At the Heart of Transformation are two core realizations. First - the only moment there is, the only time that lives, is Now. Second - the only decision worth making, Now, is between fear and Love.

THE CENTER OF TRUTH (On Finding God)

Simply put, there is no time but Now. The past and the future are constructs that frame previous and future Nows, but they don't exist.

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Transformation - The Key to a New Operating System

It needs to be noted that the replacing corrupt political leaders will have little impact if we don't have greater wisdom in choosing their replacements. It's equally true that the outside world can be transformed with little impact on your personal situation. But neither outcome creates a healthier planet or happier person.

One can also argue that, by addressing our government and community issues, we'll create an environment more condusive to personal happiness. Likely, with the caviat that this still leaves you at the mercy of changes that are out of your control and certainly not immanent.

The above suggests we are best served by working on personal transformation as the priority, and branching out from there to effect positive change upon our wounded planet. So let's start with personal transformation.

Transformation - Personal and Planetary

At the core of our failing society these days is the continued promotion of and adherence to ideas that have lost value, or are of no consequence, and so a waste of time. Led by corporate media, we are locked in to fear, corruption and an attack on civil liberties. We are on a treadmill slowly sinking toward chaos.

World 5.0 is devoted to helping describe the destination (health and happiness) and methods for getting there, personally and collectively. We'll segment our discussion into seven topic areas - transformation, ecology, community, government, commerce, energy and peace. This begins the topic of transformation.

Personal and planetary aspects of transformation must be discussed, as we experience the world through these extremes. Communities, jobs, families, state and federal issues, and our internal and external ecology all impact our daily experience, defining our experience of life.

Personal transformation must come first. This because our internal experience ultimately drives how we feel. Even if the world turns to complete shit, a truly sageous outlook leaves us peaceful. Secondly, repairing systems of community, commerce and government can hardly be accomplished if those doing the repairs are substantially flawed in what they seek. In other words, any system is corruptible if the people managing it are corrupt.

Personal Transformation

Personal transformation is accomplished in unique ways, when our energy, attitudes and circumstances swirl into a configuration where our existing condition becomes intolerable. This can be a health challenge, a job loss, a death, a divorce, a bomb or gun going off - any number of things. The common point is our decision that what we are experiencing isn't working.

And so we make changes. Those early on the path will seek outside themselves for a fix. They blame external forces (often with great validity), they change external patterns or they deny their earlier decision to implement change, restarting another loop.

After a while we realize the futility of external emphasis and begin working to create an internal environment less susceptible to the influence of the world upon us. This is where is starts getting fun - and painful.

We look at ourselves, examining what keeps us from happiness. After all, if there's a common theme among all seven billion of us, it's that we want to be happy. So we look at barriers to our happiness, and what do we see? Stress, fear, pain, drama, weariness, and similar feelings. Then we note that we can't fix all those external causes, and begin attempting internal "substantive change" to remove those barriers. Here's where personal transformation truly begins.

As we further examine our personal barriers to happiness, we see a constant pattern of interaction between our Judge, Victim and Belief System (sources of personal fear). These three components of our personalities are in constant flux, each taking charge under given situations. We're triggered when two men kiss, or when someone starts yelling at us, or any thing else that "doesn't sit well." And yet sooner or later we appreciate that it is indeed this Judge within, this Victim within and this Belief System that conspire to keep us from happiness. Here, right here in us, is the barrier to happiness.

At this stage we are led to view our past, to recollect the experiences that set us up for our current reactions. A frightening pediphile from our childhood? A lousy team player in high school? Any number of parental flaws carried within as part of us? Guess what, kids, this shit hurts. It's not the fun part. But the rewards on the other side are truly remarkable.

As we work through this personal phychotherapy (you may need outside help), we let down defenses, some almost as old as we are. As we let down these defenses, we become more integrated. We begin to remove the mask we created as a youngster to deal with the world more effectively. It wasn't effective, it was deadly to our health but at the time, we needed it. We depended on others for survival.

Continuing with our recollections, we metamorphos into a true adult. We take responsibility for who we are and what we do. We get comfortable in our skin. And, just sort of bubbling up from nowhere, we get happy.

We're happy because our walls are broken down, letting us be us. It's difficult to describe the joy and freedom that comes at this stage. We're happy because the past no longer haunts us, and somehow the future seems less daunting as well. We're happy because we're far less susceptible to others' Judge, Victim and Belief System. We're happy because we appreciate our place in the Grand Scheme, though we know little about what that might be.

Moving Outward

Now, as each of us plow onward, we find ourselves positioned to begin having the intent and energy to do some good. We find our place and feel in touch with ourselves. We choose new endeavors to aid in transforming the world around us. We create. We live. And now we have a context for helping to heal our planet. It's happening to me, and it's happening to many of us. Together, we are transforming the world. With personal transformation, we are assured the planet is moving toward an ecology of health and happiness. Yeehaw! This storm will pass.

Planetary Transformation

Planetary transformation will take some time. We've had an accelerating attack on this lovely planet - decimating forests, recklessly polluting, ruining our land, oceans and air - this won't be fast, or easy.

But it will happen. Life will not be denied. The only questions are when the change will be evident, and what pieces we will still have left to enable the healing.

As a species, we have to grow up. We have to become an adult in our culture and systems. Our adolescent   World 4 view will no longer suffice.

How do we make that happen? By embracing Integrity, Justice and Balance into our systems. Ultimately, they must apply to all aspects of our planetary systems, but for starters, we embrace them personally. We let them emanate from us in our relationships and actions. We choose our battles, and fight the good fight against meanness and cluelessness.

It may happen in a heartbeat. And it may take 500 years and unthinkable pain, but we will make the transition. We will re-envision what we want to experience. We will begin to honor one another. We will honor the Earth. We will choose the common good more and more, and we will find strength. Strength in numbers, yes. But more importantly, strength in being aligned with Life, Love and Eternal Values.   And it will be a far happier dream.

Please join us.