By Benny Faibish
Despite great achievements and attaining many goals, the world is currently facing some of the biggest challenges in history. The notion that radical changes are required is pervasive. However, it might be that our focus is wrong: While we put most of our effort and energy into changing the environment and world, we are forgetting one “small” thing – It is the way we perceive ourselves and the world that created the problems in the first place. It is time to explore the one place we forgot to look into: Ourselves.
Here is an interesting question: In a modern society as diverse and intelligent as our own, with so many bright and active people, innovative technologies and advancements in almost every field of life, why does it appear that the situation is only getting worse? Why is our world facing the biggest challenges in history, with no clear solutions in sight?
When we look into history more deeply, the reason for this is quite simple. Although we have made enormous breakthroughs and created the conditions that enable us to live long, easy and comfortable lives, all the while one thing remained almost the same – our way of perceiving ourselves and the world.
The challenges we are facing today are not global warming, pollution, resources depletion, poverty, conflicts, economic crises, bad education and many more. These are only the symptoms. The root cause of all of these problems is our perception and way of thinking, which creates ideas and concepts that run our lives and dictate our conduct.
We all see ourselves and the world through the lenses of our ideas and belief systems, and these lenses create a concrete reality. Here are some examples:
- The planet’s current situation is a result of the idea that we are separated from nature and control it, and thus can exploit natural resources without seeing any consequences.
- The financial crisis last year is the result of greed and the idea, “I need more,” which got out of control.
- Our political system is based on the pursuit of power.
- Our business system is built on the valuation of competition and profit.
- The education system is based on the ideas that knowledge, competition and comparison are important.
- Most consumption culture is based on the idea that there is something missing in our life and that we need this or that product to be whole or happy.
- Most of our way of life is based and run by fundamental ideas like “I need MORE than I have,” “Life should look DIFFERENT than it does,” and “I’m a special individual”
The list can go on and on, but the examples are not important. It is the basic principle that underlines them that counts: Ideas create conduct, conduct creates reality.
There is nothing wrong with ideas like these or others. They serve us well and contribute to our everyday life. The problem starts when we hold on to them and live by them beyond proportions. We give them much more meaning and power than they actually have and the more power we give them – the more they shape and run our lives, affecting our lives and our environment. Our world’s situation is a direct result of this way of perceiving.
So what can we do to make a better future? It seems that there’s only one important change to make – the change in perception. Global challenges need global solutions, and global solutions come more clearly from global perception.
However, there is no need to start globally. We can start with ourselves. It is our ideas and thinking that created the problems we are facing today. Through questioning and investigating these belief systems and assumptions, new ways of thinking and perceiving become available. Through inquiry from the personal level to the global level, a new, broader perception will arise – one that sees the entire picture and finds solutions from a clear and broad view. It is a consciousness that sees this planet and human beings as a single organism, with all of its components interconnected.
It is already happening today. Many people are starting to understand this and do the best they can to bring this mind shift to their lives, families and communities. This is a perspective that understands the importance of combining global changes and learning about oneself. It is a view that goes beyond ideas and limiting concepts, and works collaboratively to find solutions. It delivers a simple message: If we want to change the world, we only need to change ourselves. Everything else will follow.
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Benny lives in Israel where he is establishing a think tank, the goal of which is “to start creating projects to bring a shift in perception in every possible field of life, one field at a time (education, politics, culture, conflict resolution etc.).” You can contact Benny through the Global MindShift website.
