Glenn Stewart Coles, 9251 Yonge Street, Suite 8-924, Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada, L4C 9T3
Text Box: A couple of years ago, I visited a shaman who lives in the mountains of Tennessee. One afternoon, I climbed high up into the mountains, and near the crest I sat down on a flat rock. Though surrounded by trees, my chosen perch also provided a tremendous view of the countryside. Sitting there alone, I felt both tiny and omnipotent. As I sat there basking in the pleasure of life, a strange wind began to blow. Until that moment the day had been calm. The wind seemed to blow from the top of the mountain, flowing over me and down through the trees. There was something different about this ‘spirit wind’, and it was empowering rather than chilling. Unlike many winds that urge us to cover up and hide, this particular wind seemed to fill me with life and energy. Later, when I walked down the mountain and rejoined my friends, they commented on the strange breeze they had felt earlier. I smiled, receiving confirmation that this experience was not just in my imagination. The earth had shared a special energy with us that day, and we were all enhanced by the experience. There are many people who doubt the concept of spirit. To many, the earth is just a rock, and wind is just moving air. To many, trees and plants and flowers are simply vegetation, and all the birds and animals on our planet are simply life forms without a soul. While many believe that invisible demons and devils are out to get us, fewer grasp the concept that our planet is a life force with which we co-exist. As the ego of humanity developed, everything became separate. The resources of the planet became something that we could use, regardless of environmental impact. Trees that stood for decades were chopped down for fuel or building supplies, or sometimes just because they were in the way. Animals became something we could raise for food and raw materials, regardless of their suffering. Hunting became a sport that occurred not just for sustenance, but also for the thrill of the kill. Man decided that he was superior to everything else, and shaped the world for his benefit. Included in this separation was the development of ‘us and them’. Each individual perceives himself as unique, and joins groups with common beliefs. Everyone not in the group was recognized for their differences, and soon mankind devalued the rights of others. Even within groups separation was apparent, and cliques and alliances resulted in internal disharmony. While trust and love were shared with some, the majority was seen as potentially threatening. It became appropriate to take from others, resulting in wars, crime, violence and poverty. The shift in human consciousness that will take our species to new levels involves recognition of oneness. Even though each individual is unique and important, we are all part of the same energy field. We all breathe the same air and live in the same ecosystem. We all have desires of success and comfort, harmony and love. We all contribute to the current state of our planet and the condition of our species. We all begin to realize that one cannot truly win by harming or taking from others. The only way to move to the next level is for each of us to recognize our contribution to the whole, and to decide to work together for the betterment of all. The winds of change are upon us. Sometimes the spirit wind will rush past your face and you will connect with the life force of the planet. However, even when blatant reminders are not there, we move towards the evolution of our species by setting intent and acting with honor. The planet is important, the environment is important, every person is important and all life is important. Once we realize that our purpose is not to take but to give, we begin to create the paradise that we are capable of. © Copyright Glenn Stewart Coles, 2006

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Winds of Change

There was something different about this ‘spirit wind’, and it was empowering rather than chilling.