Newsletter April 2005 by Cathy Combs

Spring Has Sprung---We’re In A Growing Time!!!

If you’re a regular reader of my newsletter greetings to you! If you’re a new reader of my newsletter welcome to you! I’m so excited as I witness the greening of Mother Nature’s beauty. Spring in the Midwest is a beautiful season. New life is springing up all over as Mother Nature demonstrates all of Her grand underground preparations. As humans, our growing cycle demonstrates a parallel reality. We are now in a grand worldwide, cultural growing time as we continue the loving, deliberate, conscious transition from a dominator model to a partnership model. We are moving from a sad consciousness of fear to a radiant consciousness of love! As an educator and mental health professional and as a person who believes in and practices an eclectic spirituality that honors the sacredness of all of life I am thrilled to consciously participate in every way possible in facilitating this worldwide effort taking root in every heart and soul. One of the changes that I’d like to recognize and give thanks for right now is the 2001 ruling by the war crimes court in the Hague that finally recognized that mass rape is a crime against humanity. I read about this ruling in Riane Eisler’s classic book, “The Power Of Partnership”. Her book details the archaeological evidence of the Goddess traditions, the amazing partnership societies that flourished for thousands of years throughout Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. As a human and a woman I have to say my reaction to this ruling in 2001 is achingly bittersweet. The heartsick, bitter side of this ruling is to imagine that there ever was, and still is, a culture on Earth that accepts mass rape as “an inevitable consequence of war”, and is therefore, “ok”, is beyond anything I could ever contemplate, much less condone, as a sentient being on this Earth! The sweet side of this international ruling is that it is declared now for all to see that violence and cruelty are not acceptable as anyone’s cultural tradition!!! Violence and cruelty are recognized as crimes against all humanity!!! As painful as this process is I want to say again what I said in last month’s newsletter that it is so important not to judge these inhumanities! To judge these events and these people only holds the process in our consciousness and impedes the effort of transformation!!! In order to be transformed we must enfold ourselves and all of these events and people in love and peace and understanding. Being love in action is the answer to everything!!!! Part of the transformation process is thanking all the people who are tirelessly working to bring about these necessary changes. Part of the transformation is that we all join in these efforts to bring more love, joy, peace and forgiveness into our daily practice! So, as part of my daily practice, on every level, I am grateful to the women all over the world who, through their individual and collective, grassroots efforts, made this international ruling possible!!! Their work gives me a very precious new appreciation and understanding of “grass roots efforts”. I now hear “starting from the ground up” in a new and empowering “herstorical” way! The loving power of cooperative partnership is now more rooted than ever in my personal and collective consciousness and I’m grateful!!! I am strengthened, encouraged and honored!!! I recommit my life toward this healing effort!!! I reaffirm that I will consciously bring more love, joy, peace, understanding and forgiveness into my daily life, my daily spiritual practice. I will recognize that every event is a call to love!!!!!

What this kind of action means to me as one person is the demonstrable power of one! This action reminds me of the mantra, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” Be one person consciously working collectively with many others to bring about worldwide change. Nothing could be more meaningful and more needed!!! As I work toward these changes in this beautiful season of Spring I give thanks for many things. I give thanks for the many ordinary people doing extraordinary things!!! I give thanks for my young adult students who are just beginning their lives as world leaders in the small and big ways they are preparing for their present and future. I give thanks for my parents who, in their own ways, were, and are, passionately devoted to social justice. I give thanks to my many teachers and mentors who have educated and inspired me to live at the very top of the good I can imagine for this precious world I share with others. I give thanks for my own inner Spirit that radiates with a passionate, focused inner fire and direction that shines the light of love, joy, hope, passion, compassion, integrity, peace, forgiveness, confidence, intelligence, wisdom, and devotion to healing as the values that lead and guide my life. I passionately believe that peace is possible!!! Peace, love and respect to you, dear friend.

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