Before enlightenment, chop wood and carry water.
After enlightenment, chop wood and carry water.
~Zen Proverb
Whether you like it or not, we are all evolving. Some are doing this faster while some are slower to change and transform. As a collective, we are also evolving and becoming more of who we need to be as a species. In our next phase of development, we will become more individualized and sovereign. This doesn’t mean we will have fewer friends or families. It does mean we will not identify with a group or tribe as much as we do now.
The history of our evolution began with nomadic families moving to where the resources were. Each person was important and had a duty within the group. Our lives were short, so every person counted. We then began communities with a tribe or clan leader as we developed agriculture. People had a bit longer lives, so social structures formed. The communities grew and more complex forms of governance came along. Dynasties were formed and leaders had family ties or marriage alliances. The stronger the ruling powers, the more opportunities for corruption and gate-keeping of resources. Restrictions and permissions were enacted on those with (seemingly) less power. Eventually, the people rose up and decided to govern themselves through surrogates such as in democracies and republics. We are now entering the self-responsibility phase in our evolution.
We have come to the conclusion that we can only truly trust ourselves. We have matured as a collective, thanks in part to those who restricted us these past two years. They did not remember that darkness is where exponential growth begins. We discovered what we could do for ourselves and how we did not need supervision or permission. There was a boom in homeschooling, new sole proprietor businesses, food gardening, food prep and storage, researchers, natural healthcare, homesteading, shelter-building, and the list goes on. We became like the pioneers of old.
As our consciousness and lifespan increased over the last few thousand years, we moved up the ladder according to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. We begin fully embracing the Esteem Level where we know who we are. We will leave behind the need for outside approval. We mastered the Love & Belonging Level where being part of the group was the ultimate in importance. We won’t leave those lessons and abilities behind, but we will embrace the new lesson of sovereignty. A sovereign state of being is to be independent of outside authority. This includes being free of the opinions of others, approval of family as well as the control of a government. It takes skill to be your own authority.
With sovereignty comes responsibility. We can’t place blame on those we no longer hold as an authority over us. If we make a mistake, we are responsible for making it right. If we made a decision that turned out to be problematic, we issue the apology and see what can be repaired or salvaged. We also can not take for granted that others will help, take up the slack or rescue us. We ask, not assume someone will be there for us. We express gratitude, not inconsiderateness in our actions with others. Etiquette and social graces, the sincere kind, will be in style.
In order for this type of society to thrive, we must offer something of value. Our possessions may fulfill a requirement for some but knowledge will have a longer-lasting benefit. Like the old saying- Give a man a fish & he eats for a day. Teach him to fish and he eats for a lifetime. We all have expertise in something. Is it of enough value someone else might want to learn it? At the moment, supply-chain disruptions have caused the substitution or disappearance of some items we need. Can we make these things ourselves? Do we need instruction on how to do that? Once we fulfill our basic requirements, would we like some of the amenities? Learning any skill takes time but the more intricate in detail the greater the need for a master craftsperson.
Now is the time to take stock in what you know. Is your knowledge more mental or are you able to do things with your hands? Be honest in your assessment. Your life may depend on it. I am reminded of those Survivor TV shows where folks that are useless or unwilling to get along get voted off the island. Considering your physical and emotional talents, how long would you last? Learning basic life skills can open doors to greater capabilities and potential.
Right now there are many avenues to acquire experience and competence in an area of study. Vocational and trade schools are an obvious choice. Some companies offer internships where you learn and get paid in exchange for staying with the company long enough for them to recoup their investment. The military works this way as well as many manufacturing plants. My former grandmother worked at a sewing factory for years in the 1960s and 70s. At her retirement, she opened her own sewing business making lady’s suits. She hired women she used to work with and taught others how to sew who had never threaded a needle.
Chances are there is someone in your life that knows how to do something you need to learn. Find them and ask for their instruction. It takes skill to be a sovereign person. We all need more folks to take on that way of life. We are heading in that direction anyway, so if you feel called, be that pioneer. I was fortunate enough in my younger life to learn to sew and cook from my mother. She knew the basics and I expanded that knowledge with practice and further instruction. I was exposed to and dabbled in farming, building trades, mechanical repair, fishing, astrology, tarot, historical research, besides the actual jobs I held over my lifetime. I am still learning but I’ve got skilz. It’s time to get yours.
~ Pixbay geralt / 23927 images
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