AWARENESS: THE REAL WAR?

Ahmon Jeremiah

"The world's problems are nothing but extentions of our personal problems" -U.G. Krishnamuti

The mass media tells us of the "closing of the war." Now that land is captured, oil confiscated, and leaders are brought to "American justice," the war in Iraq is reported to be coming to an end. Is it that simple? Can war just halt so abruptly? Is this so called "end" factual?

This modern facet of war that is viewed physically is merely a reflection of the internal war, which is occurring within each and every person. Humanity is at war with itself. The war is not country vs. country, the European vs. the "colored" nations, or even the strong vs. the weak. These distinctions are illusory, for humanity is actually one movement, one consciousness, and one experience. The victim and the perpetrator are the same.

It is pure insanity to think you can bomb another "nation", kill another person, or dominate another regime. There is no "mine" and "yours" in actuality. To cut your throat is in a very real sense to cut my own, even though I may not feel your physical experience. Humanity is one species experiencing one existence. It is only selfish thought which makes distinctions between one and another. And "we," as one organism labeled "humanity" are at war with none other than "our selves." If one views this human dilemma with clarity and honesty, it becomes apparent that this war will never cease by any outward means, no matter how genuine the effort may be.

Physical war has existed since primordial time. It simply changes faces, names, goals, and becomes seemingly more intense. If one is brutally honest with oneself, one can see that the war is constantly being raged within. Rarely do our ideals and actions coincide. Even more rarely, if ever, are we accepting of our own present existence. This lack of acceptance is selfish, self-destructive, and utterly meaningless. Instead of being aware of our inner war, we attempt to escape this fact in every and any neurotic way, including entertainment, practice, work, drugs, goal attainment, religion, and the constant search for "inner peace." "Peace" is a concept, never actualized. It is an ideal, not based in reality in the least.

Humanity is violent. We love violence. We thrive off of violence on both a physical and psychological level. It seems to be in our very nature to divide and oppose. To blame one part of humanity for war is very short sighted. You are your enemy, not in an abstract sense but in actuality. This fact hurts so deeply that we would all rather point a finger at another person, regime, race, culture, religion, or some invisible entity like God or the devil. The fact is that we all are responsible for war. Further, the anti-war movement is at war just as much as George Bush and his army. This realization is hard to swallow, and because of this harshness we usually spit it out, never digesting the fullness of our dilemma.

The same protestors of this seemingly outside war, pay taxes, which fund the war machine. Humanity is not divided ultimately; again, we are one creature. When we attack another in any form, it is equivalent to a masochist who cuts himself or pokes his own eye out. How suicidal we've become.

The real war is inside the heart. This war grows and grows because we will not even admit to ourselves that it exists. We are afraid of seeing things for what they are and confronting our own ugliness. Mr. Bush and Mr. Hussein are just symbols of the opposing forces which exist in the collective mind. No winner prevails in this war. All suffer and all are doomed to repeat this suffering. This is how connected we actually are. You can't pollute one body of water without polluting all water sources. You can't pollute one part of the air without polluting the entire atmosphere. You can't kill “their" women and children without killing "our" women and children.

To think that this war is coming to a close in any way is as absurd as the belief in Santa Clause or the Easter bunny. The agitation of America 's terror is simply an extension of this inner terror that dictates all of our actions. No my friends, the war is not going anywhere. So what can one do? I hate to quote Michael Jackson, but what the hell! Start "with the man in the mirror." Ask him or her "why this obsession with war?" "Why this repeated denial and lack of acceptance of one's self?" This approach may be the first step towards any genuine effort to "end the war." For any physical approach will only act as a band-aid covering a massive wound that cuts deep into the heart of all humanity. www.endaikeio.com