The Journey of Awakening - Steve Taylor's March Newsletter

Published: Sat, 03/19/22

Steve Taylor's March Newsletter

Dear

I hope all is well with you. Spring is on its way – the tree outside my window is blossoming and daffodils are blooming in my garden. Spring normally fills me with a sense of vitality and optimism. It’s more difficult this year, because of the war in Ukraine. It’s hard to be full of optimism when such brutality and suffering is occurring.

To me, the situation illustrates the sad fact that it’s not uncommon for people with disordered and destructive personalities to get into positions of power. Political power attracts the most ruthless and amoral people, who become even more brutal once they attain power, and more and more brutal the longer they have it. But history teaches us that psychopathic political regimes – or “pathocracies” - are always temporary. They are always destroyed by their own malevolence and brutality. The originator of the concept of “pathocracy,” Andrew Lobaczewski, said that pathocracies never last because the majority of psychologically normal people eventually grow fed up with the amorality and brutality of their leaders. Hopefully this will happen in Russia. I have a strong feeling that the majority of Russian people are dismayed by the war, and by Putin’s paranoia and malevolence.

Of course, “pathocracy” isn’t just a problem in Russia. There are lots of other governments made up of destructive and disordered personalities – including the government of my own country, the UK.

I’ve just published a blog article about these issues, here

Extraordinary Awakenings AudioBook

I'm really pleased that the audiobook of Extraordinary Awakenings is now available!. It’s available here in the US and here in the UK

Events in March/April

On Tuesday March 29th, I am holding another event with my friend Serge-Beddington Behrens, on the theme of 'The Spiritual Journey.' We held two events last year and they were wonderful, so I'm really looking forward to it. (A recording will be available if you can't make the actual time.) Further details here

On Sat April 2nd, I am speaking at the online conference of the Spiritual Crisis Network UK. Details here

On Sunday 24th April, I'm holding a one day online workshop on ‘Uncovering the Essence of Your Being’ details here

Social Media Reminder

Just a reminder that I have an Instragram account now, where I upload new poems, and short quotes. https://www.instagram.com/stevetaylorauthor/

I’m also on twitter at https://twitter.com/SMTaylorauthor

And on facebook at Steve Taylor Author https://www.facebook.com/stevetaylorauthor

New Poems

In this time of global turmoil, here are a couple of new poems which I hope will provide you with some spiritual sustenance.
All is Well

Nothing is Wrong

There’s a complaining voice inside your head
telling you there’s something wrong
that you deserve more, that your life needs to change
charging your mind with anxiety
like a misanthropic man who keeps venting his spleen
and infects the whole room with his mood.

So you crave for more of what you lack
and yearn for less of what you have
hoping that some new arrangement of your life
will satisfy your inner voice
and alleviate your anxiety.

But nothing is wrong with your life
except those restless thoughts that try
to convince you that something’s wrong.

Nothing is wrong with your life
except the stories your ego tells you
about how your life should be.

Nothing is wrong with your life
except ideas of the future and the past
that take you away from the present.

How could there be anything wrong
when there is nothing but your experience of now?

Don’t pay attention to your thoughts
only to your experience.

And soon the complaining voice will slow down
and fall silent, leaving nothing
but your experience of now
which is neither wrong nor right
but simply true and real.

All is well

You have to remember that all is well
even if you feel overwhelmed by the chaos of the world
and menacing dark thoughts swirl through your mind.

You have to remember that all is well
even if you feel encircled by enemies
and your life seems a futile struggle.

You have to remember that all is well
beneath the turbulence and confusion
like the deep stillness of the ocean
beneath roaring, surging waves.

You have to remember that all is well.
Then your faith will sustain you.
Your confidence will strengthen you.

Then the radiant stillness of your soul
will calm the turmoil of your mind
and guide you through the darkness, like a compass.

And soon the chaos and stress will subside.
You’ll return to natural harmony
with the deep inner knowing that all is well.

All best wishes and blessings, Steve