Operating from a "place of privilege"????

I have to be honest. I reject the latest talking point in our national conversation, "that we come from a place of privilege."  Why? Because, this notion is the very antithesis of empowerment for any and everyone, on every level possible. Coming at our interactions with others we may encounter on our journey through this life can perhaps be more meaningful when we communicate from a place of heartfelt humility.  That being said, humility does not operate beneath the limiting constraints of guilt and submission, which the very phrase "place of privilege" embodies.  To the contrary, humility operates from a place of centeredness and non-judgment, traits which come from a place of empowerment.  Humility is empowering because it is a CHOICE, freely made and fully embraced in the absence of external coercion.

I choose to embrace those I interact with from a place of empowerment, accepting them for who they are in their uniqueness and for the individual journey that they have undertaken to get to the place where they are today.  I acknowledge their spirit and the spiritual journey that are on in their individual quest for enlightenment.  I accept that some of us have taken different paths along our spiritual journeys and that some of us have yet to even figure out that we are indeed on a spiritual journey --that "we are spiritual beings presently having a human experience."  The concept of privilege is a loaded construct, centered around materialism and rife with opportunities for misunderstanding.  Since materialism is antithetical to the very concept of spiritualism --which I hold is the very reason for our being-- I choose to avoid this group-think rabbit-hole of "place of privilege" all together, focusing instead on a wealth that cannot be bought or sold.  To my way of thinking, we are each here and given the unique set of circumstances we need in order to achieve some small measure of spiritual evolution.  And quite, frankly, the only way we can evolve is to take ownership of our individual circumstances.  Wallowing in self-pity --or group-pity as the case may be-- or lamenting that another has/has not more than I do, from a spiritual perspective, really misses the whole reason for our being, in my humble opinion.

I have to wonder, if we "must get past materialism in order to evolve", then why do so many 'enlightened individuals' seem to be so intently focused on materialism these days, operating under the guise of privilege.  The answer to this question, from my perspective is that this message is currently --and rather conveniently-- being used in order to systematically disarm, weaken and divide us, so that we will become compliant to the whims of an elite who do not want us to be focused on our strengths,  both individually as well as collectively as a nation.  For even by our mere willingness to entertain this construct of "privilege", we begin to reprogram our minds to think in terms of "guilt" and "shame", traits which run counter to a productive inspiration and empowerment, and dare I say an independence of will and thought.  Instead of focusing on the widely accepted narrative of "privilege",  I choose instead to listen, but also to encourage and to empower others, by my words and actions, that we may each of us be inspired to Hope and to Dream once again.  Then, working together, from a shared place of centered humility --which operates independent of any notion of privilege-- we can learn from one another and work together toward common objectives, with real-world tangible goals that would make our world a better place in the here and now.

[If you want to defy the norms, the powers that conspire to contain and control us ... to alter our minds by controlling what we SEE and therefore think, then share this post with others.  Let's see if we can defy their suppression attempts??????? COLOR BOLDLY OUTSIDE their LINES ..............................]

In closing, my thoughts and prayers are especially with those who lost their lives, loved ones or health/livelihoods on this day, 19 years ago.  May we "never forget" --although watching the news these days it does seem as if we might have forgotten?-- and may we once again aspire to find that sense of kinship and togetherness, within ourselves, that gave our nation the strength to arise from the ashes of an imposed act of terrorist madness.