I’ve watched the change over of leadership in the USA with fascination. Trump replaced Obama. Now all sorts of things are rising to the surface around the world. Sometimes people think that being spiritual means keeping quiet about politics.

That oft repeated statement ‘Everything happens for a reason’. And I am certain it does. However, I also know that it is important for our spiritual development that we take a view of world events. If only to speak up for a better way of doing things. To remind ourselves that we are all connected. So what one person, one nation or one half of the world does will most certainly affect others. As someone brought up with the idea that America is the ally who will help us stay safe against the might of dictators across the world it’s been rather strange to watch the process now going on with Donald Trump. Not because I fear that bad things will happen. But because it really highlights something about humanity for me.

The USA is racing towards another set of elections. But it seems Trump is playing a somewhat better game of poker. After all, he is managing to please some of the people quite a lot of the time. Despite all of the protests and marches against his plans. He also seems to be taking a sledge hammer to all of the ideas and policies advocated by Barak Obama. It’s as if there is a personal vendetta ( at least on Trump’s side) against the former President. I do believe that it is personal. I also believe that the current President exists in a ‘One Up’ energy. He cannot be ‘One Down’. Therefore he competes as hard as possible to put all of those around him in a one down position. Yet he has singularly failed to get Obama into a one down position.

The Trump Vs Obama example can teach us a lot about ourselves too.

Competing agains each other implies there is always a winner. To get someone to give in and say yes, I’m one down. However, aggressive competition of the sort practiced by Trump reveals a different truth. He is a deeply insecure man who fears being one down. So deeply insecure that he can’t stand being laughed at. He takes himself so seriously that he flares into a rage if anyone makes him a figure of fun. Interestingly, Obama handles himself in a completely different way. He makes fun of himself. He is self aware enough to know that being President, being a leader of nations, requires a thick skin. And now that he has stepped down he retains a humility about his time in office that Donald Trump would never understand.

What Barak Obama shows us is the way to be ourselves. Neither one up or one down. Using the energy of competition to challenge ourselves. Not others. And to respect that one up, one down is a flawed response to the challenges that shape our lives. Trump is busy meeting the other One Up leaders of the world. The ones who have, as he sees it, enough power to challenge him. And he hopes to best them. So that his flunkeys and fan base will carry on thinking that he is a strong leader. In the process he has done immense damage to the standing of his county with it’s traditional allies. And I suspect that the USA may never recover from being placed one down to Trump. Not because of his policies. But because he wants to win at all costs.

In my life prefer to let one up people get on with taking themselves seriously. Whilst encouraging those who believe they are one down to find their uniqueness. And courage. Because that is what it takes to refuse to be one down. To deal with people with gratitude and humility. And to respect that we are all part of the same human race. To deal with what is already happening we really need to get along with one another now.

Day 950 of my blogging challenge