A Lost Generation ?

Listening to the news last night, some figures were being given of youth unemployment. With over 50% in Spain, 47% in Greece and 30% in Italy...these were really sad figures...and no doubt other countries in Europe have similar problems .... but what was more shocking was the comment from the newsreader. People are asking is this 'a lost generation'?
I felt this was a dreadful comment to throw in, in such an off hand, almost casual way....and to my ears, a callous comment Once again it reflects the level of breakdown in sensible society. Not only because of the figures, which are stark, but because governments are allowing this to happen. How can they not take this in hand, find ways to help, educate and train youth in a viable productive way ? And one way or another, create situations where the young can feel a useful and productive part of society?
Today's youth are tomorrow's leaders...and surely this has to be a five star priority issue.

The Gene Code

Just had a fascinating conversation with a good friend whose grand daughters had just been visiting for the weekend. We were talking about the trend in many of the young using less and less grammar in their speech and the increase in 'text speech'. She told me of one of her relatives, who had an au pair come over from Sweden to learn English but found it impossible because the family with whom she was staying was using so little of English syntax! I told her that I had heard that in a couple of American States, they were stopping teaching the written language as part of the main curriculum and issuing laptops instead.

Then the conversation took a very interesting turn where we began to talk about recent research in genetics where they discovered that there is a specific gene to do with grammar. We posed the question whether the fall away in grammar is a 'retro' move in terms of our using our expressive capacity as human beings? Obviously it must have represented a huge step forward at some time in our genetic evolution. Whilst pondering that, we also asked ourselves the question whether there was an aspect in current communications that we miss altogether because it is so easy to see the down side of it?My friend said one thing she had observed in her grand daughters was a much more expressive use of body language as part of their listening to 'rap' Many of the words had an accompanying body movement which was somehow very 'inclusive' and 'communicative'...it seemed to bring the mind and body together more than perhaps formal verbal communication ...fascinating !

I found this quite a gripping conversation and feel it is an area that deserves a lot of consideration and much more research! It feels very important to be watching the trends and be open about what it all might indicate...to be constantly reaching for more intelligence and consciousness about what is going on in our world.

Galactic Plane

There is a lot of hype at the moment about the solar system going through the galactic plane on 21st December 2012 and the possible cataclysmic consequences of that for the planet and all life on her.

Of course, it sounds dramatic and catches people's attention. However when one researches it a little, it becomes clear that it is not only misleading to talk in those terms, but also damaging because it brings with it a blind 'end of the world' sort of fear.

Alongside that, when the facts come out, it then leaves people thinking it was all a load of rubbish anyway, so inclines a person to dismiss the more subtle and intriguing changes which are going on within the universe...and that is very sad when one considers the massive opportunity there is in this window of history, for a progression in consciousness and new human possibility.

What's Happening to Time?

One of the most frequent conversations I seem to be having right now is about time! So many people are fascinated by the way time seems to have speeded up.

And what's curious is, it is people of all ages and from many different backgrounds and circumstances who are talking about it!

From Xmas dinners, to coffee with friends to visits to the hairdressers, this topic is coming up again and again. Some folks are just puzzled about it, others intrigued, whilst some try to explain it away one way or another. One of the Xmas conversations went down the track that we are doing so many more things in the day, there is just not time to fit it all in. At work, someone suggested that as one gets older, each year is a smaller percentage of one's life, so seems shorter and therefore passes more quickly!

But for me, the conversation which intrigued me most was when my hairdresser asked "Has time itself actually changed?"

What a great question! And one which I'd love to hear what others might think about.

It reminded me of an article I had read in Australia in 1992 where some of the aborginal elders
had published an article saying they had come to the end of their old 'dreamtime' and had now entered a 'new dreamtime' One in which, it was important to let go of the past, forgive the wrongful aspects of their history, and find new more positive ways forward to build a more harmonious future between all the people in Australia and between people and the planet. Intriguingly in the very same week, I also received an article from one of the leading thinkers of the 20th century, Leo Armin, also writing about us having entered 'Newtime'.

All very intriguing !!

2012 ...endings and beginnings

I 've been at the hairdressers this morning...always a great place for girl chat and was absolutely astonsished in talking to the young girl who works there to discover how widely known is the idea that 2012 is thought by many to be some kind of significant year in world history! What was rather sad was that all the reference that she and her friends had was in relation to it being the 'end of the world'! the lady doing my hair confirmed that, that too, was what her daughter had told her...a young very bright law student of 19.

Having been aware for many years that some cultures such as the Mayan, had their ancient calenders come to an end in 2012...it was a surprise to me to find how popular that knowledge has become but what a shame that there seemed to be no awarenes of the parallel idea that whilst we are in the time of 'endings' we are also in the time of brand new beginnings...new possiblilties, new evolutions .....with a whole new page in history to write.

It was fun and energising having a conversation with this young lady about that consciousness and I came home and thought yes, definitely time to start the blog again !!!