I now see so very clearly that this topic of heretics and heroes will carry me for the rest of my Life. There's so much to say it's mind boggling. I read an article in the October 2012 Science of Mind Magazine. The very first sentence knocked me sideways. I realized how very common the Church's practice of killing the scientists was 500-600 years ago. The author, Barbara Stahura, said, "To stop the slaughter an agreement of sorts was reached. The Church would have authority over the inner world and the scientists would have authority over the outer world, the world of nature." The entrenched belief that matter and Spirit are separate, that the "mind is infinitely superior to the puny despised body" was in full swing. On the contrary, I have known my whole Life that matter and Spirit are one and the same. I also know how despised the body, feelings, and emotions still are in the Western psyche. It's absolutely haunting. This mindset is the heart and soul of abuse and sexism!! In contrast, the author says the Eastern religions and philosophies have always known the Oneness of the Divine, the body~mind~Spirit continuum. All the indigenous cultures know and honor the Oneness paradigm as well.

Soren Kierkegaard, 19th century Danish philosopher and theologian, father of Existentialism, a viewpoint I greatly love, said he did not want to be under the authority of the church or the state. He wanted to be free so he wrote "without authority." Faith was his guide and inspiration. He believed in Christ as the ultimate authority in matters of faith. Kierkegaard felt that Christianity was not a doctrine to be taught but a life to be lived. He wanted an inner experience of the Divine not a teaching from the outside. A Kierkegaard quote I absolutely love is: "When one has fully entered the realm of love, the world-- no matter how imperfect-- becomes rich and beautiful."

Amnesty International quotes former Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton, saying, "Violence against women isn't cultural, it's criminal." We'll have moved into Oneness Consciousness when we get this point and when it's reflected worldwide in our religions, politics and every area of Life. I can hardly wait. We'll all be so vastly different. Violence is wrong! Period! There is a better way!!! In this context I am reminded of Rosa Parks and Jane Pittman for their stand against the ignorance of racism. I so greatly honor their Courage. There's still so much work to do to eradicate all racism.

I'm so aware that people disparagingly use divisive words without having a clue about the person behind the words. People like Katharine Hepburn, Butterfly McQueen, Einstein, Darwin, Dr. Stephen Hawking, Emerson, Helen Keller and so many others. I so deeply admire and respect these people and yet they're thrown under the bus as atheists when they in fact express and live such a deeply inspired Life and have such a deep reverence for Life and Nature and people and the awe and wonder of how the Universe functions. I'll take their views any day. They are all amazingly inspiring people.

This month we celebrate a new landmark. We have re-elected the first African American president. In one sense I'm relieved and yet newly aware how beholden he is to the banks and corporations. I wish I lived in California where I could've voted for Green Party candidate, Jill Stein, like others did. Talking with others who know more than I do in this arena is so invaluably important and reading the website, commondreams.org, is so important. People are enraged that President Obama got re-elected, by a landslide no less, more than 100+ electoral vote margin and a three million popular vote margin, and yet they blame him, rather than the oil companies, for the gas prices over which he has no control. His emphasis on war, dropping all the drones killing countless innocents, is not the way to Peace. I admire his stand on LGBT rights and the rights of women and yet I newly recognize these issues cost him nothing because they're not related to the economy. He hasn't held the banks accountable for their miserably inept and unethical business decisions. The emphasis on obliterating the social security fund that actually has no impact on the deficit since social security is a trust and a completely separate pile of money, is a completely unnecessary, unethical strategy. There is no fiscal cliff. These are just a few of the issues that highlight the absolute ethical necessity of all citizens being informed and all leaders being independent and not beholden to big business. Decisions must be based on the common good and cooperation, not fear, greed, and competition. Another huge issue is the environment. A new movie is out about the exceedingly rapid melting of the ice. It's gaining huge momentum even changing the minds of the hard core mistaken attitude that there is no such thing as global warming. We have a lot of work to do and I'm doing everything I know to do to uplift, educate and inspire everyone I know. My writing, speaking and teaching are all part of my work.

Here are some examples of where I want us to go. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Allow yourself to trust joy and embrace it. You will find you dance with everything." Today's brain scientists are telling us: Building positive neural pathways helps us see, experience and expect more of the positive. Building negative pathways we see, experience and expect more negative. Question is will we choose Love or fear? Einstein said, "We can only see what we expect to see." Mata Amritanandamayi is considered a living saint in India even though she categorically rejects the tradition that a woman is not to hug a stranger. She has hugged over 31,000,000 people. Just her Presence is transformative. She is most certainly the embodiment of Unconditional Love. Another one of my heretic~heroes is Malala Yousafzai, the 14 year old Pakistani girl, who is trying so valiantly to get education for herself and all girls in her country. If this young woman's efforts aren't heroic I don't know what is. The extremist government is so threatened by her actions they have threatened to kill her if she survives their most recent attack. They also threaten to kill her father who is the headmaster of a girl's school. Malala's actions speak so well to the Courage that has always been the heart and soul of our humanity. Within days of her shooting she's already trying to write and communicate. That's the way it is with heretics and heroes. They have the Vision and Courage to speak their wondrous Truth no matter what the consequences. I am so very grateful for this young woman and all the women and men worldwide who are uplifted and encouraged by her Shining Light as she is called by the women in her country who are standing with her. Bless you, Malala, as you continue your Courageous Life!!! As Enya reminds us, "Only if you want to can you seize the day… only if you want to can you find a way." I know there is a Way!!! I know we can build a culture of Love, Trust and Cooperation. By our actions we can bring Peace here and now. The Peace Train is in motion. All aboard? Yes indeed. Absolutely!!! I see us all building bridges and taking down all walls. Peace I say!