November 2006 vol 1#10

 Is Paradigm Shift Beginning?

 by Stephen Leighton

Don't Be Left Behind

Is humanity poised on the brink of disaster, ready to slide rapidly into entropic chaos? Or might this be a time of global transformation, lifting humanity up to a new level of consciousness and way of thinking? We can imagine that a strong argument could be put forth for the former, showing how all of the “signs” are pointing towards a progressive deterioration of international, regional, and local relationships. And we might choose to spend our time considering how to prepare to survive the chaos that inevitably would follow.  

But what if we listen to philosopher-theologian Henri Nouwen and consider his thought: “We do not think our way into a new way of living, we live our way into a new way of thinking?” What if we look more closely at the events unfolding in every land, in every part of humanity? East and West, there can be seen a steadily growing tide of interest in personal growth, in goodwill, in humanitarian activities, in finding solutions to some of the oldest challenges confronting humanity. Certainly much of what we can find is very self-centered, focused on “my well-being” and “my growth.” But might that not be just a necessary stage through which humanity must pass to eventually discover what inevitably lies on the other side—a change of consciousness we might call Global Citizenship?

Interestingly, the oldest and surest vehicle for personal transformation is the application of one’s efforts towards the service of humanity. It might take the form of caring for one’s family, or volunteering a few hours a week at a local shelter, or setting out on the arduous but rewarding path of world service. What many do not realize as they begin to heed the call of their own soul and begin to “reverse the flow” of energy and awareness, seeking to make a difference in the world, is that what begins as a means of making our own lives better ends with a wholesale reorientation of our very being towards the service of humanity.

Global citizenship will result from a myriad of small acts of service, rendered by many over time, leading to a new way of thinking, a way that moves beyond the limitations of what has been held so dear:  my family, my town, my state, my country, my religion, my culture, etc. Nothing is lost or truly left behind; instead, what happens is an unfolding of awareness and recognition of what our true purpose and destiny might be.

Stephen Leighton, MD, is a family physician and member of the board of directors of Human Service Alliance and the Center for Purposeful Living in Winston-Salem, NC.    He divides his life between his medical practice and service to his patients, and volunteer service on the faculty of the Center for Purposeful Living, where, among other activities, he teaches an ongoing weekly class on “Service Entrepreneurism.” For more info visit www.purposeful.org.