Insight Course: Lesson Four

Hidden Agendas of the
Military/Industrial Complex

Page Two of Two

It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.
    ~  Robert F. Kennedy

Turner broadcasting filmed a highly unusual documentary focused on the intriguing stories of five former CIA agents. Every one of these agents was originally excited to serve their country and promote the interests of the CIA and their government.

After many years of service at the agency, however, each of them could no longer deny the cold truth that the interests they were serving clearly were not those of the people of the United States. Watch the engaging 45-minute documentary Secrets of the CIA at the link below to learn more.

https://www.WantToKnow.info/051130ciasecrets - Secrets of the CIA

The thrill of power, the romantic allure of being special, and the ability to access secret, vital inside information drew these five individuals deep into a shadowy, clandestine world filled with secrecy and manipulation. Yet initially they had no idea towards what end they were working and who they were really supporting.

After having caused significant suffering and in some cases death, each of these individuals eventually responded to an inner calling which led to their resignation from the CIA, followed by courageous work to inform the public of the disempowering agendas being carried out. When faced with challenging situations involving authority, let each of us, too, remember to listen to our inner calling as we work to be the change.

What Can We Do?

This lesson has taken you into some rather dark, disturbing places which still exist in our world. How are you feeling right now with all this? Have you slipped back into feeling like a victim? And how did all of this secrecy and disregard for human life come to be? Why did we collectively allow this to happen? What can we do about it? These are not easy questions, yet ultimately we can remember the unlimited potential within us and the collective power we share when we come together to work for change.

It is important also to explore how we, as individuals, may have played a role in all this. Several questions deserve attention. How often are we involved in secrecy when we avoid talking about or dealing with conflict in our own lives because we're afraid we might make matters worse? How often do we choose not to get involved in the conflicts around us because it's the easy way out?

When we see a friend or colleague making choices which may cause harm physically or emotionally, do we step up and offer wise counsel? It is our silence, avoidance, and lack of action that often allows conflict to grow and fester until finally, one day, we find ourselves facing a major battle which might have been avoided had we acted earlier.

In the bigger picture, could it be that because so many of us have closed our eyes to the shadow side and even pushed it out of our awareness that it was able to grow and fester in ways that never would have happened if we had been willing to face it?

Let us choose awareness now so that we can stop the destructive behavior and invite all of us, each in our own time, to move towards being the change. We can build the world we want to see. We can and will transform the need for war. Remember the ho'oponopono technique. Let us start by letting go of negative judgments and finding the places where each of us support the polarizing mentality of war inside of ourselves and in the world. Let us give love and forgiveness to these parts.

Let us also remember that even those who manipulate us into war and who profit handsomely from it have hearts. Even as we work to stop the destructive behavior, let us consider sending love and forgiveness to those hearts, inviting them to open to deeper connection and to what's best for all who share our world.

And let us be brave enough that when we see the potential for violence and destruction in front of us, we step boldly forward to stop the violence and stop the destructive behavior, even while sending love to the hearts of those involved. When we come together in this, we can powerfully transform our lives and world. See the sections below for more on how you can make a concrete difference.

Two inspiring pieces related to war bring this lesson to a close. The first, The Christmas Truce, is a beautiful song and poem about a remarkable moment when mortal enemies became friends. The second is a moving story of one man's harrowing experience and how it led to the formation of the global Nonviolent Peaceforce. Even in the most difficult of circumstances, there are always courageous individuals who stand up to make a difference.

www.WantToKnow.info/christmastruce - The Christmas Truce

www.WantToKnow.info/060922nonviol... - The Nonviolent Peaceforce story

One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious. The latter procedure, however, is disagreeable and therefore not popular.  ~  Carl Jung

Image by Salvador Dali

Take Action: Suggested Activities to Be the Change

• Consider how you can most effectively take action to expose the forces behind war and work to transform our world. Inform your friends who are open to some of the materials in this lesson. Contact your political and media representatives with information in this lesson and ask them to take action. Consider how you can most effectively be an agent of change in our world.
• Notice where in this lesson you may have found yourself slipping into the role of victim and/or blaming others for problems in our world. Does your being a victim or blaming others serve you or those around you? Explore ways in which you can take back your own power by accepting "what is" in the world, yet choosing to be the change.
• Where in your life do you use control and dominance to get what you want? Where do you allow others to do this to you? Explore how you can develop acceptance that this is happening, yet work towards changing the dynamic so that all involved feel supported and empowered.
• Notice your feelings towards war and those who promote it. Do you have any judgment, anger, or hatred here? If so, are you willing to recognize your own blaming patterns and invite change? Those who fight against war sometimes end up creating more polarization and conflict. Yet those who work to stop the warring behavior while inviting love and cooperation are often able to transcend the conflict. Which do you choose?
• How are you creating enemies in your life? Where do you align yourself with large groups in such a way that makes others bad or somehow less than your group? Notice where you or groups you are in are judging other people or groups to be bad or wrong. Work towards accepting all people right where they are, yet inviting change through love and empowerment.

For Those Who Want More

https://www.WantToKnow.info/warinformation - War Information Center

An abundance of links to valuable resources revealing the underlying causes of war and what we can do to shift the paradigm. Key summaries, news articles, videos, and more reveal important information of which few are aware.

http://www.nonviolentpeaceforce.org - Nonviolent Peaceforce website

The Nonviolent Peaceforce is a nonpartisan, unarmed peacekeeping force composed of trained civilians from around the world. In partnership with local groups, Nonviolent Peaceforce members apply proven nonviolent strategies to protect human rights, deter violence, and help create space for local peacemakers to carry out their work.

https://www.personalgrowthcourses... - Links to Nonviolent Organizations

A great list of empowering organizations committed to stopping war and violence, and to promoting nonviolent change in our world. Consider exploring one or more of these as a way to be the change you want to see in the world.

https://www.WantToKnow.info/johnperkins... - Economic Hitman Summary

A seven-page summary of the highly enlightening book Confessions of an Economic Hitman by activist John Perkins. Perkins was once a deep insider helping to manipulate global politics until his conscience got to him. He then resigned to try to help the very people he had hurt in his previous work. Eventually, he became a well-known spiritual teacher and wrote this revealing book to expose some of the hidden inner workings of global politics and economics.

https://www.WantToKnow.info/war/war... - Debunking A Century of War Lies

This excellent 24-minute documentary by James Corbett reveals critical information about the little-known root causes of wars of the 20th century. Using reliable sources which can be verified through links in the transcript at the link above, eye-opening information is presented on how each major war in the last century resulted from major manipulation and public deception by the power elite.

http://www.guideposts.com - Guideposts

For a good dose of inspiration to balance all of the focus on war and negative news so prevalent in today's media, visit the beautiful Guideposts website. Through their inspiring website, magazines, and email lists, Guideposts relates true stories by ordinary people who share their experiences about extraordinary events in their lives. These stories not only captivate readers, but also inspire people to put their beliefs into action and rise above their toughest personal problems.

This lesson was filled with information that may be intense for some. If those registered for the course feel at all overwhelmed, we invite you to write a message asking for support in digesting this information. We have wonderful guides who are happy to connect and give supportive feedback.

After exploring deeply into the shadow realms in this lesson, lesson five provides refreshing and meaningful inspiration on how every one of us makes a difference. Thanks for joining us on this rich journey. Together, we are changing our world.

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