Hi Readers,
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First off, thanks so much for reading, sharing and supporting TRANSCEND. This community is growing steadily and I’m grateful for your support. My purpose with this work is not just to share news and ideas, though that is part of what I do. The bigger goal is to help us make sense of these wild times in our nation and world and share actions we can take to make our lives and world better.
Independent media is growing fast and there are many good independent news sources – a few recommendations below. TRANSCEND fills a unique niche by reporting key political, environmental, and cultural news through a lens of systems change and spirituality.
When I say spirituality I do not mean religion. Spirituality has to do with our beliefs about the nature of existence, how we came to be, what happens when we die. Spirituality goes hand in hand with psychology and how we view ourselves, others, and the world. It shapes our worldview.
America and humanity are at a point of spiritual crisis. We’ve been operating under a worldview and set of beliefs that have led to numerous and cascading crises – ecosystems destroyed by pollution and overconsumption, political systems of, by, and for the uber-wealthy, a global economy that produces obscene gaps between the ultra-rich and everyone else. This is being called a polycrisis, a complex situation in which multiple, interconnected crises converge and amplify each other, resulting in a predicament that is difficult to manage or resolve.
There is no question that these are intense times. The erosion of democracy in the U.S. is happening faster than most of us thought possible and the constant influx of troubling, even shocking news is exhausting. To this day one of my favorite signs I saw at a public protest read, “I knew it was going to be bad but WTF?!”
For me a light in the darkness is the fact that the polycrisis was upon us before the 2024 election. Deep changes were already desperately needed before the political crisis we are now experiencing. We’ve reached a point where we must evolve, as a nation and a species. In nature evolution doesn’t happen without pressure. A species finds that what it has been doing no longer works – food sources have changed, its home region has warmed, etc. To survive the organism must adapt, change. A classic example of this is moths during the early phase of Industrial Revolution. As soot poured out of smokestacks and coated the nearby trees and buildings in black muck light-colored moths were being picked off by birds at an extinction pace. In a very short span of time the moth species became darker in color and blended into the soot covered environment. Evolution happens when survival is threatened, or a new significant opportunity presents itself. That is exactly where the United States now sits. In the chaos is both threat and opportunity. Old systems are cracking, deep flaws are surfacing; there is a window to re-create and redesign, to create a society that works better for all.
The resistance and transcendence movement is strong and getting stronger and more effective. More people are speaking up and boycotting corporations that are kowtowing. Just today it was announced Sinclair media and Nexstar both caved in and joined Disney in putting Jimmy Kimmel back on the air. Pressure from we the people worked. Record-breaking numbers of concerned citizens have been turning out to protests and rallies. The next is set for Oct. 18th.
Last week I delivered a workshop on Sacred Activism. I define Sacred Activism as the fusion of deep spiritual knowledge and principle -- discipline in our inner world -- with wise, radical action for positive change in our outer world. One aspect of Sacred Activism is staying peaceful and “above the battlefield” while demonstrating and protesting. For example, when I get flipped off, I blow the person a kiss. Not taking nasty behavior personally is key. Staying above the level of consciousness that creates the nastiness is also key.
There are many forms of activism from protests to prayer, one-on-one conversations, boycotts, political campaigns, directly helping those in need.
My next actions include:
· Making a small contribution to the California Yes on 50 campaign to help stop the Trump/Project 2025 regime from rigging the 2026 election.
· Attending the Oct. 18th massive national No Kings protest. This link provides a map showing protest events all across the country so you can find one near you.
· Sharing this type of information in TRANSCEND and at speaking events on a regular basis.
One of my hopes for writing this publication is that it will inspire and support more people to take action in this pivotal time and stand up to cruelty, defend democracy and lend momentum toward the push for a country and world that works better for all beings. If that goal resonates with you, and you aren’t already a paid subscriber, I sure hope you’ll consider coming on board now. If you are supporting subscriber thank you again! Reader support is what allows me to continue to be an independent and unconventional voice and resource. We’ve surpassed 3,500 subscribers and nearly 7,000 total followers, but fewer than 100 are paid subscriptions. I’d love to see that change!
As promised here are a few of my favorite independent news sources:
· Heated
For political insight with a spiritual angle:
· Transform by Marianne Williamson
· The Beautiful Mess by John Pavlovitz
I don’t know if everything happens for a purpose, but I absolutely do know we can make purpose of everything that happens. And that is how we transcend this crazy and important era.
Our next LIVE CHAT will take place on Oct. 14th, noon Pacific time. I sure hope you join us.
Much love,
Cylvia
