Change begins here
The frequent mention of “changing the system” in one of the many talk shows I caught last week bathed me in apprehension. We’re all buoyed by the response to Jun Lozada’s courage, so the air is rife with talk of change. But it is not enough to change the system. People make up the system, after all. For as long as the inner condition of the Filipino stays the same, the system will keep needing change. And no amount of change at that superficial level will be sufficient for the kind of purification and rebuilding this country needs.
In the course of my work, I have witnessed many profound realizations from individuals who see how important it is to live out of the space of authenticity. It is deeply moving to see people commit to integration and truth. It is incredibly inspiring to see someone connect the dots between himself and the country we have created and continue to build. It is empowering for everyone to see that every step towards integration and authenticity is a step towards the
I believe this is why Filipinos seem to be awakening at last. Before Jun Lozada came, there seemed to be no way through because there was nothing different going on. The bad guys were still doing their usual bad things; we couldn’t see our way through the dense fog of evil. Indeed, how could any kind of change break through? But then came one person’s show of courage and commitment to truth, and suddenly all manner of light shone through. Now the way is clear, but the responsibility to keep it that way rests on us.
A friend recently asked about my personal journey toward authenticity as he has undertaken his own and is naturally having difficulty. It isn’t a walk in the park. It doesn’t happen all at once. It is a challenge unlike any other because the minute you commit to living an authentic life, the world shifts. Friends fall away. Sometimes even family. But once you decide to be part of the energy that heals rather than destroys life, there is no other path.
Authenticity is in the details. My friend shook his head in despair as I shared that you cannot expect to teach your children how to live and speak truthfully if you are not doing it yourself. You can say goodbye to saying you’re not home when the help comes to announce a phone call, when your kids can see you are right there beside them, at home! Children live between the lines all the time. If you’re saying one thing and doing another, they will be the first to see and react to it. By constantly doing that, we are defining for them what it means to be human in the world today. They will feel the dissonance very deeply, and if they see that their parents are living in that space of untruth, despite the constant reminders from them to tell the truth, they will eventually adapt. Thus is born the permissible zone.
Some may say I’m overdoing it, but I know I’m not. It really is in the details. To build the country we want, permissible zones must be taken away. How does this even begin to grow in the soul of a person? For my children, I offer truth and nothing but, because I know it’s the only way to wholeness. I know that it is the best gift I can give them. You cannot avoid mistakes, temptation, falling here and there, but if you have truth as your moral code, it is easier to transform your weaknesses. With truth and integrity as your compass, even the worst kind of pain can be healed.
We cannot hope to have a country free of corruption if, inside us, there are places that allow it. There can be no corruption if there is no market for it. The only way to eradicate that is to make sure we are crystal clear about how and where we stand as citizens of this nation. We cannot sit in judgment of others if we are not, ourselves, willing and able to be the change. Change can only happen at the level of country if every Filipino begins the change in his heart.
Before we talk about changing systems, let’s take a good look at ourselves. We need to view the details of our lives with total, unedited honesty. We must be able to connect the dots again and begin to see ourselves in relation to the problems in our society. The mess we are in didn’t happen just because evil took the reins. It happened because we let it. Because we let it, the stakes became higher. Pretty soon, it was easier to blame people in power even as we lied and cheated in the confines of our home. We used scale to justify our own fall. Your lie isn’t as bad as lying to the whole country, right? But where do you think it all begins?
All permissible zones must collapse. You cannot forge bonds with crooks and criminals just because you feel you share a purpose. Don’t convince yourself that’s simply the way of the world. In fact, that is the world you create when you choose to see the fragments rather than the whole.
The task of rebuilding our nation begins with us. This means we have to take courage and look within, transform our weaknesses, and commit to being the change we want to happen. We must live truthfully again. We must say no to corruption everywhere, not just in government. We must begin at home. We must make the leap towards integration, no matter how daunting and frightening it seems. That is exactly what it will take to bring this country forward. For the system to change, we must change. There are no shortcuts.
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PAGASA (Peoples Assembly for Genuine Alternatives to Social Apathy) is dedicated to helping anyone who is ready to take this journey. We have been giving weekend workshops that have set individuals firmly on the path of lasting inner change towards societal transformation. If you are ready to be the change, join us in
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