“We are fascinated by people who are immune to the seductions of the physical world; they become our social and spiritual heroes.” - Carolyn Myss
The “underdog” always makes for a great story. On November 16, 1532, Francisco Pizarro and his group of 168 Spanish soldiers captured Incan emperor Atahuallpa and crushed his army of 80,000 men…in a matter of minutes.
One can only imagine the Incans' intimidation upon seeing the Spaniards’ deadly guns versus their own primitive wood and stone weapons. But the odd thing is not one Incan made a move or put up a fight against the Spanish who marched right to Atahuallpa facing absolutely zero resistance. In fact, there were several examples of this eerie non-resistance experienced by the Spanish conquistadors throughout the New World.*
The Incans felt a change in consciousness from one deeply rooted in their mythology, sorcery and faith to the Spaniards ’ ego-based consciousness focused on the individual. Seeing this as “the end of their world,” the Incans walked right into the sword. Many religions, tribes and faiths foresaw a similar “end of the world” taking place close to the year 2012...just six years from now. The Hopi Indians spoke of a 5th World; the Mayans predicted the end of world as we know it on Dec 21, 2012; the Christian Bible talks of the descent of the Heavenly City or New Jerusalem; and the Aztecs anticipated a Sixth Sun.
In "2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl," Daniel Pinchbeck discusses this coming event as an “apocalypse of consciousness.” Whether or not one believes in prophecy, she has to admit: something’s gotta give. The Information Age with its 150 daily emails and 45 daily cell phone calls is ripping at the foundation of the human psyche. Said Pinchbeck: "A new form of consciousness arises--as a sudden mutation--when the previous structure enters its ultimate crises, having exhausted it's possibilities." The phenomenal success of the ancient Eastern spiritual arts like yoga foreshadows a New World which will be experienced as a timeless, egoless state. Is it so far-fetched to imagine a more relaxing lifestyle with a renewed emphasis on mythology, imagination, and quality of life?
Here's how you can help usher in this New World:
- Rise Up Against Rude Cell Phone Behavior
When someone puts their cell phone on the restaurant table and is just as likely to engage a new phone conversation as they are a conversation with you sitting across the table: TAKE A STAND! - Rise Up Against Email Stress
My very successful entrepreneurial friend limited her employees to sending her 2 emails a day. Any rules or regulations that you can impose on your email universe will give you a chance to breathe. - Rise Up Against The Wireless Universe
The world is more and more connected. Cities will soon be wireless. Eventually you’ll be able to power up your mobile phone on an airplane. And in just a few months, you’ll be able to beam downloaded movies from your computer to your big screen TV. Connectedness can be a good thing; but not at the expense of time spent in relaxation, solitude, and imaginative freedom.
"There is a vast realm of intelligence beyond thought. Thought is only a tiny aspect of that intelligence...all the things that truly matter -- beauty, love, creativity, joy, inner peace -- arise from beyond the mind." - Eckart Tolle
* taken from "2012: The Return Of Quezalcoatl" by Daniel Pinchbeck
** I'm teaching what I'm learning and would like to say I personally struggle with being a "cell phone madman" and "crackberry addict," so I'm right there with those of you buried in the Information Age.
