The following message, written by Rev. Dr. Dennis Merritt Jones, encapsulates what I think is a mature spiritual response to the most recent Presidential Election.
Last week, the United States experienced a revealing moment of its collective consciousness. The results of the 2024 national elections left an already polarized nation stunned and shaken. The extreme polarization, broadcast globally, has been embarrassing and painful, evoking sadness, confusion, and anger among millions. The election results underscored the futility of assuming we know the minds and hearts of others. For many on the “right,” Donald Trump is seen as a savior, while many on the “left” view him as the problem. However, Trump is neither a hero nor the problem; he is merely a symptom of a deeper issue. The anger, hate, bigotry and division he sews have long been simmering within the nation’s psyche; he simply recognized and tapped into it. Guess what; there is only ONE of us here. This means we have some deep work to do on ourselves. Trump is a creation of the collective “we.” He provided a face and voice to a problem that already existed, telling his followers what they wanted to hear, thus winning them over. In doing so, he effectively gave permission for certain behaviors he emulates. To revoke this permission, we must stop reacting to divisive rhetoric and introduce a higher intention. May we continue to hold the high watch knowing that right action has our backs when we collectively maintain a consciousness of oneness. Period.
Discussing this entire thing pushes my boundaries since politics isn’t my area of expertise, but consciousness is. Whether the pending change in presidential leadership is seen as a setback or progress, it is an impartial energy set in motion by the collective consciousness, and it will have consequences. This situation transcends politics; it’s not about “who” is right or wrong. That debate is exhausted. It’s about accepting “what is” and choosing to navigate through the quagmire, recognizing that “this too shall pass” (as it always has). Whether we welcome or dread it, it is what it is. By failing to make space for “what is,” we miss out on fully experiencing the present moment, our only true point of power. Resisting the current reality only amplifies its power. In this sense, we may have inadvertently empowered the collective consciousness of what we oppose spiritually and emotionally. “What we push against…blah, blah, blah.” I wonder what counsel Ernest Holmes would offer. My sense is he would probably remind us that no one can determine our destiny but ourselves. Like many of you I daily listened to the eloquent recorded words, prayers and thoughts offered by so many wise and evolved people during the 100 Days prior to the elections. My sense was that it was a collective call for right action rather than a desired “victory”—or, at least that is what I experienced while enjoying the daily calls; calls with no hidden agendas. My sense is Holmes would have been proud of the efforts made knowing that right action can’t be coddled, bargained with or manipulated. The ONLY thing that will ever alter the arc of our perception of right action is a huge shift in the collective consciousness. As awake and aware Religious Scientists we know where the work must take place. We each matter.
So, if you encounter dark moments today, I urge you to stay engaged with life rather than withdraw. May we remind ourselves that, like it or not, right action is always taking place. May we not pray to alter the arc of right action to resolve our own preferences and angst but rather pray to see that it IS taking place one day, one hour, one moment, one breath at a time. May we do our work more at the level of consciousness and less at the level of disagreement, judgement, and fear.
Remember, as day follows night, each moment contains the seeds of potential for a better world. May we trust life and see beyond appearances. And, most of all, may we remember that most seeds require some darkness—akin to manure—to grow. In this sacred moment, know that something meaningful is taking root in the garden of your life and your world. As the little boy said as he excitedly dug through a huge pile of manure, “With all this poop there has to be a pony in there somewhere.” May we stay connected to the present knowing our pony will reveal itself at the right time. Most of all, may we appreciate the amazing gift of life as it unfolds, one breath at a time. What a time to “be” alive!
Life is blessed, and so are you. Embrace this moment for all it is and all it isn’t—for it’s the only one there is.
Peace, Dennis Merritt Jones, DD
