From a film about the work of Joanna Macy,
founder of "Work That Reconnects,....
Copy/paste this link
https://vimeo.com/191169785
for the prophecy told by Joanna Macy
In approximate transcript / modeled for telling or reading aloud.
IN THE TIBETAN TRADITION THERE IS A PROPHECY that has taken on great meaning for Joanna Macy and her colleagues in their work concerning 'the great turning' of the world.
The prophecy was made 12 centuries ago. It is about a very dark time...
In the 80’es, when Joanna Macy, went back to the ‘Tachi Dawn’ community in north India - they were talking about it coming true in this time...
She retells it as her friend and teacher Degutje Garal Membachi tells it.
It goes this way:
THERE COMES A TIME when all life on earth is in danger. In this time great powers has arisen, barbarian powers – and although they waste their wealth in preparation to alienate each other - they have much in common.
Weapons of unfathomable devastation. And technologies that lay waste the world.
And it is just at this point – when the future of all being hangs by the frailest of threads that the Kingdom of Shambhala emerges.
You cannot go there – it is not a place.
It exist in the hearts and minds of the Shambhala warriors.
Actually you cant tell a Shambhala warrior by looking at her or him
– because they wear no uniforms – no insignia – no banners.
Have no barricades on which to climb to threaten the enemy and behind which they can rest and regroup.
They don’t even have any home turf, for ever and always they must move across the terrain of the barbarian powers.
Now is the time when great courage is required of the Shambhala warrior.
More courage than physical courage because they are going to go in to the heart of the barbarian powers to DISmantle their weapons.
And weapons in every sense of the word. The bombs and armaments – manufactured and deployed – and the corridors of power where the decisions are made - to dismantle the weapons.
And mark this – the Shambhala warrior know that these weapons can be dismantled
– because they are ‘mano maya’ – mind made.
They are made by the human mind – they can be UNmade by the human mind.
Because the disasters that are threatening us and unfolding are not brought about by some extraterrestrial force, or some satanic deity – or even by an unchangeable and inexorable fate.
They arise from our relationships. And our priorities. And our habits.
They are made by the human mind – they can be unmade by the human mind.
So the time is upon us, Degutje Garal Membachi says, when the Shambhala warriors go into training.
How do they train? Joanna said
He said: they train in the use of two weapons - and that's the word he used.
What ARE they, she asked.
And he hold up his hands like the lama holds their ritual objects – the great lama dancers of this people. (lifting his hands - left and right)
And he said – ONE is COMPASSION.
And the other is INSIGHT INTO THE RADICAL INTERDEPENCY OF ALL PHENOMENA.
And you need both – one is not enough.
You need the compassion because that provides you the fuel – the motor force to get you out there - where you need to be – to do what you need to do.
And what it consists of, basically, is not being afraid of the suffering of your world.
And you know, when you are not afraid of the suffering of your world - then nothing can stop you.
But that by itself, he said – is too hot and can burn you out.
So you need the other. You need that wisdom, that insight into the mutual belonging of everything,
That is – interwoven – as it is in the web of life.
And when you have that – you see, you know that this is not a war between the good guys and the bad guys. But that the line between good and evil runs through the landscape of every human heart.
And we are so interwoven in the web of life that even the smallest act – with clear intention – has repercussions through that web that we can barely see.
But that he said – is a little cool by itself – so you need the heat of the compassion.
Well, that’s the prophecy…
And if you’ve looked at the Tibetan monks chanting – you see their hands moving mutras – and often they are dancing the interplay between 'caruna' and 'prashna' – compassion and wisdom.
In the end of the video Joanna tells about an interaction with her son on how it can help us approach our time and the future to come...
