The Hindu myth of Durga slays the Buffalo Demon reminds me of what needs to happen here in the United States. Mahishasura attains such powers that he kicks all the gods out of the heavens and throws the world out of balance with his legions of demon armies.

 

All the gods, including Shiva, Vishnu and the like, are enraged, and from their blazoned power they send the radiant Goddess Durga. She is armed with every weapon she needs to take out the arrogant Mahishasura. Even though he shape-shifts and regains his power each time. Durga calmly slices and dices him up until finally Shiva’s Trident gives him a piercing blow to the throat, where the demon tries to escape as bile, yet Durga slices off his head.

 

This reminds me of what’s going on now in United States history. Unprescendented corruption, deception and robbery in our government. It’s Rome  and Mahishasura all over again. It’s the same story. The masses enslaved by their powerful, dark overlords. It’s man against the machine. And we have a big machine that we are all hooked up to – the economy.

 

 What good is this economic system if it does not serve the people? What good is bailing out a broken, greed-ridden financial system if there is no good education, arts, transportation, social services or health care for the people picking up the tab?

 

It’s actually amazing that people are shackled to this system. Bail out the wealthy dictators who got us into this mess! Support corporate welfare and keep the dictators in power. It’s truly shocking that we choose slavery. We chose the machine over freedom.

 

Bank executives will keep their high paying jobs at taxpayer expense! Incredible when there is no child left a dime at school. Children struggle, including my own, to learn to read and write in even the best schools. Is there even any art in the world any more? If we can print up lots of play money to bail out bankers, and making up money to pay for billions of dollars a month for nefarious war in Iraq, why in the world are we not printing up money to fund education, health care and the arts? Truly this is the Kali Yug. Something beyond reason and balance. It’s time to brush off our George Orwell books and read up on human nature. The myth of freedom prevails, truly this is a Matrix-esque society. We must only want the chains on. Benjamin Franklin said that the constitution was doomed to fail because the people would corrupt it, and only corrupt people can be led by a despot. Well! Looky what we have here!

 

Truly this all makes me excited. I am calm yet certain that more difficult times come ahead. What I’m looking forward to is the power of Durga’s fierceness. Heads are going to roll for a while and it will be tough, but after the Kali Yug comes the Satya Yug, trusth and peace will prevail. Our hearts will lead rather than the darkness. What else do we have to live for? These times call for extreme patriotism and heroism. Barack Obama is a hero standing up to the Old Regime that John McCain and George W. Bush stand for. He evokes that hero within us all to fight for freedom and justice.

 

It’s a sacrifice, letting go of fear and letting fierceness come in. And that comes from the heart. What are we afraid of? Living out of a box? Not being able to purchase food on our credit cards and not being able to buy the morning lattee? The heart opens up to these things and answers in a profound way. Without words and without fear, there is just taking a stand, doing something you believe in and fighting for what’s right. What else is there? Because in the end Durga gets you anyway. You return to the earth from which you came, but the experiences and service you did while here are what gives your life meaning. Durga cuts everything away. Lose everything, gain yourself. What are we afraid of? Only the ego is afraid. Fight. Open your heart. When you really feel the heart open, there is no fear. There is only love and the sword of justice swings easily from there. It’s a great day to die!

 

To fight for children’s rights to health and education. That’s where I’m at. This administration says it’s pro life, however, as children languish I see otherwise. It’s up fascism. Please read Erich Fromm’s classic Escape From Freedom, which outlines fascism as a wholly psychological problem, that we are afraid of our freedom. We give it away to the Bushes and other dark princes of the world. But that freedom is in the heart, it goes beyond the material world and it pierces the entire cosmos. Get a taste of it from Durga and there is no turning back.

 

Now is the time in history to make waves. Give me liberty or give me death, Patrick Henry said. Let’s brush off the history texts and remember patriotism is for the people. And Durga gives us some great strength to get the job done. Just say no to the bailout. Get noisy about health care and education and power to the people. It’s happening already, and as things get worse, and they will, your heart and voice is needed more than ever.