Arnold J. Toynbee’s (1889-1975) masterful work, “A Study of History,” published in 12 volumes between 1934 and 1961, recounts the emergence of the first and subsequent civilisations. Each of them eventually fell, overwhelmed by the weight of its own excesses or conquered by more primitive societies, such as the grandiose conquest of more than half of the known world by the horsemen of the Mongol Genghis Khan.
We see this illustrated today by current events. The hubris of the American president, who disregards international law and is prepared to do anything to maintain the hegemony and political and economic domination of the United States, is leading them directly to the collapse of this civilisation. This history of the fall of a civilisation has been repeated approximately 24 times in the last 5,500 years, since the birth of the first Egyptian civilisation. The US has already been defeated in its colonisation efforts in Vietnam and Afghanistan by much less developed peoples, but with the qualities that knowledge and life with the nature these two countries provide. To name just these two countries, because there are others and others to come.
The hubris of thinking that because we have more resources, wealth or technology, we can impose our way of life on other peoples, enslave them and steal from them, only leads to collapse. It is karmic and inevitable. Before civilisations, there were peoples all over the earth who lived in unity with nature. The beauty of the wilderness, populated by a great and healthy biodiversity, where united communities lived, and beautiful, healthy, happy people, loyal families, with a long-life expectancy and a highly developed spirituality, testifies to the viability and rationality of living simply within nature.
True spirituality resides in the heart of our being. Let us not seek it elsewhere, but rather in the silence of our introspections. What best reflects this spirituality is nature. It is the mirror of our soul. It is the reflection of our thoughts, words and actions. Collectively and individually, what manifests around us is the consequence of karma, better defined as the law of cause and effect. Your soul records every thought, every word and every gesture of every existence. These causes will mature within you for days, months, years or entire lifetimes before finally coming to fruition. The fruits they produce will be good or bad, pleasant or painful, depending on the nature of the words, thoughts or actions that created them. The same is true for civilisations.
The northern American countries carry enormous negative karma towards the first peoples. In fact, civilisations have spread across the planet and everywhere have persecuted the indigenous and native peoples. What is coming now is the fall of a globalist and colonising empire.
To my knowledge, there is only one country that is currently and consistently accumulating positive karma. We will see what the future holds. However, we are the ones who shape our own destinies. So, let us meditate and embody every day the four infinite thoughts — kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity.
Peace and Love to all