“In a nutshell,” I said with great consternation, “due to a number of social factors, Humanity stands a very strong chance of leaning heavily on Might-Mind impulses.”
“Social factors?” Mudki inquired.
“Start with a major push for materialism,” I began. “In the future, changes in American society will contribute to a focus on materialism.
“After World War II, we expect economic growth in America will encourage people to buy homes, cars, and other goods as symbols of success. Television and advertising will help spread this idea by showing a lifestyle centered around owning more.
“It is predicted that the influence of religion will start to fade beginning in the 1960s, with the masses turning to consumerism for happiness instead of spiritual or community values.
“As just one example, Christmas will transform from a religious church experience, to a communal competition to see whose kids found more on presents under a pine tree.
“In the 1980s, it is likely the wealth gap will increase, leading to more competition for financial success. Policies that favor the wealthy will make material wealth a sign of personal achievement.
“One glaring consequence of this wealth gap will be profound disparities in income earning potential. What had been single breadwinner households will now require both parents to work.
“This, in turn, will have two crippling effects. For one, children will be institutionalized before they are even potty-trained. In those institutions, they will learn how to survive… by fending for themselves.” I was on a roll. “The Might-Mind double-punch will be engrained from the earliest age.”
“And the other crippling effect?” Mudki asked, impressed with the fullness of my answer.
“Less quality family time at home. With both parents constantly exhausted, nights will become these all too short opportunities to recuperate.
“No more family dinners around the table. Weekends will be spent doing laundry, housecleaning, paying bills, and other chores. No time for church; no family worship experience.”
“And,” Mudki added, no time for community involvement. With money tight and time limited, socializing will become a rare event. Volunteering and other kinds of civic participation will become a thing of the past.”
“You must have read the report,” I quipped. I returned to my summary of the Monitor’s Projections.
“With the rise of the internet and social media in the 1990s and 2000s, people will start comparing their lives with others online, which will increase the desire for expensive possessions to gain approval and status.”
Mudki joined in. “Worse, though, it will isolate people. Americans will stop interacting with one another in person. This depersonalization of relationships will make it all too easy for uncivil conduct to become rampant.” Mudki admitted that he had perused the Report, but not digested it in detail.
“I recall seeing warnings about a dramatic change in attitudes among Americans. The Report anticipates an eventual turn to isolationism on the world front, and an every-man-for-himself attitude on the home front.
“And, even though people will know that much of what fills their cupboards and closets comes from child labor and deplorable working conditions overseas, they will turn a deaf ear to the Voice of Conscience crying from within,” Mudki added.“
“Speaking of globalization,” I commented, “outsourcing of manufacturing will produce cheaper products … that will make it easier for people to buy more. It will also cause higher unemployment at home,” I said.
“Unfortunately,” Mudki said, “with money always in short supply, and only so many hours in a day to work, easy access to credit will merely encourage overspending.”
“And let us not forget the celebrity culture, which will also play a role by glorifying the wealthy as role models,” I said.
“Role models of righteous conduct slowly die away,” I continued. “Athletes, movie stars, evangelists, politicians. You name it; they will all be living a Mind-Might high life, with little concern for Heart and Soul,” Mudki contributed.
“That is why I wished to speak with you again. Not to answer a question that is mine, not yours, to answer. But rather, to perhaps give me some ideas on how to go about formulating that answer.
“Taken together, these factors are likely to foster a culture where people increasingly prioritize material possessions over spiritual fulfillment. And,” I added, for the point not to be lost, “it is expected that, over time, Americans will forget that they are Souls first, and humans second.”
“So,” I concluded, “it’s no surprise that America will face a Spiritual Wobble of historic proportions.”
I paused, gathering my thoughts. “The central question is… what can we do within the confines of a Behest?”
Mudki remained silent, his gaze fixed on me, as if daring me to come up with my own answers.
“That is why I wanted to speak with you again. Not to have you solve a question that is mine alone, but to perhaps inspire me with ideas on how to begin formulating that answer.”
“Well, I think … if I were in your shoes, I would work backwards. That is, what is the end goal? The end product?” Mudki waited for me to respond.
“Uh … a Solution,” I answered, caught off-guard. “We need to subvene with something that will restore Spiritual Equilibrium.”
“Good,” Mudki said. “Are we talking about all of Humanity, or just America? And if just America, why?”
“Just America. Because America is the Spiritual Model for humanity. We need to get it right in America first.”
“Then,” Mudki continued, “I would take some time to consider that has been done before under other Behests – determining what worked, and what did not. And why not!”
I was catching on. “And still working backwards, I would want to know how America’s Spiritual Wobble got that way. Knowing what contributed to its current deplorable state, might help us devise a better Solution, this time around.”
Mudki was satisfied with my answer, as was I. As I thanked him for his sage advice, he smiled and disappeared over the edge of the slope.
Back on my own, I decided to treat myself to the splendor of the Twin Lakes that I had been staring at from atop Mt. Elbert.
Sitting on the banks of the western lake felt like stepping into a serene postcard. The crisp, cool air was filled with the scent of pine and wildflowers, while the gentle lapping of water created a soothing rhythm.
The Twin Lakes shimmered under the sun, their turquoise waters reflecting the majestic silhouette of Mt. Elbert, dusted with snow, even on this summer afternoon.
Birds flitted from tree to tree, their cheerful songs mingling with the rustle of leaves. Occasionally, a fish broke the surface with a quiet splash, sending ripples across the lake.
In that breathtaking alpine setting, I felt a profound sense of peace, a reminder of nature’s beauty that filled my spirit with gratitude.
“So, in a nutshell, I began, Humanity has lost its perspective. Spiritual Imbalance occurs when one part of the Influential Spectrum dominates the others. Right now, Humanity was obese with notions of Might and Mind, but starved for the passions of Heart and Soul.
Restoring Spiritual Equilibrium was up to Man to accomplish. Souls could not do it in their stead, or on their behalf. In fact, the Absolute Laws barred the Protective Corps from ever manipulating the Laws of Nature or Man’s Free Will.
No … if mankind was going to be saved, it would have to do it on its own. Humanity had created its current problems through countless bad decisions. To find even a glimmer of happiness and peace again, it would have to start making better ones.
In my view, for the Protective Corps to make a real impact, it had to help Humanity understand the full consequences of their choices.
TempTerra’s most fundamental challenge to Souls is in how difficult it is for them to Spread Love. For, you see, it is Garbs who must do the choosing – must desire to spread love. The obstacle for Souls to overcome, then, is to find ways to inspire Garbs to be more loving in their choices.
When Garbs ignore their inner voice, the only remaining influence is their Mortal Mind. And this crafty brain tends to stick to a shallow reality of its own making.
Cut off from their spiritual side, Garbs let their Minds feed fears by conjuring strange and unlikely dangers. Feeling vulnerable, they build physical and social barriers to protect themselves.
So, in my view, the best way to restore Spiritual Equilibrium among humans is to help them see their True Reality, not the false one they believe to be real.
This led me to think of two key ideologies we teach in Elfin Human Studies. These frameworks explain how TempTerra works and how to make the most of each souljourning experience.
One, The Game of Life, shows how Souls and Garbs chase their goals. The other, Harmony Points, dives into why TempTerra’s challenges are so complex and intertwined.
And – most important of all – how Garbs might achieve their utmost happiness … by expressing Agape Love.
As I sat on the lake shore, lost in thought, a plan began to take shape. I realized that saving Humanity from itself would require more than just a clever strategy. It would need the help of thousands of spiritual and human contributors, each playing a crucial role. This was going to be a massive, history-changing team effort.
Believing in the power of collective wisdom, I figured the final Balancing Plan would be most effective if it came from a diverse, collaborative group – in here, in TempTerra, and back home in Everly. In addition, we would need an elite team of advisors to train, lead, and inspire everyone.
Yet, even as I prepared to hand over the reins of planning, one task I reserved for myself: the naming of the Initiative. The documents provided by the Senior Elder spoke of a ‘Spiritual Wobble’ within America, a deep imbalance crying out for correction.
And so, I chose ‘Subvention BASE’—a campaign to Balance America’s Spiritual Equilibrium. The name encapsulated our purpose with clarity and purpose. In that, I found a moment of stillness, knowing the mission was now grounded in its true form.
My first task was to assemble this larger team and then select a Base Leadership Team from within it. As a recruitment strategy, I decided to give two lectures, using them to evaluate my students’ understanding of the core concepts.
From The Game of Life, I hoped to describe the TempTerra experience in the context of every game’s Ten Elements – to show Humans that Life is a game indeed, and not to be taken more seriously than that. Perhaps this might help them to see that what they claim to be real, in all truth, is not.
I secured the Grand Theater for my presentation. To my surprise, within a remarkably short period, over 12,000 Souls had registered for the event. With these foundational steps in place, my attention shifted to preparing for the Talk itself.
I leaned back, inhaling the cool mountain air, and allowed my mind to open, seeking inspiration from the Infinite. In swift succession, three guiding concepts emerged: Time, Ego, and Divergence.
