Dearest One Golden Thread Community,
In the past six weeks, our world has seemed to spiral into more chaos and confusion. Amidst it all, I wish to share a contemplative pause, a clear message perhaps transcending into a beacon of light, as we gather in gratitude with our loved ones this week. Allow me to transport you back to the crisp Nevada desert on the evening of October 6th to begin our journey there.
Three dear friends and I embarked on a journey to The Rise Ritual, where we encountered a night of audacious beauty and transcendence. It was a moment brimming with gratitude and hope as several thousand souls set forth on an inspiring vertical voyage.
Each of us released eco-biodegradable lanterns into the night sky, scrawled with our personal intentions and prayers, a profound symbol of unwavering commitment to a harmonious future. It was an act proclaiming sovereignty as individuals, rising in solidarity.
As our wide eyes followed the lanterns ascending into the night sky, humanity, to the four of us, had never felt more beautiful and exalted.
Yet, at that very moment, as the clock struck 9:30 pm, halfway across the globe in the Middle East, a music festival was awakening in Israel. Tragically, this festival would become the scene of hundreds being brutally murdered by a terrorist organization. And the ensuing chain of events, still unfolding, has left many of us feeling paralyzed and heartbroken, punctuated by charlatan leadership - neither "side" well-representing its people - and a misguided war where there will be no winners.
As I meditated on what I wished to share, I retraced my steps to the audacious awe of October 6th at Rise…I offer below a prayer poem of what I see to be, an offering that begins within each of us. To receive the fullness of feeling as you read, I invite you to listen to the hauntingly beautiful song Man O To from the artist Nu, which played on repeat in my head while writing, a wonderful synchronicity explained near the signature at the bottom of The Thread...Now, I invite you to receive the below with an open heart to Rise...
May we see beyond the lie in disguise…
In rigidly choosing sides,
our hearts become calcified,
suffering of the other side rationalized,
our souls desensitized.
May you open your heart to see,
it’s no longer about "they" or "them,"
it’s not even about "us."
It's about "you" and "me."
Listening again to see,
our shared humanity.
It’s time to once again receive,
each other as branches of one tree.
Embracing empathy,
we meet each,
who choose love & soul,
as mutual open hearts to see,
realizIng one by one,
we have no enemies.
For all who yearn for peace,
there are not sides to seek.
To dissolve the walls that divide,
there is only a choice to choose, virtue - love -
as the path to unite...
I share the above with utmost humility, vulnerability, and awareness to honor that our world is complicated, and this is all complex, charged and highly nuanced. Yet I offer as we listen to our nature, yes, to tap our inner child, as adults, our individual ripple effect will create a reset container for our global humanity to thrive. Silence, in this case where what is leeching is hate, is not golden. Your heart and voice matter, by spreading a shared love thread that trumps hate.
As we embrace the spirit of Thanksgiving & each day forward, let us seize each moment to open our hearts, listen intently, to love unconditionally, to learn from one another with empathy, and to uplift each other in our shared humanity. Now, more than ever, is the time for us to stand together. Humanity flourishes when we stand together as one. By one by one.
I invite you to breathe it in, let it out, and draw in a renewed spirit. Our latest playlist - OGT Life #9 - is a 3 hour gift journey into the realm of Zen and inner peace. The first track encapsulates the essence of that desert evening of ascension—that song played while the balloons lifted is all about being surrendered in love.
We may not control the events unfolding outside, but together, we can stand for love and peace. Let us come together, embracing newfound trust, and committing ourselves to the creation of a brighter future. Now.
Regarding the synchronicity mentioned above: Receive this gift (click the video below) we created of the Rumi Love Poem "Man O To," sung by the enchanting Persian singer, Mahdieh.
As this all touches you, feel free to spread this Thread, sharing in your circle of gratitude.
With a heart brimming with gratitude and golden love, I love our One Golden Thread Community. Wear your threads in solidarity.
I can share that just by penning this Thread, it’s been healing for me, a catharsis. Please drop me a note and let me know how this landed for you. I welcome your voice.
Jeff Scult
One Golden Thread Founder & CEO
Ps. This is Thread #9. The number 9 is powerful. It represents completion, although not a final ending—more like the fulfillment of one cycle so that we can prepare to initiate the next one. It's a recognition of life's ongoing ebb and flow. How apropos. It’s time we each take a stand in the light. Here we grow.
