And if I had written a blog May, I would have commented on the most recent and still ongoing devastation of the Gulf of Mexico by a BP oil platform explosion and spill. This month I am not going to catch up and write about anything of these issues specifically. What I am going to say that both of these 2 past events point out one really glaring theme in the public arena which reflects upon our society. Can you guess?

Both situations reflect that we have a major failure of our leadership on all levels which spans both political, corporate and spiritual. No one is looking out after the public good. Everyone is only concerned about their tiny piece of the pie, and more importantly, they are only concerned with either their own position, their cronies and their own economic well being.

In the case of the politicians, we look at them so cynically that we somehow just accept that they are looking after only themselves because that is what politicians do. However, we have reached a new level of intellectual dishonesty in government whereby it is not about looking at an issue scientifically or in a balanced way, so that we come upon a conclusion that will best serve society. It is about who can win an argument not with the best facts but with half truths and lies. There is no political discussion that is not spun either in the newspapers, TV or internet. It is about winning the argument in the court of public opinion even if the public is completely misinformed. It is no longer about doing what is best for society as a whole, but doing only what will benefit corporate America and their cronies, while spinning it and claiming that it  is good for Joe public who is struggling to keep his job and his house.

The winning of one political opponent over another has a taken on a new dimension. Now some politicians sponsor a bill and then end up voting against their own bill because their opponent party was going to vote for it. So, in order to make the other party look like it was failing to get votes for the bill, the bill sponsor actually votes against their own bill, even if it was good for their constituents and for the country as a whole.

The Catholic Church is also not immune to the corruption of their leadership. Pedophile priests getting moved about to different parishes rather than being sent to Monasteries or thrown out of the church so that they are out of contact with children. It turns out Pope Benedict’s diocese was not immune nor was his department that he headed, which investigated some of the claims. They have been caught transfering files regarding the priests in questions to the Vatican Embassy in Washington, so as to cover up how much the church knew about the situation. In any other instance of such overt hinderance of a police investigation of a case, most people would be placed in jail. The church has not only acted immorally in many of  these cases, not acting to protect their members, but it has acted criminally.

At first, the church pointed the finger to the US – stating that it was more of a local problem, more of a management problem. Now that criticism has been pointed towards the Pope, the Vatican curia refer to situation in Germany and the questions about the pope’s handling of several pedophile cases as “petty gossip”, pointing their  fingers at the enemies of the church and comparing it to the historical attacks on the Jews.  Rather than protecting and defending the victims, this Pope and the Vatican prefer to defend themselves, their actioins and the purpertrators. Again, it is not about protecting their community, it is about protecting themselves.

Finally, unfortunately, I am sure BP will not be the last example where Corporate greed is placed over making sure they have safety procedures in place to protect the environment  in case of a drilling problem. Right now, as you are reading, the company is doing everything to cover up the damage rather than prevent the damage the spill will do the Gulf of Mexico and the environment of six states. There is a reason why they use dispersants on the oil, to cover up the spill – not to clean it up. Corporate lobbies of the oil, food, pharmaceutical and financial industries  have been convincing our lawmakers in the US that big business can regulate itself, that we don’t need the government to look over its shoulder. But one can see in every case – the choices our executives are making, our corporate leaders are making are not taking into account their employees, shareholders nor the public as a whole. 

It is all about them not us, not about protecting society at large.  This brings us to the crux of the matter.  It is not only a crisis in leadership, being defined by leading people by personal example, or  by placing the needs of others over your own, but it is also a crisis of ethics and character.  It is no longer about how you play the game but only about winning, whether it is won fair and square or you cheated. Our political , business and some of our spiritual leaders no longer distinguish between the two. It is a sad time for our society as no one is looking out after the welfare of others – only for themselves.  How else would you explain the justification that the bankers used for giving billions in dollars of bonuses, after their own companies created a global financial crisis, which lead to bankrupting both their companies a few governments, and as well as many individuals.

In summary, it comes down to ego – about separation, feeling you are apart from everyone else – better and more deserving than everyone else. That you are special.  Leadership is not about service to others anymore.  It is about being served, about having your subjects serve you.  Freedom is not about the ideal of pursuing your dreams but being free to screw anyone who gets in the way of your dream.   In essence, it is the ultimate in narcissism. Isn’t that what has happened? Our leaders only reflect our societies values as a whole – it has become narsacistic to the extreme. That is the trend. That is the direction to which our society has gone  and it continues to embrace.

Unfortunately,  ego, pride and competition is not what offers people peace or love or harmony in their lives.  It only offers more stress, more jealousy, guilt, pressure, and fear of loss. It is an interesting web we have woven for ourselves on the way to our pursuit of happiness.

The fact is, there is no place that can’t be struck by a disaster.  And no matter what we would like to believe, there is no job that is guaranteed nor is there a marriage immune to change.  Relationships shift, companies and people die.  Nothing stays the same.  Change is the constant in life and it seems that the rate of change is increasing exponentially.  We know that man’s knowledge now is doubling every 8 years. It feels like we are being overloaded with information.  How much is really important and how much is actually trivia?

So how do we keep up? How do we cope?

One way of dealing with all the changes is actually by slowing down. You heard me right – it’s not about speeding up your processing of information or doing things quicker in the hopes of getting more done, but about reversing the trend and going slow.

Take time each day to meditate, even for 5 to 10 minutes.  By stopping, taking a breather and stepping away even momentarily, you put perspective between you and what is happening at that moment.  This gives you time to think and process your thoughts and, most importantly, your feelings.

Another way is not letting the newest gadget control us. It’s up to us to become the masters of our lives. Who said we always have to pick up the cell phone, answer email or post on Facebook?  When we make conscious decisions about what to do next and set priorities for a busy day, we reduce stress.

Most importantly, we need to maintain our balance.  Not only do we need to balance our work and play, but we must also maintain an internal balance.  Acting from a place of peace and calm allows you to deal with whatever the universe throws at you.  Don’t buy into the drama of the news, or the drama of those around you.

Keep in mind that, if you can’t take action yourself on an issue, getting emotional about it will neither solve the problem nor keep your balanced. Again, meditation is a great tool to help you find your center.

Ironically, many people find that when they go a little slower, they’re actually more productive!  Often I receive feedback from people who try these techniques and they discover that it’s easier to accomplish more when they function from a calm place instead of panic or anxiety.  These people are truly in the driver’s seat of their lives.

From my perspective, the onslaught of information and major events will not slow down anytime soon.  In order to enjoy a harmonious life, it’s crucial to remain the center of calm in the storm.  Humans have faced hardship for thousands of years, and for just as long they’ve used the above techniques to find inner peace and balance.  This goal is completely within your grasp.  It only takes some practice and an open mind for success.  That is why it’s called the practice of meditation!

Some people are trying to kidnap Haitian children across state lines supposedly for purposes of adoption, claiming these children are orphans when that clearly isn’t the case.

Other traffickers, of course, have even worse intentions.

Human trafficking is just another word for slavery  After all our history regarding slavery, you would think by now, in the year 2010, that slavery would no longer be a reality in our world.  It’s not a reality that we want to think about because slavery is part of the world’s economic machine that we’re still a part of.  Our choices as to what we buy and what companies we support directly affect other lives around the world, especially the lives of children.

FreetheSlaves.net’s definition of slavery is being “forced to work without pay under threat of violence and unable to walk away.” It reports:

• an estimated 27 million people are enslaved globally, more than at any other time previously;
• thousands annually trafficked in America in over 90 cities; around 17,000 by some estimates and up to 50,000 according to the CIA, either from abroad or affecting US citizens or residents as forced labor or sexual servitude;
• the global market value is over $9.5 billion annually, according to Mark Taylor, senior coordinator for the State Department’s Office to Monitor;
• victims are often women and children;
• the majority are in India and African countries;
• slaves work in agriculture, homes, mines, restaurants, brothels, or wherever traffickers can employ them; they’re cheap, plentiful, disposable, and replaceable.

Products made in China’s textiles factories use bonded labor, as do cocoa plantations around the world.  Fish from the Philippines and woven rugs from Pakistan, India and China are also notorious for forced child labor.

So what can we do besides writing to our politicians?  You can write to the companies to persuade them that the bad publicity is not worth the cheaper cost. And you can vote with your pocket books. Think before you buy, and find out where a product is coming from – why exactly is it so cheap?  The cost is being cut from somewhere, and it frequently comes from the people making the product.  Sweatshop workers may be paid pennies, if they’re paid at all, for an item that is then sold for $29.95 in the United States.

You can also join us for Sound Meditation on March 1st and Angel Meditation on March 15th. My plan for these classes is to focus our intention towards healing these children and changing their situation.  I am also going to donate half the proceeds of both classes to Save the Children Fund for Haiti. Please bring as many people as you can to these meditations so that we can really make a shift for these kids.

As we move into the second decade of the 21st Century, we should do everything possible to make sure that  slavery is in the past and no longer part of our present reality.  We need to become conscious of our actions so that our actions are not part of the problem but part of the solution.

Unfortunately for Ray, 3 people died and 19 people were injured during one of these events. Now questions are coming up about his character, his responsibility for the incident and the resulting deaths, and his ignorance of the spiritual and practical issues of running a traditional Indian sweat lodge.  He is now subject to a homicide investigation,  probably liability lawsuits from the grieving families, really bad media coverage regarding his lack of concern for the people in the sweat lodge, and most probably a downward demand for his seminars and books.

Life can be tough when the balloon bursts – especially after becoming a pinnacle of success as James Arthur Ray had.

I guess you can say that this situation for Mr. Ray is definitely a “teachable moment” not only for Mr. Ray but for all of us. There are a number of questions that can be brought up regarding the situation of Mr. Ray’s handling of the event, about his position as a self-help guru, and the self-help industry as a whole. But it also brings up questions about the public’s attraction to someone like Mr. Ray.  I would like to bring up the following questions for you to ponder as Mr. Ray’s folly not only reflects upon him but also as to who we are:

• Why does Mr. Ray’s presence on The Secret require him to charge $9,000-$10,000 for a 5-day seminar?  Some say, “Oh, he is just maximizing what the market will bear.”  Some will say, “Of course he did – that is what capitalism is all about!”  But somewhere in Mr. Ray’s ego – there must have been the thought that what he had to offer is worth it.  By pricing himself in this way, only wealthy people can afford him. He is not helping the average Joe, who probably needs his help more than anyone else.  So is greed good?  Isn’t this just another manifestation of ego?

• Why would anyone pay that type of money for this guy’s course?  What is going on with their ego?  Are people willing to pay this amount of money to attend the class so they can say they took it from the guy in The Secret?

• Is the value of his course based on the actual content or someone’s marketing plan and product positioning?

• What was he thinking when people wanted to leave because they were feeling ill and passing out? Why wasn’t he listening to his intuition? Why did it not kick in once people started fainting?

• Why did he run away to California rather stand in his integrity and answer questions by the police, the public and the media?

• Why were people giving their power over to Mr. Ray when they felt ill?  Who were they trying to please? Why didn’t they insist that they needed to leave the sweat lodge?

• Where is Mr. Ray’s integrity? He certainly didn’t show it during or after the sweat lodge.

• And most importantly, why aren’t people more carefully selecting their teachers? Shouldn’t we be using more discernment instead of choosing someone just they’re a celebrity?

The world does not need another guru  – just teachers who actually walk the talk. As a society and as individuals, we have to become more discerning as to who we select as our spiritual  teachers, whether they are a priest, minister or self- help guru.

One thing is for sure: James Arthur Ray’s balloon burst because neither he nor his business were grounded in spiritual principals and goals but lead by a marketing plan fueled by an overblown ego and greed, where image is everything and content is faked and has no value.