A Call for Wise Stewards

Physicists exploring new frontiers of science have encountered the phenomenon of quantum entanglement where particles become linked in such a way that they share the same fate, regardless of the distance separating them so that in measuring a property of one entangled particle, it instantly influences the corresponding property of the other, even if they are light-years apart.

Many people have also been exposed to the ground breaking “Telepathy Tapes” and are realizing the inter-connected nature of the human mind through this series of podcasts that document the existence of a subtle network of inner communication among and between those within the global community of non-speakers with autism.

Science is finally revealing and realizing what philosophers have known for millennia: namely, that the Created Universe is a matrix of inter-related aspects of One Living System. The annals of the Ageless Wisdom teachings describe a wondrous scalar continuum of lives-within-lives – systems-within-systems and the Greek philosopher, Anaxagoras, boldly declared that, “Everything is contained in everything.”

A living system, be it an individual, an organization, a forest or a nation is only healthy to the degree that all its parts are connected, communicating freely and working together for the overall well-being of the system. A healthy system is a ‘unit of coherence’ – nested and playing its part inside a greater coherent field that enfolds and provides it with a deeper dimension of meaning and belonging.

The hallmark of any healthy system is the free and unimpeded circulation of life energy throughout the entire organism. It is becoming increasingly evident that unless we possess a well-developed systems awareness and employ its attendant processes and practices, it is nigh impossible to create, manage and maintain optimal health of all the constituent parts inside any system in which we ‘live and move and have our being’.

Based on my work with groups over the past 50 plus years, I have observed three key requirements for a self-organizing system whenever humans are involved:

1)  An agreed-upon higher common purpose that inspires, unites and lifts and provides clarity regarding the desired outcome of the shared work.

2)  A willingness to work together harmoniously with a capacity to include and utilize the rich diversity of gifts that each person and sub-group brings.

3)  A certain degree of self-mastery and personal maturity (emotional and mental stability) so that the individual elements are able to respond in an unbiased manner to the ‘magnetic appeal of purpose’ which functions as the organizing principle for the whole system.

The question often arises as to who is responsible for the wellbeing of the system. My answer is, “Stewardship responsibility is shared by all who comprise the system”. I offer an example from those occasions where my professional assignment was to support the convening of meetings for companies where representatives of the various departments are present to address topics such as finance, strategy and personnel.

Let’s use finance as an example. Traditionally, in a budget meeting, success is measured by the dollar amount the department heads leave the meeting with and bring back to their groups. However, from a systems perspective, success may be measured quite differently as the apportioning of funds is determined from a broader perspective using a new set of criteria. My invitation to those attending any type of company-wide meeting has been for each person to wear two hats. The first represents their departmental responsibility while the second calls for a systems awareness that asks for the ‘good of the whole’ to be taken into consideration when allotting resources. The ‘part’ must understand the role it plays within the ‘whole’ so that all decisions have a wider beneficial outcome.

One simple way of illustrating the importance of systems stewardship is to invite a person to reflect on their own Ecosystem of Self. Each of us is asked to be a responsible steward for the complex system of physical, emotional, mental and transpersonal elements that make up the ‘whole person’. Creating a healthy state of alignment and integration inside this personal Universe of Self provides the perfect opportunity to learn the lessons of ‘whole systems health’ based upon the establishing of right relations among and between all the parts that make up the whole.

As part of an annual cycle of Creative Meditation, we focus every two months on one of the three Principles or three Pathways of Soul-guided living. At present (from June 21st until August 20th) we are working with the potent force of the Principle of Unanimity. This Principle affirms that all life is inter-connected and that each person and each aspect of Creation constitutes an integral and intimate part of the One Life. If each of us would truly understand that we represent vital expressions of the One Soul and that we ‘live and move and have our being’ together inside a coherent and unified field of Creation, then we would instantly comprehend the nature of living systems, the inter-dependence of life and the compelling call from the Soul to be wise and caring stewards of Life.

Systems awareness in our work life is one thing but comporting ourselves in a wholesome manner as a human family inside the living system we call the Earth requires a new level of awareness and a deeper commitment to ensure that all our actions truly serve the ‘good of the whole’. There is a further dimension of stewardship responsibility that urgently needs to be addressed.

I believe we are being asked to assume responsibility for the greater planetary ecosystem in which our personal lives, and those of our numerous world-wide organizations, are housed. Remember, the human species is itself a living system residing inside a greater field of coherence that we call planet Earth. As I ponder the future and ask what it will take to create a world where all beings are living in harmony, the need for systems awareness presents itself as a requisite competency for our continued evolution.

We create healthy systems when we awaken to the fact that our lives are inter-connected and we share a common destiny. Full immersion in this deeper dimension of meaning and belonging helps the needed move from self-centeredness towards serving the Common Good. The tipping point occurs as the locus of one’s life shifts from solely satisfying the separated self and enters a more generous cycle of serving the Common Good. For this to take place, the heart has to be opened and activated as the true organ of communion, communication and compassion.

In other words, it requires a shift from living as an ego-centric part to becoming an eco-centric participant. I have named this shift in consciousness from ‘species-centered living’ to ‘planet-centered living’ as the move from being a human to becoming a Gaian. Gaia is an ancient name for Earth viewed as a sentient system of lives. Gaia, in Greek mythology, is the personification of the Earth often referred to as Mother Earth.  The term is also used to describe the Earth as a living, self-regulating entity, particularly within the modern-day context of environmentalism and eco-spirituality.

So, what is the difference between living as a human and living as a Gaian? Here is my simplified take. As humans, we tend to go about our lives looking at the world as an external reality – something existing outside of ourselves from which we have the right to take. As a Gaian our relationship is vastly different and we now think, feel and act within a deeply sensed knowing that the whole Earth lives inside of us and that we live inside the whole Earth. A Gaian has a deep sense of the planet as a living system. The real distinction in my mind is that a human being lives on the Earth while a Gaian lives AS the Earth.

If I were to gaze into a crystal ball and boldly envision a preferred future, my sense is that without an enhanced and applied Systems Awareness, inspired by the Principle of Unanimity that carries with it a respect for the connection and coherence of all living beings, we will not be able to build a society that is regenerative and sustainable: one that nourishes, celebrates and honors all of its constituent parts as it strives towards a “more perfect union”. We naturally assume responsibility as stewards of Life when we know in our blood and bones that we are all children of the One Creator and that there is no ‘other’.

The Principle of Unanimity is not a ‘unified field theory’ but more a demonstrated Unified Field fact that dissolves the illusory walls of separation and reveals the splendor of a multi-faceted and multi-colored society. This I believe is only made possible when each of our lives embraces and embodies an ever-expanding level of awareness and caring: thus, making possible a fulfilling of the deep purpose and promise that pulses as the animating force at the heart of the ecosystem we call Gaia.

Responding to the call for wise stewardship is natural for the Soul and it warmly welcomes every opportunity to demonstrate the innate qualities of love, compassion and caring through you and I – its incarnated agents on Earth.

Michael Lindfield

Meditation Mount

Board President