All that is transitory is but a metaphor

― Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

During Christmas and New Years, our priorities shift closer to family, friends, compassion and other emotion-centered ideals. We believe peace on earth, goodwill towards all comes from donating our time, energy and finances, to stressful proportions. Therapists know all this goodwill creates truckloads of anxiety and depression.

Simultaneously, retail marketing peaks. 11 months of the year, we worry about paying bills; in December, shopping rules. Irregardless of religious beliefs, most everyone joins the retail spirit of Christmas. As our government reminds us, our economy depends less on hard facts and more on our collective state of mind.

Our state of mind influences other hard realities too. The fringe science of the sixth sense validates ancient beliefs that emotions directly influence reality. In fact, 25 years of double-blind, published studies hint of the power of shared beliefs. From group meditations affecting crime rates to strong emotions influencing random number generators. Curiously, our advanced world believes collective conscious belongs to new age hippies and uncivilized cultures. In today's educated societies, life revolves around the victim/conqueror mentality. 

I'd like to introduce a different thought; our beliefs and state of mind influence the world while the world influences our beliefs and state of mind. "All that is transitory is but a metaphor" describes how reality reflects both ME and WE. 

All life, good, bad and indifferent, as a metaphor for our personal and collective reality. At this point, spiritual leaders warn, "Be careful, your thoughts create your reality", encouraging people to fight their ego or struggle against angry or negative thoughts. Let's reflect though; powering through uncomfortable thoughts rarely changes our reality, just as thinking peaceful words rarely creates a peaceful life. Outer peace comes by appreciating and finding peace within anger, sadness, judgementalism, hypocrisy, vulnerability- all necessary and unavoidable parts of life. From the seeds of our imperfect humanity, come close relationships, good health, comfortable circumstances and peace on earth.