I was recently given a copy of the US constitution. And as someone who lives in England, where there’s no formal written equivalent, it’s easy to be endeared towards this document for it’s simplicity, clarity and how it manages to encase such idealism while being so practical.
I can only think that the words contained within it were chosen with precision, and this must surely bring joy to a lexophile like me, as well as those interested in the heart of the document. My favourite part so far is the beginning where the purpose of the constitution is laid out:
And let’s remember the historical context of the Consitution… It was all about escaping the tyranny of the British empire. And securing a collective power to ensure these purposes are fulfilled. Don’t you agree these are such beautiful ideals: Justice, Tranquility, Welfare, the Blessings of Liberty, Posterity. It’s said to be a living document*.
Are these ideals alive in your life??
Are you tranquil? Do you feel blessed with your liberty everyday? Does the abundance of your wellbeing overflow so much that those that follow you will also benefit?
The People Hold the Power
The Articles then go on to define certain powers; legislative powers, executive powers and judicial powers.
But where does the power come from? What is the source of power?
This is a question I’ll often ask my students when I teach English language classes. In my lessons the topic is always the same… It’s the most profound and fascinating topic of them all… It’s a topic of endless awe and sublime wonder. The topic is “YOU”.
Many of these students are still at school and when I ask them what it’s like at school in their country they almost always respond with that universally familiar expression of boredom. They’re not being educated, they’re being conformed. That spark of the excitement of learning is so close just behind their eyes, but in over 90% of the time, school fails to inspire. So I tell them they should do something about that… Can you guess their reply?
“Oh but we can’t do anything. It’s the system. It’s just the way school is”, they say.
So I ask them, “Who has the power?”
“The headmaster, the teachers”, is the usual reply. And of course this is where they’re are gravely mistaken.
As adults we make the same mistake everyday. When you look out into the world and see the injustice of preemptive nations and the panic spread by proxy armies; financial and social oppression and weaponised poverty; endemic sickness and hunger while health is at our fingertips; and the ignorance of our true nature and potential… When you see these things happening in your world, your planet and your country, how does it make you feel??
Do you feel powerful or powerless?
Our obedience training begins at an early age… by the time we’re adults we will automatically, sheepishly and robotically give our consent to almost any figure who takes the semblance of authority. It’s called the social transmission of acquired behaviour; i.e. most people will do something for no reason other than seeing others doing it.
And so we become watered-down versions of ourselves with no discernible voice of our own. We willingly surrender our sacred consciousness to the mooing group mind of society. We cower behind the false identities of others rather than take up our own.
Collectively, we become like prey… Like ten thousand Wildebeest who’ll turn and run from one lion.
Because they have no mind of their own… one gets spooked and sets another off and the rest just start running without even knowing why.
Can you imagine what would happen if that whole herd of 10,000 Wildebeest turned around and stood their ground with their piercing horns and deafening hooves? It would be the lion’s turn to cower and run.
Iceland Lead the Way
“Who has the power now?!”, I ask my students. Those wiley Wildebeest do of course. They had it all along.
“What would it be like if all of you at school, said with one voice, “No”? If you said no to the life-quenching boredom and the indoctrination of conformity, what would it be like? What could they possibly do?? Their teachers would have to listen. The system would have to change.
There’s a quote commonly attributed to Thomas Jefferson which reads, “Where the people fear the government you have tyranny; where the government fear the people, you have liberty.” We don’t know if he really said that but the sentiment lives on regardless. What would this look like in action? What if the power of authority was really in the hands of the people… empowered, awake and enlivened people?
It’s well documented that our current design of economy leads directly to poverty and injustice. We have a trickle-up economy where wealth flows from the resources of the planet, the water, the land and its food, through the hands of the common men and women, into the pockets, (and off-shore trading accounts), of those not-so-mysterious 0.01%ers.
Our money system creates poverty for the many and wealth for the few. Our central banks sell the money they conjure to other banks who then loan it to the public, which means that £100 costs far more than £100 to us!?! It’s the insanity of usury gone wild.
What did Iceland do when these bankstains brought their country to financial collapse in the late noughties? They ejected them and imprisoned them! They sacked their government and created a new constitution by referendum. They brought the supply of money back in to the hands of the people. They turned around and in one voice said “No” to the predators who were feeding off them.
In One Voice
In America you have a Union purposefully different from here in the United Kingdom, where we have had, “a history of repeated injuries and usurpations“, to quote the Declaration of Independence. Your constitution exists, “to form a more perfect Union“.
What can you be in one voice about? What can you all agree upon?
Here’s something you may find undeniable… If it’s true that governments derive their power from the consent of the governed, then it also must be true that you are the source of power for your whole nation. What ever country you live in… YOU are the power. Your confidence drives the economy and your labour directs it. Your choices about where to spend your money builds the character of your community. And the way you connect with your peers reflects your soul.
You hold the power. You always have and you always will. Everyday you make a choice about how to exercise your power. And it’s your Choice. Your free choice.
The Constitution of the United States is a reminder for all of us that we have the choice for Tranquility, Justice, Welfare and the Blessings of Liberty.
How will you manifest your power today?
*EDIT: There’s a use of the phrase ‘living document’ regarding the Constitution that allows it’s interpretation to be adapted. This differs from Originalist interpretations, which I believe are the only valid kind if you’re going to uphold such a document. My use of the phrase here is meant to imply the enduring heart of Liberty that burns in the chests of Americans.
Enacting your purpose is a sacred act of liberty. Khalil is offering you the opportunity to have a conversation about how to deepen your connection to your own power and manifest your purpose now. To get access to your no-cost conversation, contact Khalil here.
Khalil S. Patwa 