Why Celebrate?

Video on YouTube and Audio of John Anderson speaking at Unity Center for Positive Living.


The 2012 holiday season is special with the 25 year conclusion of the Harmonic Convergence, staring into our galactic black hole for eight minutes, the end of the Mayan calendar and the numerological significance of 12/12/2012. We may not be ready, but ready or not, the holiday season is here along with the fiscal cliff and possible accelerating ecological calamities. Why Celebrate? Learn John's three reasons to make this your best holiday season ever and consider the gift and challenge he offers.  John spoke at Unity Center for Positive Living, Centralia, Washington on Sunday morning December 2, 2012.

Why Celebrate?

Celebrations mark changes in cycles, beginning and endings, births and deaths.

We are in the midst of a variety of great cyclic changes, we always are. We have personal, individual cycles and our more collectively experienced lives together. We each live in multiple realities. There’s our inner and our outer lives: our families, work and the national and global events. During the last 20 to 40 years, our lives seem to have become increasingly complex.

Three weeks ago when I decided to do this talk, I was considering topics around prayer and metaphysics. It was suggested that a Christmas topic might be good, given the date. Considering a talk on the holidays has gotten me digging deeply into my life. I’ve struggled working through my feelings about the holidays, family and my feelings of loss and regret.

Black Friday Frowning Realization
Walking around stores after Thanksgiving and seeing myself in mirrors and windows, I noticed I was frowning. I said to Kate, I look like I’m frowning. I was more surprised when Kate said: "Yes, you are frowning." I wanted to argue and insist, “No, I’m not frowning,“ But as I walked along past more mirrors, I had to admit that I was frowning. I had to admit I was feeling grumpy, even angry. Well like it or not, the holidays are here, so I might as well enjoy them, I’ve decided.

We’re 10 days past Thanksgiving. Christmas is in three weeks. Hanukkah begins this Saturday, Kwanzaa is the day after Christmas. There’s New Years’ and recovery in January. This year, however, is special. Winter Solstice this year may have an unusual kick. To get ready, there is 12/12/2012, the numerological conclusion of the past twelve years which began on 1/1/2001.The numbers one, two and twelve have held special meanings for hundreds and possibly thousands of years of human history. There are auspicious days when things just work magically and other days it would be best not to begin major projects. You decide, what kind of a great day will you make December 12th?

Harmonic Convergence
In addition to the regular holidays, 2012 is the year we looked forward to 25 years ago at the Harmonic Convergence celebration in 1987. This year is the end of the Mayan calendar. There seems to be two major cycles concluding: one 11,000 year cycle and the other, a 26,000 year cycle. In both cycles, the Earth is in an unusual alignment with the stars.

A special ingredient is talk of an 8 minute window, on solstice, December 21st, when we will be in direct alignment with the very center of our galaxy. I’m getting various stories here. We’re aligning with the center of the Milky Way or the center of a “super galaxy” which is much larger than and includes the Milky Way.  

Staring Into Black Hole
One story I heard at a gathering last night is that we will be staring directly into a black hole at the center of our galaxy. Black holes are now thought to reside at the center of a galaxy. This year is special because there will be no stars or gas clouds blocking the powerful cosmic rays between the black hole and Earth on Solstice.

Scientists who take core samples of ancient ice have found much higher levels of the heavy metal iridium in the atmosphere every 11,000 years, I was told yesterday. Iridium is a rare, very heavy metal on the table of elements. Some have raised concerns that these heavy metals and cosmic rays can affect genes, resulting in mutations and causing disaster to life on earth. Now, there are many conflicting stories.

NASA has announced there is no evidence that galactic events will be any different in the coming days from any other days. There have been stories of the end times since before the birth of Jesus. The apostle Paul rushed to convert as many pagans to Christianity before the end days he believed were imminent. The world has always been full of those predicting “The End.”

Fiscal Cliff and Ecological Calamities
There’s also talk of the fiscal cliff in politics and economics and ecological disruptions from global warming, melting ice, rising water levels and more dangerous storms. We can move beyond myths, fears and negativity. We can’t ignore what the evidence is. We can take action but we don’t need to be run by fear. We can choose another way of thinking, speaking and being. We are the Center for Positive Living.

Barbara Marx Hubbard and others in 1987 talked and predicted an expected increase in human understanding, consciousness and harmony. I’m not sure, but it certainly sounds more empowering than fear, doom and gloom. There are various positive approaches to the future. Barbara Marx Hubbard and 14 other futurists have begun a group called Birth 2012 as a new way of thinking and being.


The Art of Life 
A wise old friend, Solala Towler, publisher of the Empty Vessel Taoist Journal, reminded me that it’s all what we do with the circumstances, not the circumstances themselves. There are always “circumstances.” The art of life is what we do with the cards we’re dealt, and not the cards themselves.

I see a direct connection between our ability to decide and take action to reach goals. We can decide to celebrate, like we decide to create and what to create.

So, Why Celebrate? 
I’ve been researching, reflecting and discussing with colleagues who deeply study spirituality, mysticism and Tarot. Maybe the best reason to celebrate is because we can. Like we can create and we have options about what to create and why. The gift of life is directly connected to creation, I say, to deciding to celebrate.

We can choose to end some cycles and give birth to new ones. I’m identifying and closing some projects in my work and business, so I have time and capacity to open new projects.

Three Reasons To Celebrate! 
I propose there are three reasons to create a great holiday season this year:

1. First, I urge each of us to be a good metaphysician. What is a metaphysician? Metaphysics is seeing beyond the obvious daily reality of routine habits, time, space, cause and effect. We fall asleep in our routines of daily living. Wake up! This is life. If we’re not in pain, hurray! If we are in pain, get help. Pain or not, at least, we are alive. Life is hard, we know that. It’s also glorious!

 2. Second, let go of the old and catch your next shooting star. Let go of the hurts, regrets, resentments, and frustrations. If some thoughts or relationships are not feeding you, change them. Stop telling these stories to yourself and to others. Dig into your inner self. Listen to your intuition. Fire up your imagination. Share with and serve others to gain new insights into your own life and gifts.

Fear keeps us alive, but too much fear is toxic. Fear may have had a significant part in the history leading up to the birth of Jesus as the savior. The Jews and peoples of Palestine were oppressed by the Romans and others before the Romans. They dreamed of freedom. They yearned for a savior. Jesus was seen as that savior. Jesus offered a metaphysical, spiritual solution, not a military one.

Kate reminded me that the Jesus’ life and teachings have been a major turning point in the history of mankind. The honoring of love of your neighbor as yourself, and recognition of the divinity of all humans, regardless of station or position. He taught to honor all people including the prostitute and the tax collector. These were and still are revolutionary ideas in the ancient culture of privilege, power and wealth.

Find Shooting Star or Build Rocket Ship
We can let go of the old and embrace the new. We can turn to pray, ask for guidance to release us from hurt and regret. If you are in spiritual and emotional pain, ask your network of support here at Unity and elsewhere. If your needs exceed the abilities of your support network, add a specialist, hire a coach, go to a minister or counselor, go to a doctor or healer. Depend upon and practice an expanded, more vibrant prayer life. Write about what you are feeling. Share your feelings with trusted friends. Find that next shooting star or build a rocket ship to be that vehicle to take you to the destination you dream to enjoy.

3. Three, it’s up to you to create what you want this season and always. Use external events to bolster you, not to wear you out. Jesus’ message of love, turning the other cheek and serving others has revolutionized the cynicism and resignation that has plagued humanity as we have developed our spiritual consciousness in the last million years. Christmas is a tradition begun about 100 years after the death of Jesus, so far as I could research. It was built upon the much older pagan celebrations from tens of thousands of years first celebrating good hunting with a great feast and later great harvests and the end of work in the fields as winter descends.

My Gift and Challenge 
We are the Center for Positive Living. I have a gift and a challenge for myself and for each of you. Choose to Create. Choose to Celebrate! If you feel wounded and unable, get help. But, as soon as you can decide to create a positive life for yourself and for each person you can contribute to. We are the Center for Positive Living.

I offer a gift to you and to myself. My gift is that we write prayers and put them in this prayer box and periodically send them to Silent Unity where they’ll be prayed over for thirty days before final release. Let’s connect more with Silent Unity. We can send prayers online at Unity.org, keep our prayers on our altar at home or here in this prayer box.

Four Magic Words 
Don’t judge, give thanks. Be grateful and appreciate what is. Let’s practice and learn how to be good metaphysicians. Let’s celebrate!

Watch the video of this talk - UnityCentralia.org or BeCauseBusiness.com