Occupy Consciousness: Is 2012 The Start of A New Era?

This is the time of year that we seem to say goodbye to a year and welcome in a new one.  So, what is the big deal, really now?  There’s nothing wrong with celebrating this, but is it really necessary to make a big deal out of it?  

While some people talk about their New Year’s parties, resolutions that they probably won’t keep, and all the business as usual, I keep thinking about all of the people losing their homes or the tent city of homeless people that finally got some attention when Occupy Los Angeles moved into City Hall. And this is just a microcosm of a deep, deep problem that totally engulfs our world at this moment.  Many of us are no longer in denial of that.  

I also think about how this phenomenon is global and even in the cold months of winter is still going strong in some places. It will probably be completely re-energized when spring and warmer weather comes in other cities.  

The weather has been beautiful in Southern California and promises to be in the 80′s for the Rose Parade festivities in Pasadena which include Occupy’s own version of it on January 2nd. For the first time ever, it is calling the tradition of citizens (which throughout the years has included many activists) who choose to follow the traditional parade route, the People’s Parade.  The Occupy People’s Parade features a symbolic 44th float made up of humans with a giant 250 foot banner of the Constitution stating ‘We the People’, and another saying ‘We the Corporations,’ along with another symbolic float called the ’99′ (as in the 99%) featuring a giant octopus with tentacles representing banks that got bailed out, and more.

Also for the first time, an Occupy New Year’s Day Summit in Pasadena features a series of discussions on ‘Stop the Foreclosures,’ ‘End Corporate Personhood,’ and ‘Keep Money Out of Politics.’  

A third first is happening as All Saints Church, with a rich history of political activism itself, hosts a discussion panel including the subject of ‘what is the role of faith-based institutions concerning economic justice in light of the Occupy Movement?’ inside its’ sanctuary in the afternoon. 

Whatever you think about Nostradamus, the Age of Aquarius, Apocalypse, Enlightenment, or Occupy 2.0,  millions of people in the U.S. alone are very eager for some great news about the economy and the state of the world as we move into 2012. 

While millions of people, supportive of or active with the movement, are seeing more and more very positive images, there still seems to be millions more of people who don’t really get the occupy thing, but the wake up call could be coming for them this year when they join the ranks of the unemployed, underemployed, or even homeless and even more so, there are millions more intelligent voices that aren’t heard until real substantive discussion happens.  This could probably more accurately be stated as billions of voices. The planet just recently passed the 7 billion mark in human population. 

Occupy is a peaceful movement of people who demand economic and social justice.  At its’ core it cares deeply for those in need. I’m not going to deny the tremendous egos that can exist with any person in any movement, and I certainly won’t deny it in this one, but if you are serious about being an activist, then get off your butt and seriously make this at least part of your new year’s passion!  

How about Occupy Consciousness? Michael Beckwith (the book ‘The Secret’) talked about that at the L.A. encampment just a couple of days before the raid.  I like that idea.  Try to wrap your mind around that one for a whille and then we can engage in more conversation.

No New Year’s resolutions for me and I am not dwelling on that end ot the world stuff either.  Reach out to the 99% and try to talk to them in as many ways as possible.

Happy New Year.  Get ready to Occupy Consciousness.

We are moving into a new era. Occupy 2.0.

Love and Peace NOW!

NOWMAN