634 thoughts on “My Experience with Refugees”

1. From the outside looking in we can think people are different but when we meet them with an open heart we know we are all the same.

2. There is an Airline that has employees from all around the world working for them as they are a huge organisation and I am told that everyone gets on and works together no matter what religion or country they come from, each person is contributing to the overall success of the Airline.
   And yet in many of these countries there is civil unrest as one religion fights for dominance over another. Too me what this Airline is showing the world is that we can all get on with each other, by respecting cultural differences, and choices because who is to say one religion is ‘better’ than another? To see that there is a bigger picture than just being an individual with religious intolerances.

   1. We can get on together, we are all equal, a great example of this in life Mary.

3. I love living in London because of the vast mix of different people there. Sticking with ‘your own’ helps create bias which breeds judgement and comparison.

4. Feeling the inner equality of everyone is so simple when we are connected to our essence, so one day this will become a normal way of understanding that life is about the energy we can connect to as you have shared Janina.

5. “Why is it not about love, brotherhood and respect but more about provoking the differences between religions so they start fighting against each other…” Our news is saturated with corruption and violence, wars and various difficulties, as a global community we aren’t talking about values enough, things like integrity, respect, decency and love, these are what we need to build together. My feeling is that we will not halt the deep negativity in this world until we begin to live these values together and nurture them in each other.

   1. Absolutely, we need to build values like decency, care, and love, ‘things like integrity, respect, decency and love, these are what we need to build together.’

6. ‘I have been looking the other way from this situation for a long time; I did not want to know what was going on in the world. I am now very interested to read about war, violence, hate, rape… it is very confronting and, yes, painful. I have been inspired by the contact I have with the families from Syria, really enjoying being together with them, and I started to open up myself to the whole world and what is actually going on. It is easy to look away as long as our life is safe and comfortable.’ Amazing and very inspiring. Absolutely we are all equal and every person deserves to be treated with respect and dignity. What came to me while reading this was the trauma these people have already been through in within their countries that is huge let alone then getting into an unstable boat to travel over 7 days in cramped conditions leaving all that they know behind. This is like trauma on top of trauma. So it is great that you could connect to some of these people and bring all that you are and allow them to be all that they are.

   1. It is lovely to read how Janina connected with these people and shared her qualities and love with them.

7. Regardless of our place of origin, we can each find a place in the heart of our neighbour or even better – find place in our heart for our neighbour. I remember being brought up in Bulgaria, we were educated to despise Turkey & the Ottoman Empire. Our whole history revolves around the poor Bulgarian people who were born and lived during the time when the Ottoman Empire had rule over Bulgarian Land. So, I grew up hating Turkish people, so much so that I was beside myself when my parents wanted to go on holiday to Turkey. But come 2008/2009 when my family and I moved to a quiet suburb area of North West London with some Turkish neighbours. These people were so warm, so welcoming and so genuine that my whole perception and everything I had built against Turkish people had to disappear – I no longer had a ground to stand on and say that Turkish people are horrible people. So it really doesn’t matter our place of birth, the history of the country we were born in or whatever else we choose to hook onto in order to hate another nation or a person of a different race – our disconnection and discrimination comes from our own values and perceptions of the world.

   1. I spent some time in Japan over 20 years ago, when I was in homestay with a family the teenage daughter and her friends were in a deep discussion about something, I asked them what they were talking about and they replied that it was ‘about the Koreans and how much they hated them.’ I then found out it was a common thing in Japan to have racism towards Koreans, I’m not sure why but your story reminded me of this and how racism and bigotry can be generational. I’m sure the girls would have been surprised to actually meet Korean teenagers and realise they were just the same, not horrible at all. As babies we don’t discriminate, just meet each other and play together, so we can see from these two stories how beliefs and unhealed hurts can lead to division…. and later war. As human beings we all need to get together with different people and talk and break down these silly barriers that come from our mind, and come back to living from our hearts.

      1. Our schooling system actually educates us to discriminate.

      2. How sad that this changes as we grow older, ‘As babies we don’t discriminate, just meet each other and play together’.

8. The treatment or mis-treatment I should say of refugees is disgraceful, whenever we treat a fellow brother as being less this highlights the fact that we are still living in a very supremacist society. We need more conversations like these to break down the racism that still exists in the world today.

9. It is great to clock where I still hold people as different because of the colour of their skin or their culture or language or so on.

10. We spend so much time focusing on differences and fears (that are often born from ignorance), we really need to remain open to learning and open to understanding our fellow human beings, after all we are not so different wherever we are born. I feel that we have everything within us to work together to bring harmony and support for whole communities that bring in refugees, there is truly nothing we cannot achieve if we work together.

    1. Absolutely, working together we are more powerful, ‘we need to work together’.

11. No matter what nationality we are, people are people, there is no difference really in our substance. Why we make it that we are different is something unknown to the heart.

    1. Exactly, we are the same, ‘ in our hearts, we are all the same, and in truth there is no such thing as separate nationalities.’

12. “I see the refugee situation for us in Germany as a great opportunity to stop staying individual and thinking “What is best for me?,” I totally agree, it’s a great opportunity to stop only considering what is best for ourselves and to begin to really care about everyone else on the planet and begin to ask – what is best for everyone?

    1. We are all connected energetically, so what we do to another has an effect on self.

    2. I agree Meg we all have to live on this planet, it’s all we have so it would make much more sense if we all got on together instead of highlighting our differences. As someone said in the comments as children we play with each other regardless of colour or nationality. So where do these prejudices come from?

13. Things have to be really desperate if you are prepared to risk your own life and those of your children in order to flee a country that no longer offers you any safety, it is part of our human nature to accept others and offer a helping hand, however it is always a choice and when we choose love first we welcome others with no judgment.

14. “But we need to work together” when we meet someone, or people, and connect with them we realise that the language they speak may be different but the language of the heart is the same in all of us.

15. If we listen to the news and the hype about refugees (both for and against) we muddy our willingness and ability to just meet them as people. As in this blog, this is where the magic of finding we are really all the same can happen.

16. A super powerful article Janina on how we can be together with each other, regardless of background or culture. Seeing past that to the essence of what is within a person helps us realise that there are no differences.

17. “When I close my eyes and open my heart and feel the person, we are connected – we are one” – this is so beautiful, and true. We all know this to be true.

18. Culture is what we have used to divide us – but really we are all the same – we all start off exactly the same and it is our conditions that can shape us. But if we choose to see beyond the environment, there is little difference. It is part of our evolution to see each other as equals.

19. We curse each other with labels when actually as you’ve shared we are all equal and capable of great brotherhood and openness.

20. How convenient it is to keep the shutters down and the sunglasses on and the blinds drawn from the fact that we are simply all one… Because then how on earth could we justify the separation.

21. Thank you Janina, your experience shows us we are all people first and we are not so different from each other. We are all responsible for the quality of the world we live in and how we treat each other.

22. There is an energy running in the world that is old and gets fed and recycled here and there: the energy of forceful destruction. Its consequences are always devastating. And, we do not seem to learn that we have to deal with this energy at its root. Instead of asking ourselves, why is this energy still at play, we made it about ‘their’ problem, avoiding looking if there is anything in my life feeding it. Although, not an easy one, and painful as it is, the fight is about the management of the consequences; which is necessary if the energy is not addressed.

    1. Eduardo what you are saying makes sense to me
       “we do not seem to learn that we have to deal with this energy at its root.”
       because none of us want to take responsibility for this energy of destruction by reining it it in, we are all feeding the energy by buying into the false ideals, beliefs etc., which are not ours to begin with but are given to us by this forceful energy, so we are recycling the same energy which keeps us all stuck in the energy of being bigots.

23. Taking the blinkers off from the abuse in our world is the first step to resolving that behaviour. Only with each one of us seeing it, and saying no longer can it continue will the world change.

24. When people connect with people they are impulsed to act, to change, to share the atrocities we are choosing not to see. Such is and has been the work of those on the ‘front line’ for eons. Yet within moments the readers, the listeners, yes we, can get distracted by our comfort and forget what is going on out there. The fact we have countries and borders and treat people as less than we would treat ourselves is impulse enough to live a more connected and engaged way.

25. Things have to be pretty dire at home for people to risk their lives and the lives of their young children, and then to relocate without knowing what the future holds.

26. Every single human being on this planet is in essence the same, no one is more or less than another, this is not possible as we come from a whole and a oneness which has an identical source. We are all learning to live in brotherhood again and to love each and everyone the same.

27. “When I close my eyes and open my heart and feel the person, we are connected – we are one.” Such beautiful words Janina, ones that have the power to heal the separation we have created between us. Refugees are people too, just like you and I, and their unique expression has a part in the world, just as ours does. So perhaps if we began to heal the separation within us the separation within countries and people will slowly begin to heal as well. We won’t know until we make the choice to do so.

28. We support each other in learning to reveal again our own self-worth. This is a reflection we can share with everyone.

29. The refugee problem in the world belongs to all of us and it is up to us to work together so that we end the reason why we have refugees in the first place.

30. As a very wise man said once… Let us, that is humanity, live without Borders, without separation, just for a while, experience the true connection that is possible, and see what happens.

31. We are all equal sons of God, everyone deserves to be treated with decency and respect and to be reminded the truth of who we really are, anything less than that creates separation.

    1. Yes, everyone deserves to be treated with decency and respect.

32. When we stand opposite another human being with our eyes closed and allow ourselves to feel the essence of the other and surrender to what our body wants, we all are magnetically pulled towards the other. And it doesn’t matter where that other person is born, lives or what age he/she is when we don’t hold back we just also literally want to be close to another and connect.

33. The key is keeping our hearts open to other human beings and being willing to learn first hand what is going on, and not letting the media or societal prejudices influence our true nature of connecting in harmony and understanding with one another.

34. People are people no matter where they are from. The fact that we allow skin color, culture, religion, language and boarders to keep us separated causes us endless misery and disharmony.

35. “We need to remember that all of us, including refugees, are equal human beings”. If every single one of us lived with this knowing what a different world we would live in; a world based on equality and brotherhood and a world without war.

36. When we actually meet people and walk beside them we know we are all the same but when we keep our distance and rely on our individual beliefs about others we create separation between us.

37. When we have experiences such as this, to meet someone who is open and willing to meet us as we are is deeply healing for everyone and shows us the way forward together.

38. People’s experiences are very powerful. They bring us all to a more connected space because they are no longer 2nd or 3rd hand experiences.

39. Often we can turn a blind eye to what is happening in the world until it happens directly to us. I feel it is important that we take the time to connect and listen to people’s stories because through this we are able to build understanding and through understanding love, honesty and equalness.

40. We are indeed part of a worldwide society but prefer to keep our world small and secure, not wanting to make adjustments or sacrifices in our comforts to allow others to be safe and raise their children in an environment without threat and fear. This is confrontational and should make us wonder about what we truly need and how much of what we have we can share with those in need.

41. Personal contact is key to breaking down these barriers of separation and protection. When we personally connect we realise that we are all people, who want the same thing – to be loved, to love, and to be connected to each other, to the divine and to nature. The rest comes from there.

42. This shows how words can feed us images. How the word refugee prompts an image of someone who is stranded and yet are we not all a mix of ethnicity? Are we not all from everywhere? But we are not branded that way. At the end of the day – we are people no matter where we are born or what language we speak.

    1. Words do so much harm – or should I say how we manipulate, re-interpret and use words is what determines whether words harm, distract, derail or heal, connect and build.

    2. Yes, we are all from elsewhere true. It is very revealing to look at how a situation or someone is framed and then fed to us, and how that can pollute the truth of a situation. Imagine if a different unifying language was used.

43. There is much to learn about true Brotherhood from the reflection that refugees offer to all of humanity to be aware of.

44. As you have done here so beautifully Janina, we have to first put ourselves in the shoes of the refugees and feel what it would be like to have experienced what they have. What always amazes me though is why we as a global society are choosing war based on religious differences in the first place when the results have always been so catastrophic for everyone involved? It seems like total insanity to me, and certainly not in line with a so-called ‘advanced intelligent civilisation’ that we claim to be.

45. You have touched on some of the main emotions that create an unwelcoming attitude towards refugees. Fear, ignorance and security seem to be behind most of the issues people have with refugees. As with your case, we realise how similar we are and we get to develop understanding when we actually get to know real people rather than having a distant, uninformed relationship with a group such as refugees.

    1. Yes in this sense are we not all equally responsible for looking at our own insecurities, fear and ignorance that feeds the lie that these are actually outside of us, and someone else is to blame.

    2. What I find fascinating about the refugee situation in Europe where countries are closing their borders and not allowing the refugees to enter by building massive fencing that stretches for miles. Is, not that long ago during World War Two the people of these same countries were refugees themselves trying to get themselves and families as far away from the war as possible and many migrated to various parts of the world. So you would think that these people living in these countries would have a greater understanding of what it is to be a refugee? We all need to learn to live with each other whatever the colour of our skin or nationality.

46. Its easy to be fearful and then not want refugees around when we see them as refugees rather than ordinary people. A great opportunity Janina to not only challenge your own beliefs on this, but to connect to ordinary people who are no different to anyone else. This is super important for the beliefs we have often create difference.

47. How awesome it is when we open up our hearts the world steps in with more connections and opportunities to learn. We then feel the honesty of what is truly going on in it’s raw state and can choose to avert our gaze or walk from who we are and share and learn together. The world can be one if we but first take the first step to see over the fence and observe the honesty that is standing right before us.

48. At the moment, the imbalance in the world is truly disturbing, and is a reflection on the extraordinary lack of understanding that we are indeed one, and that there is no separation.

    1. This blog is an example of where we can choose to live from that unites all if we make life about relationships and not border control.

49. The history of mankind is plagued with episodes where people either were killed or had to flee their home places because their lives were in danger there. We are where we were. Nothing has changed.

    1. Just because the outer world has changed in the sense of infrastructure, technology, medicine, architecture, agriculture, etc, doesn’t mean that we as human beings have truly changed. Just because the outer world is different doesn’t mean we aren’t repeating the same cycles over and over including self abuse, abuse of others, corruption, war, etc.

       1. What you are both saying should be a huge wake up call to humanity because what you are both saying Eduardo and Melinda is that we are repeating the same cycles as eons ago, we have not progressed at all we have involved if there is such a word rather than evolved.

50. This blog is spot on – we can’t cast people out or treat them differently based on where they ‘come from’ or their history, because underneath the surface we are all the same. Since when did it become a ‘trend’ to discriminate against others because of their identity, anyway? So many people abuse refugees, other ethnic groups or religions not only face-to-face but also viciously online, but no matter how ‘powerful’ or bettered this might seemingly make someone feel, abusing your fellow brothers is not glamorous or powerful in any way. True power is being able to work with others and be consistent in life and in relationships with everyone.

    1. There was a period here recently where the Australian government was promising to turn back the refugee boats to hook more voter favour, and there was a definite air of fear mongering around the word “refugee” by both politicians and in the media. I find that deeply disturbing because true refugees are some of the most vulnerable peoples in the world, fleeing from unimaginable danger.

51. Thank you Janina for this brilliant article as, although it makes me feel incredibly sad, I reckon it is worth seeing the truth of how everyone is living on earth, and what strikes me about your article is how much more rich and depth-full my understanding has become from reading your first hand experience of the people you are writing about, which brings in to question the current quality and the overall purpose of journalism.

52. This was great to read to get a first-hand account about the refugee’s in Germany. It is hard to imagine what it is like to be forced from your home. It seems like refugees are breaking down nationalism and separation, for themselves and the people who live in their adopted country. Once again we get to see we are all the same and there is one country, one humanity.

    1. I agree Fiona – we only ever hear what the media wants to report, but the personal stories of peoples experiences always amaze me because they give me a insight into the reality at least for a few people.

    2. Nationalism can be so dangerous, if we simply connect to our common values of decency, respect and common sense we know how to treat all the different peoples of the world. As soon as we mark and label people with country names, nationalities, cultures, religions, etc, then we can get tribal and imagine dangers that may not truly exist. Nationalism is just another form of separation from the unity and brotherhood that we are able to naturally live.

53. Why have we still not learnt that war is not the answer? How we live on a day to day basis in our relationships, in our family, is this loving and harmonious, what reflections are we putting out to the world?

54. A lot of people think that places like Syria are in no way beautiful countries and because of what is being experienced there by many suggests it is in no way safe part of our planet to go to. Yes it is not safe around other humans there unfortunately because of war or conflict but these places are very very beautiful with much lush areas of nature and in fact most have originally been living like most of humanity. There are farmers, labourers etc just like anywhere else. The pictures of the media shape our perceptions unfortunately and we tend to as a result dismiss what these places truly offer us.

55. We are all human beings. We are all people. We are all equal. When we make it about people, and not about fear, we can see what is needed to be done and go about doing it.

56. Through learning more about what is truly happening in the world we can understand what is needed to address it.

57. Before we go to war or agree that our Government goes to war we ought to consider the human toll not only in terms of potential lifes lost but also the amount of displaced people that comes from it. We therefore have a responsibility to those people to support and care for them when our actions have affected them.

    1. Such common sense you speak Elizabeth… and if we address the truth of separation within ourselves we would not be continually facing the consequences and ‘clean up’ of living as individuals separate from each other and the whole we are a part of.

58. A beautiful sharing Janina on the joy true connection brings and the choice to make life about service to humanity and the deeper understanding of the whole this brings.

59. “We need to remember that all of us, including refugees, are equal human beings. ” We do indeed need to remember this Janina. We are all the same under the skin, but reading reports about refugees, racism, the current slave trade and anyone who is ‘different; from us gets short shrift. What are we afraid of?

60. Janina you have asked many good questions here, about why we still have war and division, could countries do more for other countries to prevent escalations that lead to refugee crises, and shouldn’t we have systems in place to support those genuinely seeking refugee status to enter countries more easily? These questions simply ask us to return to a common respect and decency. I also agree with this line, that “It is easy to look away as long as our life is safe and comfortable.”

61. The all pervasive, “what is best for me” taking us further away from our true nature. If we are naturally equal whoever we are, then what is the poison we drink when we want to drive people out of our space. It is driven by fear, and self interest, but ultimately we lose out ourselves and diminish our communities when we make it about what is “best for me”. We can always turn this on its head and say, what can I offer others, and then in doing so we actually get rewarded more than we ever could by only looking after I and “our own”.

62. The more we open up and connect with others the more we can learn, share and understand how we all are one and we can all grow together. It is only in separation or exclusivity that we all then lose because we then hold stagnant and stuck in old patterns that in truth serve no one.

63. How did the Cathars live towards the end of their time, did it include all, or did they keep more within their circle of people who lived in a similar way, a comfortable life? We are all equal, equal sons of God, we are here to live brotherhood with all.

    1. A great reminder Lorraine on the importance of not living an insular and protected life in anyway… our reflection is needed more than ever.

64. It has been very impressive how Germany has handled this huge issue and will now benefit from the demographic boost of having a lot of new young people.

65. Is there still an element of feeling exclusivity with us all in different aspects of life, that we get comfortable in an area, and are not open to change?

66. ‘in truth there is no such thing as separate nationalities’ At a time when we all need to come together under one unified humanity I am noticing more countries wanting to become independent states and separate from each other. With all the technology that can unit us, that we can see how we are all, in essence, the same we are choosing to separate, to fend for just ourselves and not consider others. And I need to look at the ways I shut people out, think just of myself and don’t connect within to myself which also connects me to us all.

67. If we put a fraction of energy into understanding each other and accepting all that we each bring to the global community in which we live rather than undermining, alienating and dividing if not unleashing fury towards anyone that appears on the outside to be different than us, then we will move more closely towards a one- unified society.

68. I absolutely can feel the equalness that we all are and yet when I do not want to feel the enormity of the refugee crisis I see how I separate myself from others even in my own circle of life.

69. Thanks for sharing Janina. The word refugee has become a political topic, an issue, a problem for us to deal with…Your blog really puts people back into the equation. Refugees are not an issue, they are people.

70. Migrants and refugees absolutely are equal human beings to all of us, well said Janina, to love someone less just because they don’t come from our clan, culture, nationality or any other dividing factor is putting up barriers that harm us all.

71. Opening our hearts to everyone we meet is a great start to opening our boarders. Everything starts with us.

    1. … agree and it starts with connecting to the love within us. To befriend ourselves and look at the separation that may still exist in our own body, life.

72. I try to imagine myself in the situation of having to flee my home and leave everything and then try and set up life from scratch in another country. I cant begin to comprehend how that would feel, but then on top of that to be treated like you were not wanted, a burden to others. That must be crushing. What is life about, if we are not able to extend a hand to help others in need?

    1. Yes – crushing is an accurate way to describe it I would say. I think part of the problem is labeling people as ‘foreign’ or ‘migrants’ – words used to de-humanise rather than to acknowledge them as our fellow brothers.

73. Recently I learned that after WW2 several million Germans from the eastern parts that belonged to Germany until it lost the war came to live in the parts that were going to become the German Federal Republic. They were mostly treated like strangers, non-Germans, immigrants and it was a process of decades until they finally were integrated. So obviously it doesn´t take a different nation or culture to cause “the insecurity and fear of other cultures, the possibility of financial disadvantage, like less income as a consequence of so many refugees”. In hindsight it can be said that 25% of the German population is made up of ‘German’ immigrants. Facing the refugee situation today actually should not be a big deal as the lesson could have been learned then – but it wasn´t. So when will we open up to learn and develop a different understanding of what it means to be fellow brothers, all of us, every human being no matter where they live, come from or go to?

    1. I remember growing up in Germany and in 1969/70 holidaying in a village and a newly-built part referred to as “where the refugees live”. Today that distinction has disappeared.

74. Open our hearts and feel the same essence in us all and it is very difficult to separate into the us and them.

75. Open hearted and without judgement we change the world… simple.

76. ‘When I close my eyes and open my heart and feel the person, we are connected – we are one.’ That’s it Janina. I can feel the same. The heart is clearer than any image that comes to our eyes, and definitely there are no differences there

77. It is only man that separates and divides through countries, nationalities and religious views, trying to hang onto something with a vengeance for identity and the need for control. This goes totally against our natural inclination to help and work with our fellow brothers.

78. ‘in truth there is no such thing as separate nationalities’ I couldn’t agree more. For example, Brexit is an ongoing devastation and I am clinging to the possibility of a revote! In the last few days I’ve been listening to the formation of Pakistan and how over a million people died as 15 million migrated to the country they felt represented their religion and was more secure. And 70 years on the antagonism between the two countries continues. Segregation doesn’t work. We need to start learning from history.

79. This blog should be read by everyone! Especially, at this moment the French government. Reading about the latest on the refugees in Calais it is shocking to hear how families feeling extreme danger with only a tent and a few belongings are woken up in the middle of the night by the police slashing their tents as they sleep and telling them to get out. This is appalling to hear – one family had a member in a wheelchair unable to walk or talk. A village member was letting refugees have a shower at her place but had to keep it secret – it is sounding like the Jewish plight in WWII even more than ever.

    1. It is amazing how we somehow recognise the awfulness of the past but somehow cannot see the same story in the present. Somehow we colour the present in a different shade to disguise the fact, for example slavery is thriving under the name of human trafficking. Yes, this blog needs reading by all. Wouldn’t it make a wonderful change if it were front pages of the papers rather than inciting and condoning bigotry.

80. This is a gorgeous sharing, Janina. It’s very easy to ignore problems such as the refugee crisis when sitting in the comfort of a western country that has wealth and is not at war. It is comfortable living in the separation we have created especially being in the ‘have side of the equation’ rather than the ‘have not’ side…but in that comfort there is an emptiness and a distance. Connecting to refugees, as you have done, Janina feels very joyful and enriching. Clearly all countries need to take the lead from Germany and support those who need it.

81. I am so impressed with what the German Nation is doing in regard to the Refugee situation in the world today. I cannot see why we here in Australia cannot take many more of our brothers and sisters of other Nations into our country when we are so rich in comparison to so many. We have no wars and are very well placed with space to take more who are suffering.

82. “We need to remember that all of us, including refugees, are equal human beings.” Yes the word refugee holds a loading of them being less than the people originally living in a country which allows much horror to happen and inhumane situations to be allowed because they are ‘just refugees’. That makes me think of another part of your blog that ask if we can truly have harmony in one country when there is war in another? That we can treat people who have fled from dangerous places in an inhumane way or ignore them shows that we are not living in true harmony here either. Otherwise this would definitely not be possible.

83. One day there will be no borders, and we shall all walk the earth as One.

84. It is very easy to say that the current refugee crisis is not our problem as it does not affect us, but in truth we are responsible of what is currently happening in the world as we have let ideals and beliefs interfere with us creating separation with all other human beings when we are all the same, and are meant to live as equal sons of God embracing and caring for one another- True brotherhood.

85. The severity of harm, war, violence and poor livelihood must be very extreme for people to have to risk their lives, the lives of their children and leave everything behind in HOPE to be let into a country – and that is not even a guarantee. The fact that refugees is even a term shows us how far away we are from living a harmonious and equal brotherhood.

86. We are all the same… Everyone of us have cells and particles that can, given the opportunity and the spark, ignite into a love of the divine that will guide everyone to their own true heart, and humanity will be united.

87. Thank you Janina, this is a great opportunity for all to let go of any pictures or misconceptions we have about other cultures and start to appreciate and value the reflection that they offer us to be more love and understanding and to feel what true brotherhood is all about.

88. I love the opportunity to challenge myself to look past skin and clothing and connect with an individual, there is so much that I have had the opportunity to learn because of the world travellers to cross my path.

    1. Yes Nicole – Once we start to see with our hearts we will not be owned my the images we see with our eyes alone.

89. Thank you Janina, this is a great opportunity for all to let go of any pictures or misconceptions we have about other cultures and start to appreciate and value the reflection that they offer us to be more love and understanding and to feel what true brotherhood is all about. We need to take responsibility of why we have allowed these countries get to this level of despair when we are all equally sons of God so it is up to us to support them and teach them another way to live that is supporting and loving for all.

90. What is the point of countries being financially sufficient if the money is not used to support people. For is this not what the true use of money should always be? I also wonder how there is fear that there will not be enough work for everyone, when business will expand, new ones open and many requiring extra staff due to the extra volume of people. If we work with supporting each other in mind, everything else will be there as we need it.

91. What in inspiration you are Janina! We need to let go the fear of other Countries and their religions and customs and as you say see them as our equal Brothers. Sons of God as we are .With acceptance comes love.

92. This is a beautiful piece.. We certainly are all equal, and human souls in Syria and Iraq are of great great value. And no one deserves to face all the hardships refugees face..

93. Thank you Janina, I can feel that at times I have given my power away to the beliefs and emotions generated by the media in terms of how I may view refugees. We know as human beings they are simple other human beings in strife and struggle, yet instead of living from our hearts and trusting what we know is true we buy the images of refugees the media (and governments) may sell to incite reaction, self protection, emotion and divisiveness.

94. A great testimony to the fact that we are all the same at heart and that all outer distinctions such as race, colour, religion and culture, are artificial and not a true reflection of our innermost being at all.

95. This is beautiful Janina. The topic of refugees can trigger a lot of protection where we just want to own and preserve where we are blessed to be living. Canada has a very open approach to refugees, it is actually worth looking into their programs to see how beneficial they have been for everybody involved, they also give the rest of the world a lot to consider.

    1. Thank you Abby this is a great example of how we allow our lives to be owned by beliefs and images without question, how we give our power to these things as if they are true yet countries such as Canada are there as a living evidence to study and dispute the validity of such beliefs.

96. “”In truth there is no such thing as separate nationalities.” So true Janina, we all are interconnected by our inner makeup of particles and cells just like the universe we too live in. Making everything and everyone connected and showing us that we are indeed all made of the same stuff and that we are all responsible for what is happening around the world.

97. We certainly are all the same in our hearts. When we bring it back to DNA we are all connected and this is very beautiful – but we do not truly behave this way to one another.
    There is an opportunity here – with all the going on in the world and the separation – to truly appreciate just how connected we all are.

98. We all have a sense of belonging together but have made it about a specific group, family or nation and thus have learned to stand in separation to others. As you point out Janina, we are all innately the same and our hearts beat to the same rhythm – love. It is time that we drop the barriers and frontiers and let each other in sharing all that what truly works for us and supporting and learning from each other.

99. There are many who celebrate nationalism and our diverse cultures as that which gives colour and depth to humanity. Personally, I would suggest that they do more to separate us than anything else, and to prevent us from having to understand our connection to the global society that we all live in.

100. Singing together, really can bring a sense and knowing of harmony, brotherhood. I have experienced this in a group, it is wonderful just to harmonise with no words, together, a sense of unity is developed.

101. I watched a comedian last night show how ridiculous it is to fear, hate or be prejudice towards migrants or refugees. He was saying they have just moved from living there to here so why fear them now they are here when we didn’t when they where there.

102. The trauma and horror that many refugees need to face to find a safe place to live is something many of us in the West do not consider, and yet it is a very real experience for many.

103. The word ‘Refugee’ is an interesting one. It comes with connotations and judgement, placing people in a box. If we are one humanity all living on this planet together, in truth there are no refugees, just equal human beings.

104. What is it going to take for us to realise that war is not the answer, ‘Is the fact that so many countries (not only Syria) are at war, where people fight against each other day in and day out and citizens are not safe,’ We are meant to be intelligent human beings, but clearly do not always learn from our past mistakes.

105. A great reminder that regardless of labels of any kind, we are all the same and as such we should open up our hearts to everyone… for separation from each other causes great harm and there are many suffering. The connection we can offer when we do so, as you have shown, can be deeply healing.

106. Bringing this situation in Germany Janina of open heartedness towards Refugees to our attention, shows us in the rest of the world a great example of Brotherhood. There is no reason here in Australia that we cannot be more open hearted and less selfish, by opening our hearts and homes to new refugees, and therefore. we are also learning new skills from them also. A win, win situation for all.

107. I think the failure has more to do with the governments the refugees come from. I can’t believe that there’s no pressure on those governments to haul themselves into the 21st century and make peace. Perhaps the UN could pull it’s collective fingers out and do something?

108. We can never close our eyes to the suffering of the world. Sometimes, there seems to much to bare, and it can feel easier to close up and only focus on our immediate circle. But when we do this, nothing will change until every single person is personally affected. We cannot just stand by, for in turning a blind eye on the evil in the world we take a hand in its existence. These people are people, real and worth respect and care just like everyone else. The fear of the extremists and terrorists that may come with them should not deter us from accepting these people with open arms – since when has hate, suspicion and segregation ever healed hate, suspicion and segregation? Have we stopped to ask why we are in a position that there are extremists who hate the west? Do we care to look back at our not too distant past to see the things that may have led to this deep seeded hate? What the terrorists are doing is completely wrong and needs to be stopped, but if in the process of stopping it we end up treating a whole section of the world’s population with mistrust, hate and disrespect then we are set to lose far more than we gain and simply perpetuate the cycle.

109. ‘… truth there is no such thing as separate nationalities’ so true. As a child I never understood the objections to fund raising for those suffering in other countries on the basis that they were less important than those in the UK. to me it looked like their needs were far more dire than ours. And it seems the same is happening with regard to asylum seekers. The UK press seem to portray asylum seekers taking liberties with our benefit system when actually the process of being granted refugee status is pretty inhuman. The process does not take into consideration they are dealing with people who have been through terrible times, reports I’ve heard of the detention centres are awful. The UK press have a lot to answer for.

     And am I open hearted myself? No, sometimes I fall for the scarcity factor – the same fear there isn’t enough that takes people to fill up on fuel when rumours of fuel shortages abound. This isn’t about having a comfortable life and securing that at the cost of other’s wellbeing. This is about us living together and supporting one another whatever our nationality; ensuring prejudices are not tolerated from either ‘side’ but that respect and decency is the foundation of our relationships.

110. We are all refugees on this planet and we are here to learn to live together in Brotherhood so that we may all return together as one to where we all come from, the beholding love of God.

111. “We need to remember that all of us, including refugees, are equal human beings”. These words should be on the front of every newspaper so that we are reminded of this every day. We have a long way to go as human race before we will be willing to accept our neighbour as our brother and our equal.

112. Last week I received a invitation through my letter box which read ‘ Your muslim neighbours invite your for Tea and Tour’ at your local mosque’. To my knowledge this was a first. With so much Islamophobia around, this delicate invitation said, come and see for yourself, we are people just like you, meet and share with us. Had I been in town, I would have accepted the invitation.

113. This is a important sharing Janina, especially in the current political climate. It is now common in Europe and America to openly express views attacking people of race, religion and gender and stirs up fear, hatred and division between different communities. How have we become so embittered and closed to fellow human beings. There is a real battle of evil over love taking place in the world today. As you show, change happens when we make simple small steps towards people new to us or not from the same community as ours. This opens up both communities to learn, share and grow together.

114. ‘It is easy to look away as long as our life is safe and comfortable’. This is a mentality that is eroding the quality of our connection with each other and something that collectively we all need to start being honest about, and correcting.

115. This is a stunning blog Janina. very honest. simple, and inspiring. It is great that you were aware of all the beliefs about refugees coming – the insecurity about other cultures and the fact that your own well-being and financial situation would lessen – were passing through you as you prepared to take on this opportunity of meeting them. All the thoughts, mindsets and beliefs that exist in the world are constantly passing through us – they do not belong to us – and if we are aware of them we can see them for what they truly are and choose otherwise . . . as you have shown.

116. Its fascinating to dovetail the refugee crisis with the immigration issues that beset many of the world’s developing politicians. There is this current behaviour to build walls, hide behind fears and prejudice, lock others out. And yet the immigration of the past, be that in America, or GB or anywhere is part of what has made them great. Rather than separation, the focus should be on inclusion and integration.

117. We think when we look to the turmoil that is in the world and especially when it is in certain countries or regions, that it is there business and that we have nothing to do with it and because of these country’s sovereignty we even are not allowed to intervene or have opinions about it. This way of thinking can only come from a heartless mind as when we connect to our hearts, then we know we are part of it and because of us looking the other way have contributed to all atrocities we see in our world today.

118. It’s so funny when you read articles like this and ponder on things what comes up. Like, who and when did we decide that we would divide the world up into different countries and stop one lot of people entering another part? In some parts this is done between states, towns and even streets. We can look at where we live and say this isn’t effecting us because we can’t directly see any impact on the outside. But what is really happening here for us all? Do you consider your street a better street to live in? How accepting would you be if someone moved into your street that shared a different value to you? From my experience in how I am I can see this would change me and so there is a subtle prejudice towards in me. Do I ignore it because it’s not an extreme or it’s better than something else? No I deal with it, with every part of it and then live this awareness in my everyday and allow others to see it. That way they are given a choice for change in how I am, no preaching or placards just a living imprint of that awareness and change.

119. Germany has really lead the way when it comes to taking in refugees and the rest of the countries around the world should adapt similar policies instead of making the trauma of a lot of these people worse. Britton has shown the World that by leaving the EU so that it can control is own borders it is not interested in helping in this problem and Trump wants to build his wall. We need know that we are all people of the world, one brotherhood, so boarders don’t need exist both geographically or religiously.

120. Immigration is a natural occurrence in all areas of the animal and plant kingdom. Animals migrate yearly and seedlings of plants travel in the wind to be planted in new fertile fields.

     To restrict and hold our position in the world only adds to the stagnation that would otherwise be seen in a stationary river.

121. It is our determination to mark ourselves as being different to the rest of the world that ultimately drives the bigotry and fear that arises around the topic of refugees.

122. Your blog hits home the fact that we are all part of humanity and that acceptance of our intrinsic equalness lies at the heart of successfully integrating refugees into new communities.

123. A much needed blog on the myth that surrounds “refugees”. There is so much at play with the plaguing of information from the media in order to create division of groups according to their lifestyle, lived experiences and religions that brings a separatist approach to humanity

124. A great article, exposing how easily we dismiss the pain and suffering of others. Even the label “refugee” we have placed upon these people seems to give permission to ignore the pain and suffering that is felt by many people, the world over. Maybe it is time to look upon others as they are in truth, our neighbors.

125. We are today probably only one or two generations away from having members of our immediate family experiencing being a refugee or migration to a foreign country, and today are the result of integration into a different country from that of our ancestral country of birth. So when we read or watch news showing this displacement of people there is an underlying feeling of understanding this, So it is important to not have short term memory and conveniently ‘forget’ this repetition of history and have the humanity in assisting those that are experiencing refugee status today.

126. I work with a number of staff members who have been in crisis and travelled across the world due to refugee status. What I have learnt over the years has been very humbling and has lead to a deeper understanding of the potential for universal harmony.

127. The refugee crisis is the end result of a world that has lost its ability to feel the fact we are all equally one

128. We have all come from different cultures and have had different experiences but if we only look at these we don’t get the whole picture. A much expansive and complete truth is “in our hearts, we are all the same, and in truth there is no such thing as separate nationalities. When I close my eyes and open my heart and feel the person, we are connected – we are one.” Right on Janina.

129. Exactly when will be in need of a hand, equal, bother to brother, sister to sister, we are one humanity, on one planet….all this separation is a distraction from getting on with unifying and supporting one another as the one big family, which we are.

130. Without overwhelm or any sense of hopelessness, we need to see things as they really are and then take responsibility for the part we play in the breakdown of relationships between people around the world. Starting with our relationship with ourselves; those we live and work with; our communities… all of these affect the bigger picture. Being prepared to attend to the detail is one way to arrest the overwhelm.

131. The way most people live is based on making life secure for ourselves. There is an attitude that so long as I am okay then all is well. The problem with that is that all is not well. People are people and refugees are simply people. People ignoring other people will not solve the refugee crisis in the world.

132. Borders have forever been grounds for dispute because we haven’t yet got our relationships right. We have not, on the whole, and in the whole, embodied the divine teaching of Jeshua: ‘Love thy Neighbour as Thyself’.

133. That the world is in disharmony is becoming more and more evident, and the chaos can be dis-empowering for the individual who can wonder ‘what can I do’? … and yet any one who re-connects with their true heart and re-forges the connection with their inner knowing is a part of bringing harmony and balance back to the world in no small way.

134. I understand that dis interest in the world Janina, not wanting to buy a newspaper or watch the news because it doesn’t feel good to see what is truly going on. The ‘refugee crisis’ for many is just another story on the news that doesn’t really mean anything because it’s not affecting their life (at the moment) but when you make the connection that these are human beings and the same as our family and friends -no different to our self, but for the country they were born in. I really feel that we have had our eyes turned for so long and now the issues are coming closer so we can not continue to ignore problems we think our not our problems…

135. We were all refuges at one point in our lives. I live in the USA, my grandparents were refugees from Europe. No wonder this topic is so hot, it brings up some old stuff about rejection and abandonment.
     The more I have real conversations with people I understand that we all have the same issues we just are afraid to talk about them. If we can truly connect to others their is no such thing as separation of any kind and we will welcome everybody into our homes.

136. Not just The CIA Janina, but the US military have also had a huge hand in initiating the conflict, supplying terrorist with weapons and chemicals, and then going in to ‘save’ the people which they then proceed to bomb. It is all documented – See/ Google/ Youtube John Pilger. Our part is to bring Brotherhood to the whole thing and to understand that all this madness has at base the desire for security because we are not living from our essence. Those organisations which create war even call themselves Security Services!

137. In Australia there is a very heavy set mentality that it is “our” island. And yet, what is forgotten in the heat of the moment in the immigration debate, is that none of us would be here if it was not for immigration.

138. I agree Ariana, we need to wake up and see in what state the world is and in what state we are living as human beings. And that it does not work any longer to look after myself and my own family and live in a bubble where I pretend everything is fine, but really it is not.

139. You describe here Janina what so many of us retreated into before meeting Sere Benhayon: ‘As I stopped listening to news’ broadcasts and reading newspapers many years ago, I did not have really any idea (and did not want to know) about what was going on in the world, and especially what was going on with refugees from other countries that have to leave their home countries because they are not safe there anymore.’ What is happening in the world is so devastating to actually look at and feel openly and without judgment. In the past we have been hiding away, protecting our own wounds or disgust with the it all. Now is the time, as you are saying, to realise fully hat we are all one, ad be willing to feel and know exactly what I going on out there so that we can play our part.

140. Often when opening up our awareness to whats going on around us there can be an attraction and attachment into fixing it on the surface so that it all looks ok. But from experience seeing what is going on around me can be a great tool to reflect on what is going on within and from myself. It may look like dismissal or mistrust from others but how do I live in that same quality? I feel that we greatly avoid feeling how much our individual lives collectively amass the whole that we see in humanity. But more then that because focusing on the negatives of life is easy, how powerfull are we the opposite way? War is horrible and history shows what can come from one. But equally so much can occur from the lived harmony of one. This I feel we fight and avoid more than war as war keeps repeating.

141. it is so important to remember that we are all interconnected with one another and that any situation in the world does affect us also. We may think ‘it is not our business’ but the fact is that we are all one and the same, and us living in ignorance of this fact is adding to all the atrocities we can see in today’s world afar and nearby.

142. Just a simple thank you Janina for reflecting to us all what being committed to humanity is really about.

143. The refugee situation has never been so extreme as it is today. We all have to put our hand up and say ‘yes’ to welcoming these people who have lost nearly everything and are starting to build a new life. It is time for brotherhood to be lived – not like in our own shocking country where refugees are detained indefinitely in inhumane conditions, and are used as a deterrent to anyone who may be tempted to try and land here. WE are speaking up but nothing much has changed yet – except that doctors can now testify about the abusive conditions at the camps (but only because they took the government to the high court and the government knew that they were in the wrong and decided to settle quietly out of court).

144. Your account of meeting a family of refugees and engaging with them just goes to show how barriers get broken down once we connect with other people and find out that they are just like us; their circumstances might be different, but we are one of a kind, human beings.
     The other thing that struck me is that Germany has taken in one million refugees; I live in Australia and when a boat load of refugees arrives on our shore, all hell breaks loose and the politicians whip up fear in the populace and use the refugees to garner support for their political agenda. And this agenda is about keeping people out and the country ‘safe’.
     Germany is so much smaller than Australia by size – what is going on in people that they think they can deny another human being the right to live free of war and persecution?

145. This is hot political issue and for good reason. Too often we compromise Truth for safety and security, out of fear of the unknown if not maintaining the status quo. We have lived in separation to each other globally since the beginning of time, grouped as nation against nation, culture, religion and every manner of distinction under the sun. When we bring the issues back to basics there is no issue, only absurd antiquated doctrines that must progress, for Humanities sake. We are one world, one Humanity and eternally brothers. Our response to a brother in crisis need be no more complex than doing what we must and can, with open arms and hearts.

146. We have a great deal of resistance to changing our laws to accommodate people when and where it’s needed, but if the shoe was on the other foot we would be quick to ask for help. We as humans throw around rules out of protection and fear rather than respond to humanities needs with an open heart.

147. They are simply people like you and me, who need a place to live, they may be differences in appearances and customs and religions, but regardless of this we need to embrace them as we would our own family. We have a responsibility to support those facing crisis such as this and and if the situation was reversed we would require the same help from the global community, Now is not the time to turn our backs and keep people locked in refugee camps.

148. As I read these words Janina, the feeling I get is how simply we are all refugees in this world. We may be seduced by the home that we have that seems secure like a castle or the car that we have that goes a super fast speed, but are we as safe as we like to think? Are we at home inside of our heart? For as the natural disasters that strike our countries from time to time show, everything can change and quite dramatically so. Just because you have been left untouched for a while does not mean it couldn’t happen here now. So isn’t it time we started to see wherever there is discord and heartache in this life it is important and an equal part of our reality. After all if you were in a refugees place how would you like to be treated?

149. ‘Journalists and humanitarian organisations are asking for changes to the refugee legislation and to allow refugees in directly, rather than force them to make the journey in makeshift boats. Such changes would remove this risk to their lives, which only adds more to their trauma.’This would be a most welcome change. Unfortunately the law is often slow to change. The delay is horrific for the refugees.

150. I love how you took the time to notice the plight of other humans and do something to connect with them.
     It’s true that they are the same as us and need to feel love just like anyone else. By offering that connection to others who would otherwise be shunned you have helped all of humanity greatly. We are all affected by how others live and feel, it can’t be escaped we all impact each other all of the time, regardless of whether we see these people or not.

151. Dear Janina
     Thank you for a top blog about a current topic that our world needs to wake up and know about. This refugee stuff is under our nose and it is not going away. There is something here for us all to learn.
     The bit that really sticks out for me is your quote saying “..we are all equal human beings..”.
     This divisiveness that we choose to live comes from a division within ourselves if you ask me. If we hold judgement and do not accept who we are and feel the connection to our inner most self, then what chance is there of truly opening our hearts to another and seeing them in the same light.
     That word Brotherhood is used and to live that word which Serge Benhayon does to the absolute degree is what has inspired me to ‘get on with it’.
     I do my best everyday to Live in Brotherhood and not negate anyone because of any outer stuff like nationality, country, colour, race, religion, job spec or whatever nonsense suggests they are separate from me. In truth we are all the same regardless of the outer stuff that society defines us by.

     1. “This divisiveness that we choose to live comes from a division within ourselves if you ask me.” This brings it well to the point Bina. As long as we are not in harmony and love with ourselves and with our family we cannot open our hearts for other people. No matter if thats homeless in our own country or refugees from other countries.

152. Yesterday I heard a new term: ‘transcultural’, meaning that so many different cultures melt together and influence each other that something new develops, in that sense ‘trans’-forming culture, hence no longer is it multiculti or intercultural. That makes perfect sense but I would like to take the meaning further and understanding it as transforming or surpassing culture and thus bringing back the focus to the people as not being defined and distinguished by culture.

153. I saw a news clip recently of some refugees leaving the jungle in France; as they were being forced to leave, a small group were laughing and smiling and making light of a grim situation and I thought to myself, man after all these guys have been through they can still laugh and joke even though they have nothing. It really made me re-evaluate some of the things in my life I tend to worry about.

154. We are all responsible at some level for world wide political policy,”Is the fact that so many countries (not only Syria) are at war, where people fight against each other day in and day out and citizens are not safe, a consequence of a worldwide policy where political and economic interests and strategies prevail?” what goes ignored, denied, passed over, has wide reaching consequences. In our every day life we can make choices that support or challenge the status quo, we can choose responsibility.

155. We can tend to have such an arrogance in the west about refugees, viewing them as people scrounging and trying to better their life through living in a “superior” country, but for most I would imagine they liked where they lived, it was home and it was only when their homes became unstable and dangerous that they fled. We have an opportunity to reflect that we are loving people, and the fear Janina talks of is so true, yet also made up and not really how we are meant to live with any other on this planet. Meeting refugees has to be one of the most lovely things any of us can do, so we can see they are just like you and I, and that we can give them the stable loving home they deserve to live in.

156. What is urgently needed is money to support refugees who are living in camps with the necessary tents and equipment especially during the winter time there are several projects which needs to be supported.
     I just did.
     If everybody supports what they can this would be very easy to bring the money together which is needed. And it is not about feeling better or doing good but doing what is needed and if money is needed lets get the money together and make it happen.

157. Having just been looking at prejudice, difference and diversity in a course I am doing, this is a real life situation that supports my understanding of how mad it is that we have this separatism between people in life. It appears that this is mostly borne out of fear, which in fact we long to be free of.

158. Thank you Janina. the plight of refugees seems to be getting worse. I feel every country needs to open our hearts to these people, who could have been ourselves in the same situation. Here in Australia I feel we the people need to speak out!

159. It saddens me to hear how people close their hearts and borders to refugees, I feel sad that we are living in such a way that does not consider another in their life and their experience so far. It also saddens me how much lies and hatred is spread by media when there could be another way a way that brings love and healing to all.

160. When I read about refugees, I feel this could happen to any of us but while we are living in a country that isn’t experiencing hardship from war or natural disaster, we are comfortable and feel safe. But what if our comfort was rocked by a natural disaster or conflict that meant we had to flee and seek refuge in another country? How would we be treated? How would we expect to be treated? And are we offering that to refugees coming to our countries?

     1. I just read an article in the paper of an area in Italy where there have been dangerous earth quakes. Many people have lost their homes already and other can not live there anymore because it is too dangerous. So they have to leave their home and jobs and move to another region. As you say Sandra even a natural disaster can cause one to leave their home town or country. Something we should consider more deeply.

161. I have discovered how this approach of being “… taken to a house where the refugees live and introduced to them; it was a great experience to break through the ideals, beliefs and fears I held around refugees.” is the quickest and easiest way to breakdown any discrimination or prejudice we are holding onto as we soon discover we are all simply the same and our only differences are our life experiences. I have found as along as I stay open to the possibility of holding hidden discrimitory beliefs in me it is easier to look at if they come up.

162. Germany leads by example here, reminding the rest of the world that we are all equal and that the man made divisions of countries and borders can not ever stop us from opening our hearts to each other.

163. A beautiful story of brotherhood. Brotherhood does not know borders, yet we have created them, stick to them and believe them. We are all fighting what we naturally know – that we are all humanity and that we are beings of love.

164. Every single human being deserves to be treated with love and care so why do we reserve this for some people and not for others? When we have natural disasters the world tends to come together to help but when we have a refugee crisis we want to mostly ignore it. Isn’t it time to stop treating our fellow brothers so badly?

165. Great and much needed questions to look at Jane!

166. We are very quick to focus on our differences which can create a wide gulf between us. What if we were to start from the knowing that we are all equal and open our hearts to expand our family beyond the borders of blood relatives? If we dropped our sense of being a separate individual we could live and work together harmoniously knowing that each of us have something unique to contribute to the whole.
     Lovely to read about your experience Janina.

167. If there is war in other countries and destruction, is that not a reflection that there is something very wrong in every country? Great question Janina, we only have to look at our families to see that war starts with us in our homes. Children are raised to be individuals competing for survival not as members of humanity, thus we find family members not speaking to each other for years, Romeo and Juliette type situations, families contesting wills etc.

     1. And if we are prepared to get honest here at home, then we have the chance to make the changes that ripple out to our communities and world. That is what is often flawed about charity work… the politics and conflict is still rife whilst trying to fix something ‘out there’… the sums do not add up…. temporary solutions may be found, but nothing really changes.

168. The truth is, if you think about it, everybody is an immigrant. It just depends on where you define the border – by nation, by town, by street, by house. When I was younger there were those in the surfing line up who did not consider you local unless your father’s father had been born in the town. That on its own exposes the ridiculousness of the position we take when we say we are concerned about refugees. What is there to be scared about? They are just human – like you, like me.

169. This is something I have also experienced, that they bring a very family-like feeling, they honour and cherish community life. Something we are in need of here in Sweden.

170. ‘On the day, I was taken to a house where the refugees live and introduced to them; it was a great experience to break through the ideals, beliefs and fears I held around refugees. I experienced beautiful and loving people who were very open and welcoming to guests like me.’ This is a beautiful example of how we are in truth all the same.

171. It is great to uncover within ourselves the hidden preconceptions that we may not be consciously aware of, but which inform our every interaction, until we can eventually meet another in the true light we are both from equally, free from any taint of prejudice.

172. So often things go on and as long as they do not affect us directly we carry on in our own world, however everything affects us in one way or another regardless of whether it is on our doorstep or not, and we therefore have a responsibility to what is happening with the refugees and all that is going on in the world.

173. I agree Amina “It is very important on many levels to really allow ourselves to see what is taking place in the world and to support where we feel truly impulsed to.” And we are all needed in different areas.

174. We are all equal and the same so why do we allow so many people suffer form the the wayward way our world is moving in? We are all part of this and have a responsibility to it and we cannot say that severe issues like war, repression and corruption etc. in other countries is not our business and does not affect us. The ultimate result is when the refugees come on our doormat showing us in our face that something is seriously wrong. We might feel uncomfortable with this because we become aware of the fact that we cannot escape the fact that we are all interconnected and have a responsibility in everything that is happening with anybody in this world.

     1. Indeed, sometimes it needs to be in our faces to realize we are all interconnected. We are one in many aspects, one earth, one people, one body in fact. If one part is hurting like a little toe can, it effects the whole. We can start taking care of it….or ignore it. Either way at some point we need to address it. Janina’s blog inspires me to stay open to this way of living. And yes, that can lead to going out of my ‘comfortable’ own life….and find connections with others who are just like me.

175. Our world is so big, but most of us live secluded in our safe and protected hubs, not wanting to know or care about what is really going in the world if it does not affect us personally. This is an analogy towards how we are within ourselves, that we have such amazing awareness but we choose to only be safe and live what we think is enough, when that is just a reduced version of who we are. We think this does not affect us personally, but it is impacting us deeply and because we do not want to be aware, we are just not conscious of how it will affect us until it does, but even then we may still choose to not be aware. Most of us will not choose any differently, until the devastation truly hits us personally. So the question I would ask myself is would I allow myself to go there, to surrender to knowing myself more—and the answer is yes, and I am being patient, very patient with every single step, and in deep appreciation always. And this patience and appreciation will be how I hold myself naturally the next time I am with my refugee friends and observe the confirmations in my home, my city and around the world.

176. Racism is such an ugly word. Yet I know for myself I too have been in its grip, even in a subtle way – the subject of undercurrent societal values based on my particular heritage and up-bringing and country of residence. We all have these biases and prejudices, all designed to keep us in forever separation. Examining the beliefs we have unconsciously taken on is a great way to start cracking the harms we perpetuate.

177. How we treat each other as human beings sharing the same planet, having the same needs and rights – wherever we live, is undeniably appalling. There is little brotherhood and love. We need to fully admit to this basic premise before we go into complete denial, scrambling for any sort of justification to keep our private posse of comfort unruffled and safe.

178. It is simple really we are all equal sons of God.

179. The more I learn about the state of the world today, the more I realise how much turmoil and suffering is occurring in so many counties – when its not happening right on your door step, and if its not widely publicised in the media it can be as though it isn’t even happening and yet it is. And when we do become effected, like the incoming of refugees it can be all too easy to want the problem to go away so we can go back to our comfortable existence, but these issues never go away on their own, they grow and fester until we turn and face them.

     1. And to close our borders and keep the refugees out like it is happening now is also not the solution.

180. ‘On the day, I was taken to a house where the refugees live and introduced to them; it was a great experience to break through the ideals, beliefs and fears I held around refugees. I experienced beautiful and loving people who were very open and welcoming to guests like me.’ It is extraordinary how our ideals and beliefs and fears around situations actually get in the way of realising the truth about us all – that we are all human, with beautiful hearts (even if sometimes buried under some rubbish) and that in fact we can love everyone, because that is the substance we are all made from. Such beliefs create a self-made prison.

181. ‘Have we failed as a worldwide society to take better care of each other and have we failed to support countries when it was still possible to do so?’ – This question is important, and addresses the fact that we are a ‘worldwide society’ rather than hundreds of smaller, separate and individual societies/countries as we’d like to think in order to avoid taking responsibility for what’s going on across the whole world.

182. The way we in which we are approaching the refugee situation is the problem in itself, we have slapped a name on something in order to dehumanize it on some level, we are talking about our fellow human beings, our daughters and sons and fathers and grandfathers. The fact we can use a word like Refugees and separate that from them being people is only possible due to the separation we already allow in every other part of our lives. This separation goes all the way back to the body, when we disregard one organ to satisfy another ie: the lungs suffer from smoke but the brain feels satisfied.
     Being outraged with the Refugee situation does not work, trying to help by opening your house to those in need is great but it is only very limited in how much it changes things on a bigger level.
     What if the answer was to live a life that is without separation, that is in harmony and in this others are inspired to live like this too, this harmony is in your work and family, then by all means open your homes, march in the street but do it with a body that is living what the mouth is speaking.

183. That moment when we drop our guards and simply take each others’ hands (hypothetically or really) is when we know that there are no borders, races, cultures or nationalities that divide and that it is together that we can call true change in the world today.

184. Today I came across the statistics for modern day slavery is around 45 million – is it possible that the refugee situation is simply one of many issues that we would rather overlook than tackle head on – there is so much suffering that it seems beyond selfish to attempt to put up walls and barriers to defend an ideal of nationality in a world where there are in truth no borders.

     1. What can you say to such a statistics? It makes me speechless and confronts me again with the fact that our society likes to ignore and look away what is really going on in the world. Pretending we have advanced as a species but the numbers of 45 million people in modern day slavery shows we have not.

        1. Well said Janina, we can all to often play the game of burying our head in the sand in the hopes that it will some how magically go away, so long as is isn’t directly affecting us.

185. How can we keep ourselves isolated from the tragedies that are happening on a worldwide scale and why do we even want to? It is in fact a tragedy in itself when we choose to not accept and embrace our fellow human beings. These are simply people looking for somewhere to have a home and safely bring up their families so how can we possibly reject them. There can never be true harmony for all when we aren’t willing to accept everyone as equal and without that we will continue on having wars, for no matter where we live we are all responsible and by keeping quiet about what is happening we are saying it’s okay. Nothing can ever be healed until we embrace all equally.

186. I can’t even begin to imagine what it would be like to leave my home with barely anything, travel in a boat full of others who are doing the same. Going through the whole journey in probably appalling conditions, to then arrive in a country you feel will help you to live a better, safer life, to then be treated worse than an animal with no rights. Doesn’t sound humane or caring at all, and we are supposed to be the intelligent species.

187. Thank you Janina – this is super inspiring and I love how you did some research, this must surely help bring understanding to us about other peoples lives and their situation.

188. I loved reading your article Janina.
     Today I watched a video of an animal that had been mistreated which was taken in and cared for back to health. As I watched I wondered, why is it we can do this for animals, but not for our fellow human beings? You share here that by coming face to face with your fears and concerns, that this was the beginning of changing the status quo from fear and suspicion to acceptance.

189. “I see the refugee situation for us in Germany as a great opportunity to stop staying individual and thinking “What is best for me?,” Beautiful oversight of the current exodus and resettlement of syrian refugees across the world and the opportunities for people to step out of their comfortable bubble and connect with these families and children, brothers and sisters and realise that in essence we are all equals.

190. The openness and love felt here from your experience with the refugees shows clearly we are all one. The way we treat others in the world is also a reflection on how we have treated ourselves with a disregard and loveless approach and this is coming back to us now to change and be the love we all are with each other with a true responsibility.

191. Dear Janina, re-reading your awesome blog, I am loving your open-ness and honesty about how the refugee situation has come onto your radar of events/situations we need to face and embrace. It is great to have a first hand account. My article on the same subject has now appeared on the website Unimedliving and feels like a companion piece to yours, specifically focussing on the refugee atrocity in Australia http://www.unimedliving.com/accountability/the-lies-we-tell/advance-australia-fair-or-still-an-ugly-penal-colony.html

192. A great reminder Janina that we are all the same deep down, and when we open up to connecting with another, nothing else matters.

193. There is so much effort that is going into dehumanising those who have fled their homes because it was no longer safe there for them or their children. This is not a decision that anyone would take lightly, and they must be aware of what faces them at the end of their journey: more difficulty. And yet, they choose it nonetheless, because it is still better than worrying if the sound of the plane going overhead is going to be followed by an explosion, or whether you will be able to find food today. And yet there are those who spend huge amounts of time and energy trying to convince others that these people are not deserving of help. Anyone who has made a choice to make a journey like that deserves all the help they can get!

194. Beautiful and well said Janina. As long as things happen not in our own life it is easy to look away. It is shocking in what circumstances people have to live and go through because of the rules of a country. It is easy to do this when we call them refugees but when we feel we know we are all the same, equal, and deserve to have the same respect as we all do.

195. We need to read past the figures, the statistics (as horrible as they are) and the word ‘refugee’ and see the human being that is the same, exactly the same as us.

196. How we treat our neighbours and others in the community at times reflects how we build walls and create divides with others across the seas, disowning that the lack of harmony between us is the real issue.

197. I feel we need to changed the word refugee to people as it feels the word refugee is becoming a label. Yes they have had to flee from their home, loved ones and country because of the devasting affect of war but they are people. We are all equal. What you wrote here was extremely honest and what I feel many of us have felt or thought at some point ‘I did not have really any idea (and did not want to know) about what was going on in the world, and especially what was going on with refugees from other countries that have to leave their home countries because they are not safe there anymore.’ We don’t want to go there because it exposes our comfort and how we want to ‘see’ the world rather than how it currently is. And yes the fact that there is war going on in one country is a reflection to all of us in how we are living and how we are with each other. It beautifull to hear how you have broken down old beliefs and barriers and made it about true brotherhood and love .. very inspiring.

     1. Yes Vicky, as long as we look away we can pretend that everything is alright in our life. But it cannot be as long as people are not safe in their homes. And that is the case in our own country and equally in other countries where there is war or restrictions of human rights.

198. Fear and survival can be strong instincts and most ridiculously exclusive beliefs stem from these two in my opinion. The latest recent moves by the UK government to name and eventually expel foreign workers from the UK is another example of what can happen when people allow fear to run the show, rather than decency and respect or even common sense.

199. ‘Having met many beautiful refugees, I have learnt that we have to say ‘no’ to racism and hatred towards another fellow human being because, in our hearts, we are all the same, and in truth there is no such thing as separate nationalities. When I close my eyes and open my heart and feel the person, we are connected – we are one.’ Amen Janina!

200. It is very easy to get caught in wanting to make the world a better place. My understanding of the word ‘Universality’ is that we all carry a responsibility to a greater truth than even having rights of freedom and safety for every human being. Embracing that greater truth is the only way things may change on this planet but it will not necessary change according to an image of how we want things to be.

201. Great article Janina. It’s beautiful to hear about the values refugees bring – the love and support they bring to each other. It’s something we could all benefit from.

202. We are all the same when we take away skin colour etc.. There is no us and them rather all of us – but are we really willing to step outside of our comfort zone and see this. If we do we have to take responsibility for this fact and that means making life about everyone and not just ourselves and those closest to us.

     1. Great question you ask James “but are we really willing to step outside of our comfort zone and see this.” Even to comment on this thread I feel is a start but not enough, we are really asked to, as you say, take responsibility and become active in whatever way life is offering us to.

        1. That is exactly it Janina – we have to embrace responsibility with all that life presents to us.The fact that ‘everything is energy’ means that we will be presented with exactly the next ‘X’, the next step, if we stay open.

203. Having a country in trouble in our world is no different for me than having a close family member get into trouble. If they turn to us for support and are open to help in a time of crisis, we should be able to offer that support, understanding and love to them.

204. We are part of one globe, we are either living in harmony or not…”If there is war in other countries and destruction, is that not a reflection that there is something very wrong in every country?” War in one place does impact on all and reflects where the All is at. We all have something to ponder when war becomes a reality for anyone, where does it stem from, it has a root just as all does, the choice to fight, builds and gather momentum, like other choices we can choice to say yes or no to attacking, blame, and disharmony being a normal part of life.

205. Even the word ‘refugee’ has the potential to separate one as if they are different, just like ‘culture’ or ‘nationalities’. Perhaps the word ‘earthling’ would be one word that describes All of Us, where no-one is differentiated or separated by skin colour, creed, nationality, race or social status…

206. Our mistrust of people is a underlying theme in more areas than just the refugee crisis – how are we supposed to be able to deal with refugees when most people don’t have relationships with their families or communities anymore?

207. After reading this blog I saw a fundraising dinner for refugees advertised locally and volunteered to support. I was mostly in the kitchen serving food but still met many of the people, and was struck by their appreciation, humbleness, their strong sense of family and their joy of being together. It was a wonderful night – thank you for your inspiration Janina 🙂

     1. Thank you Paula for sharing – how great that you have opened yourself up to do that! In which country are you living? And how is the situation there with refugees?

208. This is a very powerful sharing with such honesty. When we look at the refugee situation from a distance, there is a disconnection from humanity, we come from fear of scarcity, insecurity – for us as individuals, how it will impact on us. The refugee situation from this point can be very overwhelming and we can make it so complicated, which justifies how badly we are dealing wiht the refugee situation. We are not treating them as our brothers but an inconvenience to our comfort. Im not saying we are all like this, but the way we are dealing with it, this is the message i see.

     As has been raised in this blog – if we came together and saw this as ‘humanity’ our brothers first, we would be able to pull together and respond to this in a way that works for everyone. If we all worked together, this would be possible. We need to remember and connect to, we are all the same at the core. Instead our world seems to prioritise finances, etc – over people.

     The world would change if we made it about people first – not religion, not culture, not country boarders etc etc but PEOPLE. It is up to every single one of us, by changing our our attitudes, values, how we live, whether we open up our hearts or just keep it for a few. It has to start with us first – individualism or working towards people together, brotherhood, one humanity.

209. What I’ve found in my work where I support people from all walks of life in finding a new job, is that the people from foreign contries are so appreciative when they’ve been offered true support. The appreciation and warmth coming from them is often uncomfortable for me in accepting. As a western ’employee’ I’m trained to be the professional at all times, not to be a fellow human being, an equal human being first and foremost. People that went through a lot, which is almost alway the case when The Netherlands isn’t their country of birth, somehow easily recognise true support from falseness. Warmth is what is needed in Western countries. A true understanding, rather than judgement. This is the way to understand people and being able to connect to them and – maybe – start appreciating them for who they are.

210. The refugee movement is exposing the ideals and belief we have that keep us separate and in competition and comparison with other countries, nationalities and cultures. ‘Judgement’ has been exposed and we are all being asked to look deeper within and to re-connect with what is true and to connect in true brotherhood – the choice is ours.

211. My feeling in Britain is that we have been invaded so many times throughout the centuries that any influx of large numbers of people is seen as an invasion. And yet, our culture is very rich in diversity, with so many different nationalities living here, it makes sense for us to open our borders and help people who need help. We are wiling enough to travel to Africa or India and give our money to ‘help the poor’ so is that Ok as long as they don’t cross our shoreline?

     1. Great point you bring in Carmel “We are wiling enough to travel to Africa or India and give our money to ‘help the poor’ so is that OK as long as they don’t cross our shoreline?”

212. People who have been displaced by war and persecution, have the same rights as we all have, and at the very least, the opportunity to live safely in community.

213. ” … in truth there is no such thing as separate nationalities”. The sooner we recognise this immutable truth the sooner we can erradicate the cancer of racism and save our selves an immense amount of suffering.

214. I can’t help but wonder if there is no activity in my body to back up my words on brotherhood and humanity, if that is an indication that my mouth is not truly connected to my heart?

215. We as nations in the West are indirectly responsible if not directly, for the wars going on in the Middle East and Africa at the moment. There is no country that has not influenced another in the past, either through decisions taken about their borders after the Two World Wars, or where we have imposed an Empire state upon them for our own gain. How then can we not see that we cannot disconnect and separate from the current suffering that initially we contributed to? Your blog is beautiful, Janina, showing how as individuals we can begin to open our hearts and go out and meet and support those who have come to our countries for safety and to lead a new life, even if the governments are resisting. I am sure if everyone opened up in the same way soon they would find that the whole country received great benefit from the contributions in so may ways of many beautiful people who have had to flee their homeland.

216. Where I live it is easy to live a comfortable existence and not consider all that goes on out in the world. I for one realise that I too often put my head in the sand and see that things are ok in my little bubble without considering others. The funny thing is I know when I live in service for all of humanity there is an ocean of joy and wisdom to share with all.

217. Janina, I love how you have recognised threads of the ‘them and us’ beliefs that cause deep divide and separation between people of every nation. To come together with another and meet them in their essence is a deep healing and they too know, we are in fact, all the same when in true brotherhood.

218. This is a topic I feel we would all benefit from reflecting on it personally. Let go of everything and feel in your heart if how you would like to be treated should you be in the same situation as refugees.

219. What I have found is that people from every nationality are interested in me as a person and they lovingly try to communicate through any cultural differences. After all we are all the same and this has been shown to me so many times in my life!

220. I find that the word ‘refugee’ comes so loaded and so colours our perception and induces a type of fear or anxiousness around them. The word has also been bandied about as a political hot potato, fuelling this picture and idea that they are somehow different, separate or have horns on their heads. A refugee is simply a normal person, just like you or me just getting on with life. That’s it. Why all the drama, fear mongering and ill perceived concepts? If someone, because of their circumstances, is reaching out for help and support, why would we choose to look the other way or not help or get involved?

     1. Michelle819 you have raised a simple point here that is often clouded with judgement and racial irresponsibility. As a human race we are all getting on with our lives no matter where we have settled, the colour of our skin or the circumstances of how we have lived.

221. When we start to open our eyes to people – refugees or not – we can no longer hold onto the preconceptions but rather what we see in front of us. I love this blog – it shows humanity. It shows how we are all the same and just a simple encounter can wipe away any ideals or beliefs. If you look at it from the flip side, we also have an opportunity to share with refugees how we are not against them and ‘comfortable 1st world country citizens’ but we are all just the same.

222. Janina I love how you’ve felt and connected with the values that the so called “refugees” bring and see how they could very much benefit the “culture” where they have ended up. I completely agree that we should be open, supportive and equal with everyone no matter where they are from. Yet this shows me that if we are not naturally like this, then we are not being open, supportive and loving in our direct family and local community. Perhaps the refugee situation is exposing something far bigger about the way we think we live vs the way we actually live?

     1. “Perhaps the refugee situation is exposing something far bigger about the way we think we live vs the way we actually live?” Well said MA!!

223. I agree that if we have war, atrocities and refugees in any part of the world it is a wake up call and a sign that something is not right everywhere in the world in the one human family. To ignore the refugee crisis or the conflicts going on in the world is the equivalent of pretending that a family member is ok when clearly they are not.

224. This sharing Janina, is showing the difficulties we think we have with refugees is secondary to the fact that we as a society are not open to them.There are groups in them who are creating fear but if we as a society do not buy into the few aggressive ones, but see the bigger picture, I have the feeling life for everybody would get less self-centered and as such more flowing and loving for everybody.

     1. In Germany we have equally enough people who rape, murder or abuse. So there will be also some among the refugees. The problem i see with the rise of the islamist extremist movement and the bombing they do world wide, is this brings a fear and excuse to shut people from other countries out. Media reports states originally the Al Qaeda in Afghanistan were trained by the CIA, obviously something is very wrong here and what i asked myself is how much has the west played a part in the movement of the islamist extremist situation today?

225. ‘Journalists and humanitarian organisations are asking for changes to the refugee legislation and to allow refugees in directly, rather than force them to make the journey in makeshift boats. Such changes would remove this risk to their lives, which only adds more to their trauma.’ This would be brilliant Janina. As you say, refugees have enough to contend with – with being bombed out of their beloved city and home, of being separated from friends and family, of losing their means of earning living, of going without food and water, of losing their possessions. of experiencing the trauma. The addition of an arduous, uncomfortable and dangerous boat trip on top of this is unthinkable. Definitely there needs to be a fleet of safe boats to help them into their new life.

226. If we consider our world to be a world of brotherhood then everyone is our equal brother. If there is pain and suffering in one part of the world then we need to ask ourselves what are we doing in our part of the world that allows an equal brother to suffer?

227. Your blog Janina exposes attitudes and beliefs in our society that divide and separate us. When will we realise that, in essence, we are all the same and deserve to be treated equally. The refugee situation is an absolute tragedy and it is incumbent on us to call out the man made structures and beliefs that make this so.

228. Refusing to embrace refuges is refusing to embrace our own love.

229. “Is the fact that so many countries (not only Syria) are at war, where people fight against each other day in and day out and citizens are not safe, a consequence of a worldwide policy where political and economic interests and strategies prevail?” Sadly this does seem to be the case. Which makes it even more important that us individual people who do care and can feel the connection and oneness with each other regardless of colour, nationality or culture express what is in our hearts.

230. Everyone who’s been in a difficult period in time knows that there is way out. The most important that I learnt in my own life is that the most loving and caring support I’ve experienced is the support of people that simply hold me, let me be – often without words. This is quite rare, but actually strongly communicating that whatever I feel or is going on inside is okay. So what do refugees need after all the travelling, having left behind literally everything? Could it be that they just want to be held, supported, until they’ve found themselves back, found a new life. When are we at our best? Everybody is at his / her best when they can be themselves to the best of their ability. Putting stress or demands on people, refugee or not, isn’t supportive. For no one. To me, this is crucial to understand!

231. Thank you Janina, this is a great article and a topic we cannot ignore anymore. As a society we need to let go of this division that separates us as human beings just because the geographical location where we live and take responsibility of why our brothers and sisters are having to flee their countries in the first place – this would be a very different story if each of us would live in a way that would reflect love and respect for another in our everyday living and to know that we are all the same regardless of our culture or skin colour.

     1. As you say if we all would be choosing to live a life with love and respect for ourselves and others this would eventually have an effect for the whole world.

232. I had no idea of the 46,000 migrants and refugees in Greece. That is a shocking number. I feel like its time that I paid a bit more attention to world news as I know that it is something that I have often avoided because I have often reacted to it, not liking what I hear or see, but turning a blind eye or burying my head in the sand isn’t supporting anything so that needs to change.

233. It only takes a moment, a conversation where we see people beyond the labels and misconceptions and fear and realise that continuing the cycle of separation and division cannot continue.

234. When we say ‘no’ to racism and hatred towards another fellow human being, we lovingly bring down the barriers that separate us from knowing we all equal.

235. Janina, I really enjoy reading your article, this stands out for me, ‘I started to open up myself to the whole world and what is actually going on. It is easy to look away as long as our life is safe and comfortable.’ I can feel how in the past i have not wanted to know what is going on in the world, i stopped reading newspapers and watching the news, your article is very inspiring and I agree we are all the same and all equal and it feels important to care about other people in the world and to know what is going on, not just in our own countries.

236. I keep coming back to this blog and wondering why I don’t invite a family of refugees to stay in my home. Is it because there would be a sanctimonious feeling of ‘doing good’, of putting myself out for another? Yes countries do need to welcome migrants, welcome anybody who feels to seek a home where they live, there need be no fear of jobs being taken, if someone is willing to work and contribute to their local community, then great. But what can I do? For a start I can open my heart and feel the essence of the people around me, appreciate them as ordinary people who are living extraordinary lives. From my safe place I can look out at the world and tut tut at the horror of what I hear, but the world is of my own making, so I need to change my ways in order to un-make it. When I change my micro-world, there will be a change in the macro-world.

237. Although unfortunate, the refugee crisis offers an awesome opportunity for unity, and this is so much what the world needs

     1. Yes, very true Joe. Its it the consequence of disconnection and separation between people.

238. We are all the same, one day this will be history and we will be looking back in disbelief of how judgemental we treated one another based on things like skin colour, culture, religion etc..

239. “We need to remember that all of us, including refugees, are equal human beings.” At the end of the day, it does not matter where we have come from, all that matters is that we remain connected to the fact that we are all one giant family who are at present struggling to live in harmony with one another on this little blue/green planet of ours. All the barriers that we hold up between nations are just man made distractions that are stopping us from discovering just how open, warm hearted and compassionate we truly are.

240. “If there is war in other countries and destruction, is that not a reflection that there is something very wrong in every country?” This line is huge because it makes it clear that any person on this planet being able to truthfully say that the refugee crises, war or indeed any atrocity happening in the world has nothing to do with them.

241. When we look at a person in the street and we view them as different because of their skin colour, their language or their looks, we are separating ourselves away and hiding behind walls of protection with fear. When we view everyone as the same as ourselves, we will be open and do our best to treat everyone in a similar way to our close loved ones.

242. ‘I experienced beautiful and loving people who were very open and welcoming to guests like me’, the key part of what you’ve shared is that these refugees were caring, open, respectful, considerate and in every way just the same as us. When we associate the refugees as a group of hostile people with the potential to create chaos where they go it makes it easier to distance ourselves from the fact that families and people – exactly the same as those who we are related to, know or live in our towns – have had their based human rights stripped of them by the war in their country and the ignorance/reluctance of the rest of the world to support them. We have a responsibility to support those facing this reality and if the situation was reversed we would require the same help from the global community.

243. Refugees are ordinary people like us and one day they have to leave everything behind simply to escape death or even torture. Yet we still find ways to make their life even more difficult when they arrive to our countries. It is up to us to make this change and treat them like brothers.

     1. This is true Alexandre. If we foster racism and hate towards people from other countries and cultures we add to the trauma of war which they have already experienced. There is no right or justification to harm another person and to not treat them with love and respect.

244. Janina reading your article again, it was beautiful to feel how your slightly guarded stance on refugees turned into one of openness and brotherhood. Your simple example is one that is needed on a worldwide scale if we are ever to return to the harmonious way of living that we all come from.

245. Yes, Janina, one wonders how it is for the refugees to process the trauma of what has happened to them, not only in their home country but with the journey to another country when they are not sure a. if they are going to make it and b. what the welcome will be on the other side.

246. The fact we label people who come from other countries as ‘refugees’ already sets them up to be different from the people of what ever country they are wanting to live in. They are simply people like you and me, who need a place to live, they may have a different skin colour or speak a different language, but regardless of this we need to embrace them as we would our own blood family as all of humanity are one family .

247. The recent refugee crisis in Syria has brought up a lot of racism and has divided countries, at a time when we should be coming together and supporting the Syrian people who are suffering and struggling to survive. We still have the mentality of saying ‘not in my back yard’ and until we can overcome this selfish way of seeing the world, the situation with refugees is not going to go away. Why is it that we are so intent in protecting our own little patch rather than seeing the bigger picture and supporting those that need it.?

248. How we mistreat refugees is a reflection of how much else that is going on around us we choose to ignore. If we can ignore this situation the what else are we turning a blind eye to.

     1. How we mistreat refugees is also a reflection of how much we mistreat ourselves, you can only do to another what you are prepared to do to yourself.

249. “…We need to remember that all of us, including refugees, are equal human beings …” Well said, despite the circumstances we may find ourselves in, everyone deserves to be treated equally.

250. Recently I have been in contact with some refugees too and have made friends with them. To me people are people, they are not distinguished in the roles or labels because ultimately we are the same in essence. But because of these roles taken up or given to us that we have agreed to, we compare ourselves with each other, which takes us away from being in brotherhood. But when we accept ourselves and each other just as people, none of the roles, boundaries or pictures can separate us. It may be an accepted norm for refugees to feel victimized, or for the rest of us to feel superior, but all of that is just a game, when we see beyond our life experiences and can relate to each other as equals, it is simply beautiful.

251. Thank you Janina for this great blog and for being so honest about having been someone who does ‘not want to know’. I too was like this for years – I would avoid the news because it was so upsetting, and the only thing that kept me informed was my ex-husband’s continual talking and raving on about current affairs (and I thank him for that very much!) It is, as you have realised and said, immensely important that all of us opens us to know exactly what is going on around us and not remain part of the comfortable clan who bury their heads and continue with their comfortable life! It is time to stand up, speak up, from the deepest love and wisdom we can currently access.

252. With a world full of technological advances it is astonishing that our social mores have not kept up with or adapted to what society needs right now. Individualism cannot be sustained whilst it affects a single fellow human being. We are all in this soup together and it is up to each one of us working together to bring change. Change starts in our own lives where we learn to live, not with ‘tolerance’ but with full understanding and appreciation for everyone regardless of colour, race or creed.

     1. “We are all in this soup together ” i had to laugh about the word soup Carmel, but i like the picture.
        We can pretend that everybody is cooking their own soup and as long as nobody can spit in my soup it will not be affected. But in truth there is only one huge pot of soup.

253. Thank you for sharing this Janina. To me, this confirms that there is no separation between people other than that which we impose on each other. This relates to not only refugees, but all the other ridiculous segregations we have in society from religion, race, profession, gender even to which sporting team we support. When we actually spend time with people from these artificially placed differences we realise that we have a shared experience and equality between all.

254. I have lived in foreign countries and it is beautiful when you are welcomed and felt at home no matter where you come from, what your nationality is or what colour your skin is.

255. You are right Janina, it is the easy option to opt out and try to ignore what is happening around the world when we are sitting in our comfortable homes, living our comfortable lives. But if people are suffering, we are all suffering, and until we begin to accept everyone as equals and welcome them with open arms the suffering will continue. It was lovely to ready your opening up to the refugees and I am more than convinced that they appreciated your singing and dancing, and willingness to accept them for who they are, our fellow brothers and sisters. Thank you for sharing, it has certainly opened my eyes to the plights of refugees, and what they have to endure to escape horror and poverty, very often leaving family and friends behind. I cannot even imagine how this must feel, so having a comforting hand at the end of their journey is worth its weight in gold.

256. A breath of fresh air reading articles like this. Every situation in life has many layers to it. And in the end it all boils down to deepening our responsibility, accountability, love and brotherhood. It is wonderful when, instead of repeating the same old worn out rhetorics peddled by the media, someone is prepared to explore the situation at hand for the latent lessons it offers humanity. And what a gift when it is so beautifully shared.

257. The truth is that we are all equal sons of God.

258. Janina this is great what you share “I have learnt that we have to say ‘no’ to racism and hatred towards another fellow human being because, in our hearts, we are all the same, and in truth there is no such thing as separate nationalities. When I close my eyes and open my heart and feel the person, we are connected – we are one.” We are all the same and we are all connected, the racism and hatred needs to stop. We all need to be more responsible as a human race.

259. Travelling through many different countries, cross the ocean by boat in 2 weeks (!!) without food or drinks, losing loved ones along the way to the ‘promised land’. And then they arrive and find out that there are many people calling them names and at the very least not welcome them. If we could only consider what they went through and why they may have decided to choose to leave their contries, we might feel that there’s more than the superficial scepticism that is hailed so often towards these people (!!). People. People that have had the courage to make a choice for safety, often having risked their lifes. No sympathy is needed, but respect, understand and care would make both their lifes as ours a lot more convenient and human. #Respect.

260. How important is it that we see people as people first. People no different to ourselves who are wanting the best for their families and friends.So far a lot of the media and comments on what we see in the media are far from the experience of the person and this is clearly swaying many views that influence opinions on people that are no different to ourselves. I often wonder, as we look at the countries that are literally tearing themselves apart, how did it all start? Where did it begin? Certainly as I look back at images of these countries only 40-50 years ago, these countries are not dissimilar to my own now. So it therefore makes me wonder that was is happening “over there” could very easily happen here. The protective ways and seeing another is different so much so that they are begun to be excluded. This is also important for me to look at in my own life, for I know that I can and have done this too. So really of we want to change these things about the world, we need to be looking to ourselves first and addressing these things in ourselves first. Imagine if we all did this???

261. We can learn a lot about each other and the world around us when we create the space, connect and deeply care.

262. The bubbling issue of the refugee crisis is simply the upper layer of a simmering cauldron of separation, dislike, enmity and segregation that has been sat undealt with for hundreds of years, occasionally spilling over in obvious issues like we have today. What we need to do is not simply try to mop up the spills, but empty the pot they come from – once and for all, deal with the festering issues underlying in so many countries and cultures against each other so that it never plants seeds and takes root again.

263. What is happening in Syria, Iraq and other countries is unacceptable, confronting for all countries across the world and an enormous breach of human rights that we are all responsible for in one way or another. It can be difficult to read news articles and watch videos about the death, poverty and depression in that part of the world, however if we actively engage in knowing about this and supporting in all the ways we can then there is a huge lesson to be learnt.

264. History repeats itself until we accept that we are meant to live in brotherhood.

265. It is interesting to really observe how we need a crisis to make us open up and love one another. Why wait for the crisis, why not start to be this open, honest and supportive with our neighbours now? The more we open our hearts to one another, the more we lessen the foothold that hate and war mongering has in our society. And like all these things, if we begin with the openhearted quality we hold our selves in it will naturally flourish and blossom into all aspects and relationships in our lives. Supporting others who have suffered great traumas is then a very natural decision to make.

266. Thank you Janina, for highlighting the plight of refugees. As I read your words about the journey that many of them had to undertake to reach safety, I found myself shaking my head in disbelief that this kind of this is still happening in a supposedly intelligent world.

267. I can’t imagine how it would be at this stage of my life to have to just up and flee leaving everything behind and take a dangerous journey with my wife and daughter with little to eat and drink and get to a country where you are treated like an animal when all you are looking for is peace. This is a great article we do need to open our hearts to everyone and treat everyone with the same love and perhaps it will eventually catch on and people may just wonder why they are fighting, hurting, rapeing etc and start treating each and everyone with the same love we all deserve and wonder why they were ever doing that in the first place to someone as beautiful as they are.

268. Reading the comments and your comment Elizabeth I realized if we do not have an open heart for “refugees” we do not really have an open heart with our own family. It is not possible to truly love someone when we keep the rest of the world out. This brings back the matter of responsibility – how do we choose to live on a daily basis and what do we add to the whole.

269. Great point Brendan “Perhaps we ought to consider our own irresponsibility to be the ‘problem’ rather than refugees.”

270. “I see the refugee situation for us in Germany as a great opportunity to stop staying individual and thinking “What is best for me?”” As I am also living in Germany I can see and feel that there are a lot of German people welcoming warm hearted all Refugees but there is also a fear and a mistrust in the air – this is not only because they are people from a different culture but because of possible terrorist attacks which already happened. This is also something we have to read to understand and to deal with – for me this is also part of not staying individual and thinking what is best for me.

271. ‘I listened to audios of children sharing their experiences and the long and dangerous journey most of them had to take before finally arriving in a safe country, like Germany. Many refugees have to cross the ocean, which means a journey of seven or more days, squashed in an unstable boat, with no space to move or really sit, no food or drink and the risk of either dying of exhaustion or simply because the boat will not make it.’ This is something that should make everyone stand up and ask – how is it that this exists in our world? – and then ask – what can I do to support such children and people? Support is not giving money but changing attitudes, being open and willing to do and be what is needed. And mainly how we are with ourselves. How we are with our selves is a mark to how much love, support and consideration we are willing to offer others.

272. We are all equal but I can relate to what you share here Janina about turning a blind eye to the inhumane experiences and suffering of others. I personally come from a background of going into sympathy of others and can see how I haven’t really wanted to look at another’s pain or misfortune out of my own protective mechanism of not ‘taking it on’. But these days what I clearly see, is that this is the exact comfort you are speaking about in not wanting to see what is happening in the world, sympathy is just an excuse to stay in the emotion, to not truly observe and of course to not stand up for truth and have the conversations, to ask what is truly going on in the world b e f o r e we have the situations we now have. The separation between us all as one humanity is a key link that needs to be addressed.

     1. As you say Cherise we need to start the conversation and equally stand up for what we feel is true. We cannot simply change the world within a day but when more and more people start to be prepared to look at what is going on in the world and no longer turn a blind eye it will eventually change.

273. ‘I listened to audios of children sharing their experiences and the long and dangerous journey most of them had to take before finally arriving in a safe country, like Germany. Many refugees have to cross the ocean, which means a journey of seven or more days, squashed in an unstable boat, with no space to move or really sit, no food or drink and the risk of either dying of exhaustion or simply because the boat will not make it’. This is horrendous that we are living in the 21st AD and boat journeys like this are still happening. What are we doing??? It sounds like something out of the Dark Ages, and yet thousands upon thousands of people are experiencing it now. Aleppo is now almost completely bombed to the ground and no care of civilians is regarded. There is a very dark, ugly and explosive energy coming out of the genie bottle, the end result of complication and emotion long suppressed. You are providing a most warm and loving welcome Janina to those who are the casualties of such an explosion.

274. Yes, we cannot shut the door on people and pretend what’s outside is none of our business/ not happening. It’s especially poignant that many holiday destinations – the places where people go to forget about their troubles and strife’s – are also the places that many refugees travel to. So there’s the plain juxtaposition of people attempting to fulfill a week or so’s respite from life and people who are reminding us that actually we cannot escape our responsibility to be united and support one another without prejudice.

275. When we unite, when there is true care, equality and respect for others, we can share and learn so much from one another. We each have unique gifts we bring to this life and they are so worth sharing with everyone.

276. I agree Janina… the refugees I have met through my work have a very strong commitment and understanding of family values, and despite all they have been through, there is always so much joy, celebration and laughter when they come together. In fact, that celebration of coming together can really make the lack of joy and celebration in our own lives stand out, and I wonder if that is sometimes what is confronting for us and part of why we react to refugees.

277. This is a great question to ask Janina…”Why is it not about love, brotherhood and respect…?” We have become so divided as a society where we have made life all about the individual and what the individual can gain, and where as you say “political and economic interests and strategies prevail.’ If we focus on our own selfish gain, we care little for others and there is no brotherhood or respect for anyone else. However, if we truly love and respect ourselves, we naturally share this with others and life becomes about brotherhood.

278. Janina, this is indeed a topic that we need to have a conversation about at every dinner table in the world: refugees. The situation will not change nor go away with us simply turning away our heads or blocking our ears or pretending that it is not happening. Whilst we live in comfortable situations, there are hundreds of people in war torn situations that are not having their basic needs met. And add to that the domestic violence and other abusive situations that happen behind closed doors in non-war torn countries and we could in effect say that the whole world is essentially in a mess. Further more, how can we sit around and accept such a discrepancy where part of the world lives in opulence and ignores the rest of the world who has bare minimums to survive? And how can we ignore the fact that those with opulence only appear to be ok as they too are suffering from the lack of love in their lives? There is no facet and no pocket of society that has found harmony and joy in their lives, as they are only showing the extremes of our society, and some that live in a comfortable middle of it all.
     This brings to us the blatant truth of why we are here – surely there must be a purpose to us all being here, a purpose other than experiencing suffering, war, depravity or ridiculous amounts of money and riches? Perhaps it comes down to the human experiences, the relationships we have with ourselves and each other – perhaps, just perhaps it has to do with us all allowing ourselves to live brotherhood with everyone around us to the best of our ability every moment that we can.
     Janina you have presented that many of the refugees had a strong sense of community, which to me shows that the care and love for each other can be there despite the hardship. This I feel is a wonderful reflection and a reminder for us all. Life is about people, about community and it is about connecting with everyone and leading the way out of the true depravity that we live in when we shut ourselves out from the world and close down our hearts.

     1. “Further more, how can we sit around and accept such a discrepancy where part of the world lives in opulence and ignores the rest of the world who has bare minimums to survive? And how can we ignore the fact that those with opulence only appear to be ok as they too are suffering from the lack of love in their lives?There is no facet and no pocket of society that has found harmony and joy in their lives, as they are only showing the extremes of our society, and some that live in a comfortable middle of it all.” Important question to look at Henrietta. The whole world is out of order and this concerns countries where there is open war like Syria and but equally safe countries like Germany because people are in war with themselves and others they don’t live with harmony and love. They might not shoot bullets but words.

279. What would it like being a refugee these days or at any time for that matter. For me I don’t like going away from home for to long. I know many I speak to love travelling but equally love coming home. What if you had to leave you home and never return and what if you had no real plan of where you were going or how you were getting there. I know for me I wouldn’t like being pushed out of somewhere let alone virtually given no choice but the choice to leave. Then add children into the mix, what if you had children with you. We all know how structure supports children and so what are you offering them in this case. Notice I haven’t even spoken about the difficulties entering another country in this way, then there’s the question of money, where you will live let alone the fact you don’t know anyone. Did I mention you will possibly be rejected by the community you go to as well. I didn’t make this story up as you would know this is real life, people are actually facing this on a daily level and we can have our day ruined by someone giving us a bad coffee, really?

     1. As you described Ray it is terrible to imagine going through all of this and for me this was part of why i wanted to ignore the whole subject of refugees and the fact that many families had generations where there were refugees. So this is actually an traumatic experience which is running through our veins and bloodlines something which is familiar for many. And the fact that there is no security that this might not happen to us today again.

280. ’I was taken to a house where the refugees live and introduced to them; it was a great experience to break through the ideals, beliefs and fears I held around refugees.’ – An amazing way to deal with your fears and belief systems, we don’t know how we would respond until we experience it first hand.

281. Could it be that we’re making the debate or discussion all about refugees to escape feeling the shame, discomfort and deep sadness because of what is happening in our world. Could it be that the reflection refugees offer is one of fragility and in need of support? Could it be that these reflections offer us our own fragility and insecurity how to be with people in need? What if all they need is to be held, to be loved, to be cared and nurtured so they’ll find their way naturally. Back to a house, back to safety, back to themselves and back to a life where they will contribute to society. Perhaps even with more appreciation than a lot of us appreciate. There’s so many thing that we call normal, but could otherwise be deeply appreciated. In conclusion, to me, refugees are offering us a possibility to open up our hearts, share and deepen our warmth and love for each other.

282. Thank you for sharing this Janina. It can be easy to close our eyes to what is happening in the world but the refugees coming into our countries are really in our face showing what is truly going on in the world. And I feel this will go on until there is harmony in the whole world.

283. I love the way that understanding and familiarity can dissolve the fear that’s so often tied up when confronted by diversity and difference.

     1. it is true Rosanna, sometimes all it takes is a face to face meeting to dispel a world of built up prejudice and ideal

284. Where on earth do people live in brotherhood? Maybe nowhere as long as we don’t all live in brotherhood.

     1. Well said Felix, something yet to be understood.

285. Protection and security are so commonly sought today among so many. It is the ill accepted way as most at some level have accepted and thought that the world as it is is not going to change. I have been in this camp too and know exactly what it is like to seek protection and security for the vulnerability and fear of what life may bring otherwise. In truth it is not about life bringing us all the things we do not like but us choosing it so by not living who we truly are in life itself.

286. A great call Janina, we cannot see the war as happening to someone else somewhere else – if there is war on this planet, if there is suffering than as a whole there is something that is not working, as a whole there needs to be a call to see this and address it rather than looking away.

287. Fear of the ‘other’ is used so often as an excuse to allow discrimination and racism. It only takes a moment to meet the person behind the facade that is projected to see that there are more similarity than differences.

     1. Spot on Joel and very beautifully delivered! Beyond the colour of the skin flows the same coloured blood in our veins. Hence we are all brothers and we are all in this world together.

288. We must be very careful of our motivation to help others, as we may unwittingly incarcerate them further into their ordeal.

289. As long as we see ourselves as separate to one another we will be able to perpetuate the separation that we have constructed on Earth. That therefore leads us to the understanding that it is only by remembering with our bodies that the separation that we perceive is not real, that will we have the true motivation to dissolve the barriers that we have erected between other people, other communities and other nations.

290. I am aware that I could easily launch into a ‘we are all the same, therefore let’s treat everyone equally’ response but is this what I actually feel in my body? If a member of my (immediate) family was homeless I would not hesitate to have them come and live with me but if I was asked to have a refugee come and live with me, there would be a lot of hesitation. It is what our bodies communicate that is our truth, not necessarily the words that come out of our mouths.

291. With the increasing turmoil in many areas around the world, it makes sense there are so many refugee’s. I watched a documentary on how Germany takes care of refugees and was very touched by how caring and embracing of new faces in their country.

292. I love this blog Janina, and like you I have also had dealings with refugees through my job and the ones I have met have been very warm, and genuinely appreciative of the assistance provided.

293. Taking the time to connect with others brings great understanding and confirms the knowing that we are all equal regardless of our journey through life, where we live or any other distinction.
     We cannot see a person as different to us, less or greater when we connect firstly to ourselves, and to another in absolute equalness.

294. ‘If there is war in other countries and destruction, is that not a reflection that there is something very wrong in every country?’ – I totally agree with this Janina and think it’s so important what you’ve mentioned about our ‘worldwide society’. It calls for us all to be responsible for what’s happening in ALL countries not just our own, because we are all a part of this global family that live on the same turf – regardless of the lines or borders we try to draw across it.

295. ‘I remember the feeling of union and brotherhood, and how joyfully we sang on the way to the community house. We had a fabulous time and danced a lot.’ Connecting to others is for me the joy of life – especially with those from other cultures and traditions because ultimately I am reminded that we are all the same and that there are no differences between us.

296. Janina its clear that unless we live life knowing “that all of us, including refugees, are equal human beings. ” there will be a deep separation and division in the world. The problem I feel, and as you say, is bigger than refugees alone as many people consider themselves more superior to others, separate or better than them. When we reach the point that we not only know we are all the same but live in a way that this is true then we have a great way forward and the whole concept of refugees as it is today will not exist.

297. ” What about all these people who are suffering in the world – is it not our responsibility to support them in whatever way we can? Are we not being asked to start talking about what is going on in our world? What have we allowed or accepted that we now have the consequences of so many refugees worldwide having to leave their home?” Well said Janina getting to know people as you have is very beautiful and opens our hearts allowing us to take our responsibility for who we are in our oneness of humanity and see the love we all are and to start living it together.

298. The state of the current refugee crisis cannot be swept under the carpet. These dire refugee camps in Greece, France and other parts of the world are simply showing us the truth about the dire lack of care we have for our selves, for one another and for life. Staring all this in the face is very challenging and can leave one feeling powerless. But when I really regard the root of these problems the resolution to these enormous ills feels simple, begin with myself. If I choose to relinquish arguing and the need to ‘fight my corner’ (a biggie) in favour of simply presenting my views and allowing others theirs, if I start to truly cherish my self, my health, my life and everyone around me, then what manifests as a consequence is an open hearted awareness that ripples out into the world and re-empowers me to look these horrors in the face and begin to connect to what it is that I can do to support these people in their horrendous plight from a living foundation of true love and support.

299. I love this blog. It has the feeling of shared humanity in it, and so much love.

300. Janina, I love reading this article, I can feel how it is easy for us to ignore what is happening with the refugee crisis because it is painful to see people suffering, the media have created much fear around refugees and refugees are often treated as second class citizens, we are all equal and all the same and we can support each other, in the UK there is huge lack of carers in the care profession, so people are needed to fill these roles, there is work, we just all need to work together and love and support the refugees.

301. “… in truth there is no such thing as separate nationalities…” Yes! Despite the different land people live on all over the globe, there is a fundamental commonality that unifies us all as one, which is confirmed by your experience …”two children took my hand and we all walked together .to the community house. I remember the feeling of union and brotherhood, and how joyfully we sang on the way to the community house. We had a fabulous time and danced a lot…” A great sharing Janina, thank you

302. The refugee issue which has been going on for a very long time and now in the spot light with such large numbers heading mainly into Europe, and many people fearing that it will effect there town, village and lifestyle. We need to bring it back to love, connection and understanding all people are worthy of the same respect and decency of human rights. There are no easy solutions as these people are the result of a severe catastrophic man made event “War “and its ripple effect is felt in many directions after the bullets and bombs fall.

303. It is not until we meet and know a refugee, listen and hear their stories that we can truly understand and appreciate that they are just like us and should be treated with the same level of love and respect that we would want for our loved ones.

304. I often find that once people have met a group or individual from another culture or minority group, the stereotypes, fear and mistrust are instantly broken down. We can feel we are all the same and we have so much more in common than we have differences. It seems that separation can only be maintained through staying separate.

305. I love your heart-warming blog Janina, the refugee situation is a global issue. As you say “It is easy to look away as long as our life is safe and comfortable.” Often there is a fear or lack of understanding around accepting refugees, which reflects how far removed we have become from living in brotherhood, which is our natural way. In essence we are all the same.

306. “It is easy to look away as long as our life is safe and comfortable”. I think this is a major problem in the world. We only look at our little patch in life and don’t want to look further in case we have to do something about it.

     1. I agree Fiona. Once we open up to the world we can see and feel that there is so much wrong and that there is a lot to do and needs to be done.

307. If somebody comes over and asks for my support in the office, I would never be affronted or want to shoo them away. Even if I did not previously know the person. Being asked for support is kind of a confirmation by someone else that I have something of value to offer and that is quite lovely. I naturally want to help if it is called for, not in a patronising way, but genuinely preferring to see everyone empowered, joyful and productive. Yet there are moments when I feel myself resistant to help. My heart does not feel open. I do not see the natural amazingness, love and power that is my essence, and I seem to see the other person’s gain as a loss for me. Interesting that the media see it fit to broadcast this latter way of looking at life and so readily print true or fabricated stories that encourage that way of relating with one another. The refugee situation is a clear example.

308. I love what is written here Janina – thank you for your honesty and sharing. It shows what is possible when we allow ourselves to see our hidden discriminations and just observe and be open to what’s ahead with no fear. What we see and hear just fogs all that we feel “When I close my eyes and open my heart and feel the person, we are connected – we are one.” So So True.

309. The refugee situation is not only about what is happening in Syria and Iraq but as you have mentioned Janina a reflection of the absence of true brotherhood globally. This is bringing an opportunity to look more deeply at our own choices and to open to all others of differing nationalities and cultures, to be guided by love and not fear.

310. There is a worldwide problem that should shake us out of our comfortable slumber of – we are ok and that is enough. So many people are displaced and unsafe and need somewhere to go. Naturally, safe countries should take them in because we are all human beings, we are all equal and we should love our neighbour as we love ourselves. There is a richness to opening our hearts that surpasses the comfort of having a lot of things. These displaced people are our brothers and they need us.

311. Your article is quite provoking Janina, in a way that the world needs to be provoked. It is easy to turn a blind eye to the situation when it does not have an immediate effect on you. I am happy and safe in my house in the suburbs of Australia. But on a deeper level there is a tension I feel when I allow myself to think of refugees. Ignoring the state of the world does not help.

312. There is so much to learn from each and every person and each and every culture. Through opening our hearts we have the opportunity to put aside our individualism and feel that we are all equal. The more we connect with this equality then our actions follow suit and we unite across the borders in brotherhood.

313. Whilst reading this I was staggered by the sheer numbers of the refugees recently arrived in Germany alone, let alone the rest of Europe. That so many people have left their homeland in such droves, and by using such desperate means as leaking boats surely should make us wake up from our comfortable slumber but on the whole it doesn’t seem to. We even seem to look at it on the TV screen as though it is a ‘program’ and not connect to the the tragedy it actually is happening before our very eyes. Easy to switch the TV off but for those people the reality continues.

314. The refugee situation exposes the level of individualism, safety, separation and comfort we hold onto in general, only with the smaller things it is easier to ignore it. When we hold separation on a national scale we also have it in most personal aspects of our lives. Good to be exposed and having the chance to reflect, let go, open up, expand and embrace equality and unity.

315. It is so important and called for, to finally learn from our history and realise that no one no matter their place of birth is any different to anyone else – we are all equal and in the end, the refugees are doing nothing we wouldn’t do in their place if we were living in the centre of a conflict – we only have to look at our own history to see evidence of sending our children to the countryside to protect them from the bombing, trusting to strangers to open their arms and homes and take the children in.

316. Thank you Janina for being keen to raise this very important subject. I see this situation as no other situation than we need to re-learn working together and now we are tested if we will do so. Will we go again in individualism and separation or do we choose differently this time: let each other in, feel the person and the love they are no matter what and support each other and make life about all of us. So not make our lives about our own lives as we are used to, but choosing all our choices based on what is best eventually for the whole world, our bigger picture, one we had lost sight of but is here right returned. We just have to see and respond.

317. Thank you so much for what you have shared Janina – to open our eyes and our hearts to what is truly taking place in what is ‘our world’ and to ‘our brothers’. Like you I have not always chosen to see what was really taking place and have focussed on my own little world – however, as you have said ‘When I close my eyes and open my heart and feel the person, we are connected – we are one’. When we take the time to connect we are being truly blessed.

318. This is a deeply important Truth that we each know deep within – that we are One Humanity, equal in every way and that we go against the very Love and Brotherhood we will otherwise live and grow, when we create division, separation, fear, boundaries and conditions for our fellow human beings

319. The issue is how we ourselves live. That is a role model for others and makes it easier for them to live the same way we live.

320. We cannot close our doors to humanity

     1. oh but we do and then we swallow the key.

321. When I re-read your blog, Janina, I can feel a kindness and a compassion from you. But there is more, it runs much deeper than that, there is a feeling that we are all equal and you show how connection to another can make a difference and how we can all treat each other with humility and love. This is a beautiful example for everyone to follow, thank you.

     1. We all know how to connect with another once we choose to open our hearts because it is our nature to be connected with another.

322. I was just reflecting on how I have had a perception that I am more open with people I know, yet that isn’t exactly true. I am only truly open when I choose to let people in and myself out and I can do this equally with anyone and everyone, it’s a choice. I don’t have to know someone to open my heart and ‘meet’ them.

323. What you share here Janina is deeply inspiring. It is quite shocking how we can so easily dismiss people because of their ‘title’, and totally ignore the fact that human beings have been displaced from their own homes and countries as a result of war between others. By being willing to be open to the fact that we are all equal, regardless of where we are from and our life circumstances, we allow a true connection with whoever it is we happen to meet, and offer an opportunity to another to feel valued simply for who they are.

324. It can be easy to turn a blind eye to the refugee crisis, the wars and other atrocities going on in the world because they are perhaps not in our ‘patch’. Your blog Janina is inspirational and has made me consider the part I play in it all, from how I choose to live myself, to how I support others in my community and how I might expand on this. Thank you.

325. ‘What have we allowed or accepted that we now have the consequences of so many refugees worldwide having to leave their home?’ – This is a very important and confronting question that needs to be considered; would the refugee ‘crisis’ and devastation in Syria have played out as it did if other countries hadn’t left them to it to this degree? If we overlooked borders from the start and put enormous effort into supporting the country would we be seeing the same catastrophe today?

326. “If there is war in other countries and destruction, is that not a reflection that there is something very wrong in every country?” It seems we don’t want to take that level of self-responsibility. It’s like we want to shore up and protect what is ours…keep others out, without first asking if we have made any contribution to the problems in the 1st place. Even if this wasn’t the case; to not consider the needs of our brothers in need is a heartless act.

327. It’s my observation that more and more people are opposed to immigration and refugees crossing borders. You only need to watch the US Presidential debates or consider Brexit to get a quick snapshot of where humanity is. Large percentages of the population are in fear of what it means and worry about the potential consequences. But this is just separation on a mass scale – us vs them. Why can we not consider opening our arms, providing opportunities and recognising that if you’re a human, you’re our brother? It tells us a lot about where humanity is today.

328. The word ‘refugee’ can ignite fear in people. It comes with a sense of the unknown, and it gives people a label that separates them. Refugees are after-all people just like everybody else. We need to remember this before we dismiss them as a mere problem.

329. Thank you for your honesty Janina, for showing us that the beliefs we hold about other people, ‘refugees’ are just that, beliefs that hold no truth. And its only when we take a step over the threshold of our beliefs and actually meet people, look into their eyes and feel them do we realise that we are the same. Yes there are different cultural values that need to be shared and understood, but we all feel the same things, our hearts beat in the same way and the colour of our blood is the same. We can only imagine the horror these people have been through and we are in the blessed position of being able to support and assist them, so now is the time to jettison our beliefs and start making new friends.

330. I love what you have shared here, Janina. There is a lot for us all to learn in terms of how to truly support the refugees and embrace them as equal brothers. We are a long way off that, but your response reminds us how easy it can be to simply connect and feel another.

331. What if we could appreciate the fact that we’re able to take care of our brothers and sisters that came to our country due to violent and not safe situations in their country. The amount of our fellow human beings that Germany chose to enhouse is incredible and should be highly appreciated. Listen intently to the stories of any refugee and we’ll far more understanding and accepting. We all have our difficult periodes in life and we all crave support in those periodes. Thank you Germany (that is, all the people (!!) living in Germany) and all the other countries for choosing to support rather than denial.

     1. Most people from my experience tend to love their country of birth. I always think that something pretty intense has to be going on for someone who packs their life and family up and travels in very uncertain circumstances to a country they have no idea about or what the future hold for them. Refugees in my opinion should always be welcomed and supported to get onto their feet.

     2. Great point Floris to give appreciation to all the countries who have welcomed refugees.

332. Janina, this is really important to write about, I can feel how in the U.K the refugee crisis is something that is often ignored, it is not really spoken about and I do not know of any refugees in local villages or towns. I can feel how for myself I have chosen to not look at images and watch the news about the refugee crisis, finding it too painful to see and so it is very beautiful to read your article and feel how you have opened your heart to these refugees and how we are all equal and how important it is to not see people who are from another country as different or separate from us, we are all one and all the same.

333. The whole question of immigration and likewise with refugees makes no sense to me. This free flow of people encourages a country to not get stuck in the past, to welcome a fresh perspective, and most importantly to treat people as equal no matter what their situation.

334. “…The two children took my hand and we all walked together to the community house. I remember the feeling of union and brotherhood …” Through children, this shows there is no separation between countries, nationalities or culture. Great sharing Janina, thank you

     1. Children are so open and we would do very well to start taking note of this – the fact that they do not have barriers or separate people.

335. There is so much to be learnt in the situation we currently find ourselves, and opportunity to rewrite history and the future in the way we choose to deal with refugees from now on – we can either continue to deepen the cracks of separation or begin to bridge the gap.

     1. Well said Rebecca.

336. ‘Having met many beautiful refugees, I have learnt that we have to say ‘no’ to racism and hatred towards another fellow human being because, in our hearts, we are all the same, and in truth there is no such thing as separate nationalities. When I close my eyes and open my heart and feel the person, we are connected – we are one.’ Amen Janina. Deeply beautiful.

     1. This is gorgeous. I love this quoted part.

337. Thank you Janina for a beautiful sharing, and for opening your heart and song to these people who have suffered so much and who many people are wanting to reject. they are our brothers. I love these words “Having met many beautiful refugees, I have learnt that we have to say ‘no’ to racism and hatred towards another fellow human being because, in our hearts, we are all the same, and in truth there is no such thing as separate nationalities. When I close my eyes and open my heart and feel the person, we are connected – we are one.” indeed so.

338. Today a neighbour told me he’d heard ‘rumours that the houses opposite were going to be full of refugees.’ I could feel a reaction was expected of me but I just looked into his eyes and took a moment to feel what I felt and it was joy that we would have people from across the globe living with us. I have no doubt the opportunity will arise for us to discuss this further but just then nothing came to me. Whoever moves into the empty houses opposite actually doesn’t matter, whether it’s navel families or army, or general public. What matters is me being open hearted.

     1. What a naturally warm response, Karin, which makes me wonder why it would ever be any other way.

     2. There are a lot of stuck beliefs and racism in our society – I feel that by having people very mixed and living just in front of is the way these barriers will be broken down.

        1. Much racism is ingrained in society to a degree that many do not even realise that we are operating from a racist standpoint. Many people say ‘I am not racist’ and ‘I have lots of (insert race or other factor here) friends but those (insert race) really get on my nerves’. We already have multicultural societies that live with a huge amount of separation and racism on all sides because of fears and hurts that we as a society do not deal with. The fact that we see ourselves as being different to another in value in any way allows for a lot of horror. As Janina has so beautifully pointed out here we are all equal Sons of God.

339. “…because, in our hearts, we are all the same, and in truth there is no such thing as separate nationalities” – you speak the wisdom of our soul Janina, and vision the future of humanity. Just beautiful.

340. That reminds me too, I recently met a delightful older Vietnamese woman, in my local nail-salon. Over the months l’ve been visiting there she has been telling me her story… she was a refugee and one who survived several days at sea on a boat that sank, followed by months on an island before being picked up by a Navy ship. Her stories have been horrific, what she has been through is unfathomable to me, but her openness and willingness to connect have been right there. We are all the same once you scratch the surface and the joy in that connection is beyond borders, circumstance, religion, race or color.

     1. Thank you Jenny Ellis for sharing what is innately true – “we are all the same once you scratch the surface” and the key ingredient we are all looking for is the connection. I too have had the same experience with my hairdresser who has been tainted and bullied since her arrival from Nepal in jobs opportunities. The quality of work and commitment to contribute towards a community comes from a love of people not ones colour, race or religion.

        1. Yes spot on Natalliya, if there is not a love of people for who they truly are, and not because they are deemed worthy by some arbitrary outer measure, then there is no true contribution in community work. If we don’t first address the separation that is so rife between us all, then there is no true advance.

     2. Yes Amina, we choose how we will be in relationship with our past, and that determines how our future will be. Despite her hardship, she was super open to connecting, and loved the genuineness of our conversation.

     3. Absolutely get what you’re expressing here Jenny about our willingness to connect, because underneath (whether consciously or not) we are all at heart seeking connection with ourselves and others.

341. Thanks Janina, what you’ve shared brings to light a very common approach to the issue of refugees and their integration into other countries. It is so easy to turn a blind-eye when our own lives are comfortable and safe. Having the common denominator as something far more fundamental to each of us, and an equalizer at that, has far-reaching impacts. I can just imagine the healing possible in the simple exchanges you speak of, from one Son of God to another.

     1. Yes, and that is what we see happen when people suffer collectively, during natural disasters for example. It’s an equalizer, so regardless of your standing in your community, everyone is in the same boat and everyone pulls together in a way we don’t normally do. It takes away that measure of who is better or lesser by some outer factor and people are genuine and caring with one another.

342. What I love about this blog, is how open Janina Koch has been with the people she has met, who just so happen to be labelled according to their current situation regarding their country of origin and their current country of residence. It is clear that none of this matters to Janina, who is just enjoying singing and making new connections with people she would otherwise never have met, had they not moved to her country.

     1. Singing is something that people universally respond to can can unite. When reading this blog I could imagine her with all the different people she meets – just like a ribbon and bow brings a preset together, Janina’s singing with others brings unity and equalness.

343. Refugees migration is an opportunity for us all and stop and make life about self and what is better for “me” and start to live more responsibly and accepting of each other regardless of culture, colour or religious beliefs.

     1. Acceptance is absolutely key here Francisco. Well said.

344. We are all equal in humanity, regardless of our backgrounds, life stories or current situations. We all have a shared responsibility for the current state of the world as our choices have all contributed to the situation. If we truly connected to the equality we all share there would be no refugees, no war, for how could we harm an equal brother?

     1. I agree, our choices matter.

345. Well said Janina. It takes such arrogance for us to decide that we have the right to decide who can and can’t live in the various countries. If we really do want too many people in one area we should all work together in equality to look at the real causes of the separation which fuels war.

346. ‘It is easy to look away as long as our life is safe and comfortable.’ It’s great you have chosen to look at all that’s going on in the world, and feel it too Janina. Many of us pretend it is happening, which is to say we’re refusing to take responsibility for what we’ve all contributed to in our various ways.

347. “It is easy to look away as long as our life is safe and comfortable.” Thank you Janina, you have opened our eyes and hearts to the plight of people who have had to literally walk away from everything they have held dear, their homes, family, friends and work and place all their trust in strangers. This is a huge opportunity for us to globally open our hearts to one another, to discover that underneath the surface layer we are all the same, we share the same values and want the same things, love, harmony and brotherhood, even those who fight their corner are still seeking the same values. Integrating our traditions and cultures can enrich our societies if we all work together to accept, respect and appreciate one another.

348. What a beautiful blessing you have been Janina to these people who have become refugees in your country. You’ve shown them love and compassion and in a world where they may not see this often.

349. When we close ourself off from other people, and harden ourself in protection or in hate, we are depriving ourself from the joy and divinity that is revealed when hearts truly meet.

350. I am absolutely stunned by those statistics. Those numbers are enormous…I can’t even imagine that many people wanting to leave Australia, I can’t imagine being one of them or knowing hundreds of people who feared for their life every single day that it was enough for them to risk death by escaping. We really do have so much to appreciate and stop taking for granted all that we have been offered. And with all that we have been offered we then have a choice from that foundation to be there for others and share that foundation with them.

351. I am guilty of avoiding reading about the situation in the world, because I find it too distressing. The level of disharmony in our world is so OUT of this world that it can be extremely painful to feel. Although we are all equal contributors whenever we choose to act in a way that is not love. I’ve learnt to appreciate that every choice/action has a consequence, and so every little detail of our every day is a force that will either heal or harm humanity. Sounds dramatic and perhaps a little over the top, but little details all add up to bigger pictures, it’s plain and simple and so in short we all have a part to play.

352. Having lived all around the world, I have never understood how mean people can be when they talk about refugees and how they think they own the country they live in and that there is no room to share with another fellow human. I always think, how would I like to be treated if I were in the same situation. How would you like your children to be treated or your friends?

353. Reading your words Janina, what becomes so very clear is that we are all one humanity and that we cannot be divided by culture, religion, nationality nor borders. And with all what is going on in the world we are asked to look at this and start making changes, to come out of our cocoons and drop our guards and open up to every human being on this planet. And you are a beautiful example how this is possible.

     1. Yes Esther, we have to “drop our guards” and let people in and than we can discover the beauty of connecting to a deeper level with another. And that this connection is possible with everyone.

354. There is something about the words that we use, like ‘refugees’ that makes things a label and abstract idea, instead of the truth that we are talking about people. These terms are easy to kick about like a political football, but when you go to speak and greet and meet these so-called ‘foreigners’, we remember they feel care and breathe just like us. What you share Janina is another reminder how slicing up the world into separate territories might entertain us in our mind, but our reality is constantly showing us we are one human kind.

355. I love what you have shared Janina – the genunie care you have for these new found connections in your life is deeply felt. Truly inspiring.

356. Having traveled a lot when I was younger I loved connecting with others from all sorts of backgrounds, often I was taken into their homes and welcomed warmly. It saddens me deeply that we have the situation now where many in the public feel fear and hate towards refugees. These people are part of of world wide family, it is horrendous for us to treat them in such inhuman ways.

     1. I agree Samantha many refugees have suffered deeply and than coming to a country to life and being welcomed with racism, anger and some threatened by live, this is something we can not tolerate. And it happens even here in Germany. We do have say no to racism.

357. i don’t know what it feels like to be living in a camp, not knowing where home is, or to have my belongings and loved ones taken away from me. I have no idea the hardships of trying to live in a foreign country and being reliant on luck to get me out. But I do know that we are all the same underneath, and that for me to ignore what is going on is to say no to responsibility. We’re all capable of supporting each other, refugees are no different. And in fact to call them refugees is to separate them when indeed they do not deserve that. This crisis is an opportunity for us to all open our eyes to what is going on and ask ourselves what is the point in acting like the world is separate when it isn’t.

358. The unfortunate reality is that historically, societies reject the ‘new comers’, we seem to be threatened by someone approach life in a different way to us. It is interesting to consider how we use culture for identity and how this might contribute to the reactions between people. http://www.unimedliving.com/relationships/us-in-the-world/he-who-casts-the-first-stone-.html

359. its so true, we do all come from the same country when we close our eyes and feel the truth of the other person. They are the same as us, in side, and we cant keep regarding them with less care if they come from another race or place.

360. ‘When I close my eyes and open my heart and feel the person, we are connected – we are one.’ You allowed yourself to feel the truth of this oneness Janina and I am finding that there are so many opportunities in everyday life to do this. The refugee crisis world wide is but a reflection of what is truly happening here on our own shores – we must knock down our barriers and the only way to do this is to let people in and risk relationship with each other – wherever we are from!

361. The vibration of sound is an amazing way of people connecting. I have done a couple of singing workshops where I have felt so connected to myself and in turn connected to all the others in the group. Song sung in connection is deeply healing and uniting.

362. This is beautiful Janina. When we connect to one another we realise we are all the same.

363. A fascinating and eye opening read. You are right… as long as our life is safe and comfortable it is easy to look away and remain ignorant to the suffering of others experiencing such hardship and the consequences of a world at war. A horrific reminder of the repercussions of our choices.

364. Seeing how it is from the refugees side, is something that not many of us are willing to do, as we seem to be too busy pretending that it’s not our problem, when in fact, it is all of our problem.

365. This is a deeply healing blog on the reality of the refugee situation and our global responsibility to each other and humanity as a whole. Thank you Janina for showing the way of true understanding and responsibility.

366. When we challenge our fears and perceptions of how others are different there is such an opportunity to open our hearts and experience that indeed we are all the same in essence. In some ways culture and nationalism only creates divides by highlighting the constructed beliefs and traditions that hold us apart.

367. ‘If there is war in other countries and destruction, is that not a reflection that there is something very wrong in every country?’ – Well said, we need to look at our own part in what is going on, could it be that by looking the other direction and not speaking up when unjust is taking place around us, we have a great responsibility for the situation at hand? Majority of us choose to sit back and allow ourselves to become more and more numb to what is going on, and not until it lands on our very own doorstep do we wake up, if at all.

368. What a great lesson for us all, to appreciate the fact that we are all equal, that just because our physical “home/city” is no longer it does not mean we are no longer. In fact having refugees in this world brings a reality to how life is, how we can’t get on in our village if another person suffers in a different part of the world.

369. ‘I could feel the existing attitudes/mindsets in Germany surrounding refugees: the insecurity and fear of other cultures, the possibility of financial disadvantage, like less income as a consequence of so many refugees’ – This is so true Janina, many countries or communities have rejected refugees or have an unwelcoming/reluctant attitude to supporting them based on their personal insecurities to do with finance, living conditions and so forth. However, if we were to appreciate the fact that all refugees are equal members of humanity and so they have an equal right to a good quality of life then perhaps we’d be more willing to share more of the things we do have with them.

     1. I agree Susie. And to undestand that not the amount of money in our bank account or the the size of our house is all there is to aim for. Of course we need a certain level of income to be able to pay our bills. But the quality we are living in and how much love and understanding we have for ourselves and for everyone is what truly counts. Only the love in our heart we are able to take along when we die. We can not take with us our mercedes, our big boat or diamonds.

        1. I talked to a friend this morning and what she said is that we are living in a unsafe and chaotic time and we do not know who might be the next refugee who looks for shelter. This is something we need to have in mind!

370. Well said Janina, we soo often think because it is not in our back yard it does not affect us or worse still is not happening. It is amazing how much we can turn a blind eye to events in the world because seemingly they do not effect the life we have carved out for ourselves. We are all equal beings regardless of our race, nationality, skin colour etc. etc.. and we all deserve to be treated with love, care and respect no matter what. There is no us and them rather all of us – the sooner we all see the better.

371. Surely the fact that people make such a perilous journey in order to get to safety tells us something – would they really put the lives of their children at risk if there was a safer alternative. So could we ask ourselves what is going on in these countries which would have someone go to such extreme measures. This is not after all something new but it has got to such a level where we can no longer ignore it.

     1. I agree Julie during the boat journey across the sea thousands of people have lost their lives and had to pay a lot of money for it. Nobody would do this free unless their forced to risk their own life and that of their familiy members.

     2. I agree Julie during the boat journey across the sea thousands of people have lost their lives and had to pay a lot of money for it. Nobody would do this free will just out of economic reasons. To risk their own life and that of their familiy members.

372. This simple question – “What is best for me?” is surely the cause of every war and unjust treatment of another human being. When we make decisions that only serve ourselves and do not consider the lives of others, we can be very cruel and separative. Your story is heart-warming, Janina, as it brings us back to the basic truth that we are all equally divine when we close our eyes and feel one another.

373. I read a quote recently from a prominent UK politician who said something like ‘if you are a citizen of the world you are a citizen of nowhere’. I felt sad about this because to me, we are all citizens of the world and actually we are citizens of everywhere – not nowhere. Over the past few years, through my work I have met people from many parts of the world. Yes, we may have cultural and sometimes religious differences but in essence we are all beings who are seeking connection with each other, trying to find a place called home and we are loving people who long to live harmoniously. When we are asked where we come from maybe it is a more honest answer to say ‘I come from the call to find love’ – or something akin to this – rather than any particular part of the world. The divisions we have created because of geography or belief system have not truly served us. Perhaps it is time to see everything that unites us rather than separates.

     1. “The divisions we have created because of geography or belief system have not truly served us. Perhaps it is time to see everything that unites us rather than separates.“ Beautifully said Richard.

374. Just brilliant the way you dived into the deep end of the pool Janina. And so great that you stayed with and allowed yourself to feel all there was to be felt about the refugee system, the resistance and discomfort t and everything else that can come up. Your ability to stay there and let observation be you guide has led you to a deeply beautiful connection with your brothers.

375. Interesting how it suits us to keep the separation that we’ve created going. I can relate to the unsettlement when saying yes to something I’ve never done before. These moments are making me aware of my own boundaries I’ve put in between me and others in the world. Whether it being a group or one person or a role etc. We are our own masters of creating separation and admitting that is such a blessing, alltough might feel uncomfortable in the beginning. Thank you Janina for sharing your personal experiences. There’s much richness and wisdom in what you’re sharing. That many will be inspired reading this.

376. Thank you Janina for sharing your story. When we make our lives about people it does not matter the colour of skin or country another is born into. We are all connected to one another in our essence but we must be willing to see and heal that which separates us from another in our own lives for brotherhood to be restored.

377. Such an honest and real sharing on one of the biggest global issues of our time. Thank you Janina.

378. Your experience with meeting and singing with a group of refugees really breaks down the media picture of refugees as masses of people invading countries and creating disturbances, thank you Janina for your very real and enlightening account. We are all the same, and the children really bring that message home.

379. How beautiful to be able to sing together, and know in the unity of sound, that there is actually no ‘division’ – however intense the factors that would have us ‘think’ so…

380. Connect with people – person to person – and we cannot but know the truth you’ve shared Janina, that we are all innately the same, and all inherently ‘one’. We have a deep responsibility to bring awareness to all that you have raised here – to not allow our preference to turn a blind eye to what’s going on, be fed by media depictions and activist groups that seek to skew our view and keep us justified in our comfortably numb self-designed fortresses…
     It’s powerful and poignant to read here of your own ‘shedding’ of beliefs and pictures of how these people may be. Thank-you for being so open and honest in your account.

381. The more we open up and connect with others the more we realise we are all the same and we all want to be loved. When we are disconnected from what is happening in the world with others, its like saying that we don’t care about our family as thats what we truly are, one family.

382. You raise a very important and current topic – the subject of refugees is everywhere and yet what is needed isn’t happening – these people are people and their suffering should not be allowed to continue.

383. Very insightful, honest and thought provoking post of the refugee crisis Janina and how you felt about it with regards levels of personal uncertainty when asked to sing. And, what a beautiful unfolding you then went through with the singing …. rinsing the eyes of former judgment or apprehension to be able to feel the oneness we all are, no matter were we’re from.

     1. I agree Zofia, a beautiful and inspiring account of Janina’s journey to oneness. We are being offered moments of evolution all of the time, in every moment and it is through choosing evolution in our day to day living with ourselves that we affect what is going on around us and further afield.

384. It seems to be human nature for us to separate ourselves from another and refugees are a great example of this, we look first at how they are different rather than what about them is the same as us. All human beings are pretty similar really behind the false facades of religious and cultural differences, a smile from a Syrian boy is no less beautiful than a smile from a German boy or an American or Chinese or wherever. And another point to make note of is that there are countless countries in the world that developed massively through refugees arriving, USA being one such example but there are many others. The influx of those from foreign shores is the ultimate opportunity to share our natural love for people and develop our trust in the brotherhood of humanity, this is at the core of our being.

385. There is an old saying “Charity begins at home”, the way I see the present situation is that we need to look at those in our community who may be homeless or doing it tough in some way and do our utmost to sort this first. Then from there we can truly show that we are capable of looking after refugees as well. I feel the community at large would be much more supportive of bringing in others who are in need. I feel we could be doing so much more than we are for our global community too! Thought provoking Janina!

     1. This is a great point Roslyn to bring into the discussion that even other groups like homeless also need support and that we open our hearts and not keep them out, which i still do, as i did not really have personal contact and still hold ideals and believes about them- important to nominate.

386. My parents met and married in a German refugee camp after the 2nd World War and after quite some time, with 2 young children, migrated to Australia. I was the youngest and was 3½ years old.
     Racism was very much alive in Australia and we were often regarded as second class citizens. I picked up on my parents’ feelings of inferiority and trying hard to fit in and, consequently, my sense of self-worth was affected by this experience from a very young and tender age. Humanity holds the power to heal or harm – it is simply a matter of choice.

     1. Thank you Tamara for sharing your experience with us.

387. ‘I see the refugee situation for us in Germany as a great opportunity to stop staying individual and thinking “What is best for me?,” and to open up our hearts and see that other cultures, like the Syrian culture, where there is huge valuing of family and supporting each other, can inspire us to live less in separation from other people.’ …. beautifully said, Janina. There is a lot we can learn from other cultures, honouring and caring for our elders is certainly something we can improve on big time. We are actually all part of one ginormous family, the more we are able to let each other into our hearts, the more we will feel this for ourselves.

388. ‘What have we allowed or accepted that we now have the consequences of so many refugees worldwide having to leave their home?’, thank you, Janina, for asking this question. We think we can look the other way, in our comfortable lives, that these atrocities that are going on elsewhere don’t affect us ….. but they do. We are all connected on this planet of ours and whether we like it or not, energetically, if we do nothing when others are being tortured, even if its’ in a different country, we are also culpable for turning away and dismissing the plight of our brothers and sisters.

389. What an amazing experience – and I can see how it has had a big effect on you. Thank you for sharing this so that we can all understand your experience and consider the role we play in society. Looking away or doing nothing only adds to the problem.

390. We have so much to learn from your example of the children you had just met, holding your hands and singing – they were open to you as a fellow human being with no care about differences in culture, language, etc. It is not the people we fear (all thrown into one ‘refugee’ basket) but their unknown culture, religion, nationality. These are what divide us and keep us separate.

391. I really like your honesty Janina in terms of what came up for you as you contemplated working with the refugees. It’s important to get underneath our feelings, including the ugly ones, and examine them with a non-reactive eye. What fears do we hold? Are they real? Or are they suggested to us to instill fear? We’ve seen the results of where such thoughts can lead us and it isn’t pretty. On the other hand, it is possible to acknowledge the fact that opening the doors will mean people at all stages of development will be invited in, and that will by definition include people who will resist joining with their adoptive land and its residents in full, in whatever way that takes place.

392. ‘There but for the grace of God go I’. We are potentially never far from being in the same boat ourselves – at any time, any one of us could be a displaced person, or a person fleeing war or torture, or sleeping rough in our car because we can’t pay the rent. Realising we are no more or less, simply people having a different experience of life, is a great leveler. We are all the same.

     1. So simple and so true Victoria : “Realising we are no more or less, simply people having a different experience of life, is a great leveler.” People are not less worth because they have to flee their country, have lost all their possessions and money and arrive with nothing but their clothes on.

393. This feels so inclusive Janina, my feeling is that Germany are setting the standards, leading the way politically and humanely with the refugees, and you have described a beautiful example of your experience. People are in trouble and we should all help in whatever way we can, no-one knows when we may require help in the future too.

     1. Unfortunately changes have been already announced or better deals are being made that for example people from Afghanistan will have to return in their home country, even if the situation is anything but safe.

394. Thank you Janina for exposing the way we can choose to close our hearts and turn our heads. If this was our child, our father, our sister – what would we want for them more than anything and how would we hope they would be greeted if in the same situation? The truth and understanding is already within us and whilst meeting what is happening we also need to look much deeper and ask how did it come to this and start to heal the separation that exists.

395. I feel that many of us are challenged deeply in living the way of true brotherhood and will go so far but still hold onto our individualistic comforts. As you have shared Janina, what is happening in other countries is equally our responsibility.

396. It seems very clear that the time for separation based on cultural and religious differences is over. Opening our hearts is the way of supporting this change. The longer we say no to change or choose to ignore what is before us the more people suffer. I agree we all suffer in this process, we are not the islands we want to think we are, we are all part of the same spherical ocean and a ripple effects everywhere. And these are no ripples that are occurring but building into tsunamis. Could this be because it’s time for us all to sit up and pay attention and ask what is truly going on?

     1. Yes Sandra i agree it is time: “Could this be because it’s time for us all to sit up and pay attention and ask what is truly going on?”

397. ‘The two children took my hand and we all walked together to the community house. I remember the feeling of union and brotherhood, and how joyfully we sang on the way to the community house.’ – I love this sharing as it powerfully highlights how children (as we were once also) innately know that Love does not discriminate, it is only us through our separation to Love, that teaches them that Love is measured. And so we then have created a civilisation where the meaning of Love is reduced and corrupted to mean protection, mistrust, judgement, segregation, exclusive and selective. Yet though the openness of our hearts, Love is known by every single Soul on earth as the immeasurable oneness that it is and we all essentially are.

398. What I love about this sharing Janina is that you have reminded us that refugees are people just like you and me, and to have chosen to leave their country and all that they know behind them, and to have undertaken this huge and arduous journey, was a massive choice that most of us would not come close to understanding. I am sure that you wouldn’t give up all that you have known and leave what is familiar to you unless to stay would have dire and very painful consequences. They are part of our family, the family of humanity, and it is up to all of us to support them until they are able to support themselves.

399. When the UK spoke about the influx of people I could feel a slight panic of not enough to go around. But then I remembered we are all people, all equal and we are here to help one another. Today’s headlines in the UK were of the main businesses saying no to a ‘hard Brexit’ – plans to limit people entering Britain – and still people demand people should be kept away. There is something greatly not working when people are desperate for education and work and those within this relatively comfortable country have so many young people refusing to go to school, self-harming, having mental difficulties etc. Our whole way of life needs to be looked at because I cannot hear or see true connection or purpose from our main politicians we have representing us.

400. We are funny with things like this and I can just imagine people may read this and think ‘I have no problem with refugees’. Then I was thinking how do I respond with people in general. Do I accept new people into my work space, my town, my street, my family, my house or my life? Or do I hold them out, even a little until they prove themselves or similar. This to me all feeds this refugee part and just because we may feel we have no big part in this I wonder if in some way we are feeding a small part. If we won’t to take a look at the whole thing around how refugees are treated lets start by looking at the small prejudices we may have and hold towards others.

401. What is going on in the world today with so many people becoming refugees is highlighting how most of us look after our own, and treat anyone outside our immediate family or circle differently. People become refugees because of the diabolical circumstances in their own countries due to war or natural disaster and are seeking refuge somewhere safe. To see Governments in countries like Australia treat these people as if they are criminals is criminal in itself, and lacks any compassion or care for a fellow human being at times.

     1. Great points, Sandra. At the end of the day, aren’t we all immigrants and/or refugees to some extent?

402. What a wonderful opportunity you have had to connect so deeply with fellow brothers and to have confirmed we are a one humanity.

403. We really have to question the messages we are sent through media and other means that encourage seperative attitudes and fear. We have to question why it is reported in this way and what the agenda behind this is. A young child- in their innocence would not judge or accept another being harmed and this is our true nature- we need to learn from this when it comes to dealing with world situations.

404. Inspirational and real Janina – thank you. And how amazing you were able to accept and face your own prejudices and discover how actually we are all the same. It is often not till we are faced with these diverse situations that we come face to face with these discriminations we hold. The key though is to stay aware and then be open to learning otherwise.

     1. Through my experience with the people from Syria and other countries i also realized that i have discrimination towards people here in Germany who don’t work, are begging in the streets or are homeless. With all the comments i could feel this again and to open my heart for people I see in the streets and to have contact with them.

405. ‘If there is war in other countries and destruction, is that not a reflection that there is something very wrong in every country’ Very true Janina and your blog is showing us we cannot close our eyes for what is happening around the world and how we all need to support people who are in an enormous need. We are all responsible for the situations that has been created and cannot stay in our own comfort and look away as if we are not involved instead of feeling we are all the same where ever we are.

406. Thank you for sharing this Janina and revealing the truth of the human impact of war. It is so easy to see refugees as different, as separate to us, and then allow them to be treated differently. If we connect to the equality we all share as humanity, then it is impossible to see another group as different or separate and then we cannot treat them as anything other than an equal brother.

407. You pose so many profound questions Janina and it is impossible to deny any of them as confronting, but this one is the buggy for me today:

     “If there is war in other countries and destruction, is that not a reflection that there is something very wrong in every country?”

     And it makes me think that if some people can kill each other over their beliefs then protecting and defending our beliefs at any and all costs is happening in everybody too and it then naturally follows to ask if all our beliefs fundamentally flawed? I think they are, unless they consider all people equal.

408. Brotherhood is far greater than safety and comfort. We can be insured for everything, stash our money under our mattress, buy real estate, lock our doors and do what ever we can think of to feel secure, if our country is at war or a natural catastrophe hits our shores, we might lose everything from one day to the next. If this happens we will be in need for the help of other people and it is people that can support us then, so to invest into brotherhood is the greatest investment we can make.

409. The discussion about refugees is one that is relevant worldwide. We have to ask why are we experiencing the same issues in so many countries? How can we judge and exclude one human from a place to live over another based on where they were born? From my recliner in my living room I wonder – What it would be like to be completely displaced with no resources and disconnected from my family not knowing what has happened to my elderly parents, the future of my children completely uprooted? I can only imagine that the stress and trauma would be immense. The questions need to be asked humanity where have we gone to that this treatment of a fellow human is deemed OK?

410. ‘It is easy to look away as long as our life is safe and comfortable.’ Living a life of safety and comfort is far from safe and comfortable.

     1. It may be comfortable to look away, but we know it doesn’t feel right.

411. ‘If there is war in other countries and destruction, is that not a reflection that there is something very wrong in every country’ This is very true Janina. How crazy it is that we can think that something occurring in one part of the world has nothing to do with every other part.

412. We have turned a blind eye towards many parts of the world and the world is forcing us to open our eyes again. Could this also be a symbol for what is going on in our own bodies and lives?

     1. Brilliantly said Felix and a real lesson for us all I appreciate hearing in regard of how I can be.

413. Beautiful to hear how you have been developing relationships with the refugees living in Germany and how through this connection has deconstructed any labels and stigmas around their identities.

414. “to open up our hearts and see that other cultures, like the Syrian culture, where there is huge valuing of family and supporting each other, can inspire us to live less in separation from other people.” I had never seen it like this but what a great point of view. Thank you.

415. In Australia, the refugee issue is simple to resolve.. if we put ourselves or our loved ones in their shoes, how would we want to be treated.

416. It says a lot about the state of our world and the divisiveness we have created when we can’t welcome people who are in need of our support.

417. It is a great question you ask: “What have we allowed or accepted that we now have the consequences of so many refugees worldwide having to leave their home?” This is an angle, which is rarely presented, let alone reflected on. We can choose to react with fear and distrust, which the media is so good at enticing. This invariably ends up with everyone looking after their own self interest. Or we can jump to sympathetic and philanthropic gestures. Such acts tend to be useful short-term, but invariably still leave everyone uncertain and dependent long-term. However the accountability your question invites, brings a level of understanding and responsibility that can truly change the whole world.

418. Getting past our fears and prejudices in meeting others for exactly who they are and where they are at, breaks down the notion that we are separate. There is such a joy in connecting with others and getting to know them; my question is why would we choose anything else?! One of the joys of having travelled the world was to meet others in different cultures only to confirm that we were the same and had everything in common.

419. “We need to remember that all of us, including refugees, are equal human beings.” The word refugee has gotten such a loading and ideals about it, that it is easy to forget that yes they are simply people like you and me. Hearing about what inhumane things they have to go through is painful and it shows the true state of our world. We cannot say that we are having everything together here in the western world when we allow these kind of things to happen.

420. Thank you for reminding us that ‘these people’ are human beings just like us, in loving families, working hard to earn living, simply needing to survive an unsafe situation. Two things occur to me here (1) what can we do to stop the need for people to move, i.e. how can we stop with wars with no more aggression and killing? and (2) Why can’t we welcome people into our homes, how come we still protect our personal space and reject anyone outside our culture? For (1) we can ensure there is no harm or violence in our own lives, that we never judge only love another and (2) let people in to our hearts, accept that we are all equal, deserving of respect and a roof over our heads. We can work together to provide people with secure homes wherever they end up or have come from. It will be a few hundred years yet before everybody gets that war is not the solution, but we can do a lot towards living in harmony and brotherhood in the meantime.

421. It is beautiful that you are meeting refugees and seeing for yourself that they are part of humanity and that they should be supported to get back on their feet just like anyone else regardless of where they come from. One of the things humanity has done through greed and separation to divide and put up borders and define land. If we were allowed to move freely from one country to another without division this would be a true step towards Brotherhood. This may seem impossible and too far away but this is what all countries could be working towards. and taking in refugees could be a massive start.

422. What a much needed opening to seeing what is really going on in the world Janina thank you. Your beautiful simplicity, understanding and learning the love and brotherhood of each other and all the refugees and the stark reality ,suffering, racism and abuse they suffer when forced to leave their own countries due to war and unsustainability is very real. The responsibility of this is all of ours to change how we are and bring back the love of humanity amongst us all. I love your singing and friendships created and the opening up of your heart to all . A real reflection and much to open up to and be seen.

423. Janina what you share and say is exactly what the whole of humanity need to appreciate, we are all human beings, we are all equal and we need to work united together across the world. Perhaps then there would be no refugees in the first place.

424. thank you for recounting your story here Janina – it goes to the very heart of the matter.

425. Thank you Janine. This is a very amazing blog sharing the truths of the disparity of situations from one county to another. ‘we cannot simply look away and ignore the fact that, for example, 46,000 migrants and refugees are stuck in camps in Greece under conditions we would not even keep our animals in here in Germany ‘ and this is just one example which in itself should make everyone stand up and listen. We are all part of the one world and need to start looking past the safety of our own doorsteps. I loved your sharing.

426. Very beautiful Janina – thank you. In the wake of Brexit here in the UK we have much to consider about how we perceive those from other parts of the world. Isn’t it just as you say, when we truly meet and connect with another person, wherever they are from, we find someone who is in truth just like us. Yes, they have had very different life experiences but they are underneath it all the same as we are, with the same basic needs in life and the deepest call to live harmoniously with their fellow men. This refugee crisis is an opportunity for the world to show its understanding and hence love – to a group of ‘brothers and sisters’ – who love to sing, just as we do and love to connect with each other – just as we do.

427. This is heart warming Janina and it is a joy to hear what you are saying. You talk about the politics – if we opened up and looked at humanity and brotherhood first we might find a way forward and if we did this we might find that the real solution is to be found in helping people before they are forced to become refugees and if we did this we just might find that there is a long term future for them in their own countries. Right now it is our responsibility to welcome everyone and embrace them as equals. Thank you for taking that step.

428. There is a great children’s book called ‘Whoops is my favourite word’ and I have been working with others to show how we can use this to show that one of our greatest mistakes is to think that we are different from our brothers born in different places, our hearts and bodies are the same our identification with culture is one of the greatest evils to plague our planet.

     1. Great point Vanessa, humanity comes first in every situation and bringing that understanding through books can bless many who get caught in cultural differences. I see children as an amazing example of non-identification with culture as they play equally with children of any culture! Could it be that we are educated to believe false ideals and beliefs that we are some how different and that it is these ill beliefs that cause the upheaval or separation that is happening in these world conflicts that bring about a refugee problem?

429. And meanwhile ‘little and arrogant britain’ holds itself in a bunker, largely turned its back on refugees fleeing war, torture, rape and hunger and refusing to take responsibility for what is a global problem owned by all of us.

430. Janina, you have hit the nail on the head with this line: “It is easy to look away as long as our life is safe and comfortable.” – I think most of us are in a position to admit having done this at some point in time. When we are not in the line of fire and when we have things going well for us, it puts us in a position where we might possibly be putting much at ‘risk’ (with regards to our own comfort) in order to speak up, act up or do something on behalf of another who is in a situation that is compromising to their wellbeing and safety. This is so deeply selfish though, and does not consider another and their plight. It is never about taking pity on anyone for this only entrenches them deeper in the whole victim mentality…However, when we step in to stand next to a person, in effect we treat them like a brother, a family member, someone we value and who holds a value to all (even if not everyone chooses to see their value at the moment in time). And after all, we are all equal, so it is about us all working on this together.

431. Janina thank you for sharing your unfolding awareness and connectedness with your brothers and sisters from Syria and Iraq. Your description of how Germany welcomed and housed refugees contrasts with a brief glimpse of how France deals with refugees in Paris. In my brief 48 hour stay and in one district, I witnessed the opposite of what you describe. Hundreds of abandoned, desperate, tense groups of mainly men but also women and children forced to hustle, beg, sleep in the streets and constantly watchful for arrival of french police known, I am told, for their brutal treatment of some refugees. It’s an experience I will never forget. One woman from Senegal, selling jewellery,the week before I arrived, had not eaten for four days, right next to restaurants and cafe bars flowing with food. A crazy juxtaposition and yet there it was before my very own eyes. The French people seemed dazed by the influx of refugees in their capital city, not really knowing what to do or respond. Certainly little evidence of brotherhood and love here.

432. I really admire Germany for taking in so many refugees and I sure in the long run it will make Germany a more prosperous nation and I feel ashamed to live in a country where a slight majority caused a separation from the rest of Europe and this had a lot to do with people wanting to stop refugees and other immigrants from coming in, and trying to get rid of the ones already here. I was in hospital recently and the whole place from cleaners to nurses to surgeons were all people from other countries. It would serve us right if they all decided to leave and see where it left our hospitals not to mention many other positions that these people fill.

433. “What have we allowed or accepted that we now have the consequences of so many refugees worldwide having to leave their home?” – This question really opens up for me the responsibility we have to consider the part we play globally, not just putting blinkers on and caring only for those in a certain geographical area but considering how our lives and choices affect every person in humanity.

434. When humanity remembers and chooses to live from true brotherhood and stops livining from the separation of the individual, ‘refugee’ will no longer have a place in our language.
     “We need to remember that all of us, including refugees, are equal human beings”.

435. Great article Janina, after all these centuries of fighting each other the human race needs desperately to wake up to the fact that we are all one race so refugees are not created in the first place. I’m sure most of them wouldn’t want to leave their countries unless they had to. The billions each country spends on defence could feed, cloth, house and educate everyone on the planet so I see a way out of this. So why in our so called democracies do we allow such separation and such idiots to make the rules.

436. It seems that many people and countries are using the concept of borders as a means to ignore what’s happening in places such as Syria, where as you’ve shared men, women, children and the elderly are living in conditions not even what we’d class as ‘fit for animals’. Where is the equality here or consideration for the lives of people in our same global family?

437. I have always enjoyed singing in a group. I can imagine you are bringing a lot of joy with the work you are doing Janina.

438. The word ‘refugee’ enables us to put distance between them and us. It’s a barrier that allows us to dehumanise others, and so turn a blind eye. But the others are us. We are the same the world over.

439. When we hold ourselves separate in any way we are not open to the beautiful learning that you have experienced through connecting to the refugee families. Thank you for sharing Janina and inspiring me to explore what I can offer in my local community – something that I have been considering for months but not done anything about.

440. This is such a beautiful article Janina, one that I know will shine a light on a humanitarian crisis that, even though most would vehemently deny, we are all responsible for. How much longer can we keep living in separation from each other when as you write so truthfully, “When I close my eyes and open my heart and feel the person, we are connected – we are one”; yes we are.

441. I would love to see more done in the UK to welcome refugees and yet at the moment when a nation is crying out for help we turn our backs and look the other way.

442. This is gorgeous Janina. Of course it is natural to be scared of the unknown, and until we open ourselves to taking a look we will always be scared. What you have shared is beautiful. You have opened your mind and your heart and dropped the fear. And in the process you have embraced fellow human beings and experienced the sharing of joy.

443. I found it humbling and inspiring to read your blog and feel the depth of connection you have established with the refugees in your area. As you say each person is no different to any of us, we are all human beings on the same planet, we can all come together with one voice as you are experiencing with the singing. Beautiful.

444. Thank you Janina,
     it is not wise to keep ourselves separate from or better than others, in racial hatred or turning a blind eye. Who knows, one day we may be in a similar situation and would we not want that there be others to accept and support us?

445. I too have recently started working with refugees and I feel so blessed to have this opportunity, I have made new friends and am deeply inspired by the way they value community and family. Like your blog suggests Janina we are all one world wide family, then why when this is the case would we not want to welcome them with open arms and open hearts?

446. There is much fear and insecurity around the topic of immigration and refugees especially in the Uk at the moment. The Brexit campaign, for a vast majority, was based on this argument. Yet what you share Janina breaks down the ideals and beliefs surrounding this topic; allows us to feel the humanity and crisis many are facing as they leave their countries for somewhere safe to live.

447. Thank you Janina, for bringing awareness to this area and showing us that there is no reason to fear these situations but that it is a grand opportunity for all of us to grow together as a humanity. We need more stories like this to be shared, where the people are that count and not the solution to a problem.

448. How refreshing and heartwarming to read this Janina, to drop the prejudice, discrimination and fears, and open up to the empathy and understanding you found from doing so.

449. Hi Janina – your blog is honest and exposes many of the pictures that humanity harbor that are separative, prejudice, fearful and based on a foundation of personal security first. It also reflects the finest of details we hold as a part of our lives every time we encounter someone that does not fit our own beliefs and ideals, something which protects us from facing deeply held fears we are afraid to let go of. Thank you for sharing your experience and inviting us all to open our hearts, minds and homes to others we have judged as different to ourselves. This is an opportunity to walk in someone else’s shoes and to bring more of heaven to earth via the honest exploration of the finest of details within ourselves.

450. Meeting refugees as you do Janina and sharing your experience is inspiring for all to realise that we are the same, the same one family, no matter what our culture, colour or nationality is.

     1. And it’s the simple on the ground actions such as what Janine is doing and how she is – that is going to be the most supportive reflection for true change. So fabulous to hear about.

451. It is only 70 years ago, that many Germans were refugees and were dislodged from places in Eastern Europe and had to leave their property and often part of their family and flee mostly on foot with only as much as they could carry into the onsetting Winter. But the generation that remembers this has now passed and only the stories they have told to the next generations have remained. But it was a time when every German family that still had a house that was not destroyed by the war would take in refugees and learned to live with these ‘strangers’ until they were no strangers anymore. So what have we learned from this? Why is this not passed on as a wisdom from one generation to the next? Do we have to repeat the same mistakes over and over again going around the sun and have to become refugees ourselves again to feel what it is like? Or are we willing to go forward with this and understand, as is suggested in this blog, that we are one people?

     1. Beautifully said Judith and a marvelous point. It is amazing how we do not learn from such huge events at times and these actions or ways of harmful thinking get repeated.

452. We all just want to be loved and included and by your experience to include everyone, in this case Syrians into your community, the children you’d only just met, by holding your hands on the way to sing, sharing their sweetness and love, were a clear confirmation of this.

     1. Such a way to restore trust and love in humanity. Singing and holding hands.

453. Why do we so often fear that which is unknown? Do we feel it will affect our comfortable lives? Are we all not refugees from somewhere at some time of our lives? How did we carry on? With the help of others! Is this the lesson we have forgotten.

454. This is such a needed topic of conversation and one I am sure everyone can relate to in some way. Like you years ago I refused to look at how abhorrent our treatment of each other can be and shut my eyes to the atrocities which were being reported in the newspapers, but it is important to not turn away from the plight of others and to treat them differently just because of their nationality or religion.

455. We need more articles like this on the internet. So many articles about refugees and war are fuelling the debate and emotional separation instead of actually bringing any understanding and love to the subject like this one does.

     1. Totally agree Joshua. Articles that take it that step further also as Janina has done. She’s shared the amazing reflection as well as the very needed exposure of the belief systems that cause the atrocious situations in the beginning.

456. It is easy for us to have ideals and beliefs around certain cultures and countries. However, when we take the time to truly meet with people, regardless of where they are from we soon realise that we are all the same. When we meet others in equalness and with love we soon break down any barriers that may exist between borders.

457. There are so many imbalanced situations out there that we have allowed for so very long, and it goes way back into our long history. Perhaps we are starting to open up more and ask questions and are starting to care because more and more things are being exposed which is a good start. I feel it’s the constant reflections we get from the news and what is happening out there in the world that we react against and want to shut down from when we judge it, instead of seeing the truth of it and getting on with what needs to be done, as we have all been a part of it. United together, we are all powerful.

458. It’s interesting as I know there are certain aspects in this world I don’t want to hear about, but I need to, making them over or avoiding them isn’t the answer. That doesn’t mean I have to go off and save people, but actually just acknowledging and really feeling the abuse and rot we live in. Often it’s the sexual abuse youngsters are inflicting on themselves and one another that I find hard to hear about. But that is our created reality. On another note regards refugees, even for me the term of referring them to as refugees creates a separation, as in an us – them scenario, so we don’t have to feel the comfort we are in – if we as a collective who humanity referred to and saw people as people, the same as us, we would be in a very different place in how we treated one another. There’s almost a resentment with people from other countries coming to work in the UK, they’ll take our benefits, jobs etc, but if truth be told many contribute to society and countries a lot more than those who live there.

459. Thank you Janina, for sharing your experiences and thoughts concerning refugees and their situation. I am in touch with a family but I never saw them as refugees but as people from another country with a different culture equally to me. What sticks out in this family is that the woman has no rights there, she has to wear what her husband says, to behave like he wants and to do what he commands her to do. Many of the women in Germany I spoke to are afraid of loosing their freedom as a woman in Germany. What I get to experience in this family, which meanwhile feels more like a friendship than a task, is that even if I had only contact and talks to the woman, her husband already starts to change his attitude towards her. We have a huge responsibility in the countries acomodating refugees not to see those people as strangers, but to treat them equally respectful like we want to be treated by others, then miracles can happen.

460. Thank you Janina. We are all refugees on a planet we don’t belong. We are all here together and until we all learn to live in harmony with each other and appreciate we are all equal and the same we will not find our way home.

461. We’ve pretended that turning the other cheek because we’re safe and sound has been an option to take, but the reality is, ignoring whatever we don’t want to deal with just creates more problems later down the line. At some stage we have to take responsibility for everything we have chosen to ignore, and the longer we look the other way, the more the situation intensifies. We have war, chaos and destruction all around us, entire countries being destroyed and millions of people killed or running for their lives. If there is disharmony within even one person on the planet, there is work to be done.

462. Saying ‘no’ to borders is saying ‘yes’ to God. We are all his equal Sons, no matter our chosen religion, race or creed. When we dismantle the walls that divide us we find only that which unifies us – a love divine that is pure and pristine and can never be sullied, only masked by the many false layers we create by not truly living and sharing the love that we are. Thank you for what you have shared Janina, for it allows us to pause and consider what is truly going on in the world.

463. Thank you so much for sharing your experience, Janina. When we can only see people as their nationality, their religion, whatever the label we give them to, it’s hard to feel connected with them and be understanding of them. I feel it is often this ‘unknown’ that creates the fear and consequential segregation. I am sure we have all experienced being pleasantly surprised at how warm and genuinely kind people are when we meet them as a person, even if we may not speak the same language and we might have held preconception about them. It’s time to let go of the identification we have cast on others, and ourselves, and just be who we are.

464. Whilst I remain blinkered, avoiding the bare facts about our world today I am irresponsibly colluding with their perpetuation. It is my responsibility to know what is going on and to shift my focus to interact with everyone I meet and everything I do, with my arms and heart open wide.

465. I applaud Germany for the stance it has taken on refugees and I love your innovative way of connecting with them through singing. It feels very humane and beautiful to me.

466. Great call Janina that in the current climate it is more important than ever to shift to the sense of responsibility as a global community from a national one.

467. Germany is doing really well on every level dealing with refugees. In Australia a lot of people lost their lives trying to enter illegally by boat and stopping it saved a lot of lives. It is quite strange how different approaches need to be for different countries.

468. Often when the unknown becomes known, anxiety drops away. Because what was giving us anxiety is often an image that isn’t true to begin with.

469. ‘The two children took my hand and we all walked together to the community house. I remember the feeling of union and brotherhood, and how joyfully we sang on the way to the community house’, … and as adults, we pride ourselves on being wiser than children. Those who live from love are offering the rest of us such a gift in each moment.

470. Thank you, Janina, for sharing so openly and honestly about a subject that so many of us are talking about. The refugee crisis is stirring up a lot of mixed emotions as we have lived with so many ideals and beliefs on what is ‘acceptable’ to us in our society. However, ‘We need to remember that all of us, including refugees, are equal human beings.’ Yes, we do. We also need to remember, it could just as easily be us, to put ourselves in the shoes of these refugees who are fleeing their homes, leaving everything they have, to save their lives and those of their children. They are not looking to get a new job and earn more money, they are choosing life over death.

471. A great topic shared here Janina and one that shows how truly important it is for us to see what is really going on around us. Change will not happen overnight but it begins with one step for us to open up to others, share and engage with people, no matter where they are from and learn and appreciate all equally.

472. When we take just a moment, one moment where we look past all the ideal’s and fears and prejudice we have been given and taken on from the media and society, and actually see another for the fact that first and foremost they are a person, a personal capable of love and flaws just like everyone else. When we can see this, everything else falls away and it becomes obvious that we need to work together, in times where there are those fleeing for their lives, to support the displacement the wars and conflicts and suffering is causing, and do it in such a way that it ensures nothing like this has to happen again.

473. Beautiful Janina, when we live in the” what is best for me” mentality our lives are always less fun than they could be, what an opportunity it is to bring love into the lives of refugees and show them that equality, reflect that the hardship they have experienced is not all of life, and that there is love there for them from people regardless of nationality or cultural difference, which aren’t real anyway, just a construct we use to separate ourselves from one another.

474. Thank you Janina on your sharing. I am always struck by the strong opinions some can have about certain groups of people without even knowing them in any way, even simply meeting them. All of this highlights for me that our attempts at self-protection do not work and just produce more supremacist attitudes. Even though we have had no where near the numbers of refugees come to Australia our opinions are possibly even stronger simply from what we see from the media. Stories like yours Janina need to be part of mainstream media stories so that we get to see who people truly are, not what we think they are.

475. Germany has been amazing the way it has let so many refugees in to join the German population. As you say, we are all one people despite the boundaries and borders that we have created upon this earth – before humanity came there were no fences on earth.
     It is so great to hear the everyday detail of what is happening for each one of you (in the ‘host’ country). I love how you tell of the refugee children taking your hands as you walked to the Community House to sing – such a simple and profound symbol of family, a family that extends across the world. I would love to hear more Janina of how your interaction with the refugee singing group goes, and more of what is happening in day-to-day Germany with this situation.

476. Thank you Janina for this awesome blog! We cannot stay silent about what is happening with the astronomical numbers of refugees now leaving their countries and often detained in atrocious camps, as you mention. I have just written an article (soon to be published on UnimedLiving) about the detention camps on islands around Australia for refugees. Unspeakable abuse and cruelties are happening there, with many many people speaking out strongly – doctors, nurses, psychologists, teachers, journalists – but nohing, absolutely NOTHING is being done to make these camps a safe place, or to even remove the fact of camps, and let refugees into the country as you are doing in Germany and so providing a safe place for them to re-make their lives, and also providing the magnificent opportunity you so beautifully describe for clearing and healing our prejudices and coming together as a one humanity.

477. When we live separated, and see ourselves apart, when we walk with borders drawn on top of our heart, then we truly are refugees ourselves. In this state we will always be seeking asylum and respite in life, whether its drugs, social media or TV. And so what you share Janina reminds me, that truly this world epidemic is here to remind us we are all displaced until we come back home to Love and the eternal fact that we are one.

478. Absolutely we have to say no to racism, hatred and separatism; thank you Janina for exposing and challenging our ideals and beliefs around ‘refugees’. My heart sinks when I consider the agonising plight of people escaping such horrific abuse; indeed where is our compassion, love and equality for all. I really appreciate you sharing your heart felt love and equality for all in this blog Janina.

479. So true Janina. Australia has so much to answer for in the way we treat refugees. There is little to no understanding of their situation as human beings and what they have been through. In Australia, we compound their terrible experiences by placing them in indefinite detention – that is, they have no idea how long they will be held in detention. We are all human and our experience is shared, including the way we treat all others.

480. Thank you for sharing your experience with refugees Janina – it is so honest, real and compelling albeit very exposing of how much we value our own comfort at the expense of others.

481. This is a very relevant and important subject to discuss. How many of us just turn the other cheek when it comes to these more challenging issues? It’s so easy to make life about self but when you actually consider if that was your family and you had just travelled for days on a dangerous boat risking your family’s life, it begins to take a more personal turn. Then imagine you were locked in a type of prison on arrival or treated as an unwanted alien that was a threat, it would be awful. I think articles like this should be front page news, people do need to be reminded that we are all equal and that if one country is suffering, we all have something to look at.

482. Even the word ‘refugee’ conjures up separation, how different would it be if we said ‘fellow human being’ or our ‘brother or sister’? Would this not show up the absurdity of believing we are so different because of our nationality? Many of us have no idea how harrowing and traumatic needing to flee your home, country, family and friends in a life and death situation is. May be losing loved ones along the way or not knowing if you are going to be safe at the other end. But we can bring understanding and listen and support our fellow human beings who have gone through an experience like this. There is much support out there for people with cancer, mental illness and other diseases, there are even special days and events to raise money for research or nurturing wellness days… yet women, men and children who are going through a traumatic experience as well, are not embraced and cared for in the same way. Thank you for sharing your experience Janina and exposing the beliefs and ideals we often hold on to around refugees and world events in general.

483. This is a well needed blog Janine as so many people are suffering at the hand of war and hate and we are all responsible, for as you say, if wars are still going on we all have to look at why. We need to look at where are we harbouring the hate, the anger, the greed, the need for comfort at the expense of another, the racism and the separatism that fuels wars. We are all people and we are each and everyone of us a part of the whole.

484. This is such an important topic and as we seem to be going through a very disturbing development in the UK towards migrants and refugees, it is horrible to feel the level of separation that is being lived every day around the world; we live in opposition to our natural state.

     1. The UK is massively impoverishing itself and will probably break up with at least Scotland seceding if it continues with its attempts to stop migration. It is very strange to watch, especially as the UK has been so successful in integrating migrants.

485. Yes. I know it is my responsibility to dispense with any prejudices I have. They are always born out of fear, which keeps me constricted and withdrawn from life as well as in separation from many fellow human beings.

486. Hello Janina and great topic and blog thank you. We have short memories in a lot of countries. My grandparents would be considered refugees these days but were called migrants in their day or wogs actually. There was very much a time of having to prove yourself that you were worthy to be an Australian. I can’t count the number of businesses my extended family now owns and how many people they have employed over the years and a lot of them started off as 7 day a week businesses. We migrated from the middle east as well. What I am saying is that what you are seeing Janina has always been there but now it’s just more obvious and in our face. We haven’t learnt from our past but more just allowed a division to continue and be fostered. I understand your blog and agree with what you are saying. It’s also to recognise that this isn’t a new problem as you would know and that leaving something for as long as we have will take some energy to turn it around. People are people after all and it doesn’t truly matter what suburb or country you are born in. What more needs to be shown to us before we accept something deeper than just skin colour and a postcode.

     1. Thank you Janina and Ray Karam for raising an interesting point of discussion about the word refugees and how this has been lost in translation over the years from when my parents were knows as the foreigners in the 1960’s. The levels of discontentment were there and the racial hurts and slandering was shared but not to the level that we are witnessing world wide today. The social media, hate mongering by political parties and the deliberate division of people according to their colour, religion, dress and homeland begs me to ask – Could it be that choosing to get real about basic respect and decency in our own lives then allows us to see clearly how we treat others?

487. The reality of our global community, very well put to us by Janina Koch because of her direct experiences and not theorised or analysed for the sake of sounding clever. This is the real world that we live in, so perhaps it’s best that we all start to sit up and take notice, because for how long will it be that all these activities happen on foreign shores, before the message comes home and no one can escape the truth that brotherhood and harmony between people is the way to live on earth.

488. Thanks Janine. This contribution is welcome in today’s age of populism and rising xenophobia.

489. Janine, I love the connection you had with this Syrian family as you sang down the street and could feel the communication between you all regardless as to whether you could converse in the same language or not.

490. If in any way I am racist, not so caring, I’ll leave it to another, or it does not include me – this is a disconnection from my heart. It’s not that I must go out and save another for what is needed in truth is to save them from my lost thoughts and therefore an imposition of not being open with my love. What I / We need to be responsible about, like Janina is expressing, connect to our hearts and allow what is there to precipitate forth. In return you feel what another offers – Brotherhood in arms.

491. Thank you Janina, this is a powerful and inspiring blog. I absolutely agree, when we open our hearts to embrace every one we meet with love, we are able to feel that we are all the same and all One. Living life with a narrow and lineal perspective based on what we see creates separation but choosing to live connected to our inner heart, everyone is our family. No boarder, culture, skin colour or race can blind us from the truth of what our hearts already know, we are all One big family.

492. Janina all of what you share is so real – what is so humbling to feel is how easily it is to deny the truth when it isn’t in and around where I live. Yes we are all the same – beings with hearts and souls, worthy of loving care. The entire situation is very worth our attention. It is amazing how many people are affected and the billions of people who ignore the issue is equally telling about the cause of the situation.

493. Thank you Janina for all that you have shared here. You have raised some great questions for us all that are absolutely worth considering. In our society today, wherever we are in the world, we tend to only care about what is happening in our backyard and bettering our own lives. This separation to the rest of the world gives way to an apathy and irresponsibility to humanity as a whole, as we are shut off to feeling the equal love in another, as such we allow lovelessness to develop, exit and continue, as long as it doesn’t directly affect us. This is the huge illusion that we are choosing to live by, as in truth if there is war in another country, there is war in our world, the world we are all equally a part of. Putting our heads in the sand does not make it simple go away. In our hearts, regardless of race, culture or skin color, we are all the same love within, and it is this love that we all crave to live in harmony with. Our responsibility as part of humanity is to live this love from our hearts with all equally, and bring to an arrest the momentum of lovelessness that comes between us living together in Brotherhood.

     1. I’ve always thought it strange that we celebrate the end of world war in the U.K. with poppies even though there is so much war all over the world. Many people died but what did they really die for? When so many still suffer, we celebrate that we’re alright. Our life in our back yard is better, and there is this ugly attitude of wanting to protect that and fear refugees will want to take some of the better life and leave ourselves with less. Maybe that is so, we will share our land our luck our wealth our jobs our education and health care? But what Janina shares is that they come with something for us too… to remind us of love, joy, true family and brotherhood. We seriously want to shut down to that? You can see how fighting over land can end up… there is potential for us to face what they are fleeing. So, what is really important to us?

494. Thank you Janina for opening up this very important conversation here. Reading what you have written I too can feel how it is painful to look directly at this situation and the temptation to choose not to open our eyes or hearts. What many do not realise is that we are ALL deeply affected by each other and what is going on in the world in many more ways than we acknowledge whether we like it or not and regardless of whether we open or close our eyes, ears or heart.

495. Thank you Janine, mass refugee immigration is happening all over the world and we must as a society stop complaining and start to take responsibility of why this is happening, why as a society have we let our brothers get to that point where they need to abandon their homes and flee? Instead of complaining we must take responsibility in being more open, understanding and loving with another, these mass immigrations happening around the world are asking us to stop making life about ‘self’ and be open and start living true brotherhood on earth.

496. This refugee situation shows us clearly how we can’t stay individual and let every other country stay with their own problems, sharning in brotherhood is the answer to so many inequalities in our world.

497. This is so beautiful!
     Even though I wasn’t evicted from my country because of war, I can relate to the refugees very much. Every time I hear about them I get this very sad feeling and am almost always on the verge of tears. What you’re are sharing here is beautiful because it shows us the level of separation that we all live in. These people are so beautiful and so sweet, and we are not supporting their growth, but making it a lot harder for them by seeing them as less!

498. Thank you, Janina, for sharing this as I feel that I, too tend to not feel any responsibility for what is happening with refugees from this part of the world but of course that is a cop out on my part. This situation really challenges our individualistic beliefs, our comfort and our complacency big time and it is no longer okay to ignore what is happening.

499. It saddens me greatly that whilst you write of opening doors and hearts to refugees in Germany, here in the UK there is a (small) majority who have voted to leave the EU which has given supposed legitimacy to the hitherto largely hidden racism and xenophobia. There are despicable abuses and crimes against our friends, neighbours, members of our communities that the perpetrators seem to think are justified due to the leave vote in the referendum. When I walk around all I feel is a community that is broken, still in shock and reeling from the aftermath of the vote to leave the EU. Now more than ever we are being called to show our support for our equal brothers, to stand up and say no to the rampant racism and to open our hearts to brotherhood. I applaud you Janina. You’re an inspiration.

500. This is so very true Lucy. Only because we think we are safe in our countries we can have an ignorant and arrogant attitude that the refugee problem is not our problem. A good example is Turkey a country in the European Union which just turned around its policy within a few months and people can not speak up anymore without the possibility of serious consequences to loose their jobs or end up in prison. So we never know what will happen in the future and if we might be the ones who will ask another country to take us in.

501. I know so well that habit of turning my gaze away from all of the aspects of life in the world, which clearly goes against what in my heart I know is the true and okay. It is crazy because we have so many examples even in our recent history showing us that there is no ‘us’ and ‘them’. We have seen that whatever we turn a blind eye to will only get bigger and bigger until we can not see anything else.
     Yet obviously we have still not learned our lesson. In many instances we have gone for setting up rules and regulations to avoid seeing, such as making homelessness illegal, banning immigration, withholding support because of obesity – all of this instead of looking to see our responsibility in propping up a world that propagates what we find painful to see. There is so much hype to justify our choices by turning us suspicious and unloving toward one another. Thank you for the reminder that this is “a great opportunity to stop staying individual and thinking ‘What is best for me?,’ and to open up our hearts”.

502. This is a beautiful blog Janina and it’s very touching to read about your singing group and connection with refugees in Germany. Other countries including Britain need to take a leaf out of Germany’s book and change their policy on immigration. We as individuals also need to remain open to the all, knowing we are indeed one.

503. this is very confirming of the fact that race is a social construct. We are all from everywhere – DNA will prove this fact and it is now our choice on if we want to see what is happening in the next door country or not. Borders are only borders and the fact is now more than ever the world has an opportunity to support each other rather than turn a blind eye.

504. Beautiful Janina and it really does highlight all the perceptions that we can hold against each other. Even I was taken back by the pictures I have subscribed to after meeting and working with someone from Syria very recently. The word ‘Refugee’ dehumanises a person I feel and to meet this lady was beautiful because I felt she was no different to me, just from another part of the world. Our experiences may be different but what I am learning is that it is far greater to embrace that diversity than it is to dismiss it and take my view on life as the only view on life.

505. Thank you Janina, for sharing your experiences in this – it shows very clearly that in order to maintain the idea of another we need to keep people separate, when we actually meet people and are open to them we can see they are just like us and there is much we offer each other – in meeting people in this way we break down the idea of other, of separation, and we see clearly we are all one. You raise a great point about how we’ve lived in the world in our safe nation states, and how what we apply to people as being other, we also apply to nations, and that as long as our nation is fine, we ignore the other one over there which may need our support. Again this is a huge lie and this is the gift refugees give us to show us that everything happening everything affects us all, and if we fail to understand and see this, they come to us, and we begin to see everything is connected and we have to ask what is going on in our world when anyone is living in a situation where they have to flee their homes for safety – we cannot live in isolation and shut the world out, we are all a part of the world, and we all impact the world.

     1. Very true Monica…” we cannot live in isolation and shut the world out, we are all a part of the world, and we all impact the world.” And we cannot longer pretend that the world is up side down and we all need to act in way that brings the whole together-that unites us as a whole world wide humanity. And to let go of everything that stand in the way like religion or nations.

506. If we turn our back on just even one person then we turn our back on all people. We all deserved to be loved and cared for and that really is what the refugee crisis is teaching us.

507. A huge amount of responsibility for all brought through in this blog Janina, because Yes! We are indeed failing as a worldwide society if one person let a lone a whole country is “at war”

508. Great observations and insights, thank you Janina. You show how it can be done – connect with the people who you might have a prejudice against or fear of and we will then see and feel that they are not only the same as us but that nationality, race and culture are nothing but superficial labels.

509. With 60 million people, refugees, fleeing their homes and countries because the situation in their own homeland is too dire, too dangerous, it is clear to see that we have not evolved as a humanity, unless we extract ourselves from the grasp of this consciousness we simply retread our well worn tracks.

510. In the UK I have heard a lot of prejudice against the allowing of refugees into our country. Sometimes I have been given examples of how it is in Germany and I have been painted a very different story. I have heard that there is a lot of theft, rape, deceit and conniving coming from the refugees and very little good. Thank you for showing me a different story and one from your own experience.

511. The world that people from Syria and many other countries are living in is one of almost unimaginable horror, and yet there it is on our TV for all of us to see. Perhaps more horrible though is the way they are maligned and outcast by many countries simply because their home is from a war ravaged country. An inspiring story of revelation, thank you.

512. For as long as people don’t live harmonously with one another in one household, we will have war, as war is a macro of the micro going on in homes everyday around the world.

513. Janina, these are powerful and clear questions you are asking here, questions that are long overdue and imperative for us all to be open to asking and making changes accordingly. We are living unnaturally in such hate and separation from each other in the uncertainty of war and homelessness.
     “Have we failed as a worldwide society to take better care of each other and have we failed to support countries when it was still possible to do so?”

514. As soon as we see ourselves as separate to others, whether that is another culture, country or neighbourhood – we create war.

515. A yes from me to all your future views here Janina. And I say: this is just the beginning. Even that would be a good start – we can not stop here. We have to ask us how and why did it come that far. Many people starting to feel unsafe in there countries and homes because they are afraid of getting overwhelmed – like the people called refugees did (to an extreme degree). We people who live in a ‘safe’ country think we can hide from the problems ‘out there’ in the world – but we can not. And if we do not care about all our brothers worldwide …they come to us and show us, lets face it, the mess we are all in. The comfortable standard we did reach in a few places on this planet are on the costs of others. Until we are all in harmony together there will be no true ‘good’ or true ‘safe’ for any of us. How bad does it have to become for us so that we stop blaming others for how we feel and take responsibility?

516. Everyone’s lives take twists and turns and we all want support at some stage in our lives, whether it’s physical, financial, emotional or psychological, and whether it’s from our blood family, the wider community or a passing stranger. There should be no difference or discrimination for the people caught up in this crisis in Syria, the numbers can be almost overwhelming but that doesn’t mean we stop supporting people, it means we increase the support.

517. ‘There is no such thing as separate nationalities’. So true Janina. We all came from somewhere. DNA retesting is now showing that we all have traces from many different cultures in our genes. We are indeed all one nation.

518. Janina it is gorgeous to hear this and I feel inspired to look and see where I can support and be there for refugees within my local community. That is a lot of people fleeing from war to one country in just over a year 1, 750, 000!!!!! There are millions of other people that have fled to other countries in dangerous, terrifying and exhausting journeys, babies, children, parents, grandparents. Gosh what blessing it is for you and them to then be holding hands to go to singing ✨You asked the question ‘Have we failed as a worldwide society to take better care of each other and have we failed to support countries when it was still possible to do so?’ I would say yes, currently it is not hard to see that we haven’t been great with this but I know with people like you we can turn this around and get back on track to make it about equality, love, truth, brotherhood and ultimately humanity. Thank You 💖😍

519. Thank you Janina for your blog and for highlighting the way in which the world at large is turning a blind eye and our backs on these people.
     Thank you for stepping up and calling out man’s inhumanity to man, and for opening your heart thus inspiring others to remember that we are all one.

520. So true Janina we can not turn a blind eye and pretend it is not affecting us. The refugee crisis is huge and is not going to go away. Like you say true Brotherhood is to welcome the refugees into our countries and communities and support them to make the transition to a new life as easy as possible .As you say it is not easy choice to leave your homeland and family, but with the atrocities that are happening in Syria and from their own people, is devastating and we in truth can not conceive what they have had to endure and go through. I feel the UK has taken a massive step backwards with opting out of the EU as one of the reasons given was the fear of refugees flooding our country. this is not Brotherhood and does not support the world to see that turning refugees away is not the answer.

521. “Have we failed as a worldwide society to take better care of each other and have we failed to support countries when it was still possible to do so?” – Great question you ask here Janina and one that I think is important for us all to consider. Time for us to open up more to all our fellow brothers without bias.

     1. Yes Fiona and this might also be in donating money to organization who support refugees camps, for example to supply material to get through the winter, as many refugees camps are not really equipped for cold season.

522. Janina, this is absolutely beautiful to read, this is one of the only articles that I have read about refugees that is loving and is about us all being the same, no matter our race and culture, that asks us to understand and care. Other articles I have read in the media have been scaremongering and make it about ‘us and them’ and create a difference, as if we are different people and that refugees are a threat. it is truly beautiful to read your article and feel how we are all the same, no matter where are place of birth is.

     1. Understanding that we do not need to be frightened of other cultures and that there are always people who behave in ways which is not to be tolerated and against the law but this is not dependent on a nationality.

523. Janini Koch, I love your honesty in facing your ideals and beliefs and the sharing of your visit to the sing at this house and returning to joy and brotherhood with meeting these refugees – to be living as a displaced person with people in opposition wherever they manage to get to, is a very sorry state of affairs worldwide and exposing of how far away we are from true and harmonious living.

524. There is the world (where we are all), and there is our world (that turns the all into us and them). In the first one a lot of things happen, including many things we deeply dislike. Yet, we live in our own world where what most of happens in the world remains alien to us. So, our world remains for us as something separate from the world in two ways: we are not contributors to the all being what it is and it is about us, never about them and even less about all. The energy of war is always us versus them. What about the energy of ‘peace’? It is about us and what happens to them is not our problem. War and peace are two way of moving in life that is never about the all. The all is only possible when we acknowledge that we are one; that we belong together and start moving differently.

525. Janina yours is the first first hand account of the German refugee situation that I have received. There have been many reports on the news but to know someone who has met some of the men, women and children behind the statistics and stories, shows how much the angst, issues and fear around the ‘refugee problem’ drops away when people get to connect with each other. Its easy to fear what we keep ourselves distant from and you are a walking reminder that it is when people meet people that our perspective (and our world) changes.

     1. “Its easy to fear what we keep ourselves distant from and you are a walking reminder that it is when people meet people that our perspective (and our world) changes.” Well said and brought to the point Adrienne!

526. Thank you for writing this Janina. I have never understood why we keep each other out based on race or where we were born. To me we are all the same on the one planet, and yes if a group of us need support then we should be there for each other. At the moment in the UK it appears like we are going the other way. Only a few days ago at the Conservative party conference the government was talking about auditing British companies to identify and name any ‘foreigners’ working there.. really?

     1. That’s frightening and a sure way to make foreigners unwelcome. I live in London and one of the things I love about the city is how you can move about and find every culture, nationality, religion, cuisine and an eclectic mix of expression all under the same roof. London is an epicentre of multinationals living and working together and long may that last.

527. Beautiful Janina. It is very sad that we have come to a place where we even have a term for ‘these people’. As we are all the same. What a troubled world we have created indeed.

528. Yes, it is horrendous what so many refugees have to undergo but the long-term result is the breakdown of nationalities and separatism as integration cannot help but happen.

529. Thank you Janine, very true, one day your life is one way, the next you could be running for your life hoping that another country will take you in. It is ignorant to think this will never touch our shores or our lives and to live turning a blind eye. We should all know the horrors that are going on so we can stand up and say no, calling our politicians to represent us internationally.

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