THE HEART OF THE MATTER
by Ann Mortifee
After World War II, a shock wave went through the collective heart of humanity. We were devastated by what we had done. Horrified by the atrocities of the Hitler regime; by the immensity of the power that had been unleashed on innocent people in Hiroshima and Nagasaki; by the millions of dead fathers and sons, mothers and daughters.
It was at that time, I believe, that the survival instinct within the body of mankind began to quicken -'flight, fight or freeze'. For some, the immensity of the shock was so great that they merely went unconscious and helplessly closed their eyes. Others said, ' We must protect ourselves with larger weapons, stronger defense systems, greater power. We must be ready to kill before we are killed. Destroy before we are destroyed.' But just like the physical body produces powerful white blood cells when we are ill and in need of healing, so did the body of humanity bring forth people ready to fight for the survival of the us all. They realized that only a shift in consciousness, in wisdom, could help us manage the magnitude of power that we have unleashed.
Today we are beginning to see the results of the commitment of these few who's work it is to fight on behalf of the whole. We see the result of their actions in the return of the feminine voice through the women's movement; We see it in the hundreds of organizations working to alleviate suffering throughout the world; we see it in the movement toward alternative medicine; we see it in the peace movement; In the environmental movement; in the alternative education movement; we see it in the returning strength of our aboriginal and indigenous cultures; we see it in the spiritual awakening that honors all faiths, all ways. These movements are not separate from one another. They are all one magnificent thrust of our collective planetary immune system. This survival instinct is the primary urge at the root of every species. We are being healed. We are finding the wisdom needed, the transformation that might yet save us. All of creation is on our side. We must not lose heart.
Spirit of the ancient land
Awaken deep in me
Lead me to your sacred grove
I'll kneel beneath your tree
Seed my soul on silences
That filter through your leaves
Spirit of the ancient woods
I heed you
