Inquiry

Given that hope is only real when everything is hopeless, I'm feeling a keen sense of what I call the "passion for life"... while  undertaking a crash course in macro-economics, which is extremely interesting at a time like this and something I know absolutely nothing about... And while I am aware of the pain that many people are no doubt feeling, given that I've never had a credit card or been in debt, I don't have a mortgage and that I never buy things that I don't need I find the entire situation fascinating, even to the point that I don't mind if my investments in the share market are slashed...

Integral gives me the permission to say this - and no offense intended, but there is an aspect of myself wants to see the system collapse, I want to see it all tumble down. I'm not sure whether this is a kind of perverse glee or a simple acknowledgment that such as crisis would unleashed an altogether new horizon of possibilities, new forms of human community may begin to emerge, consumerism and the stupid pursuit of pleasure would give way to a new series of fundamental questions, and we may see the same kind of human solidarity and generosity that we saw in NYC in the days after 911... Most people are sick and tired of the status quo, we need an event that changes the co-ordinates of the existing order of things and I'm convinced that what looks like an unmitigated disaster is often the Mystery in disguise.... And it might be worth suggesting that sometimes Truth is not so much inner peace, but a painful, traumatic encounter with something that we didn't see coming...

Cameron

-- "Become passers-by" (Jesus of Nazareth)

I'm feeling rather grateful for my practice and communities such as these today that support and cultivate truth. I'm able to watch the anxiety that has risen tonight rather than be it as arrive home to discover that the Icelandic UK offshore bank I, err well had saved with was liquidated a few hours ago. Frantically transferring this money out a few days back, I am yet to learn if it will make it to a (hopefully) more stable UK subsidiary of a well known US culprit in this crisis. Ironically I had moved my money there in the first place cause I feared the worst with the 'Russian Roulette' of big name collapses in the US.

I'm not surprised really. I've been reading the good US website counterpunch.com who's writers seem to take quite an Integral view in their independent journalism and they have been forecasting this for over 18 months, while the mainstream Murdochian media, particularly down here in Australia has seemingly persisted in maintaining head firmly entrenched somewhere dark.

And to answer the question, I am taking solace in my practice and support of wonderful teachers and the work of those who have done so much to enrich and cultivate some awareness. A sizeable 5 year old 'poor me' tantrum arose tonight but I can't be bothered - acouple of years back it would have been complete panic.

The irony is not lost on me that I am doing a Diamond Approach retreat on money and spirituality in 10 days time. I'm reminded that I survived the challenge and crisis of a painful spiritual 'opening' in the past five years which brought me to communities like this and more in touch with true nature. My life feels richer today than it did when I pursued a more workaholic and money driven approach, but I by no means hate or reject money. As the past week shows, it is so entrenched in our culture so I feel we have to enter into relationship with it on the 'path'.

I've returned home from counselling work with homeless men all day. This is not the standard I should be grateful spiel, but just bearing witness to what I have and how my life is comparitively secure and by world standards I'm fortunate. However, if Wall Street bankers want to jump out of high-rise buildings, I'll do tonglen for the suffering of all beings on all levels in this crisis, but the meaner shadowy parts of me want to give the bastards a push on their way.

Yes the brink of economic collapse has affected my own life in many different practical ways. But mainly It has brought back to the surface all those feelings of fear, anxiety, anger and frustration I wrongly assumed I was no longer able to indetify with. The only possible way to survive the outbursts of such a primitive shadow is through meditation. It is really the only remedy  for the ego's indulgence in worries and fears.

Plenty of evidence suggests that Wall Street was founded and majority of Wall Street's culture resides in Orange.  Now, here in the Integral Community, I often hear the loose terms "healthy" and "unhealthy" in describing whether or not a Level is manifesting a pathology in the real world.  So, I think it's now universally accepted that "unhealthy" Orange has thrived in the financial sector for decades. 

This crisis is the logical conclusion of such overblown growth and a culture geared towards maximizing that growth at any cost--or I should say, at any risk? Because it seems that a good way to make a "balloon" is to:

1) create a corporate wide (unhealthy Orange) value system that rewards only profit.

2) base this system on "financial analysis" from top rating agencies like Standard & Poor's who say nice Orange things like "our formulas show that housing prices can never go down"  etc.

3) Buy some politicians for deregulation purposes and let the predatory lenders do the  ground work--i.e. blow that balloon full of air--by appealing to those that still believe in last century's (Orange) version of the American Dream.

4) Profit massively for a short while.

We all now know what follows.

Those who played the game responsibly, or participated manifesting their healthy Orange side end up paying for the mess. 

...Could it all be a Type duality?  Unhealthy Masculine Orange, ended up screwing Healthy Feminine Orange (pun intended)? 

I suppose elaboration is warranted after such a statement:  

Masculine Orange will tend toward agency and therefore work to relieve itself of responsibilities in order to achieve it's end goals (note: this can be healthy when necessary!).  Responsibility was obviously shirked en masse in the financial sector, but more specifically it was legally shirked when risk was removed from the scene and put on the shoulders of the investors. 

Enter the devious lie of putting AAA ratings on these horrible sub-prime loans and voila!  People, organizations, or in the case of Iceland, entire countries took on all the risk when they invested in those triple A's!  Somewhere in there lies a pathology, and no need to look elsewhere than all the pathological men running these firms!  I mean, there's STILL no accountability!  They're currently taking bailout money and giving themselves massive bonuses!  These guys continue to make a fortune off the constant repression of  responsibility deep into their Shadow!  I can imagine a conversation in the boardroom:

Bob the risk manager:  "Hey, we can't take on these $500,000 loans.  The combined income of the applicants is $20,000 a year!"

Ben the CEO:  "What are you a girly-sissy-schoolgirl-whiney-sugar-and-spicey-and-everything-nicey-man?" 

Boardroom:  Laughter.

Ben the CEO: "What's your name?  Bob?  Listen Bob, grow a pair, take the loan, and your percentage for securing it, and go buy some psychiatric help, because that loan is going triple A, baby!!!"

Boardroom: Applause.

Meanwhile most of us at or with healthy  Feminine Orange--meaning in this case taking on responsibility, agreeing to pay our loans, working with the system (because we live in a community damnit!) in an accountable fashion to do what's best for us AND our family--end up screwed... 

Me and my wife bought a home last year, and we're now wondering not only how hard our resale value took a hit, but if our jobs are now stable and we can even pay our mortgage in the coming years.  We were doing everything right.  Healthy Orange; living within our means, investing appropriately, building a nest egg... well, we'll see if our eggs are in enough baskets to see us through this thing.

So is there anyone here working in the financial sector?