A Crisis of Opportunity
By Deni Gross and the members of TRIUNE OF LIGHT
"No one can give the power to read in the occult sense. Depth and intensity of living alone give it." -- Raymond Andrea/Rosicrucian Order/1935
Esoteric workers are prolific readers and, by extension, collectors of great numbers of books and other resource materials. We refer to these treasures for many reasons – for the comfort and guidance they provide, for answers to sticky questions with which we might be struggling, to gauge how much more fully we understand their contents since the last reading and more.
The authors to whom we turned as newcomers to esoteric work may or may not still be our favorite teachers, but one thing is certain. As time passes, we undoubtedly relate to the truths found in their works on a more “refined” level. That is, as we evolve from simply reading our favorite pieces to actually experiencing the concepts discussed, we rise to a different level of awareness and understanding. No longer do we simply learn on a conceptual level like neophytes. Eventually, we find ourselves in real-life situations that force us to truly live the concept which till now we’ve understood only in an abstract sense. It’s only after we have been presented with this “crisis of opportunity,” as it’s been called, that we truly grasp and understand in the depths of our hearts what our teachers have been trying to explain. Once we reach this point, we no longer feel the need to lean on the words of others, but instinctively know these truths for ourselves and can speak as such.
Perhaps there can be no greater example of a crisis of opportunity, worrisome and heartbreaking though it may be, than the global pandemic with which humanity has been faced this year. As we witness mounting cases and deaths, as well as the financial toll taken on the global economy, the entire human race is experiencing almost unbearable stress and strain. From an esoteric perspective, however, this moment in history provides an opportunity for humanity to grow into a new level of consciousness.
The “depth and intensity of living,” as Raymond Andrea called it, that accompanies times like these come about when the human race is about to take a giant leap forward in its development. It’s been said that the last time humanity did so was when we first became self-aware as individualized centers of God-consciousness. Without losing any sense of the hard-won individuality we’ve since developed, we are now tasked with using all the best qualities of our individual natures to propel ourselves forward, simultaneously functioning in a new group conscious state, humanity’s next level of development.
Attempts at making such dramatic leaps forward are truly disorienting. As one TRIUNE member explained it: “I once lived in a world I thought was fixed and solid and then it dissolved, and I found myself in another, totally different one.” Despite the stress that accompanies such rapid change, it’s interesting to note how truly universal our reactions to and experiences of these developments can be. How humanity has reacted to the global pandemic demonstrates this, by comments heard on news stories, through social media and even from our own members.
For instance, we asked TRIUNE members what they found to be their biggest challenge during the covid-19 crisis, and the responses were surprisingly similar. Topping the list was not being able to visit friends and extended family, particularly elderly loved ones living in personal care facilities closed to visitors. Others cited the emotional toll of trying to be patient and not irritable during long days of confinement and succumbing to fear, anxiety and depression. We then asked: What do you say to comfort those who are suffering physically, emotionally and mentally during this difficult time? Our members shared some insights.
"To those who are suffering, I promise them that I will pray for them and send healing."
"I encourage people to reach out to others for food, a feeling of security and friendship and their own peace of mind and to fall back on their beliefs in Beings higher than ourselves."
"I tell people to think back on the good times and bad in their life and remember how nothing lasted forever. No matter how much the world is suffering right now, this will pass, too."
Obviously, humanity has been through many crises before, and they do pass; but their effects remain forever etched in the human psyche as learning experiences from which we grow and develop spiritually. Several members recounted the war years of the 1940’s as such an example.
"My parents were young adults during World War II and from the stories they told, it was worse than now. My father served with the army in Europe and was injured more than once during his four years of service, and my mother coped at home in America with little money and lots of shortages and worrying if her new husband would make it home alive. It taught them a lot and made them strong people who were grateful for any good thing that came their way later."
"I am a child–Holocaust survivor, one of only six children who survived the Kaunas ghetto for the Jews in Lithuania. The difference between a war and a pandemic is fundamental. In a war, people are killing each other, in my case armed-to-the-teeth military aimed all their gun power at defenseless civilians and especially at the most vulnerable of them, the children and the elderly. Quite the opposite, this pandemic unites the whole humanity in its search for the means of protecting and healing people. Even in the time of forced separation, people unite in their thoughts, communication and deeds of mercy and mutual assistance. I perceive this pandemic as an opportunity of rejecting all wars and armaments and uniting our resources for the survival and evolution of humanity."
As humanity struggles to navigate the many challenges associated with the pandemic, some people will inevitably begin to lose faith in a positive outcome or a return to any sense of normalcy. It is here that TRIUNE members can be of great support to their suffering brothers and sisters by being understanding and, where appropriate, offering advice on how to cope. Our members gave the following suggestions.
"To those who have faith, but it is slipping, I tell them that God knows their fears and that the saying “God helps those who help themselves” is very true. So, why not go on saying their prayers, for every thought sends a ripple through the ether and it may do good, even if they do not see it. For those who say they do not believe in God, I say that is perfectly okay, because God believes in them. And there is bound to be something they can do for others, and that is as good or better sometimes than saying prayers or even believing in God."
"I would say reach out to the spiritual plane through prayer or meditation or reading holy texts. In times like these of personal challenge, we can open ourselves up to reconnecting back to our family, friends, neighbors, community and global peoples of Planet Earth. Let us not forget our pets can help us reconnect to the real things which are important like trust, companionship and a sense of poise in the midst of trouble."
"I would tell people that everything that happens is a lesson, even this terrible disease, but nothing lasts forever and neither will this. When it’s over, you’ll be stronger. Then in the future, when someone you know seems to be losing their faith for some reason, you can tell them you felt the same way during the pandemic of 2020, but you lived through it, learned from it, and came out a stronger and better person in the end, and so will they."
Great challenges are almost always followed by great change, and for many people, change can be frightening. One member mused: “The world we once knew in terms of security and comfort will no longer exist for a lot of people.” On the other hand, if we can let go of our fears, then change portends the possibility of great progress forward for the entire human race. Members noted some positive trends emerging during this crisis.
"There is a feeling of a great and positive change emerging upon the world. New ways of living, which bring about greater equity amongst people, may be starting to happen."
"The contrast between some world leaders is truly black and white! One considers the needs of the people first and is dedicated to humanitarian efforts in these times; the other is about money making, greed, and self-serving purposes at the expense of the welfare of the people. There is a new spiritual epoch emerging. Old patterns that no longer serve humanity seem to be changing and some people are feeling the better effects of brotherhood, simplicity, and compassion."
"I have an overriding feeling of hope and optimism for greatly needed changes coming that will eventually benefit humanity who most need it. We may all also learn to live differently – more mindfully and appreciative of what we have with less focus on material wealth."
"We are learning how much we are all interconnected, the importance of thinking about other people’s welfare in terms of our own actions, and we can now see with greater clarity the need for selflessness (and those who do not respect that)."
Life during this pandemic has been highlighted by paradoxical contrasts. The covid-19 virus is a parasitic microbe so small that hundreds of millions can fit on the head of a pin. Yet for all its tiny size, this invisible enemy in just a few short weeks brought all of humankind, as well as the entire global economy, to its knees. Undaunted, however, humanity rushed to develop a viable vaccine, giving us promising news just weeks into trials, rather than the months or years normally required for such breakthroughs. In another contrast, criminals seeking to take advantage of the vulnerable surfaced, as they always seem to do during a crisis, but their actions were dwarfed by the sheer numbers of people from all walks of life making truly heroic efforts to save lives and livelihoods, often at great personal sacrifice.
Throughout the ages, humanity has been through many trials. What makes this current one so different, however, is the way the human race is reacting and responding to it. Humanity has begun the move into its new, group level of consciousness, in which it has now become impossible to ignore our interconnectedness. No longer is this simply a pleasant ideal to which we aspire; rather, every human being is becoming cognizant of this as a concrete fact. Some with lingering selfish tendencies will try to block from their minds and hearts the truth of this reality, but even they will in due time come to accept this new level of awareness. We are on our way to finally establishing a true brotherhood/sisterhood of humanity, based on truth, compassion, love, respect and equality. Looking back, we may even someday feel gratitude for the painful crisis of opportunity which helped propel us to this point in our development.