Gustav appears to have lost some strength yet may still cause much suffering and damage. Is there an optimistic attitude available when disaster strikes?
From the BBC: Hurricane Gustav losing strength “In New Orleans, the city’s levees are holding surging floodwaters, although sea levels could still rise further.”
From the Wall Street Journal: Early Signs Show Gulf’s
Energy Facilities Held Up “Turbulent weather prevented a damage assessment Monday, and industry officials cautioned that in previous hurricanes, initial optimism soured when operators began to test equipment.”
From Agence France-Presse: US keeps eye on two new storms after Gustav strike “The United States kept a close eye Monday on another hurricane and a new tropical storm that emerged in the Atlantic…”
So Gustav may not kill “too” many. Further storms may or may not kill. Other natural disasters will appear; possibly worse if the climatologists are right.
If you’ve been through disaster, you may have acquired great fear of them.
If you’ve lost a dear one to a disaster, you may remain completely unconsolable.
Is there any condition of heart or attitude of mind that can meet the terror of natural disaster, ride the waves of pain and suffering, yet remain serene?
Today’s Spiritual Quote:
23 April 1912
“Within the last few days a terrible event has happened in the world, an event saddening to every heart and grieving every spirit. I refer to the Titanic disaster, in which many of our fellow human beings were drowned, a number of beautiful souls passed beyond this earthly life. Although such an event is indeed regrettable, we must realize that everything which happens is due to some wisdom and that nothing happens without a reason. Therein is a mystery; but whatever the reason and mystery, it was a very sad occurrence, one which brought tears to many eyes and distress to many souls…when I consider this calamity in another aspect, I am consoled by the realization that the worlds of God are infinite; that though they were deprived of this existence, they have other opportunities in the life beyond…Foregoing the pleasures and comforts of the earthly, they now partake of a joy and happiness far more abiding and real…it is our duty to remember these departed souls in our prayers and supplications that they may draw nearer and nearer to the Source itself….These are the only considerations which can comfort and console those whom they have left behind.
“Furthermore, these events have deeper reasons….These events happen in order that man’s faith may be increased and strengthened…
“Let no one imagine that these words imply that man should not be thorough and careful in his undertakings. God has endowed man with intelligence so that he may safeguard and protect himself. Therefore, he must provide and surround himself with all that scientific skill can produce. He must be deliberate, thoughtful and thorough in his purposes, build the best ship and provide the most experienced captain; yet, withal, let him rely upon God and consider God as the one Keeper. If God protects, nothing can imperil man’s safety; and if it be not His will to safeguard, no amount of preparation and precaution will avail.”
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 48
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Our Evolution 
I have been protected at many times of my life, by forces I was very aware of at the time, but which in the ‘rational’ light of day appear to be an illusion…
…equally I have been strengthened and broadened by adversity, which seemed to intentionally test me, but which equally fades with the dawn.
I hold onto this quote from EE Cummings:
And in a Mystery to be
– When time from Time shall set us free
Forgetting Me – Remember Me.
henry
To reverse the effect of these storms may cause a positive flurry of energy on our own
equally intense in its ferocoty.
You see..
When Gustave brings destruction,those secrets bring creation.
When Gustave brings death,those secrets bring life.
When Gustave brings anxiety,those secrets
bring inner peace.
Each choice you make focuses energy in a particular direction. If you take the position that individual energy contributes to collective consciousness, and thoughts about events impact what happens to groups of people, then this raises a few questions; why choose to focus on any subject that is not for the greater good? DO you sense how you create your reality and contribute to collective reality?
Thank you, Catherine!!!
Liara,
“DO you sense how you create your reality and contribute to collective reality?”
Yes…
“why choose to focus on any subject that is not for the greater good?”
I feel this post is for the greater good…
Henry,
Thanks for your supportive comment.
Love that Cummings quote!
Amzolt, I highly-value your blog and feel compelled to clarify my previous comment. I see why you believe all your posts are written with the intention of influencing “the greater good.” To be more specific, what I really desire to ask is how would you differentiate between “denial of reality” and choosing not to channel energy speaking about topics that evoke discomfort or fear. Some people believe evoking discomfort is the only way to draw attention to the root cause of such feelings. Other people believe that discussing difficult topics just adds fuel to a fire they would prefer to extinguish.
Liara,
I’m very glad were having a discussion. I wish more folk took the opportunity to use the comments this way!
“…how would you differentiate between ‘denial of reality’ and choosing not to channel energy speaking about topics that evoke discomfort or fear.”
To me denial of reality is ignoring topics that have the potential to harm you or others. In today’s world, so interlocking and connected, the abounding crises are all topics that need have no denial aiding their perpetuation.
“Some people believe evoking discomfort is the only way to draw attention to the root cause of such feelings.”
I try, very hard to not evoke discomfort and, if the topic is inherently discomfort-evoking, I pray the spiritual quotations I offer can dispel the discomfort.
“Other people believe that discussing difficult topics just adds fuel to a fire they would prefer to extinguish.”
How do people extinguish fires without discussion of the ways and means to do so?
Amzolt, you may be interested in a perspective offered by Neale Donald Walsch in his book, Happier than God. He responds to a comment in a letter about personal creation. A person is sickened by the idea that ‘incorrect thinking’ may be scapegoated as the cause for tragedies such as rape, starvation, abuse and other crises.
In a nutshell, Walsch believes personal creation (and the Energy of Attraction so integral to it) “are most effective when used for the purpose for which it was intended.” When people choose to think this force to be ineffective, disappointing and disheartening, they are not using ‘attraction’ for the purposes it was intended. Walsch also explores how life works on different levels of energy. If you choose to create a happy, joyous, peaceful life for everyone whosae lives you touch, this does not mean that each person will choose to receive energy in the way you intend it. You have no control over how other people choose to react or not to energy, or how they decide to view themselves and their circumstances. You are only in control of you, whether you choose to make certain observations and set them out into the world. People will interpret them as they will.
Liara,
Absolutely!
I work to inform people about current crises affecting our human family. Yet, I go a step further and supply spiritual quotations to raise their perception of these crises, hoping they’ll use the spiritual advice to rise above negative attitudes and approach these pressing crises with affirmative spiritual feelings and loving attractiveness…
I live in Florida. Need I say any more? I think not. I think Mother Nature put Florida on the Earth to protect the rest of the nation from disasters like hurricanes. Yes, they do hit other parts of the Gulf Coast and Eastern Seaboard of the U.S., but for the majority of the time, we seem to have a huge magnet on us saying, “Visit FLorida.”
Natural disaster and man-made(Like the Titanic) happen all throughout out history. And over the years, right or wrong, I have viewed natural disaster as Mother Natures population control. Do I view man-man disaster the same way? Yes and no.
Take 911 for instance. That was man-made, but that was a planned incident. The Titanic was man-made…in a manner of speaking, but unplanned. I feel for those who are in either predicament. But if these things did not happen, what would our population be?
I am not saying all this death is right or wrong. It is what it is, and for the most part there is nothing we can do about it. You can prepare for a hurricane til the cows come home, but if Mother Nature has her way, she will do what is her job and beware those in her path.
Thanks once again fro a very enlightening post!
Danette,
Thanks for such an interesting response! I lived in Florida for about 8 years and never experienced a hurricane. But I did experience an earthquake in Cleveland, Ohio. Ironic, eh?