Is everything well, even though it is a mess?

A book that has had a huge influnce on me is Awareness by Anthony de Mello.

Here is a quote from the opening chapter.

You know, all mystics - Catholic, Christian, non-Christian, no matter what their theology, no matter what their religion - are unanimous on one thing: that all is well, all is well. Though everything is a mess, all is well. Strange paradox, to be sure. But, tragically, most people never get to see that all is well because they are asleep. They are having a nightmare.

Credit: Anthony de Mello

So what do you make of the idea that "all is well?"

When I reflect on the reality of the world in an everyday way then it is hard to see that "all is well" but deep down I understand what de Mello means.

Somewhere else in his book "Awareness" he says that "problems only exist in the human mind". If we look at the universe in its totality and from a perspective of its evolutionary history then its hard to see that it could be any different.

So maybe in a strange sort of way "all is well". That thought though should not stop us from striving to make it a better place!

But I think I know what Tony would have said "Don't try to change it - it will change of its own accord".

Quite a paradox indeed!