Michael Brownstein on Reality Sandwich

What the Egyptian Revolution Means
 Michael Brownstein

Surging through the streets in uncountable thousands, burning policestations to the ground, convincing army troops of their commonality, spontaneously organizing themselves to protect property, direct traffic, and deal with emergencies, smoking out Mubarak’s attempt tocapitalize on the inevitable looting and violence, they are revealing to the world a new national template: self-organization.

Let's Burn the Flags of All Nations
 Michael Brownstein

Let’s burn the flags of all nations
No more nation-states
No more patriotism
Try it, you’ll like it

Fred Astaire in the White House
 Michael Brownstein

Remember Obama's campaign slogan? "Yes we can." Yes we can what? Stand the robot of monoculture up on its wheels again? Our challenge goes beyond universal health care, economy, and environment. It is no less than pulling the plug on 8000 years of Empire.

The Near Future
 Michael Brownstein

What will the word "human" mean/in 2025, not that far away, really/when everybody will be in possession/of one little room the size of their heads/dreaming revelatory dreams?

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"Banish the word 'struggle' from your attitude and your vocabulary. All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration. We are the ones we have been waiting for." — Hopi elders

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Michael Brownstein

About Me

Bio

Michael Brownstein is a poet and the author of three novels: Country Cousins, Self-Reliance, and The Touch. He has taught literature and writing at the University of Colorado, Naropa Institute and Columbia University. As a result of his involvement in the anti-globalization movement he wrote World on Fire, from which he has read widely at conferences and universities, including at the World Summit for Sustainable Development in South Africa and the World Social Forum in Brazil.

Michael is also a Buddhist. For him, political awareness and awareness of nature of mind are essentially the same. In "Killing the Madman," published in Arthur magazine (March, 2005) he discusses how to deal with the outrage and indignation many of us feel. Staying present means remaining aware of what we experience without becoming lost in reactivity. We are the source of our emotions -- not Monsanto or WalMart. Realizing this gives us the space to create a sane world.

He has trained in core shamanism with Michael Harner and Tom Cowan as well as with indigenous healers in South America. Shamanic work has become part of his daily life. Journeying to the spirit realm, he set aside time to heal Dick Cheney's heart (healingdick.com)because he believes simple protest won't change what is basically a demonic intrusion into our lives. The murderous, out-of-control behavior afflicting us worldwide has to be dealt with spiritually as well.