Letter Fifteen “Governance” [Think Twice Before You Vote]

Today, we Americans are faced with a decision of grave importance to our style of  reasoning and sensibilities. As people come and go to their local election centers they will be faced with a mighty task. How they decide the next round of political stability and which path, sanity or insanity they decide to take. There are those who have conducted themselves with ego and gut reaction that belies all thought of enlightened beings soon to be present on this earth. These people will be gone from the planet and will return to a place that is ready to accept the continued ego struggle that they need to work through before they can come again to this future state of oneness and tranquility. This planet is readying for a new paradigm and those who do not sense the vibratory shift or begin to move into a new mindset of unselfish, egoless behavior, will incarnate onto another physical world ready to accept their ignorance and unconscious state.

The decision is yours. Which will you choose? Which do you want? Think twice before you vote.

“Change can’t come soon enough for me, O.”

I know. I hear you. But I repeat, hang on. And notice what’s happening. This too shall pass.

“Thank you. Your words do help. Let me switch away from this personal morbidity now and ask you something I’ve wanted to know ever since the start of these letters. I think this might be the right time finally. You just mentioned change. How has government changed in 500 years? You said there are nations and congresses, commissions and plebiscites. What other institutions do you have? How does it work? Oh yes, and I’m curious to hear what you would say about the future of my own country. What is the lifetime of the United States on the world stage? Are we still one of the nations?”

Is that all? Not a small topic. But let’s get started. I hasten to add that, while I know this is important to you, it is not so important to me. It is only tangential to my purpose in writing these letters, to tell you this kind of thing. I do not want you to think that I’m telling you what kind of politics you should have. I am not here to tell you what you should do in any area of life. I only offer information and space, along with a few suggestions.

With that caveat, I will commence by saying our forms of governance are oriented toward the small. Our communities are small, our governments are small, and our politics are small. This is to say, local, participatory and representative at every level. And even though we do have various levels of authority, our overarching form is, in a word, anarchy. But it is an awakened anarchy!

We use whatever systems and techniques work for any given situation. By the nature of our consciousness and technology we are able to engage each other across vast distances in great numbers; this is where the need for levels comes in. Even when the numbers are large, our techniques give us the feel of operating in small groups, locally. We are sensitive to the needs of each and all, with individualities that are not separated from others or from Source.

“But you must have basic survival instincts. Wouldn’t they produce conflicts between individual needs? What do you do about those instincts?”

Our survival instincts most assuredly still exist. But it is first and foremost the survival of the species that drives us. This does not negate or trample the integrity of individuals. We see the individual as the conduit of awareness for the greater whole. The survival instinct in us pushes us together, not apart.

It is indeed paradoxical. But we love paradox. Paradox is what enlivens our spirits and enables all our great thinking and innovation. The individual feels rewarded and ennobled by association with the collective, not downtrodden or conflicted. Our individuality feels free and empowered by the whole; thus anarchy.

“But what about life and death situations. Doesn’t an individual’s survival instinct kick in at those times?”

Yes. But what happens then, as it was even in your species, is that a powerful stimulus to awareness arises. What we are able to do is to readily connect with reality in the moment; and we know by virtue of this connection that we are acting entirely within the holistic spirit. There is now only a thin veil between form and formless.

The one who is facing a dire situation, say life or death, knows by the very intensity, that there is a shift of consciousness happening. She or he knows, directly from Source, that whatever happens, there will be survival in the larger sense through this experience. A profound oneness thus surges into consciousness, virtually unbidden—rather like your recent visions. Some human experiences of death and sacrifice parallel this. It is universal for us.

One no longer puts the desire for single self-survival first. If individual survival is not matched with whole-survival, it becomes irrelevant. Instinct rises up. It is simple for us to feel the innate intelligence of the instinctual impulse; we thus make instinct conscious in our minds and hearts. That transforms it into intuitive presence. By this means, we know what is the most appropriate behavior in the moment. We know our place and our destiny. There is no more powerful time for experiencing this presence than in the face of great danger.

“I can see that, but how does it work? How does a person know what he knows?”

What truly governs every creature, including homo sapiens, is the Source of all Life. It does not exert itself in force or control, but rather in centered gravity and deepest logic—atma, buddhi, manas. It has gradually been coming awake over the millennia. When we say that we are awakened, it is really that Source that has awakened in us, not we within it.

In my world, Life and evolution are opening their eyes in a new way, from within the world of their own making. This is our foundation of governance. Of course, Life spirit was the foundation for your species too. The difference is that Life in my species is instinctively aware of its destiny; governance issues forth directly from that.

“I’m a little confused again. Just what do you mean by governance?”

Let’s look for a moment at the derivation of words. Frequently there is a deeper key or catalyst hidden in the original meanings. Such keys can help us open pathways into consciousness. The word ‘govern’, for example, originated in the Greek word, kubernan, ‘to steer.’ The nuance of ‘steering’ is the key. That which steers, or aims the vehicle, in my world is the inner intelligence of Source. In your world it is the outer intellect of mind and ego. Intellect is only a simulation of true intelligence. This makes a huge difference in the forms of governance we each have.

For us, anarchy makes sense because we are mutually guided through the same inner channels. For the guidance of your world, you must rely on erratic, unreliable inner connections, all the while dominated by separated, misguided forces from the mind.

“It is actually tragic for us to be so cut-off from our inner guidance. I suppose that’s why we have so much outer confusion in the world, and in our leadership. There are so many egos vying for control of the masses. But the word anarchy is also one we should look at for its derivation. Doesn’t it mean ‘without leadership’?”

Correction: It means ‘without ruler’. The leadership in my world is from guidance within. So anarchy is quite accurate for us; we do not have rulers who tell us what we may and may not do or think, or who punish us if we stray. We look within to the Source, to our authenticity and leadership—for what steers and stirs us.

Anarchy is actually the most effective governance for a society of individuals if it can be practiced without ego and if the individuals have awareness of interconnected reality. If you have these requisites, anarchy is both good for the individual and for the whole. They are one. Throughout human history, your governance exhibited early anarchistic traits. Take for example your striving for personal liberty, free markets, and democracy itself. Of course, survival of the fittest was the original manifestation of anarchy.

“It sounds like we were always evolving toward that. What does it look like in your world? How can you have nations, if they are anarchical? It sounds like a contradiction to me. How many nations are there? What are the differences among them?”

There is still great diversity among the various peoples of Earth. We are passionate about preserving this. It is the essence of healthy evolution, and now of conscious evolution. Our nation states have become a means of grounding the individuality principle, not undermining it. This is not a contradiction, but rather a fulfillment of the principle with greater wisdom applied.

There are many more nations now than in your day. I don’t know the exact number, but it must be in the thousands. There are many more small nations. The ones that were larger have divided and reconfigured into more compact and efficient sizes, usually along the lines of geography and common heritage. However, even with more nations, we maintain our shared Source of Life. Diversity, absent ego structures, contributes to wholeness rather than divisiveness. We live the ideal of unity through diversity.

Each nation is unique, with its particular customs, languages, and institutional forms. At the same time, each participates fully in the outer life of the planet. We are in accord with our global awareness. Internationally, we all have one common language, as I mentioned before. Most nations are republics now, with parliamentary-type systems. Many are structured as interactive hierarchies of representation. Normally, there are from five to seven levels, depending on the size of the population. The voice of the people is thus heard at all levels, directly and efficiently.

“What do you mean five to seven levels? How does this work?”

On average, each local group within a given community or region has about twelve individuals. Each group chooses a representative or two, to go to the level above them. Then, if each level after that does the same, you rapidly achieve representation in very large numbers. Do the math; you will see. Twelve times twelve, repeated six times equals 35,831,808. In just six interconnected, nested levels, over 35 million citizens can be engaged. None of our states is larger than that; most are considerably smaller.

Not all nations are politically democratic, however. A few are still monarchies. Some are managed by corporate structures—more of a business model, where many decisions are taken without a direct plebiscite. The citizens of these states prefer not to have the burden of continuous decision-making on their shoulders.

“What if these leaders make bad decisions?”

If questions arise about the skill of the leaders, they can always be called to account and even replaced by a direct referendum. This happens only in the rare cases of mental incapacity or serious mistakes.

“Hold on. How can you say this is anarchy? It doesn’t sound very different from my world.”

Again, the difference lies within the deeper nature of our relationships. Our greatest strength is the acute sense of appreciation of what is. Since we are united at the foundation of awareness, there is much less dependence on the outer formalities. Governments—either national or local—actually play very minor roles in our normal lives. The frequent ad hoc congresses and community assemblies are much more active. Our anarchy exists within ourselves, in the way we understand our engagement with the whole.

“I’m still confused about your use of the term anarchy. What you’re telling me sounds very orderly. You say you have institutions and organization. This doesn’t sound like anarchy.”

Individual freedom is felt everywhere in my world. That freedom is nevertheless balanced by strong collective responsibility. Each person is in charge of his or her own life and behavior at all times. We know what is appropriate and fair through our interconnected spirit. This is truly alive in us; it is not a philosophical or moral supposition. Government’s main function now is to give counsel. Councilors have become counselors again.

“What about an extreme case? What if a vigilan was to murder someone?”

For one of us to even imagine such a thing would be literally painful. To carry out such an act would hurt the perpetrator more than the victim. We truly do feel what others are feeling; it is genuine empathy. Psychological harm to any individual is be felt as harm to the whole. The best analogy I can give you is that of organs in your body—injury to one part is felt everywhere.

“Well, what about cancer? Isn’t that a case where some cells rebel or malfunction and cause havoc in the whole system?”

Yes, that is a disease of your time. It demonstrates my point: This deviant behavior brought great pain to the whole body. Cancer, however, does not exist in our systems, neither as a physical dysfunction nor as a societal metaphor. The simple reason is that our genetic channels of awareness link us to the Source of all health and balance.

Each cell in our bodies is wired consciously to the whole being. Any harmful mutation at the cellular level is corrected rapidly, instinctively by the cell’s own awareness. You see, the awakening did not just happen at the individual level, it happened to the cells themselves. The very atoms of our bodies are awakened and alert in new ways. Conscious Evolution saw to this in selecting the mutations that brought us about. All new mutations must pass the test of fostering the species’ well being.

“To be the devil’s advocate, what if a new mutation occurred in the genes that might become beneficial to you later? Would this be blocked or eliminated before it could be recognized?”

No. Such mutations are occurring regularly. The system that determines harmful or helpful is the direct channel to Source intelligence. This is one of the things meant by the term Conscious Evolution. That channel is appreciation. We now participate consciously in our own evolution—personally, collectively and microscopically.

We are not mentally aware of these constant changes, but we do feel them as a deep sensation. We can access understanding of them, if need be, through intuitive techniques.

“This sounds wonderful, but difficult for me to imagine.”

It shouldn’t be. Many in your time were already training themselves to be more sensitive to their body’s needs on a perpetual basis. You can do it right now. Simply close your eyes and feel within yourself. You can sense whether what you’re doing—what you’re consuming for instance—or what you’re thinking about is healthy for you or not. Lie still and feel the root sensation within you if you want a more profound experience of this.

“What is this root sensation?”

It is the vibration of Life energy within your tissues and cells. You can learn to feel it by lying very still and feeling below your normal senses. Once you have learned to touch this level, sensation is accessible at anytime. It is simply a matter of recognizing what the inside of your body feels like.

You can even know whether the immediate timing of an activity is appropriate. Your body is constantly transmitting messages about these things. Intellect overrides most of the messages in humans. Nevertheless you do have the capacity for deep sensation, if you choose it. I tell you this to let you know how easily the evolutionary adaptation was made within the existing human makeup. For us this capacity is now ever-present, and indeed unavoidable in our waking minds.

“OK. That sounds useful. But can we get back to our topic of governance? What about the institutions you mentioned?”

We maintain many that you have in your world, with a few notable exceptions: We do not have armies or police forces, for instance. Most communities have constables and elders to whom we can turn for external guidance and support if needed. But they do not control us; they do not enforce any constraints on our behavior. There is no need. There is no crime in our world, nor are there separative attitudes among individuals or nations. Our disputes and challenges are dealt with through friendly gatherings and dialogues, through congresses, sports and entertainment.

Copyright © 2010 by Robert Lee Potter