We are still up to 29-31 degrees most days, but now there is beautiful cool breeze coming in across the sea. Things are changing.
People are starting to talk to strangers again.
The container ships just sit out there.
“What are they doing?”.
“What are they carrying?”.
“Isn’t all this social distancing getting pretty nutty?”.
Only 3 weeks ago we felt the heat of the Algerian desert coming across the Mediterranean. Now that `fan-oven´ feeling has been replaced by a beautiful fresh breeze, lovely warm sunshine and a beautiful cool sea. There is plenty to love about Valencia in September!
While we enjoy these perfect conditions, there is the looming prospect of political and economic chaos as the world struggles to handle a disaster that makes 9-11 and the 2008 crash look like a couple of wannabees. We face big challenges. (Duh).
Meanwhile, the end of summer is marked by watching the last of the beach `newbies´ chasing their poorly-anchored umbrellas as the winds pick-up in the afternoons and carry them like tumbleweeds towards the back of the beach.
Strange times indeed. We are more connected than ever via technology, yet we have never felt more isolated. For many, coping with the the fear of imminent death by a nasty disease, or more likely, of losing their livelihoods has been all the more daunting without normal human contact. The truth is that there are a variety of kinetic, chemical, resonant and other energetic components to `normal´ human communication. Chit-chat, back slapping, convulsing with laughter together, being part of a physical audience, banter, drinking and dining, dancing and flirting. We need it all and we can´t get it online.
In the `Chiringuitos´ (beach bars), the `beautiful people´ dare to mingle and talk and flout the rules.
“Have we been lucky to escape?”,
“What is really happening, what have you heard?”,
“Do you know anybody who has died from it?”,
“Is this all the result of an elaborate plan?”,
“Are the Illuminati instructing Big Brother to send his army of DARPA-built cyborg-monkeys to insert microchips in our heads and turn us into Elon Musk´s favorite toys?”,
“Is this an elaborate pharmaceutical false-flag, designed to cause world economic chaos for profit? Or, are we facing mother nature’s attempt at reducing our numbers (a cull of humans) for the sake of her survival on earth, as well as our own?”,
“Why has this become so political?”,
and most of all;
“What the hell is going on?”.
There is nothing like a good controversy and plenty of far-out theories to stir up some division. A few cheap tricks from some lizard-like politicians, plenty of low-level bureaucratic policy inconsistencies all stirred up by the ever-spiraling-out-of-control, online-click-whore that is the mainstream media and here we are.
People don´t know who to trust anymore. The talking heads are everywhere, the phones have ears and we all have a sense that….
…things are getting pretty weird!
Despite the age of information, and with all this powerful technology at our fingertips, we still want to check our information and our thinking by comparing notes with others. The truth is, that despite the convenience of our cellphones, we don´t trust everything they tell us. People are questioning things, and that gives me hope.
I believe that we must be sure to reserve our right to talk to strangers, we need to listen to them to grow and expand our horizons. To face the challenges ahead, we must do so calmly, without hysteria or panic.
What can we do?
The fact is that we are creating the hive mind. This can not be stopped. However, we can influence the nature of the hive mind with our attention. If the majority of the content you consume is blaming `others´ for problems and is generally presented by people you agree with, and if it leaves you feeling angry, depressed or resentful towards people you really don´t spend any time with, then you are pouring fuel on the fire that is burning you and is raging in the world right now. You must stop teaching the algorithms that this type of message will work on you. You are creating politics, the media and the world you live in with your attention. It is your choice. It is your free will. It is not easy. It is not religious. It is the truth.
Its humanity against the `great manipulator´ and her algorithms. We must reclaim the right to steer our own attention towards beauty, joy and whatever makes us happy if we are ever to have peace of mind. WE are responsible for where we put our attention. We can defeat this destructive force, not by fighting it, but by simply and gracefully turning our attention elsewhere. This is a tough lesson. Reclaimed men know this.
