As we look at the crises in the world today, some might wonder, have there ever been times worse than this, when selfishness, hatred and violence seem to have the upper hand? Of course there could be, and have been, even more challenging periods, as a study of history verifies. But perhaps today we are more aware of the extent, the global reach, of the brutality and corruption and delusion that pervade the human experience for all too many of the world’s people. Thanks to the outreach of the information age, we are more informed (and disinformed) about problems not only near at hand but in far distant reaches of the planet. Yet we as a species remain remarkably shortsighted as we try to conjure a vision of the future.
In such a time, disillusionment and despair might seem to be all too acceptable responses, but if one strives towards the higher altitude of the esoteric worldview, seeking to understand the underlying causes behind outer effects, such a period of crisis as we’re experiencing today can offer an opportunity for transformative change—potentially slow and evolutionary, but possibly capable of igniting a sudden breakthrough. This latter possibility ties in with the Ageless Wisdom’s perspective that when the crystallization of old, worn out patterns, relationships, and ideals becomes sufficiently intolerable, an opportunity is presented for the shattering of all that is impeding the dynamic evolutionary power of the new and more spiritual energies seeking entrance. And surely the conditions generated by the transition into a new two-thousand year cycle of the Aquarian age, bringing the impulse towards sharing and the establishing of right human relationships, will reach a point where these energies become unstoppable.
Not only the dubious people but the aspirational as well, might ask, how do sharing and right human relations have practical, achievable value in today’s world crisis, when the forces of resistance to these values seem implacable? For our encouragement, we’re assured in the writings of Alice Bailey that “The economic problem is not difficult of solution. There are adequate resources for the sustenance of human life…man is the controller of it all. It is solely due to man’s selfishness that unequal distribution exists, and also exploitation of the weak and helpless.” When it comes to economic matters, particularly, it’s undeniable that the degree of selfishness has reached staggering levels when we look at the gross disparity between the haves and have-nots, and particularly between the super-rich and the poorest of the poor. It’s estimated that the richest 1% of the world’s population controls almost half of the world’s wealth, while the poorest half of the world owns just .75%.
But we also can see the growth of movements led by some of the very wealthy who recognize the injustice of the economic disparity and are demanding that their class should be taxed more. Philanthropy abounds in support of a vast array of charitable initiatives focused not only on the alleviation of poverty and human and animal suffering, but also on combating climate change, support of humanity’s cultural achievements, and scientific research, among other fields. The younger generations may have an especially clear perception of the need to share. There are numerous examples of even very young children who are seemingly endowed at a very early age with an acute sensitivity towards suffering and who are creating projects to help address the need they see. The media regularly bring us examples of young people who, unencumbered by the experience of discouragement or fear of lack, recognize a problem—whether social or political or scientific—and come up with ingenious approaches to solving those problems. These examples generate enormous hope for the future.
“The great principle of Sharing ever governs divine purpose”, Alice Bailey wrote. Every great act of sharing results automatically in two reactions, she said: “The bringing together of two points of energy (as, for instance, two disciples) creates inevitably a point of tension which can release energy in service to the Plan”, she wrote, becoming, in effect, the two poles necessary to generate a current of electrical energy. Just imagine the impact that would be made on the consciousness of humanity if the struggle between Israel and the Palestinians for control of the land they both call home were to be resolved by agreeing to share that space.
Along with sharing, we should never underestimate the power of goodwill to redeem human affairs and relationships. Wherever goodwill is a goal, we’re told, the energy of the will to good will make itself felt. This suggests that an inlet is created for the unknown, transcendent power of Good whenever human beings create the necessary conditions through applied goodwill, even in the most challenging of situations. We need not look for large numbers to initiate change, for Christ reminded us that Wherever two or three gather in my name, there am I in the midst of them. At the same time, life on Earth is now so integrated that conflicts and disasters are contagious to vast populations, spilling over national borders and affecting whole regions and, in some cases, the entire international community. These create grave and dangerous problems but also offer an opportunity for goodwill to manifest on a global scale, as seen in the broad international response to the violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and in the struggle to accommodate the mass surge of immigrants fleeing poverty and environmental disaster.
We are reaching the point where very few can remain untouched by these threats, and that too is a form of sharing. The attempt to assign blame is pointless, Alice Bailey reminded us, for the errors and mistakes of the past are joint errors shared by humanity as a whole. They are bringing huge challenges for us all, but also the opportunity to practice renunciation, and “it is upon the many little renunciations that the capacity for freedom is slowly being generated”, we’re told. “This recognition will lead to the establishment of the principle of sharing so needed.” We are assured that there are no problems and conditions which cannot be solved by the will-to-good, for goodwill nourishes the spirit of understanding and fosters the will to cooperate. This cooperative spirit is the secret of all right human relations and the promise of the Aquarian age.
