War and Peace and Awakening

Magdalena is dedicated to the Human Rights of those affected by conflict. She describes her awakening journey: 

I was on a spiritual path but I did not think of myself as spiritual. Early on in my adult life, I had abandoned the belief system that was bestowed on me in childhood. In a sense, I was free, to observe and appreciate all traditions and all things created. I was at peace. Until I wasn’t.

There are many events that triggered my spiritual awakening, but what I attribute as being among the most significant was yet another war in the part of this planet referred to as the Holy Land. The pain of the conflict reverberated around the globe, and hit me hard from a distance. Having spent many years doing humanitarian work, as an advocate of international human rights, I had developed a connection to this kind of misery, a heightened compassion and informed perspectives. But all the tools that I had at my disposal, all the education and experience, did not give me the answers as I helplessly viewed a senseless war through my computer screen. These horrors of warfare were repeated over and over again. More pain. More suffering. Why was this happening? Why can’t they see each other? Who are the human “we” in all this?

I couldn’t take the noise. I shut off the sounds of the outside world, and found comfort in meditation, turning inward for the answers. I had travelled the globe but had yet to fully understand my internal nature, the nature of humanity, of reality, and of nature itself. The external world had given me many insights, but there was a universe of knowledge hidden in my own consciousness.

In my deep meditative state, an inner force that I was not familiar with took over. Suddenly, as if I was plugged into a socket, an electric current travelled through me, from toes to crown. A powerful energy engulfed my body and lifted me to a transcendent light. It pulled me into an interior constellation of visions and insights and wisdom. When I awoke, the rebirth had begun, and initiation into a mystical world I had not known. This spiritual connection felt blissful, but the energy had much more in store for me – the agony and elation of transforming.

At this juncture, I feel the circle closing and another one opening, a signpost in the revolving spiral that takes the form of my life story, an intricate detail within the human story, and the story of everything. There is force and intelligence that guides me. We are in synch, each step taken meaningfully to follow through this temporary realization of Self that’s separate but always connected with the Whole, holding on with a loving force and intentional wisdom.

I find comfort in awareness about the nature of war and peace, conflict and resolution, unity and division, creation and destruction. Our personal and interpersonal struggles are an expression of this evolving and malleable nature. In the process, we expand our consciousness on this evolutionary path, emerging through the turmoil as newer more enlightened versions.