How Culture and Spirituality can change the World. We have a Choice!

Culture and Spirituality are both container concepts, saying everything and at the same time nothing and need to be defined every time you use them. A Culture here is a set of paradigms, collective beliefs and values that define a group. It is about what we do and who we think we are and belong to. Spirituality here is a set of believes that becomes a knowing about who we are, how we serve and why we are here on earth. It is about individual belief and value.

The word Culture originates from ‘’cultivate, the cultivation of the mind, faculties and manners. The word Spirituality comes from the word ‘spiritus’ relating to soul, breath, inspiration and something bigger than ourselves.

Why are these concepts important right now?

We are in a world of big increasing change that started about 50 years. Change for the good and for the bad. In many, many areas we are on the brink of change that may turn out to be good for the world or very bad. More than ever our thoughts and acts are important as it is crucial to an outcome. We really want outcomes that represent moral value. In all areas of change, in all areas of our world.

We have come to a society that shows us people and groups of people who lost track of who they really are. A separation of mind and soul. All we say or do is an expression of our moral values. That not only means understanding and feeling what is good or bad, but also be a prophet for it. Standing up for what is right. For that, we need a cultural consciousness and spiritual maturity. In a way that it serves all of humanity to move.

I am passionately concerned in the area of chronic disease in the world. It is my mission to help the people with chronic disease to pivot their illness to health so the increase of chronic disease in the world will pivot to health.

If we see how Healthcare is developing, we can see different streams of good intentions to improve healthcare:

1. Medical science improvements defining illness and treatments analytically and intellectually, believing in a concept that the power to heal is outside the patient. Drawing lines and creating separation between healthcare disciplines. Competing to be the first with new discoveries. Competing for the bestselling drug, competing to sustain the amount of patients. Conflicting interests on choices what is best for the patient vs income. The change is an improved version of the same concept.
2. Value based care developments where the patients is not only the center of care, but the patient also defines the value of the clinical path given to them. The change comes originates from the Care with a capital C for the patient, although the foundation is still a concept that the power to heal is outside the patient. It is change, but not a major change.
3. Reformers centered around action against current practices. Like against selling tobacco, against high margin medication, against the healthcare system and so on. Reformers are very good at what they do, but again, it is based on the same paradigm.

To really pivot the increase of non-communicable disease, a paradigm shift is needed. One that addresses what is most needed NOW.

Over these past 50 years a lot has changed in our society, and this has all affected Healthcare somewhat, but the huge changes we see in all kinds of areas in the world is not seen in Healthcare.

Our Believe and Value systems have changed, for example in the man-wife role model, homosexuality, religious groups, ethnic minorities. Science changes life, death, birth, sex and redefined the meaning of meaning. We see the rise of the new world aiming for CO2-neutrality, people equality and care for the planet. The www has changed our lives in so many ways, not only to be able to pretend and show the imaginary self.

Although much good has happened on these 50 years, and these developments brought us a lot of benefits, the shadow side of it makes clear that somewhere we lost track of who we really are. The challenges we are faced with are about materialism and mechanics. And it is time for a big challenge; the challenge of fair play towards each other and know who we really are. Some already took up the challenge, maybe 30 years ago or recently.

For those who are on the spiritual path of growth, we see 4 stages, and maybe you can recognize yourself in it.

1. Growth starts with personal stress about existing paradigms & systems. New patterns of thought come up and old paradigms are not taken for granted anymore. They are questioned by your heart. You probably feel you are not fitting in anymore, in the family, friends, at work or social groups. You believe: ‘I am the crazy one’.
2. Then you add Social Stress as you understand it is not personal and also others feel that way, you group together and want to do something about it. New organizations form and their purpose is based upon what went wrong in the past. (Churches, schools, governments). The problem and solutions lie outside themselves. You believe: ‘I am not the only crazy one’
3. You multiply Social Stress as a whole group starts to agree on ‘the’ problem now, but the group has no means to cope and it results in victimization. Someone needs to fight the system but the system fights back. Authority is recognized or blamed and the whole group feels disempowered. Traditionalist movement arises and hold on to old beliefs and old systems, but do it bigger and better now! So, you get more of what is not wanted. ‘Those who not understand are the crazy ones now and you are the troublemaker’.
4. Then those stand up who build a new worldview, the prophets. New leadership based on alike thinkers. Not against the old, but pro a new view. They induce a cultural and spiritual transformation and create new paradigms based on connectiveness. They hold a new spirituality, that is defined by taking responsibility for co-creation of the world because you can. ‘They believe they do not have to be the crazy one to change the world, they only have to understand who they really are’.

Personal spiritual growth always goes towards the True self, and away from the Ego self. The True self is not about fighting the past, it is about creating the future.

If we see the need to pivot the increase of chronic illness, that amounts almost 50% of our population in the USA, counts for 70% of our global deaths (40 million), of which 40% is premature (between age 30-70), it may be evident that this asks for a worldly new paradigm and new prophets.

I would like to ask everybody to take responsibility for co-creation in one area or another that is important to this planet. For me, this health paradigm is very important.

Everyone has a choice;

1. A choice of: not me, I’m too busy. I don’t get into this stuff, I’m out
2. A choice of: I agree, this is right. But let them do it, I’m silence
3. A choice of: I’ll deal with it. I want to co-create; this is how I contribute to these global challenges. With these people we create a new culture, a conscious culture and a new spirituality, one with new maturity that hold s a responsibility and power to change.

What is your choice?