To those who join this film collective, I encourage you to create projects about subjects that YOU love, in ways that allow you to express your joy and passion for them.
While, in making media projects, I encourage everyone to follow their personal passions and internal wisdom, I would like to offer these unorthodox perspectives for seeing and describing people and situations.
- With the aim of revealing and expressing the Truth that awakens understanding and peace among peoples who have imagined themselves to be enemies.
………here is a hypothetical media story on bringing peace to people engaged in CIVIL WAR: Rather than describe the harsh conditions of ongoing civil wars around the world, we describe, through specific historical examples, how war transformed into peace in South Africa and in Northern Ireland. In doing so, we offer insight to peoples currently engaged in war, such as Israelis and Palestinians
………here is a hypothetical media story on THE INVASION AND OCCUPATION OF IRAQ: For people who hold to political points-of-view, some might believe that the invasion of Iraq was an atrocity and an international war crime. Others would believe that it was a police action that needed to be taken. When these two points of view collide, a secondary conflict arises between those who battle to end the war and those who battle to continue it. Seeing the situation from heart-centered wisdom, what we see most prominently is that people are suffering and that all people on all sides are doing the best they can to defend themselves and survive. In the midst of war, it is through building bridges of friendship understanding and trust that peace is restored.
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The untold story of the American invasion of Iraq is one of love and friendship. Despite the war and its politics, open-hearted people in Iraq, Americans and Iraqis, are forging alliances. Americans and Iraqis are falling in love with each other. Iraqis and Americans, who were once strangers, are becoming lifelong friends. Some are marrying and having children. Others are developing business and cultural alliances. As happened with Germany, Japan and Viet Nam, years from now, the people of Iraq and the United States, as nations and as individuals, will be at peace. At that time, they will have a far more intimate relationship with each other than they had before the US invasion and occupation. A media project could be made to document the friendships, love affairs, business partnerships and cultural exchanges that are presently taking form among Iraqis and Americans. It could even be argued that, from the perspective of the evolution of human consciousness, war, being among the most intimate of human experiences, eventually brings nations, peoples and races together.
- Our media projects will reveal and express that every so-called problem or catastrophe, when seen creatively, is an opportunity for innovative solutions and cooperative interaction.
……… here is a hypothetical media story on ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT:
As the world's supply of oil diminishes, rather than focusing on doomsday scenarios and pointing the finger of blame, we describe how the age of dirty hydrocarbon fuels is coming to an end. We document the emergence of inexpensive, non-polluting energy resources. We demonstrate the possibility of a healthier biosphere, a more stable world economy and a more peaceful political environment to come.
- In depicting our fellow humans, we aim not to express pity for those whom society calls “less fortunate.” To do so is to fail to see the perfection of each person and the perfection of each person’s life. To pity is to create the misunderstanding that our interdependency is unnatural and undesirable. To pity is to create fear within ourselves that someday we will be seen as “pitiful.”
……… taken from my own life experience, here are some hypothetical media stories on “PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY DISABLED PEOPLE”
=======================
1.) THE PHYSICALLY DISABLED -- In her youth, my friend Grace was a world-class athlete. Over the years, she has acquired a condition that has been diagnosed as Parkinson’s Disease. In contrast to her former physical strength and coordination, the movements of Grace’s body might be described as being out of her control. She can no longer walk without help. It takes focused listening for anyone to understand her speech. Judging Grace’s situation from afar, some people might think, “Thank goodness that’s not me.” Projecting their own fear, and ignorant of Grace’s inner experience, these distant onlookers do not understand that she is a person who is witty and light-hearted and grateful for her life as it is. Grace sees no problem with her life. With each increase in her physical disablement, life has gifted her with a commensurate amount of inner joy and peace with which to accept and embrace her circumstances. I used to take Grace out dancing. I would hold her tightly so she wouldn’t fall. She would dance and flirt with me and have as much fun as any of my other dance partners. Grace does not need our pity. Like all of us, she needs loving “interdependence,” meaning that, for all that others do to help her navigate her world, Grace returns the priceless gift of her joyous presence and her passionate embrace of life. The life of educator Helen Keller and of world-renowned theoretical physicist, Steven Hawkings, are other prominent examples of the phenomenon of Life bringing us inner brilliance to compensate for our outer “disablement.”
========================
2.) THE MENTALLY RETARDED -- I have come to see that those people whom we call "mentally retarded" are not retarded at all. I am not being kind or glossing over in my assessment. In the Divine plan, the mentally retarded are among the wisest beings among us and they have much to teach us. Because they live with their attention fully in the present, without the illusions of strongly defended egos and beliefs, they do not trouble themselves with suffering judgments and second-guessing of the imaginary past or by delusional projections into an unreal future that will never come. In living with their attention fully in the present (the only reality that is), they experience fully their peaceful, joyous connection to Life. Like very young children, the mentally retarded are the most honest and unconditionally loving people we meet. Without having many “utilitarian skills," they live simple gracious lives among friends and family who love them generously and who grieve for them when they die. Narrative films like “Being There” and “Forest Gump” capture the truth of their beautiful reality. These films demonstrate to mentally developed people, “the spiritually retarded” the value of being present to love, sincerity, humility and compassion. They also highlight how the wisdom and intuition of the heart unerringly point us down a beneficent life path.
========================
When we open our hearts to meet people’s in their lives, we see that our fears and judgments are illusion. Uplifting and insightful accounts of people and their lives can be told about the:
- Imprisoned or Enslaved (freedom is a state of mind)
- Impoverished & Homeless (the experience of abundance comes in many forms besides money)
- Insane (Until we understand our true nature, we are all insane)
- War-torn (Some people live rich peaceful lives in the midst of war)
- Despite our historical mythology about how prison, impoverishment, slavery and war are horrible experiences to be feared and avoided at all cost, we document a different perspective. We describe the lives of people who, by accepting and embracing their circumstances, live beautiful, inspiring, love-filled lives. (For example, to name just a few, consider the inspiring prison experiences of Nelson Mandela of South Africa and American Robert Franklin Stroud, known as the Birdman of Alcatraz).
- Similarly, when we look deeply at the inner experience of the rich, famous and powerful, we see that their life circumstances offer no more enduring happiness than the lives of the typical person. We see that, without understanding our true nature, our striving for material success, leaves us unfulfilled. We illustrate that without love, generosity and inner peace, the experience of worldly success is hollow and unsatisfying. I do not mean to suggest here that we need to renounce success or it’s rewards, but only that, while success may provide material comfort, it does not provide the radiant bliss of spiritual enlightenment and unconditional love of life that our hearts wisely seek.
- We aim to depict all people as Divinely created beings, knowing that we all play perfectly our intended parts in the human tapestry.
- We depict animals and plants with respect, for the Universe and all its life forms are the embodiment of Divinity.
– Instead of depicting illness and death as tragedies to be dreaded and avoided, we look deeper into the nature of health and the body’s mortality. We show how illness offers opportunities to gain clarity, wisdom and insight. We understand that for new life to arise into form, old life and old life forms must pass away. We question the idea, often advocated in medicine, that human bodies should be preserved for as long as possible, far into decrepitude. We explore the possibility that death is a beautiful experience and that the body has the wisdom to know when it is time to die. In this understanding, we are not rejecting health and medicine, but accepting that death is inevitable and beneficial in the grand scheme of life.
- Whether or not something is a biological life form or not, we understand that all forms of matter and energy are alive, have consciousness and are intimately connected to the Whole.
While, in making media projects, I encourage everyone to follow their personal passions and internal wisdom, I would like to offer these unorthodox perspectives for seeing and describing people and situations.
- With the aim of revealing and expressing the Truth that awakens understanding and peace among peoples who have imagined themselves to be enemies.
………here is a hypothetical media story on bringing peace to people engaged in CIVIL WAR: Rather than describe the harsh conditions of ongoing civil wars around the world, we describe, through specific historical examples, how war transformed into peace in South Africa and in Northern Ireland. In doing so, we offer insight to peoples currently engaged in war, such as Israelis and Palestinians
………here is a hypothetical media story on THE INVASION AND OCCUPATION OF IRAQ: For people who hold to political points-of-view, some might believe that the invasion of Iraq was an atrocity and an international war crime. Others would believe that it was a police action that needed to be taken. When these two points of view collide, a secondary conflict arises between those who battle to end the war and those who battle to continue it. Seeing the situation from heart-centered wisdom, what we see most prominently is that people are suffering and that all people on all sides are doing the best they can to defend themselves and survive. In the midst of war, it is through building bridges of friendship understanding and trust that peace is restored.
--------------
The untold story of the American invasion of Iraq is one of love and friendship. Despite the war and its politics, open-hearted people in Iraq, Americans and Iraqis, are forging alliances. Americans and Iraqis are falling in love with each other. Iraqis and Americans, who were once strangers, are becoming lifelong friends. Some are marrying and having children. Others are developing business and cultural alliances. As happened with Germany, Japan and Viet Nam, years from now, the people of Iraq and the United States, as nations and as individuals, will be at peace. At that time, they will have a far more intimate relationship with each other than they had before the US invasion and occupation. A media project could be made to document the friendships, love affairs, business partnerships and cultural exchanges that are presently taking form among Iraqis and Americans. It could even be argued that, from the perspective of the evolution of human consciousness, war, being among the most intimate of human experiences, eventually brings nations, peoples and races together.
- Our media projects will reveal and express that every so-called problem or catastrophe, when seen creatively, is an opportunity for innovative solutions and cooperative interaction.
……… here is a hypothetical media story on ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT:
As the world's supply of oil diminishes, rather than focusing on doomsday scenarios and pointing the finger of blame, we describe how the age of dirty hydrocarbon fuels is coming to an end. We document the emergence of inexpensive, non-polluting energy resources. We demonstrate the possibility of a healthier biosphere, a more stable world economy and a more peaceful political environment to come.
- In depicting our fellow humans, we aim not to express pity for those whom society calls “less fortunate.” To do so is to fail to see the perfection of each person and the perfection of each person’s life. To pity is to create the misunderstanding that our interdependency is unnatural and undesirable. To pity is to create fear within ourselves that someday we will be seen as “pitiful.”
……… taken from my own life experience, here are some hypothetical media stories on “PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY DISABLED PEOPLE”
=======================
1.) THE PHYSICALLY DISABLED -- In her youth, my friend Grace was a world-class athlete. Over the years, she has acquired a condition that has been diagnosed as Parkinson’s Disease. In contrast to her former physical strength and coordination, the movements of Grace’s body might be described as being out of her control. She can no longer walk without help. It takes focused listening for anyone to understand her speech. Judging Grace’s situation from afar, some people might think, “Thank goodness that’s not me.” Projecting their own fear, and ignorant of Grace’s inner experience, these distant onlookers do not understand that she is a person who is witty and light-hearted and grateful for her life as it is. Grace sees no problem with her life. With each increase in her physical disablement, life has gifted her with a commensurate amount of inner joy and peace with which to accept and embrace her circumstances. I used to take Grace out dancing. I would hold her tightly so she wouldn’t fall. She would dance and flirt with me and have as much fun as any of my other dance partners. Grace does not need our pity. Like all of us, she needs loving “interdependence,” meaning that, for all that others do to help her navigate her world, Grace returns the priceless gift of her joyous presence and her passionate embrace of life. The life of educator Helen Keller and of world-renowned theoretical physicist, Steven Hawkings, are other prominent examples of the phenomenon of Life bringing us inner brilliance to compensate for our outer “disablement.”
========================
2.) THE MENTALLY RETARDED -- I have come to see that those people whom we call "mentally retarded" are not retarded at all. I am not being kind or glossing over in my assessment. In the Divine plan, the mentally retarded are among the wisest beings among us and they have much to teach us. Because they live with their attention fully in the present, without the illusions of strongly defended egos and beliefs, they do not trouble themselves with suffering judgments and second-guessing of the imaginary past or by delusional projections into an unreal future that will never come. In living with their attention fully in the present (the only reality that is), they experience fully their peaceful, joyous connection to Life. Like very young children, the mentally retarded are the most honest and unconditionally loving people we meet. Without having many “utilitarian skills," they live simple gracious lives among friends and family who love them generously and who grieve for them when they die. Narrative films like “Being There” and “Forest Gump” capture the truth of their beautiful reality. These films demonstrate to mentally developed people, “the spiritually retarded” the value of being present to love, sincerity, humility and compassion. They also highlight how the wisdom and intuition of the heart unerringly point us down a beneficent life path.
========================
When we open our hearts to meet people’s in their lives, we see that our fears and judgments are illusion. Uplifting and insightful accounts of people and their lives can be told about the:
- Imprisoned or Enslaved (freedom is a state of mind)
- Impoverished & Homeless (the experience of abundance comes in many forms besides money)
- Insane (Until we understand our true nature, we are all insane)
- War-torn (Some people live rich peaceful lives in the midst of war)
- Despite our historical mythology about how prison, impoverishment, slavery and war are horrible experiences to be feared and avoided at all cost, we document a different perspective. We describe the lives of people who, by accepting and embracing their circumstances, live beautiful, inspiring, love-filled lives. (For example, to name just a few, consider the inspiring prison experiences of Nelson Mandela of South Africa and American Robert Franklin Stroud, known as the Birdman of Alcatraz).
- Similarly, when we look deeply at the inner experience of the rich, famous and powerful, we see that their life circumstances offer no more enduring happiness than the lives of the typical person. We see that, without understanding our true nature, our striving for material success, leaves us unfulfilled. We illustrate that without love, generosity and inner peace, the experience of worldly success is hollow and unsatisfying. I do not mean to suggest here that we need to renounce success or it’s rewards, but only that, while success may provide material comfort, it does not provide the radiant bliss of spiritual enlightenment and unconditional love of life that our hearts wisely seek.
- We aim to depict all people as Divinely created beings, knowing that we all play perfectly our intended parts in the human tapestry.
- We depict animals and plants with respect, for the Universe and all its life forms are the embodiment of Divinity.
– Instead of depicting illness and death as tragedies to be dreaded and avoided, we look deeper into the nature of health and the body’s mortality. We show how illness offers opportunities to gain clarity, wisdom and insight. We understand that for new life to arise into form, old life and old life forms must pass away. We question the idea, often advocated in medicine, that human bodies should be preserved for as long as possible, far into decrepitude. We explore the possibility that death is a beautiful experience and that the body has the wisdom to know when it is time to die. In this understanding, we are not rejecting health and medicine, but accepting that death is inevitable and beneficial in the grand scheme of life.
- Whether or not something is a biological life form or not, we understand that all forms of matter and energy are alive, have consciousness and are intimately connected to the Whole.
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Oregon
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