph Chilton Pearce began his exploration into the means by which humans invent themselves. In the many volumes that followed, Pearce examined the natural forces at work in the mind-body continuum. With insight and compassion, he put into a holistic perspective the ongoing discoveries of a generation of mind-brain research.
In his latest book, The Death of Religion and The Birth of Spirit, Pearce broadens his focus to include the ways in which culture strangles the life force of individuals through the ever-increasing strictures aimed at sustaining and satisfying those in power. He describes our current culture as having a destructive psychological and mental field that preempts and replaces the natural impulse that normally would protect us and direct us toward equilibrium. These constraints, Pearce says, now impede our natural longing for life and, in some cases, damage us to the point that we eventually attempt to break free of imposed structure through the use of violence – not the optimal way to counter the old culture and help usher in a new Paradigm.
In eloquent and simple language, Pearce explores the heart-mind connection and synthesizes the most up-to-date research from worldwide institutions studying this phenomenon. Particularly alarming is the way in which the wave forms emanating from the heart are altered and distorted by the fields created through "enculturated blindness." Through numerous examples, Pearce describes the various ways in which cultures conspire to squelch the natural urges which produce healthy humans, such as touch, play, and exploration. Instead of fostering such natural instincts and impulses, children, in particular, are bombarded with virtual realities centered in the schoolyard, church pew, and at mother’s knee. The result is that healthy enthusiasm is deflated with "don't do that" admonitions.
Pearce’s soulful prescription is an echo heard across centuries from all great spiritual teachers:
To overcome fear and reconnect the mind and heart, we must find the strength to forsake "our quaking subservience to culture and its dominator 'or else', although the surrendering of such an imprint seems to our enculturated mind to be a collapse into chaos or apparent death” – and the call for a Paradigm Shift.
The Oracle Recommends:
1. That you click on this link for reflection on a Paradigm Shift centered around Love:
2. That you read these incredible books on our collective future and how to get there:
The Third Wave, by Alvin Toffler
Discovering the Future, by Joel Barker
The Death of Religion and The Birth of Spirit, by Joseph Chilton Pearce
What Would Jefferson Do?, by Thom Hartmann
3. That you meditate on what kind of world you wish to leave your children.
Future Events of Interest
In 2008, The Oracle Institute will be offering classes on each of the five primary religions, to explore what each religion has contributed to our spiritual database about the Supreme Being and also to focus on how each religion may be impeding the next phase of God’s plan for mankind: Spiritual Unity
February 2008: Hinduism with Jim Kurella
March 2008: Judaism (TBA)
April 2008:Buddhism (TBA)
May 2008: Christianity with Laura George
June 2008: Islam (TBA)
The Oracle Institute also hosts a Lakota Sweat Lodge in Purcellville, Virginia on the first Saturday of every month. Those who wish to participate should contact the lodge leader, Pete Beebe, for details and for the requirements of the ceremony. A small donation is requested, which is used to fund programs for Native Americans of the Sioux Nation. If interested, please contact: Pete@Zilyen.com
Thank you for your on-going interest in The Oracle Institute. We hope you enjoy this newsletter and that you will join us at some of our upcoming events. As an educational charity, we are always looking for talent, expertise, and resources that can be used to further the objectives of our organization. The Oracle Institute requires the efforts of many people, so if you would like to help, please contact us.
Copyright 2007 The Oracle Institute
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