A Symbol of Hope for All

Statue of Liberty

 Hand Drawn Picture 1883  

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

The above is the full inscription from the statue of liberty. The Statue for most immigrants is the first thing they see/look for when coming by ship. My Grandmother on my fathers side recounted many times how they had to take what they wore and could carry in one bag, to leave their current life forever! This was in the early 1900's and she told me when they saw the statue they knew half the battle was over. They believed deep in their heart that once they arrived at Ellis Island they would be free from persecution of the Communist. 

The United States is a multi layered enclave of immigrants from all walks of life. This Country is more than just a symbol, but that of "hope, freedom, opportunity and place of new beginnings". In my life I have encountered many cultures, music and stage training and customs brought here by these indigenous people, whom have graciously shared with me the "foreigner". Although if you enjoy your Qigong Traditions, Yogic Arts or Martial Arts, you owe the gratitude to the people whom brought it here. This would not be possible if we were not a Integrated Society.

  

Each day more and more stories about immigrants being deported, DACA bill being rescinded in September. These are steps backwards not forwards; maybe George Orwell got is right in his essay of Nationalism read the cliff notes here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notes_on_Nationalism    

I am not here to bash the White House or the President, I will leave that for all the self righteous Facebooker's and Tweeter's. What I do think is we are going backwards, and talent, imagination and brilliant minds are not getting a fair chance because of partisan politics. Just remember if you like something that is uniquely imported from a different land such as Qigong, it is solely because of these brave men and women that forged to our foreign land. They seeked what Lady Liberty Stands for with her torch burning on high - Opportunity for all. Interesting that a Female Icon on our shores of New York Represents Balance and Opportunity?

GWA     

Opinion: Remember the Past to Change the Future

Above: John Lennon and Yoko Ono reading the Tao Teh Ching

Excerpt from a interview: When it gets down to having to use violence, then you are playing the systems game. The establishment will irritate you: pull ones beard, flick your face to make you fight. Because once they got you violent, then they know how to handle you. The only thing they don't know how to handle is non-violence and humor ~John Lennon

Remember the Past to Change the Future

I can remember as a kid the fall of Saigon and the end of Vietnam War. Even at a young age I felt a life of uncertainty and possible strife. I used to think what kind of world are we living in where all these guys go and just get killed for the guys in the suits up there at the White House. It would really encapsulate me trying to figure out why wars break out. I use to wonder would our family be safe where I lived?.. or would we end up like the poor innocent people of  "Nam" the disposable citizens of the politicians.    

 Walking through the local park where I grew up you would run into Vietnam Vets hanging out; I would ask many of them about the war and they would just brush me off as "let's not go there kid"...take a hike. They had the classic hardened faces of war; but when you looked in their eyes you could get lost in the gaze of the million mile stare; a stare that was transfixed in a place far away, in a different time and place. I will never forget their face's its burned into my mind forever; something you never forget. A soldiers subdivided soul still there in the Nam with all their fallen buddy's that never came home and many missions they faithfully lived through. For sure a part of them is still there frozen in the confusion of a senseless war. No painkillers can numb a shattered soul; they will need years of dissolving the pain away slowly.

I am 49 years old, and there is still racism, hatred because the way one looks, ethnic religious faction's killing people in the name of "God". We still have only a cease fire between North Korea and South Korea from 64 years ago. Many wars have came and gone, too many lives lost. A student asked my take on recent events in the news, can Meditation and Qigong heal the world from these things? My answer is that it's alot more complicated than that, but it cannot hurt that for sure.

 Our culture needs to focus on positive things that make a difference in peoples life. Teaching young parents how to raise and develop their family's, Healing arts, natural healing, education, health care and demanding better programming in the media to name a few. The return of being physically more connected to each other; shut our silly little phones off, BE PRESENT. Life is to precious... be connected to your love ones it could be the last time you see them. There are no guarantees in life that everyone will live to a ripe old age. It could be your last opportunity to connect with whomever you are with. If the cable news makes you sad or angry; turn the garbage off. Only let positive enriching things into your consciousness.    

Above I posted a picture of John and Yoko reading the Tao Teh Ching by Lao Tsu; and  how cool is that. I long for his presence in our world today; we would be better if he was still around. He was a person that had a strong voice in non violence and dialogue, a wonderful musician as well. I find it troubling although that everyone in the last 50 plus years that tried to make lasting positive change was assassinated. JFK, RFK, Martin Luther King, Malcom X, Medgar Evers, Mohandas Ghandi, Anwar Sadat to name a few. What does that say about our Society?

We all should remember the past; and learn from the history of the so many that have fallen. If we want a bright future our society will need to change; massive action will create lasting change. We have been down this road so many times and the end result will be same. War, racism and darkness will only lead us only to more of the same. The World needs a morality wake up call, and focus on healing what "separates us"; and focus on "uniting us" is the answer. Until then we will be constantly getting much of the same. It's not a lofty prediction or goal it is very real, but will you stand up to create lasting change? Again to answer my students question as I began writing this article - for sure if more and more people learned how to self heal and create balance, many better choices will be made. It will give everyone the tools to live from a elevated consciousness and make solid choices. For sure the younger generation that will shape our worlds future need these tools in their precious life.     

GWA