Here in Britain we have a new Labour government and a door has opened for the possibility for positive change. I am quietly and soberly excited.
I rarely speak or write about politics because it is one of those volatile and polarised areas of public life where people have very strong opinions or, on the other hand, are so cynical and disillusioned they don’t engage at all, as the low turnout at the polls shows. Amongst people on a spiritual path many don’t have time for politics and I can understand that because I was in that camp for years. Now, I am fascinated by our unfolding political dramas and often see them as surreal movies playing out on a big screen through which I can better understand the evolution of the collective consciousness.
There can be no positive change without a transformation of consciousness. This begins and develops in each one of us and amplifies when we come together intentionally. From my point of view, those of us on a conscious, transformative path, who have the great privilege to live in a democracy and in relative peace and prosperity, have a responsibility to be the change the world needs, to embody that change, speak for the change that is needed and act as the change. We also need to be willing to listen and to hold the tension between urgency and patience.
I sympathise with those who see the polarised party system as outmoded and no longer fit for purpose. At the same time I am tired of being told that there is no difference between Labour and the Tories – an opinion which is rarely backed by facts.
From my point of view, the biggest difference I see is one of VALUES. And values are at the heart of conscious evolution. For me, it is nothing short of a miracle that we now have a prime minister who is expressing the values of UNITY, RESPECT, LISTENING, SERVICE, STABILITY, HOPE, MODERATION, CO-OPERATION, TEAM WORK and a GREEN ECONOMY. Values which he intends to back up by action, skill and experience drawn from public service. This represents a big swing away from the culture of self-interest, corruption, dishonesty, the cult of immature personality and lack of discipline we’ve had to suffer under the last government.
To bring unity out of the brokenness and fragmentation we’ve been witnessing is a very daunting task facing the new government and it will only be possible to the extent that we, the people are ready and open for it. Especially when our small island is floating in a sea of global discontent in which the threats to democracy are a real and present danger with spokespeople active here in our country.
For me, Keir Starmer and his impressive team, represent the hope of the emerging new paradigm consciousness and the shift from self-interest to care of the whole, interdependent web of life. I wrote about the different levels of consciousness in my book Whole Mind-Whole World, The Power of Wise Choices, Creating a Future that Works for All (available on amazon). One chapter in that book is an exploration of the levels of consciousness identified by integral philosopher Ken Wilber. Wilber’s theory helped me to understand these levels and how they have played out historically and are active now. This gives me a framework through which I can better understand the big picture unfolding politically in the world and how political conflicts are generally conflicts between levels of consciousness – or different perspectives and ways of seeing the world. This in turn tempers my frustration and makes me a little more compassionate and brave when I witness self-serving, dominating behaviours. (More of that in a future article.)
The evolving levels of consciousness are too complex to go into in detail today but I think one of the reasons people say Keir Starmer is “boring” or “has nothing new to offer” or “is no different from the Tories” is because he is operating from the Integral level which is emerging now on the planet. This represents a significant leap in consciousness and people at this level are not generally the ones who shout the loudest or self-promote; they tend to quietly get on with the job. Up to the point of breakthrough to integral consciousness, every level believes their truth is the only truth and all others are misguided or wrong and need to be converted, controlled or obliterated. The integral level is inclusive and motivated by a powerful sense of social justice and the knowing that there is enough for all if only we learn how to manage our resources wisely. People operating at this level think in terms of relationships, connections between the parts, whole systems, big pictures, interweaving and unity-in-diversity. And these values are backed up by consistent, dedicated ACTION for change.
I lived outside the UK for twenty years – mostly in New Zealand and for a few years in the USA. One of the reasons I emigrated was because I felt so oppressed by the years of Thatcher government I needed space to breathe and expand. I was in the USA when Barack Obama was elected – another leader coming from integral consciousness. It was a huge democratic victory and greeted by an explosion of joy by millions of people. Obama’s rallying cry was ‘Yes, we can”. Not yes I can, but YES WE CAN. We all know that Obama’s vision was held in check by right wing elements in what appears to be a complex system of government. And then followed by a massive swing back to old paradigm power-over autocracy. For any progressive government the task is daunting and, in my opinion, we need to get behind the leaders who are standing for positive change even when we don’t agree with everything they say. We need political leaders to do the big and very difficult work of change and we can all be leaders in our own spheres of influence. We, the People, have much more power than we recognise, the evolution of consciousness is a grass roots movement, powered by many individuals from all walks of life.
How we become the change we want to see in the world is the work to which I’ve dedicated my life. I’m not claiming to be a perfect example of Love-in-action but through a lifetime of being a whole-person educator and therapist, an innovative personal and professional development trainer and a woman committed to spiritual and creative freedom, I’ve created many opportunities to hold deep conversations and I’ve listened attentively to many hundreds of people as they explored their inner worlds. I’ve seen how the limitations of historic conditioning plays out in the lives of good-hearted people and how heroic and difficult the journey of liberation is.
I’m getting ready to relaunch my passion project, Tribe in Transition, and I’m gathering together the body of work I’ve been creating over the years. My programmes and resources follow the process of how consciousness awakens; the expansive guiding vision for whole new world; the challenges of the process of inner psycho-spiritual transition and transformation; through the need to sit with grief and loss, death and the dark nights of the soul and find the gifts in them; and how to hold the big stretches that are given when we follow our passion and embrace our destiny as conscious creative beings. I advocate simple daily practices to stay aligned with our core authentic values combined with committed and experimental actions. I am sure none of us can do this alone, we are in a global collective process of change and need tribes of like-hearted companions on the journey and intentional spaces where we can explore our differences and be held accountable to our visions.
My hope for the next five years is that people will support Keir Starmer and give him and his team a chance to prove what they can do whilst at the same time being enlightened, sovereign leaders in our own domains. Democracy is a precious gift, our world is in trouble and yet underneath the dramas presented by the media there is an evolution of consciousness underway. We have reasons for hope. You and I have parts to play in how the story unfolds. Blessings on your journey!
Rose Diamond, July 7, 2024
