What Does It Take?

This is not the message I intended to write. The words just weren't coming despite my efforts.

This is what needed to be said instead:

I'm feeling called to speak to the continuing bushfire situation for the animals and people in Australia. It is nightmarish and devastating. I find it almost impossible to take in, and cannot even imagine how one could cope. It is heart-breaking, and can feel overwhelming, especially for us sensitives and empaths. Over A BILLION animals are dead, and the impact of this on the island of Australia and the Earth is yet to be felt and known. Close up and personal I have a close up window on the situation. A friend, Billie Dean, whose heart and dedication to living consciously is deep and strong. She and her family (partner and daughter) run an animal sanctuary in New South Wales. The persistent droughts have brought them to their knees many times in the past few years. Her sanctuary runs on donations and these extraordinary conditions create unimaginable expense and hardship. They are among the lucky ones. The fires have literally licked at their gates; firefighters have kept them safe so far; some of their animals have succumbed to stress. They are also tending to the wild animals who come to them for help as best as they are able. Water is the most critical issue for them and the animals they care for. If you called to help, you can go to their website to find out how at (www.deeppeacetrust.com). They also have a Facebook page with updates on how they are faring through the fires. An opportunity to respond and support And of course, there are many organizations and ways to offer aid to those on the ground, and many other ways you might feel compelled to offer your assistance. All are valuable and needed. The most important thing is to follow the promptings of your heart. Prayer, ceremony, money, it all helps. Do that one thing you are called to do. This is a wake up call for each of us. How will you respond? What are you called to do to help right now, and what are you prepared to do to bring about the change that is needed? We need to consider what we might give up, to sacrifice, so that this kind of thing does not have to happen again. To deepen our understanding I am amazed at how much of the world right now seems to be running on 'business as usual', with no acknowledgement of what is happening, not just in Australia, but the devastation to so many in other parts of the world. We humans have an endless capacity for tuning out and ignoring what is uncomfortable. There is a cost to putting our heads in the sand. We are seeing it in Australia and will see more of it. It will not go away, and we will not be able to ignore it. The issues leading to the droughts and bush fires in Australia is a complex one, yet also simple. It is deeply related to our collective consciousness; our beliefs and behavior of separation. That somehow we are unrelated to, different from, less than or more important than another being. Which leads to our desire for and consumption of animal products specifically, and over-consumption of things generally. Things I suspect we will be forced to examine and re-evaluate in the coming days and months. Alas we human animals are slow and reluctant to change, to give up the comforts and luxuries we have grown accustomed to. We are also attached to being right, no? To change Nature teaches us that all growth requires sacrifice. There are old aspects that have to die so the new can be born. Something has to be let go to make space for what is emerging. What do we need to let go of? What is no longer serving us? What is waiting to arise out of the ashes of the enormous losses in Australia? What is awakening and emerging within you? The answers are right there. Within each of us.

It would be good if we could make the needed shifts in belief and behavior, could rally our personal, collective and political will to change without the devastation and suffering, but we seem to need to be jolted out of our complacency. The worst of situations, like this current one in Australia, if we let them, can be the catalyst to call forth the best in each of us. Lets hope. Lets do more than hope, lets ACT.

I invite you to join me in prayer - Thank you for this precious gift of life. We thank you Great Spirit, the Original Dreamer who called us forth to be here now. We thank you Mother Earth for giving us everything we have and for sustaining us. May we rise to the occasion to learn and grow together. May we lean in, and listen to and follow our hearts' wisdom. May we choose to call forth the depths and heights of our compassion and capacities to be the change we want to see in the world. May we remember we are all in this together, our fates are intertwined, for eternity.. May we be kind to ourselves, each other, and to all beings. We bless and thank each human, animal, bird, fish, insect, element, plant and tree for their part in helping us all awaken and step up, to fulfill our destiny. For the sake of all our descendants, who look to us from the future. So be it and so it is. As in Heaven, so on Earth. We are all in this together.