Like millions of people around the world, on New Year's Eve, you may have seen the ball drop in Times Square, the fireworks, parades, and celebrations around the planet. You may have been alone and quietly experienced the passing of our old year. Still, you can say that you "saw" the moment when a significant moment occurred in time.

I refer to this experience as "seeing." It is one of those occasions when we know the "past" is now behind us, and the "future" is before us. Wherever we are, in whatever time zone, our clocks approach 11:59 PM, and we experience something hard to describe. Yes, we may see the "ball drop," we may offer a toast to friends and loved ones, we may call a relative or a friend of long ago. Most often this experience commands all of our senses briefly, and then it is gone.

What did we see? Or did we? I use the word "see" to describe what may be indescribable, but yet something happened that is soulful. That event when our clocks moved from
11:59 PM to 12 AM, describes perhaps the solitary instance when we are one with each other. We may not know that, we may not see it, but we do well to reflect upon what we "saw" or missed seeing. Poets describe moments in time that transcend time, moments of beauty, awe, wonder, meaning, love, and possibly a resolve to live against a backdrop of eternity.

I will give you a small taste of what I mean when I say that poets "see" into the soul of humanity and bring to us their gifts of sight, presented with the evocative vision of poetic imagination. Of the many that could be chosen, I invite your consideration with poetic excerpts from Robert Frost, Lao Tzu, Mary Oliver, W.H.Auden, and Derek Mahon.

                                 STOPPING BY WOODS ON A SNOWY EVENING
                                              Robert Frost (1874-1963)

Frost was born in San Francisco, moved about in his early years including some time in England before settling down in Shaftsbury, Vermont, on a farm where he grew apples, taught writing in local schools, and wrote poetry.

                                      Whose woods these are I think I know
                                         His house is in the village though;
                                         He will not see me stopping here
                                      To watch his woods fill up with snow.

                                        My little horse must think it queer
                                         To stop without a farmhouse near
                                       Between the woods and frozen lake
                                          The darkest evening of the year.

                                         He gives his harness bells a shake
                                          To ask if there is some mistake.
                                         The only other sound's the sweep
                                           Of easy wind and downy flake.

                                        The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
                                           But I have promises to keep,
                                          And miles to go before I sleep,
                                          And miles to go before I sleep.


                                           TAO TE CHING — Chapter One
                                              Lao Tzu (6th century BCE?)

Lao Tzu, which might be translated from the Chinese as "Old Man," lived in the 6th century BCE, according to some research. However, little can be of certain about this profound old man who supposedly worked for Confucius before he retired and retreated to the unknown sacred mountains in China. 

                           The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao.
                           The name that can be named is not the eternal name.
                           The nameless is the beginning of heaven and earth.
                           The named is the mother of ten thousand things.
                           Ever desireless, one can see the mystery.
                           Ever desiring, one can see the manifestations.
                           These two spring from the same source but differ in name;
                               this appears as darkness.
                           Darkness within darkness.
                           The gate to all mystery.


                        YOU ARE STANDING AT THE EDGE OF THE WOODS
                                       Mary Oliver (1953-2019)

Mary Oliver is one of the better know poets in modern literature. She grew up in Ohio, became fascinated with poetry in her later life and wrote of nature and our place in the deep mystery of woods, streams, oceans, and animal life. She spent many of her most productive years living in Provincetown, MA. I have excerpted the beginning and ending of this poem that yet evokes in me the wonder and mystery of Oliver's world.

                            You are standing at the edge of the woods
                                                   at twilight
                                          when something begins
                                          to sing, like a waterfall
                                                      ...
                                                The thrush
                                     is silent then, or perhaps
                                            has flown away.
                                     The dark grows darker.

                                                The moon,
                                     in its shining white blouse,
                                                     rises.
                                   And whatever that wild cry was

                                    it will aways remain a mystery
                              you have to go home now and live with,
                 sometimes with the ease of music, and sometimes in silence,
                                          for the rest of your life.


                                           FOR THE TIME BEING
                                          W.H. Auden (1907-1973)

Auden was something of a wanderer. Born in Great Britain, he sought stability in life within the boundaries of New York City, first in Brooklyn Heights, and later, Manhattan. Auden was gifted to make use of his own unsettledness and left us with an evocative commentary on the political, moral, social, and religious dynamics of his time, throwing light on the disturbing time in which we are living. Later in his life, Auden found refuge in the Anglican Church from which he drew the symbols of this long poem that concludes as follows: 

                     He is the Way.
                     Follow Him through the Land of Unlikeness;
                     You will see rare beasts, and have unique adventures.

                     He is the Truth.
                     Seek Him in the Kingdom of Anxiety;
                     You will come to a great city that has expected your return for years.

                     He is the Life.
                     Love Him in the World of the Flesh;
                     And at your marriage all its occasions shall dance for joy.


                                  EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE ALL RIGHT
                                           Derek Mahon (1941-2020)

Mahon was a solitary who wrote against the backdrop of Northern Ireland's brutal conflicts. Determined, he pushed himself to claim a love for poetry that his working class parents did not understand. His "watchful heart" looked inward and outward as he visited many cities around the world and saw features of life that others may not have seen. But many of us have found comfort in the vision of his "watchful heart" that he describes in the following poem.

                                 How should I not be glad to contemplate
                                   the clouds clearing beyond the dormer window
                                   and a high tide reflected on the ceiling?
                                 There will be dying, there will be dying,
                                    but there is no need to go into that.
                                 The poems flow from the hand unbidden
                                    and the hidden source is the watchful heart.
                                 The sun rises in spite of everything
                                    and the far cities are beautiful and bright.
                                  I lie here in a riot of sunlight
                                    watching the day break and the clouds flying. 
                                  Everything is going to be all right.


We do not all possess that marvelous capacity to write poetry. But we see with our eyes, our hearts, our minds, our imagination, our dreams. What do you see this new year?

                                   

Given the strange year we have experienced the first eleven months, I wonder what our Christmas might bring. By "strange year," I think of the economic, social, and political news that dominate our newspapers, journals, newscasting and many conversations. We need a Christmas and the carols of goodwill and peace. 

But we know the bitter reality. How can we not? The news instantaneously travels to inform us of the conflicts and wars around the world. Presently there are wars in 40 countries, according to the World Population Review and the International Crisis Group. 

Ever-present is the on-going devastating war between Israel and the Palestinians in which the people of Gaza suffer unspeakable destruction of homes, family life, loved ones, as well as facilities that support life, health, education, spirituality, and the most human of all needs to feel safe, loved, hopeful.

But the news story of wars that seems to top the list is the bizarre war between Ukraine and Russia, pursued by Putin who initiated the conflict in pursuit of what he claims is the rightful territory of Mother Russia, now occupied by Ukraine. While people are dying, the latest diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict appear to proceed like a gathering of brokers bargaining for real estate. Here we see in real time the much publicized "art of the deal," a book and TV show that entertained the public on way to becoming a political movement. And while this "deal-making" with Putin in Russia goes on, people are starving and dying in the wars of at least 38 other countries.

Some of those wars rage to claim or regain territory; other conflicts battle for political control, profit-making, the settling of old grievances. In too many instances, the suffering of people, animals, and natural life portray a demented world nearing the point of no return, desperate for survival and peace.

This is our world during Christmas 2025. I understand that such a brutal description  flies in the face of how we enjoy and imagine Christmas. And, I am hopeful that you are not trapped in one of the 40 war zones spread around planet earth, such as I have described.

But, on the other hand, is this world at war really so unlike the Christmas story as our Gospels tell it? Only two of the Bible's four gospels give an account of Jesus' birth. They are Matthew and Luke. The Gospel of Mark is the shortest one of the four and focuses on the baptism, ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus. The Gospel of John, however, is quite long and begins not with the birth of Jesus but as a theological/philosophical account of the world's beginning described as an act of God who prepared the way for Jesus to minister to the world with "signs" of wonder that demonstrated the life-giving experience by which others may experience a new reality and being.

In other words, the description of Jesus' birth comes from Matthew and Luke whose accounts do not overlap, but whose "stories" provide the Christmas promise of peace, although not without the threat of violence and war.

In brief summary, here are the references to Jesus' birth as told by Matthew and Luke.

• Mt. 1:25:  Joseph takes Mary to his home and she gives birth to Jesus.
• Mt. 2: 1-12:  The Magi (three Wise Men) see a star that leads them to the manger in Bethlehem, but not before they pass through Judea ruled by King Herod. They explained to Herod that they were following a star to the place where a child was to be born who would be king of the Jews. This news greatly frightened Herod who asked the Magi to let him know where this child was to be born. But after presenting gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the chlld, the Magi are warned in a dream to return home in a way that by-passes Herod.
• Mt. 2: 13-15:  Joseph also is warned in a dream that he, Mary, and the baby are in danger. The three of them escape into Egypt. 
• Mt. 2: 16-17:  Herod is furious that he was fooled by the three Wise Men, and he massacres all the male children in Bethlehem who are two years old or less.

Turning now to Luke, the story continues with additional details.

• Luke 2: 1-4:  Caesar Augustus conducts a census of "the whole inhabited world," with a view of taxation to follow. For that reason, Joseph sets out with Mary to register in Bethlehem. Finding no room in an inn, Mary had to give birth to Jesus in a manger, a box for feeding livestock in a barn or stable.
• Luke 2: 8-14:  An angel appears to shepherds guarding their sheep at night when "the glory of the Lord shown around them" as the angel announced the birth of Jesus. This is followed by the "hosts of heaven" who praise God with the words:

                              Glory to God in the highest heaven,
                           and on earth peace for those God favors.

• Luke 2: 15-19:  The astonished shepherds rush to Bethlehem to find the child and repeat what the angel told them about the heavenly event. 

Thanks to Matthew and Luke, that is the Christmas story. But, you may wonder, what does this say about "peace?" What indeed are we to understand about peace as scripture presents the birth of Jesus?

Note the phrase above in Luke 2:18, when the angels sing of "peace for those God favors." What are we to make of this translation? Other manuscripts translate the ancient Greek phrase as: 

• peace to all in whom he delights
• peace, goodwill among people

Most significant regarding the message of peace, however, might be the words found in another scripture, in which Jesus himself says to a people needing to hear good news: 

• Blessed are the peacemakers: they shall be recognized as children of God.  (Mt.5:9)

         

What are your plans for the holidays? Our schedules fill up quickly this time of year. Here at our house, my wife and I still have pumpkins on the front steps. We must look like zombies as we stare at our calendars jammed not only with our work responsibilities but all the other gatherings that usher in the holiday season between Thanksgiving and New Years, including visits by the children with stories from the west coast.

This is not the best time of the year to think about the "goals of a lifetime," you may be thinking. More like it to deal with today and what we might attend to over the weekend. Perhaps sometime after the Super Bowl, perhaps then we might consider the topic, vague enough as it is. 

But is it really vague? And is it really best to wait another 2 or 3 months? After all, this is your lifetime, the days pass  quickly, and the times compel us to consider: What is going on in the world just now? Who let all the creepy-crawlies out of the box? Is a nuclear attack something we really need to worry about again? Is our democracy taken for granted? What brings up the threat of our safety to the point that some of our citizens do not feel safe to venture outside their homes lest they be attacked and carried to God-knows-where by hooded assailants? Why do so many people not have opportunity to own homes, save money, send children to college? And why are our universities under attack? Why do we have less confidence in our government than we did 20 or 30 years ago, according to recent polls? Why do we fear immigrants? Why do we not marshall together all the many resources we have to create a world of peace, liberty, and pursuit of happiness for our society? Why?

My answer depends upon a distinction I make between "desire" and "goal." Think about it. A desire comes more quickly to mind than a goal. Desires appear in several spheres of our life: physical longings, intellectual curiosity, sexual turn-ons, economic pursuits to consume, manipulate, and appear better, richer, more attractive, more admired than others. 

And why do the media feed this frenzy while many who call themselves religious join in the chorus to hail some self-appointed savior with aspirations to reign as a king? But, for that matter, where have our education institutions failed to educate us concerning the possible character flaws that can consume the human personality? Have we not learned enough from history to recognize those abysmal human flaws that poison the human personality with traits of narcissism, anti-social (sociopathic) dominance, authoritarianism, xenophobia, racism, and nationalism?

While I am on it, let's look together at what happens to us when the goal of a lifetime becomes inflated with narcissistic, sociopathic pathologies. What are those pathologies? Here's a definition and a list:

                                NARCISSISTIC PERSONALITY DISORDER
       A pervasive patten of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration,
       and lack of empathy, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of
       contexts, as indicated by five (or more) of the following:

          (1) has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achieve-
               ments and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without 
               commensurate achievements)
          (2) is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance,
               beauty, or ideal love
          (3) believes that he or she is "special" and unique and can only be under-
               stood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people
               (or institutions)
          (4) requires excessive admiration
          (5) has a sense of entitlement, i.e., unreasonable expectations of especially
               favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations
          (6) is interpersonally exploitative, i.e., takes advantage of others to achieve
               his or her own ends
          (7) lacks empathy: is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and
                needs of others
          (8) is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him or her
          (9) shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes
        (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Vol. IV; See also Vol. V)


                               ANTISOCIAL PERSONALITY DISORDER
                       (Formerly SOCIOPATHIC PERSONALITY DISORDER)

       A. There is a pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others
            occurring since age 15 years, as indicated by three (or more) of the following:

          (1) failure to conform to social norms with respect to lawful behaviors as
               indicated by repeatedly performing acts that are grounds for arrest
          (2) deceitfulness, as indicated by repeated lying, use of aliases, or conning
               others for personal profit or pleasure
          (3) impulsivity or failure to plan ahead
          (4) irritability and aggressiveness, as indicated by repeated physical fights
               or assaults
          (5) reckless disregard for safety of self or others
          (6) consistent irresponsibility, as indicated by repeated failure to sustain 
               consistent work behavior or honor financial obligations
          (7) lack of remorse, as indicated by being indifferent to or rationalizing 
               having hurt, mistreated, or stolen from another

       B. The individual is at least age 18 years.
       C. There is evidence of Conduct Disorder... with onset before age 15 yrs.
       D. The occurrence of antisocial behavior is not exclusively during the course of
           Schizophrenia or a Manic Episode. 
       (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Vol. IV; See also Vol. V)

Please pardon the detailed attempt to consider these unfavorable characteristics of disordered human behavior. When we think about these disorders, we may even feel surprised at how often we have observed them without realizing that they are, indeed, disorders that can be quite troubling for our society. Thankfully, most of us can claim neighbors and public officials who uphold the highest standards of behavior, for whom the goal of a lifetime is not compromised by the behaviors described above. However, and unfortunately, there re occasional exceptions, and in some cases prominent, public figures who appear with self-serving, reckless ambition and disregard for the common welfare. It is likely that we point to such historical characters as Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini to identify individuals whose "goal of a lifetime" violated the common sense and decency of nations.

With that said, I return to the topic of this writing to ask you, what is the goal of your lifetime? It is no small matter to honor our too-brief lifetimes with the best we have to offer. And, by the way, as Jung pointed out, it is not the end result that matters so much as is the "trying." Or, as Jung expressed the matter:

                     The goal is important only as an idea;
                     the central thing is the opus [work] which leads to the goal:
                     that is the goal of a lifetime.
                                                 (Collected Works, Vol. 16, paragraph 400)

And how is your light holding up, my friend? How is your light faring in the approaching darkness of chaos, fear, irrational gloating, sociopathic disregard for others, the dismantling of our political boundaries, the suffering of innocent children, and the exploitation of our natural world?

Please forgive what may appear as a rant of woes from my pen. Actually, I am repeating in this writing the actual concerns and questions I am asked daily in my consulting room. It is not enough that in my last writing I referred to the closing of hospitals, the shutting of doors in the houses of worship which in the past offered solace and care. I lamented the shutting down of community newspapers that offered reliable information and resources for their readers. And then, there is also a decline in the practice of family medicine while universities are under attack and colleges close.

So, yes, I understand completely the ongoing swell of concerns and questions that keep many of us awake at night. It is of some small comfort that I think back to the crisis facing civilization itself as we battled two major wars in Europe and the Pacific, racing against tine to gain some edge in developing weapons of war, including the nuclear nightmare that continues to raise its head and threaten the entire world.

Yes, we prevailed, and may yet come through this troubled time. Challenging any comfort that comes with the memory of a savage victory in the greatest of wars, we now have to face the threat of losing touch with what is real today. What horrors face us in a world where reality itself competes with the manufacturing of the AI facade of reality. At this moment in time we are witnessing the exchange of control regarding our destiny. We now see the "machine" swing into the driver's seat, a machine that uses artificial neural networks capable of processing very complex data, information systems, and operational processes. What is missing in this machine? Simply put, what is missing is the centuries-old values tended by heart and mind, guided by dreams toward the goal of health and meaning.

Consider this. What does it mean to be a human being? I acknowledge that we indeed have learned much about the physiology and nervous systems of human beings. I acknowledge also that we are creatures who inherently possess values and needs that civilize us.
Let me list them:

                                   VALUES 
          COURAGE, FREEDOM, TRUTH, BEAUTY, LOVE

                                    NEEDS
          TO TRUST, TO MATTER, TO FEEL SAFE, TO LOVE AND BE LOVED, TO EXPLORE, 
          TO SHARE STORIES-SONGS-POEMS, TO LEARN RIGHT AND WRONG,
          TO LEARN AND PRACTICE MANNERS, TO REVERE THE SACRED, TO UNITE,
          TO LET-GO, TO CELEBRATE, TO LAUGH, TO DANCE, TO DEFEND OUR VALUES

If these values and needs sound familiar, well they should. In part and in some form, they appear in the political, sacred, and bohemian communities around the world.

In general, we practice these values and needs out of habit and without thought. However, conscious or unconscious, the values and needs take deep root in our psyches. For example,  our values and needs appear in such gatherings as our July 4th celebrations, but also in our most private moments of worship, prayer, meditation, and contemplation.

And now we come to consider the act of contemplation and how important it becomes "to kindle a light." What do we actually do when we contemplate? Here are some of the definitions offered: to have something in mind, to meditate or muse, to study, to ponder, to reflect, etc. 

Simply put, contemplation is the study of a matter in which thinking and feeling join hands. Granted, when we contemplate we think, but we also feel. The process of thinking carries the rational side of any consideration at hand, but any consideration that does not involve the emotional experience of feeling misses the mark. 

It is this union of thinking and feeling in the service of becoming conscious that makes contemplation an invaluable process in the decisions of our life. Who are we to marry? What career shall we pursue? Think of any decisions you have made throughout your life. Looking back at them, you realize that thinking and feeling both played roles.

Most important of all, however, is the fact that we do not think and feel in a vacuum. Actually, even when we are not mindful of them, we live in a world of symbols. We exist amid the archetypal powers that accompanied us when we evolved from the depths of unconsciousness to form the civilization that has made of the earth a metropolis of commerce, culture, and values I listed above. The bravery, skill, and desire that brought all of this into being was in fact the contemplative process that united thinking, feeling, and acting. This contemplative act of creation and transformation is itself the light that exposes prejudice, hubris, narcissism, authoritarianism, the brutal nature of war, poverty, the destruction of natural environments, urbanization, and dehumanizing rule of technology.

Whether or not that light is dimming at this moment in time, no one can be certain. But to realize that we are in danger is light enough to contemplate how we shall act together to save our civilization.  

     ... man's task...is to become conscious of the contents that press upward from the  
     unconscious. Neither should he persist in his unconsciousness, nor remain identical
     with the unconscious elements of his being, thus evading his destiny, which is to
     create more and more consciousness.
     As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light
     in the darkness of mere being. 
                                                          C.G.Jung, Memories, Dreams, Reflections

How do we do this? How do we kindle a light in the darkness of these times in which we are living? What brought this to my mind was the walk my wife and I enjoy in our neighborhood.

This walk we try to take daily passes through a neighborhood of tree-lined streets, safe and comfortable for strolling by yourself or with good friends. Most often we meet others out for a walk and exercise. But increasingly we notice that many people we meet are staring into their hand-held phones. Even on a beautiful sun-lit day, flowers blooming and birds singing in a canopy of tree-top beauty, the phones in their hands command more attention than the world of nature around us.

What is up with this, my wife and I ponder as we stroll along. Why in the world would a person be more interested in their phones than in nature around us and the ongoing life of kids, pets, and friendly neighbors?

And the thought came to me. Of course, the familiarity of our neighborhood can bore us. How could our neighborhood life possibly compete with the 24/7 information streaming through our hands with news and images enhanced by artificial intelligence engineered and monetized to exploit the viewer.

What has happened to us, our society? Yes, it is true that my wife and I walk in our familiar neighborhood that we love, but yet on some deeper level we experience a feeling that something is different. And it is.

                                   Consider this:

• RELIGION AS ENTERTAINMENT.  Mega churches have created mega-stars, and the networks of television, broadcasting, and other media propel programs, sermons, music and appeals for money into our homes, waiting rooms, and offices. Like rock stars, the savvy-hungry religious groups lock arms with the media deities to research their audiences and gain information to promote the entertainment that speaks to the minds of their audiences.
• THE CLOSING OF LOCAL CHURCHES.  According to Gallop and the Pew Research Center, attendance and membership in local churches has fallen possibly as much as 50%. Americans with no religious affiliation ("religious nones") has increased as local churches have closed. As the local church vanishes so does the support often provided for child care, aid to the sick and needy, as well as outreach to groups of people in need far away. Granted, the stories of sexual abuse and affiliation with the regressive political groups have done their share of providing reasons to shut down the churches. But on the whole, the major denominations have sought to teach proper boundaries for clergy and lay leaders. Regardless, 3500 churches have closed in recent years and one estimate is that 15,000 churches could close in 2025. And, I might add, that the same phenomenon appears to be happening with local synagogues as well.
• THE CLOSING OF HOSPITALS.  But it is not just churches that have closed in recent years. So have 300 hospitals closed between 2010-2023, while 192 have opened. Many of the closings are rural hospitals suffering from the stress of financial strain, staff shortages due to their inability to retain a sufficient number of doctors, nurses, and administrative staff capable of tending the technology ushered in with AI and other medical advances.
• THE DECLINE OF FAMILY PRACTICES.  Medical students have to make a tough decision early on in their medical education. A major concern faces them regarding future income. Family practice does not match other specialties in income. However, with the decline in the family practice of medicine also comes a lessening of attention in obstetrics, hospital care, public health, home house calls, and hospital care.
• THE STRESS UPON UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES AS THE STUDENT POPULATION CHANGES.  Undergraduate enrollment has declined since its peek in 2010. Part of this is due to the lower birth rates in the early 2000s, but that is not the whole picture. For example, once again the doubt of a college education's value has risen,  challenging what colleges and universities offer. At the same time a number of subcultures  support misogny with a perception that the male status has declined. This is the "manosphere" ideology that men are victims who must aggressively regain emotional control and physical dominance over women.

I need not continue to make my point. Yes, the world has changed, our politics have changed, our future prospects have changed, and our capacity to mobilize and respond remains questionable. But it is with this in mind that I return to Jung's quote offered at the beginning of this writing. I repeat his summation: "As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being."

I cannot tell you the number of people who sit in my consulting room and describe their darkness. I understand and support all their efforts to raise their voices, to raise their signs and to call for the responsible action of our leaders.

But before we act, we must take care to do so from the depth of our mind in accordance with the contemplation of our soul. To that end, I will return next time as I remind myself and you that contemplation is an act of courage in the face of adversity, "that all shall be well and all manner of thing shall be well."

Before I go on and you tune me out, let me remind you of how the dictionary defines "romance." Quite simply, here are two possibilities:

1. A feeling of excitement and mystery associated with love.
2. A quality or feeling of mystery, excitement, and remoteness from everyday life.

I offer you an example of such a quality of feeling you may very well have experienced at some point in your life. Consider this experience.

          It is nighttime. You have just finished dinner at the beachfront cottage
          you rented for a week vacation and time to get away from the stress 
          and rush and more-to-do-than-you-feel-you-can feeling. The night is
          magnificently and alluringly beautiful as you make your way across the
          sand dunes with their wispy sea oats who wave their tender tassels that 
          seem to be welcoming you to the glimmering ocean receding at low 
          tide to make way for you to stroll leisurely along the strand, making
          your way into the darkness lit only by the stars climbing up and into the
          sky as if to have a look at the beachcombers strolling quietly, occasionally
          halting to reach down and examine a shell they stepped on. 

          The quietness ascends as the light descends from the beachfront cottages 
          giving way to the beach where no cottages follow, no business, no noise,
          no vehicles rushing by, and no strangers or friends who engage you in the
          small-talk of life in the quaint restaurants and small shops that have 
          opened up in the near-by villages that now host vacationers and a growing
          number of brave souls who want to live here year-round, having found a
          parcel of land that resisted development over decades but now relinquishes
          its soul for the cash that seems to be flowing like the hurricanes that rush
          into town, tearing up old homes, destroying history, and destroying a way
          of life receding like the low tide tonight.

          And so, you stroll and ponder, dip your feet in the water, retreat back to
          solid sand and enjoy the darkness, the aloneness, and the mystery of the
          night that welcomes you in the ancient practice of soulful solitude until
          you are startled by laughter and splashes in the surf. Ah yes, you see the
          clothes on the strand and quickly glance at the couple skinny dipping, 
          diving into the wandering waves, embracing, falling into the surf, chasing
          each other in a ritual as ancient as the almost six million years we have
          cavorted on planet Earth.

          But an ancient ritual on the beaches of Earth cannot compare to the life-
          time of our stars which may stretch from a few million years to trillion of
          years for the massive stars that eventually collapse and explode spreading
          a cloud of gas and dust that will form new stars. Oh yes, and some of that
          "dust" falls on our heads. 

          However, on this night as you stroll down the star-lit beach, it is not science
          that occupies our minds. In fact, what is happening is not easily described
          because the night has become an entry into a great Mystery. You feel
          suspended between the stars and the ocean. Each is a world unto itself.
          We humans have not descended into the very depths of the ocean with
          its  mysterious landscape and creatures that never have seen the light of
          day. And we never have gotten "behind" the stars to see and experience the
          lifeline of their immeasurable existence.

          What is this you are experiencing? Can it be described in any way except to
          say that you have encountered the Other, that may best be known in the sacred 
          texts of our mythologies? As the American Museum of Natural History says,
          we are the stuff of star dust that gave us some form of life that fell into the 
          ocean and made its way on land in order to stand tall and realize that we feel
          a fascination with the stars because we came from their dust of elements
          across the periodic table beginning with hydrogen and helium.
          
You walk slowly back to the cottage and struggle to find words that do justice to an encounter with the Other. True, it was a romance, "a quality or feeling of mystery, excitement, and remoteness from our everyday life."  Your family members interrupt their stories and laughter to ask how the beach walk went tonight. 

What can one say? There are no words, but there is music of a sort. You go over to the little Bose speaker and dial up Sinatra who gives us his 1962 version (the fourth time he recorded the song!), and we listen yet again to Don Costa's orchestra and Sinatra's voice weaving the  spell of these words penned by Honey Carmichael in 1927.

          And now the purple dust of twilight time
          Steals across the meadows of my heart.
          High up in the sky the little stars climb
          Always reminding me that we're apart.

          You wandered down the lane and far away
          Leaving me a song that will not die
          Love is now the stardust of yesterday
          The music of the years gone by.
          


          

The strange tale needs some explanation, and I hardly know where to begin. As counselor and analyst, daily I face the challenge of working with individuals who bravely clarify what they are thinking, feeling, saying, and doing in order that their life may move forward in a more meaningful, peaceful, satisfying way. Their concerns may arise from internal disturbances that happened early in their life such as a betrayal, a loss of a friend or family member, an illness, or a catastrophe of a traumatic nature. 

However, some conflicts arise from present-day conflicts. Marriages fail, conflicts arise in the workplace, accidents may change the course of a person's life, a friend or family member dies, an environmental disaster destroys one's world and security. 

But my title springs out of a context that does not fall within the internal or external situations I described above. My title is the strange world we now live in. 

This is the political maneuvering that threatens our way of forming a society that values democratic institutions that assure life, liberty, and justice for all. This way of life is threatened by two things. The first is our run-away development of planet earth that destroys habitats not only for humans but also for the animals, trees, plants, and wild things which make our world a bountiful,interesting, and challenging place that encourages the human spirit to explore and create.

As I have said elsewhere in a previous blog, we have come to worship at the feet of a strange god, Mammon, the deity of riches and power. Capitalism is an economic system controlled by individuals and businesses for the purpose of production and distribution of goods as well as services. And, while capitalism in itself does not distort peoples' minds with the greed to have more and more, none-the-less, capitalism serves as a portal through which selfishness, greed, power, and political chicanery can come to rule the life of an individual and society as a whole. Self-serving politicians who use the resources of our nation for the accumulation of wealth and power betray the principles of our democracy.

And that is where we have arrived. However, it does not represent the values we long have claimed, fought for, and died defending: courage, freedom, truth, beauty, and love. These five values have shown brightly in the lighthouse of our democracy as a signal to the world. Inscribed on a plaque at the base of the Statue of Liberty are these words taken from a sonnet, "The New Colossas" by Emma Lazarus (November 2, 1883). 

       Give me your tired, your poor, 
       your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
       the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. 
       Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
       I left my lamp beside the golden door. 

I sang those words as a member of my high school chorus, conducted by Mrs. Scarborough, never imagining that our country would betray words that have burned brightly in our heritage since November 2, 1883.

Today we sing a different tune. We sing a dissonant tune, a disturbing, cacophony of belligerent bullying violence. We witness the formation of a police state. We watch the militant forces patrol our streets, separating families, jailing individuals in newly-created prisons or cells in foreign countries, dividing parents and children, demanding exorbitant fees for entrance into our country that was once the welcoming home for those who fled persecution, poverty, and death in lands far away.

Such human cruelty is seen in the movie from which I borrowed the title to this writing. That movie is Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, the winner of several awards, directed by Ang Lee. The movie, set in China, introduced  the audience to a fascinating world of martial arts, aesthetically captivating and physically challenging at the hands of Yu Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh), Jen Yu (Zhang Ziyi), and Master Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun-fat). In the story, a treasured, valuable sword, "Green Destiny," is stolen. More than a sword, the Green Destiny represents honor, beauty, love, freedom, purity of heart, courage, and power. In short, Green Destiny might be considered psychologically and spiritually as a symbol of the unity of personality.

As such, Green Destiny would be treasured and respected much like a nation's flag. As such, it must not be violated. However, in the movie, the sword is stolen, resulting in several scenes where martial artists battle for the purpose of retrieving Green Destiny and
restoring  harmony to the lineage of people caught within the treachery of theft and the pursuit of power.

The "crouching tiger" and "hidden dragon" symbolism rises from the movie's theme of human potential that can be "hidden," over-looked, or ignored. An example of this is the role played by women who demonstrate great power and expertise in their martial arts skills. However, at the time of the movie's production, women seldom were expected to play such a prominent role and skill in battle. The power of women had been hidden or over-looked.

Even today, the question continues to be asked if Michelle Yeoh actually did her challenging physical martial arts scenes. She did. In the production of the movie, Yeoh became a warrior although her formal education was in ballet and dance. Incredibly, she developed her martial arts skills during production of the movie.

And the martial arts scenes are works of art in themselves. The elegance of the martial arts scenes, the moral clarity demonstrated, and the spiritual depth of the movie's story prompted me to think of the shambhala warrior. Joanna Macy wrote and lectured widely on the mythic tradition of the "Shambhala Warrior Prophecy." She credited her work to an ancient Tibetan Buddhist prophecy and developed her focus to deal with the current madness of our world today. As of this writing on August 6, 2025, 80 years after nuclear bombs destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki, there are 9 nuclear-armed nations, and others want to join the club. The talk of nuclear war rises again. The shambhala warrior says there is another way.

Consider another source. That is, Shambhala: The Secret Path of the Warrior (Carolyn Rose Gimian, Ed.) This is the work of a significant warrior himself, Chogyam Trungpa. Trungpa focused on the natural goodness within each of us. Having escaped from Tibet, he came to the West and founded Naropa University in Colorado to further Shambhala training and remind us there is another way to express our warrior-self.

How might that be done, you may ask as well as why the title refers to the crouching "cat" rather than tiger. This is in honor of our cat, Sheba, a mighty warrior who "protected" our property like a tiger, played games with us like a hidden dragon, and reminds me always that in this troubled world there remains humor, skill, goodness, playfulness, love, and joy. She was the shambhala warrior like you, whether or not you know it. 

What strange times these are. How do you spend your days? I must confess that I remain quite busy although I hesitate to tell you how too much of my time is spent. As my editor would prompt me, "Do you really have to go into all that?"

But, having given it some thought, I concluded that I probably should. What I want to describe is the terrifying, frustrating, unnecessary, state of our life presently in what I describe as a kind of confusing existence in a "tower of babel."

On the other hand, perhaps my introductory, candid remarks actually describe my life in this "tower of babel." I am referring here to the inordinate amount of time I must spend making up "user names," and "passcodes," writing them down in my thickening book of user names and passcodes, many of which must be changed regularly, some of which I am reminded are not sufficiently secure, and hardly any of which I remember.

But that is not the worst of the matter. Oh no! It goes like this. I need to maneuver around on my iPhone to log into the multiple sites I must consult for vital information, messages, notifications, alerts, request after request for donations, weather warnings, news updates, warnings that my subscriptions need new information because my old credit card no longer can shell out cash because my old card was deleted due to having been lost or stolen or replaced by a "better" one. 

Back to maneuvering on my iPhone which I truly love because it contains multiple sources and information the Library of Congress would envy. But, at some point in these maneuverings, I come to some information, technique, or a process my iPhone provides to help me untangle all that I "would," "could," and "must do" in order to carry on my existence in this topsy-turvy modern world within the tower of babel that has become my habitat.

And the basic problem is this. I do not know how to maneuver my little but brilliant iPhone. 

And here, I must confess. I never read the instruction book of information that came with and within my dear little iPhone. Why did not I not read these instructions? Let's be honest here. Did you ever read these instructions, or try to? Does anyone have time and intelligence to sort through that? In fairness, I guess, I add that it probably is not all that hard. And I am sure that one person in a hundred —well, maybe one in a thousand—will read the darn stuff. Of that number, very probably 99% of them probably enjoy that kind of thing and may even have written the instructions.

But wait! How do I know it was a "person?" How do I know it was not an AI fueled robot? Really! Who dreams such stuff? No, that could not have been a robot because robots do not dream! (Munch on that one before we go on.)

Now, however, robotic or not those instructions may be, I did not read them. Very likely, on  my gravestone, some robot will have chiseled in: "He never read the instructions." Fortunately, my editor has read at least enough instructions to navigate the mysterious terrain between my hand-written notes and anything I ever publish. 

So there it is, a true confession, a short-coming of sorts, but not entirely. Why would I say, "not entirely?" Because I live in this hubbub world of AI generated information and a creation of our technocracy. But there is something else about this psychological, bizarre, scary existence I call a tower of babel, in which I and many of us are attempting to digest a daily diet of insanity and danger.

True, we could call this world in which we live a "tower babel" or even an "asylum" where patients run the place. But today I prefer the metaphor "tower of babel."

You will see what I mean when you recall the story in Genesis 11:1-9. This mythic story in Genesis focuses on two themes. The first is the prideful attempt by our young civilization to build a tower so high it would reach way up in the heavens where God was thought to oversee the going-ons of everything down below. But the second theme emphasizes what happens when we human beings overreach our abilities. 

You may consider as well that this is not only an account of our human fascination with heights. We build pyramids, ziggurats, and majestic twin towers. We build ladders and elevators that help us reach the top of these towers. And even the language of reaching the top describes our fascination with ascent in corporate careers, sports, and salaries. Even the negative side of "reaching the top" connotes the terrain of being laid off," demoted, "falling short of expectations," dumped, "letting the team down," "falling short," etc. 

This metaphorical fascination and visual imagery of heights serves well the metaphor of success, power, and God-like rule over everything below. The "tower of babel" portrays very well this first theme. However, the second theme follows. This second theme attempts to account for the many different languages we human beings speak. Our pride in erecting one tower for everyone splinters as disagreements occur. We divide into sub-groups and then larger groups, each of which has its own way of communicating. Thus arises the tribalism that describes the evolution of racial, ethnic, cultural, geographical, and political groups. Hence, we "babble." We do not communicate, we "babble." We do not engage in empathic outreach to understand the "other," we "babble." The word itself can mean "to confuse."

And, then, the great towers we erect around the world serve as self-perceived, vain, deathly monuments of pride. "My tower is longer and more beautiful than yours," we babble. We confuse one another and ourselves.

Here enters my editor. "Wait," she said, "surely you are not going to leave like that"! "What do you mean," I ask. "Well, that's quite a downer of a conclusion, I must say," she replied. "Is there any hope?"

And so, I gave that some thought, finally coming to this conclusion. There are towers, and there are towers. The notion of ascending, of going up, such longing of humanity is archetypal. But, as with our personal chronological age, to grow up does not ensure that we mature. When our parents said to us as children or teenagers who made serious mistakes, "Grow up,"! I would think on these occasions, "but I am growing up, and that may be a problem for you." 

Only later did I learn that "to grow up" does not mean to get older, bigger, or taller. It meant to use our common sense, to mature, to become conscious. The problem? Children and teenagers do not speak the same language as parents and teachers. That's why they must learn the language and ways of healthy adults.

Our ascent becomes our burden. Maybe we can learn to build towers and speak the same language as others, a language of wisdom and consciousness. And maybe there is time left for us to read the instructions. Meanwhile, beneath the tower of babel, there exists the human soul where no bombs can penetrate and babble cannot confuse. 

This memorable line was spoken by John Kennedy on January 20, 1961, as part of his inaugural address, considered to be one of the most highly regarded inaugural speeches in the history of our country. Kennedy encased those lines in the stirring conclusion of his address: 

       Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that
       the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans—born in this 
       century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of
       our ancient heritage—and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of
       those human rights to which this nation has always been committed, and to
       which we are committed today at home and around the world.

       And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you--ask
       what you can do for your country.

Kennedy had given much thought to what he might say in his inaugural address. He pondered the disparities between those who are free to speak and pursue their dreams, and those who are trapped by poverty, existential circumstances, or even worse, by political domination and authoritarianism. Those thoughts led him to another remarkable line in his address:

       If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the
       few who are rich.

Kennedy's words rang like the bells of eternity awakening all off us who had been drowsy in our sleep and unconsciousness. But here began the awakening of a new generation, summoned by a leader we could respect, an individual who himself had served in peace and war, a generation who came in a new way to value the hardships of those who came before us, and those who gave their lives that others may be free and able to pursue their dreams in the brief life given each of us by our Creator.

John Kennedy called us to serve—in combat if need be, in the halls of justice if so elected, in the schools of learning, in the down-to-earth jobs that make our wheels go round, and in the splendid board rooms of our banks and corporations. Kennedy knew the smallness of our planet; its vulnerability, and the coming impact of the destruction of habitats. And in face of the challenges, Kennedy called the young adults of that time to step up and volunteer, whether it be the military or the Peace Corp.

I was part of that young generation. I rallied to Kennedy's call to oppose our segregated institutions, to bring peace and opportunity to the world, and to go to battle if need be.

And so it was that I took upon myself that challenge, readying myself for service with a degree in economics and a commission as an officer in the US Army. Now, with all candor, I confess I supposed I might well serve my country in a desk job in some administrative position in the many Army posts where such service would be necessary.

But such was not to be my fate—or destiny. Oh no, the military deities that decide such things decided I would serve my country as an officer in the field artillery, and furthermore, that I would report to the 76th Field Artillery stationed in Korea at a post with the name of Camp Saint Barbara, who happened to be the patron saint of the field artillery. And this is the prayer of St. Barbara:

       St. Barbara, you are stronger than the tower of a fortress and the fury of
       hurricanes. Do not let lightning hit me, thunder frighten me or roar of
       cannon jolt my courage or bravery. Stay always by my side so that I may
       confront all the storms and battles of my life with my head held high and 
       a serene countenance.

So there I was in Korea, serving as an officer with the 76th field artillery when our troops were awakened on November 23, 1963, by Kennedy's Secretary of Defense, Robert McNamara, who informed us Kennedy had been killed. Shock reverberated throughout our unit. No one knew what to expect. Was this the first act of a foreign power that would then follow-up with a massive air-land-sea attack? Was it a coup attempt? No one knew. I recall my first response was how to respond to an attack, and only a few hours later could I collect my thoughts, and in particular, my deep, deep grief over the loss not only of my President, but the Commander of our military, and—perhaps most important—a heroic figure who had given his all in battle and highest service to our country, and issued a call to serve.

Now I collect myself on this Memorial Day to recall another line from the many spoken by Kennedy.

       The ignorance of one voter in a democracy imperils the security of all. (From his 
​       address on voter participation.)

Once again my friends who share my story and my communication in these blogs, I am happy to say I remain as steadfast as ever in Kennedy's call to service as well as his warning that ignorance can imperil the well-being of our democracy. His call and warning, no doubt, reverberate in your mind as well, reminding us of the torch that has been passed to each of us.

May the light of resilience, hope, and courage burn brightly in your homes this Memorial Day 2025. 

What determines the character of our life? Out of sight and hearing, deep underneath the preoccupations of our mind, a dynamic works to shape our personality. How else do we understand that even with identical twins, talents, interests, and values may differ. Each twin claims features of uniqueness—likes and dislikes, even diseases such as diabetes, Parkinson's, schizophrenia.

Often in my work as Jungian analyst, I encounter individuals who puzzle over some part of his or her life not shared or even valued by other family members. We all have pondered the events and times when we wondered, "Was I adopted?" "My family is strange!" We often laugh or cry, or leave home because we just do not "fit in." We may even think we are "going crazy" because we do not understand the "clutter" in our head, including those instances where we cannot make up our mind or control these unsettling thoughts that search for understanding.

It is not only our physiology, hormones, family background, education, or politics that rule our lives, precipitating comedy or tragedy. Today, tragedy rules our lives. Today we live in a political drama much like the one Germans suffered in the 1930's. I am referring to the uncertainty and animosity that hang over individuals, families, social groups, and democratic institutions we long have taken for granted.

But we must be warned. As Carl Jung reflected on the hysterical madness that possessed the German people in the catastrophic years between 1930 and 1945, he concluded:

       The impressive thing about the German phenomenon is that one man
       who is obviously possessed [Hitler] has infected a whole nation to such
       an extent that everything is set in motion and has started rolling on in
       its course towards perdition.  (Collected Works, Vol. 10, p. 179)

And a littler later in his essay, Jung adds: 

       ... a god has taken possession of the Germans and their house is filled
       with a mighty rushing wind. ... A hurricane has broken loose in Germany
       while we still believe it is fine weather.  (p. 186)

This "god" that took possession of the German people was a phenomenon Jung identified as the archetype "Wotan," not politics or economics but an archetype. I chose this example of an archetypal force because of its dramatic nature and power to possess an individual and to infect an entire nation of people. Such an archetypal power can create or destroy, shape individual character for better or worse and also determine the fate of a society.

Under the spell of such archetypal power individuals delight in a leader who serves as a "savior," offering promised reward of pleasure and security for faithful stewardship. Such a hypnotic leader compels a descent into such madness as befell the German nation driven to "perdition" by Wotan. 

"Why, that's irrational," an onlooker may say. "That makes no sense. Can't they see what they are doing? Don't the followers know the words and actions are absurd and cannot come to any good end? Why would anyone be duped by a fanatic cult leader?" Yes, looking from the outside at the enchanting power of archetypes, we understand the seductive nature of such a phenomenon. But within the enchantment we lose rationality.

For example, consider the enchantment of money and power that drives our society at this time. At another period in our history we may have focused our energies on war against Nazism (1930-1945), or societal compassion (Johnson's "Great Society," the mid-1960's). Those periods in our history demonstrated a nation focused on outreach and care for others. 

However, our focus presently leans remarkably and distressingly in the opposite direction: self-aggrandizement, the severance of good-will abroad and narcissistic authoritarianism at home. Now we ask, what is this archetype that has possessed us? How shall we name it?

I know of no better name than Mammon for the archetypal power that dominates our public life today. This was brought to my attention by a remarkable book by Eugene McCarraher, The Enchantment of Mammon: How Capitalism Became the Religion of Modernity. McCarraher serves as Professor of Humanities and History at Villanova University. He makes no mention of psychology or archetypes. But more than any other writer considering the ills of our present time, he unmasks the veil of what possesses our society. 

Consider McCarriher's introductory observations:

       Far from being an agent of "disenchantment," capitalism, I contend, has 
       been a regime of enchantment, a repression, displacement, and renaming 
       of our intrinsic and inveterate longing for divinity. There is more than 
       mere metaphor in the way we refer to the "worship" or "idolatry" of money
       and possessions. Even if many (if not most) of us behave in a disenchanted
       desacralized cosmos—a universe devoid of spirits and other immaterial but 
       animate beings—capitalism has assumed in its way, the status of an enchanted
       world.  (p. 4) 
       
Why "Mammon" as the source of this enchantment with capitalism that McCarriher goes on to describe? In mythology, Mammon is known as a demon of greed and avarice, the prince of Hell driven by the acquisition and rule over the underworld of wealth. What better way to describe our society's obsession with money and power. And we either look the other way, or we consider what this ruling archetype means for our life today.

For the Germans in the 1930's, Wotan ruled. Today, here in the US as well as other countries, Mammon rules. As Jung would remind us, it is not economies or politics with which we must contend; it is Mammon.