Towards the Stars.

G and I revisited Star Trek Enterprise this month. It is one of the Star Trek television series that is often overlooked.  Its initial premise was quite unique in so much that it brought us back to a time before Captain Kirk when humans started venturing into space.  Unfortunately, the show seemed to loose its way after a few seasons making the story more about war and galactic prejudice than exploration and adventure.  Instead of lasting seven years as predicted the program ended after four years.  Both G and I were disappointed because the characters were fantastic and the story at first had so much potential.  We wondered if perhaps the writers tried too meet to many expectations and left themselves open to too many social programs?  Still after watching every episode we were both left thinking about how it would feel if we finally met Star People? Would we welcome them into our World or be incredibly suspicious and close-minded?

Honestly, we would most probably treat them in the same manner we treat strangers as potential invaders. History shows that we’re constantly looking to conquer.  We would definitely assume that other life forms would want to do the same.  We even treat the trillion of microorganisms that live within us in the same manner we treat the living creatures around us with raw defensiveness. A good example is how we are aggressive with treatments against infectious bacteria and cancer; willing to kill countless innocent microscopic entities vital to our health for even a slim potential survival. Finally, we teach our kids to stay away from people they don’t know. 

It seems difficult for most of us to grasp the concept that life manifests in diversified and unique fractions; and that each fragment is as valuable as the other dangerous or not. Perhaps the fact that our human nature is both cruel / unfriendly, and compassionate / loving shows us the basic nature of all living creatures? Instinctually we know how crucial it is to be both careful and hopeful.

Through looking at our human history and how we’ve treated invaders in the last 8,000 years (at least) – we know for a fact that we wouldn’t be friendly. From a Christian point of view it doesn’t shine a bright light on our divine self; but from a Shamanic perspective it explains how we’ve developed intuition and a hyper-sense of the World around us.  By constantly having to look over our shoulders for bigger and more dangerous predators on our trail we managed to mature.  Our brain progressed with the help of trauma, loss, challenge, and practice.  It may even explain how we came to acquire consciousness.  It seems our dual nature made it possible for us to reach beyond the now and here; to whatever lies beyond.

After a week in the Hospital because of a kidney infection my doctor asked with genuine curiosity how I manage to always accurately diagnose the bugs, which repeatedly attack my system.  I have juvenile diabetes (since youth) and as a young adult lost my bladder to the disease.  In the earlier stages of the issue I used daily catheters; which caused countless infections.  A urinary stoma eventually solved some of the issue; but it didn’t eliminate the contaminations.  It’s been a little over 20 years of living with regular antibiotic (oral and intravenous) treatments.  I can’t say I’ve enjoyed the journey; but I’ve certainly learnt a lot from it.  Shamanism especially allowed me to uncover that like “me” (so to speak) every part of me including microorganisms have a unique life signature.  By being aware of these different fragments and relating to them I’ve come to know them very well.  When I’m sick I can now easily call the culprit by name.

The word “spirit” for me as expanded beyond the notion of “entity.” Like plants, humans or animals the microorganisms in our body are “spirited” – in so much that they have personality, path and purpose, as well as their own story.  The last two decades have given me countless opportunities to probe these creatures and know more about them.  With the help of dreams, synchronicities, and a bit of study I’ve come to recognize these bugs by impression, presence and through exploring how my body relates to them.  Our Shamanic ancestors were great at observation.  They were able to come up with as much information as we uncover today through scientific study just by “paying attention.” 

Of course “paying attention,” which implies mental activity goes beyond thinking…

There is no doubt in my mind that illness can be a great teacher.  Carl Jung for example defined illness as the Earth’s way to seek out balance.  I can sincerely confirm that illness has taught me how to cultivate healthy ways.  It’s not just about eating well and exercising.  How we lead our lives is often more important than what we eat for meals.  The emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of our daily living are as crucial as the physical steps we take to survive. 

I personally wouldn’t mind connecting to Star People.  It seems that in the last 40 years the World has shrank so much that many of us could figuratively hold it in our hands.  Recently, I read that miners from Ontario, Canada approached NASA in hope to get permission to be the first to mine the Moon.  It seems it’s a project already in the making. It just seems to me that while we worry about whether or not there are aliens out there waiting to invade our World, we are showing that we are no better than what we fear! 

We’re drawing a picture of what we are every day.  Don’t be surprise if the first thing the Star People do when they arrive is protect themselves against us!