Change Starts Within

“Try to realise it’s all within yourself, noone else can make you change” – George Harrison

As this site’s philosophy is about creating your own utopia, I figured I would start by outlining some of my own ideas that I’ve been pondering over the last year or so. I spent almost nine months travelling around South America using my spare time to develop the makings of a philosophy. It’s a bit muddled at the moment and I’m hoping this blog can help me iron out the creases, but to get started here’s a taste.

When it comes to the state of our world, there are a lot of problems like war, poverty, food supplies, global warming, etc. Many of us look to our political structures and world leaders to make the decisions that will benefit us all. A lot of hope is placed with people like Barack Obama to solve the problems of the world with the power entrusted upon him, and there is no doubt that he is a great leader. However, it’s simply not enough to choose a leader and expect them to fix everything (the existence of leaders is a vital component in life and worth discussion).

We have developed and tweaked our political structures for centuries now, and the result in our most developed countries is democracy. But to say this is a perfect system is a blatant lie. At best, it is the best system we have to deal with the insecurities and greed of humans. Socialism promises equality and to include everyone; yet it is historically laden with corruption that leads to stagnate if not worsening standards of living and increased poverty. Democracy deals with the corruption better (despite corporate donations and lobbying); however, to say I am empowered by my vote doesn’t fill me with much confidence. In Australia I am forced to vote from a range of parties with only two candidates having any realistic hope of winning. And often these parties offer almost identical policies. And if one does choose a policy that will benefit society as a whole it usually faces resistance from those who are set to lose a little wealth or power. Also, by definition, the majority vote will always win and leave minorities who feel hard done by and alienated.

All this left me dismayed for a time, so I began looking outside the proposed structures and saw the problem was the way in which change is always approached as a top-down process. The solution lies with the individual in society. The only way we can achieve a world that truly allows everyone to be happy and free is if we can eliminate the fear and greed that exists within us all; the same feelings that make us guard our borders with weapons and vote with our wallets. The only way to eliminate these feelings is when each individual is inspired to find peace of mind from within, and we begin to open up to each other and share our happiness.

Whatever happiness is derived from within, it always seems magnified when it shared. The relationships we form with friends and families, all our loved ones are so important and help us to discover much more joy and love than we would find alone. The phenomenon of community is so natural in many living things, especially humans, and it has the potential of being a worldwide community founded on the love and compassion of each individual. Imagine the whole world where each individual has developed an inner happiness that they feel compelled to share (even those in charge of powerful corporations and countries!!), and through this act of sharing we continue to evolve.

I know this seems far off and is very difficult to imagine when you consider the state of third world countries and the evils that have always existed, but the reality is that it must all start with each person undertaking their own journey. And don’t get me wrong, I myself am far from enlightened, but I have recognised the need for change and that the only way it can happen is if I actively seek it. We hope to use this site to inspire ways that each of us can find the strength and courage to unlock the infinite love within us. Bit by bit we can discover the energy we have and project it from the inside out, and others can feed off that energy and use it to inspire their own inner light and shine that light towards others!

- Eden (while listening to Perfect from Now On by Built to Spill)