Feed the Light, Not the Darkness
by Alan Cohen, Hawaii
I am hearing more and more questions about how to deal with troublesome events around the world. Many people wonder why these scenarios come about and, most important, “How can I help?”
I recall a poignant Star Trek television episode, “Day of the Dove.” In this story, an evil entity infiltrates the Starship Enterprise and spurs the crew to engage in acts of hatred and violence. It takes over their minds and incites innocent people to engage in extreme cruelty. The entity’s malevolent influence keeps growing until it seems that the dark force is about to gain victory. Then the ship’s commanders realize that the entity is feeding on fear and intense negative emotions, to incite endless fighting. As an antidote, the leaders quit battling the entity and instead cultivate inner peace and emotional calm. When the invader finds no more turbulent emotions to feed on, it withdraws, and well-being is restored.
The social leaders who have created dynamic social change did not fight evil. Instead, they aligned with a greater reality. Jesus, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr., held the higher vision for humanity, and championed positive social action rather than warfare. When Mother Teresa was asked to speak at an anti-war rally, she declined, explaining, “Fighting against war is just another form of war. If this was a pro-peace rally, I would gladly attend.”
People who perpetrate evil are in great pain. They are disconnected from their Source. If you get fearful, upset, and angry, then you, too, are disconnected from your Source, and you lose your ability to create positive results. Disconnected people fighting each other only amplifies disconnection.
If you wish to help disperse evil in the world, withdraw attention from perpetration, and place it instead on solution. In the Native American Onondaga Tribe, Oren Lyon was designated Faithkeeper. His job was to remain peaceful no matter what was going on in the outer world. If the rest of the tribe was troubled by warfare, bad weather, or food shortage, he was the one person who had to retain connection to well-being, which benefited the entire tribe.
Each of us has an inner Faithkeeper, the element of our mind connected to wholeness even while other parts of the mind become absorbed in fragmentation, separation, and violence. When you connect with your inner Faithkeeper, you have access to all the guidance you need to act effectively. In some cases you may be guided to political action, participate in service organizations, or express yourself through a medium meaningful to you. Or you might be guided to simply go within, stay centered through meditation and prayer, or help people who feel troubled. Your inner teacher will guide you.
We are told in the Bible to “resist not evil, but overcome evil with good,” and “pray for those who persecute you.” We are also told that “the meek [non-violent] will inherit the earth.” Certainly it is disheartening to see injustice. When we observe wrongdoing, our guidance is reminding us that we deserve better.
Every day I practice holding the vision for healing, personally, nationally, and globally. If you can join with others in prayer or meditation, your effectiveness is amplified. When the children of light come together, the light grows far brighter than when we attempt to act alone. A Course in Miracles advises us, “If you knew who walks beside you on the path that you have chosen, fear would be impossible.”
At the conclusion of “Day of the Dove,” Captain Kirk joins with Klingon Commander Kang to issue this imperative to the evil entity that has turned the Starship into a battleground:
"Get off my ship! You're a dead duck here. You're powerless. We know about you, and we don't want to play. Maybe . . there are others like you around. Maybe you've caused a lot of suffering, a lot of history, but that's all over. We'll be on guard now. We'll be ready for you, so ship out! Come on, haul it!"
I find it fascinating that “Day of the Dove” was aired at the height of the Vietnam conflict, when the country was brutally torn, and fear and anger ruled. Amidst that harsh milieu, scriptwriter Jerome Bixby pierced beyond the conflict to find a higher vision toward resolution. Once again we have come to a time when divisiveness seems to rule. We keep getting the same lessons, personally and collectively, until we master them. Perhaps we would do well to take Kirk's imperative and apply it to our own higher consciousness: "Come on, haul it!"
Alan Cohen is the author of many popular books, including the new best-seller Miracles Actually. Join Alan for his life-changing Holistic Life Coach Training, beginning September 1. For information on this program, Alan’s books, A Course in Miracles retreats, weekly online Miracle Room, webinars, YouTube channel, free daily inspirational quotes, and other offerings, visit www.alancohen.com.
