It's Over

What's next?

Civilizations come and go. Ours is built on the ruins of many others. Historians and archeologists may disagree about dates and events but what’s certain is that we are not the first or only advanced civilization that rose and fell.

It’s our turn to fall.

All realistic indicators point to the demise of our human species. I won’t waste words elaborating on the threats. You know about climate disruption, nuclear weapons, economic fragility, pandemics, A.I., plummeting fertility and birth rates, etc. You also know - especially if you’ve been reading here recently - about the caterpillar to butterfly metaphor and my encouragement to embrace transformation, personally and as a species.

We are imaginal cells (precursors to the butterfly) shining in the goo of a dissolving caterpillar culture.

Unconscious caterpillars are struggling to survive by frantically creating an artificial world separate from nature that they can control. Imaginal cells dream of flying.

Everything changes when we let go of that struggle, when we accept that our old way of being is dying. It’s a necessary death. Who weeps over compost? Decay nourishes new life.

But caterpillars are many and imaginal cells are few. How do we sustain ourselves, how do we carry on with confidence while everything we’ve counted on, including our own identity, is crumbling at an accelerating pace?

Robert Backer is a research scientist with a doctorate in psychology and neuroscience. He advises: “When we have no routine, no rituals, no reminders of things that are important to us, we feel psychologically uneasy because we don’t know what our identity is and what our place is in the world.” Read his further comments here.

I agree. So I’ve identified three simple routines/rituals/reminders, based on reframing Timothy Leary’s injunction to turn on, tune in, and drop out, as turn on, tune in, and engage. This theme will center my new book and I’ve connected these instructions with three emotions and activities into a formula that supports our transformation.

Turning on is about connecting with Source Intelligence, feeling grateful for the gift of life, which we receive through breathing. Every breath can remind us to live in gratitude.

Tuning in is about connecting with the natural world, expressing appreciation for everyone and everything. Every meal can remind us to appreciate others, all the life forms we share this living experience with.

Engaging is about exchanging with others and being generous. Every money transaction can remind us to freely give and gratefully receive, with no strings attached.

We breathe, eat, and use money every day so there’s no extra time required to adopt these routines. We can use them to consciously grow our new butterfly identity and to enjoy friendships beyond beliefs, politics… everything.

Dr. Backer explained: “People that band together for a superordinate goal can transcend obstacles or differences that seem less important in the face of a challenge.”

Our challenge is to let go of the old and welcome the new, by surrendering hope for “survival” as caterpillars and embracing our destiny to become butterflies.

I can’t think of a more appropriate message for Independence Day, 2024.