Light in the Midst of Dark

This is a message to the More To Life community in Cape Town, South Africa from Manndi Schuld, Chair of the Steering Committee for the MTL program there – a clarion call to proactivity in the middle of reactivity:

Dear More to Life Community
Exactly a week before Way of a Spiritual Warrior SA (South Africa) is due to start, Eugene Terreblanche, leader of the Afrikaner Weerstand Beweging, was allegedly murdered by 2 of his workers. Some say it was over a wage dispute, others say it is because Julius Malema, ANC Youth League President, sang the “kill the Boer” struggle song. The reason for the killing is not most important now – what matters most is how we are with the Lifeshock (something that happens). Are we reactive or creative, fearful or standing in compassion toward those three involved, and their families? We don’t know what drove those two men, it may have been the same fear that you are facing as you read this, just different circumstances.
Each one of us has a role to play in what is happening in this country, and here and now, again, Life is calling us to respond. The media has been reporting that racial tension is rising, murders are increasing, one in 3 women in SA is raped, 3 million children are going to bed hungry every day, we are the country with the world’s highest crime rate, etc. How are we responding to this? Where are we warriors and where ostriches? Are we victims or are we taking responsibility for our part.
Experience tells us that continuing to ignore the lifeshocks and resigning to them leads to larger and larger lifeshocks.
I had my lifeshock when I heard about the killing: I felt fear, I saw the footage on TV of radical political actions from the “old days” of apartheid, and then I cried. I was thinking of all those people in this country whose old wounds are re-opened, and who do not have the tools that you and I have to deal as proactively with the lifeshock. I was thinking of you, your families, my housekeeper, her children, and a friend of my housekeeper's that heard on Thursday that she contracted aids through her boyfriend. I can keep crying and stay resigned to what is happening, believing I am too small and alone to make a difference, or I can take action to create reconciliation, peace and love as a reality in my family, community and country.
I am grateful to More to Life for teaching me to take risks and have courage to speak my truth.
My invitation to you as my community and my family is to look with me to how we can make a difference. I invite you to join me on the journey of living More to Life every day, because by doing that we stay clear and connected. We can use our words and actions consciously to create a different world of unity, love and peace.
We are allowed to be assertive with those who create separation, fear and hate. What matters when we do that, is how we do that. I want to go so far and say we are  asked by Life to speak up, to stop playing small. We are called forth to speak the truth about what is happening, to keep ourselves and the people in power accountable. I am not just speaking of government, I am speaking to corporations, business owners, mothers, fathers and spiritual leaders.
I invite you to take up the tools that you have learned at the weekend and beyond and do your work. Make new choices not just for yourself but for this beautiful country we have. Take it to your workplace, help those who don’t have the tools to deal with their fears and resentments. Please don’t buy into the fear and the hate speech. Be the light in your environment, not the darkness.
Things that you can do to create a new reality in your life is to get a support partner and meet weekly, join the 6 session Mastery Class that starts on 12 April, get involved in leadership, join Leon’s team with Warren Kahn for the MTL weekend of 13 August. On offer is the focus course Art of Joyful Living in May. Help us to raise funds for the centre to function and to sponsor those who cannot pay for the weekend. Be an active member of the More To Life community in whatever way you feel moved to be. That will help us to take the work into places where it is desperately needed. Help us to enroll people in your life to do the weekend, so you can start speaking the same transformational language in your home and in your workplace. Enroll the people in your life to be your eyes on your blindspots. Speak up against gossip and words of death. Speak Life and Love.
BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE.
I am honoured to serve you and thank you for teaching me.
Much love

Manndi Schuld

From me:  Now you know why I love South Africans – passionate about the possibilities for their country, and a stunning country it is.