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Luis Miguel Goitizolo

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RE: IS THE NEW AGE REALLY COMING?
8/11/2013 6:38:04 PM

Hilarion via Marlene Swetlishoff: You are Serving a Greater Purpose than is Readily Apparent to You



hilarion2Hilarion: You are Serving a Greater Purpose than is Readily Apparent to You, channeled by Marlene Swetlishoff, August 11, 2013 at http://www.therainbowscribe.com/hilarion2013.htm

Beloved Ones,

As you move through your days, know that you are serving a greater purpose than is readily apparent to you. You are each vibrating at a higher level than the majority of humanity at this time and this sometimes causes confusion within your human selves in terms of keeping steadfast upon your path.

For many of you as you look at the world through the lens of the news media in your current times, it appears that the world and the people in it have gone completely mad. This is the crumbling structure of the old paradigms at work and your focus on maintaining peace and harmony within you and in your sphere of energetic influence helps to create the new Earth reality in your now moments.

What we focus upon is the reality which is being created and those who influence the news media of the day know this also which is why there is such a repetition in the reporting of these stories. This is why we advise each beloved Light Beacon to not listen again after hearing the news the first time.

Keep steadily being yourselves, be present in each moment and allow your higher aspects to continue to integrate into your human template. Much is being accomplished in this way and if you each look at your life even six months ago, you would see the incredible progress that has taken place, especially within your own growth and potential. You now have the ability to be the observer in your life as well as the doer and this has been leading each of you into greater insights and revelations in regards to your habitual patterns of behavior that could use some improvement or a different approach. As you have been doing this work, you have released many programs that were not serving your own highest good and this in turn has affected the people whom you love in a positive manner which in turn created positive change within each of them.

This has also facilitated the need for growth for these ones and some have resisted this impulse by behaving in divisive manners which created separation. Hold fast and allow the cosmic energies to do their work of transformation. For some of your loved ones, greater patience and compassion is required of you. We realize that it is difficult to not react to those who resist the ways of love and unity, just know and believe that there will come a time in the not too distant future when this will change. The higher frequencies coming into the Earth’s atmosphere will create transformation within these individuals and the way forward for each of you will become easier and brighter.

Many upon the Earth at this time are feeling the effects of the higher energies and as you know, when greater Light is absorbed what is expressed from the individual is that which does not resonate with the higher frequency. It is important to allow these individuals to express the feelings and thoughts which arise from within them and to not take what they say and do personally. This is what we call loving detachment. Give them your love and compassion but do not allow their projections to enter your own auric field. You can be of greater service in this way as you become the role models of a humanity expressing their Divine selves which eventually all of humanity will emulate upon your planet.

As you all continue to release and let go of all that has hindered your movement into the higher dimensions, there will come a time when the polarities which held humanity in conflict for many ages will begin to gradually disappear. The growth process takes time and patience in order that each person’s soul lessons and insights are gathered and experienced in the completion of their physical life embodiment in the lower dimensions and a new journey of physical embodiment in the higher dimensions begins to take precedence. This will be a joyous moment for all when it occurs.

Until next week…

I AM Hilarion

New! Video format: http://youtu.be/71FIfncGvag

©2013 Marlene Swetlishoff/Tsu-tana (Soo-tam-ah) Keeper of the Symphonies of Grace.

Permission is given to share this message as long as the message is posted in its entirety and nothing has been changed, or altered in any way and Scribe’s credit, copyright and website is included. www.therainbowscribe.com


"Choose a job you love and you will not have to work a day in your life" (Confucius)

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Luis Miguel Goitizolo

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8/11/2013 6:39:07 PM

GaiaPortal via ÉirePort: Verification of Renewed and Amplified Energetic Structures for Gaia Ascension Now in Progress



http://gaiaportal.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/gaia_energy11.jpgGaiaPortal by ÉirePort:Amplified Energetic Structures for Gaia Ascension Now in Progress…,August 10, 2013 - http://wp.me/p2sFUY-nw

Verification of renewed and amplified energetic structures for Gaia Ascension is now in progress.

This final phase of Gaia preparation for Ascension occurs at this time as sufficient former paradigm structures have been removed and/or reset.

Such verification requires no effort on the part of Hue-Beings at this time, as Gaia has complete administrative care of and responsibility for this phase.

Hue-Beings will continue efforts at local levels as Guidance suggests.

The “humanity” segment of Gaia population is now experiencing full and comprehensive inner and outer transformation, whether conscious [aware] of this or not.

All has proceeded as desired at this point, and further adjustments are not anticipated.


"Choose a job you love and you will not have to work a day in your life" (Confucius)

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Luis Miguel Goitizolo

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8/11/2013 6:40:09 PM

A Message from the Light Collective via Tazjima: 10 August 2013



pinkdaisiesA Message from the Light Collective: 10 August 2013, channeled through Tazjima, August 10, 2013 at bluedragonjournal.com

In the ever present Now moment, we would like to take you on a tour of your Self. Each of you who read our words is beginning to wake up to the fact that you are more than a body or a single consciousness.

In fact, you are a collective being. You exist in a Multiverse, more than one universe, in more than one body, on more than one planet. And yet, your primary consciousness is focused, here and now, in this human body and on this planet, Earth, located in a side arm of the vast Milky Way Galaxy. Why? You are here because the transition that this beautiful but humble planet is undergoing is unprecedented in at least one Universe and really all Universes.

Many of you, even those who have long been conscious of the transition are struggling with the issue of self-identity. Who are you, truly? Are you a human being doomed to struggle and slave for some three-score years and ten (often shorter) and then die, never to live again or are you something more? You really, really want to accept the knowledge that you are more, mainly because it gives you hope that you can change, that you will be given an opportunity to do it all over, again.

Dear ones, you are doing it, now. You are changing the game plan because you are in the midst of a Grand Experiment, one that is bringing light back into a darkened world and a darkened Universe, a Universe that was affected by an unintended mutation of creative energies. Step by step, your bodies are changing and being stepped up in vibration, in their ability to carry the light.

This is the result of long-term planning by the Archangels, who oversee the rehabilitation of this world, its people and this Universe. This experiment is only in its beginning stages. What you do here, you will do the same and more on other worlds, because that is what you do. You are the explorers, the wanderers, the special light forces who have volunteered to undergo this process in order to transmute the imbalance back into alignment with the Will and blueprint of Creation.

We understand that it is difficult to see or believe that you have any hand in the changes currently happening across the face of your planet, but we assure you that you are heavily involved. Simply by opening yourself up to the realization that you have choice, you have stepped from a third-dimensional vibration to a fourth. By determining and realizing that you can change your world consciously, you begin to bring up your energy field closer to the fifth dimension.

You are a powerful, creative being; now is the time to acknowledge that you are not a victim of circumstance unless you choose to undergo victimization as a means of gaining experience. You can move beyond experiencing yourself as a victim by simply tweaking how you view your world. You can begin to see energy as being neutral; it simply is. And then realize how you bind your thoughts and emotions, together, is how you attract what you see and experience into your daily life. By choosing to remain neutral, you release the emotional charge from events and can eventually choose how to consciously determine just what experiences you wish to have.

The experiment that you are undergoing is a rebuilding of the stepping stones of mastery– Self-mastery, which means that you are responsible for the choices that you make, each day, whether unconsciously or consciously. We hope that you feel that you are ready to be conscious so you can tune into the ways in which to channel energies and create the world in which you want to live.

We know that many of you will deny that you have such power of creation, but we remind you, dear ones, that each and every one of you is a creator god. Yes, you created the world in which you live and breathe. It is only one of your creations, but right now it is the focus of many worlds who wish to move into higher frequencies. You have a unique opportunity to prove to yourself just how creative and powerful you are. Do you have the necessary courage, determination and will to go forward? We feel that you do. We see the whole of you, not just the singular individual who appears lonely and lost, struggling to make ends meet, dealing with health issues, relationship issues, and emotional ups and downs.

South Fork Walla Walla 52812 001

Are you ready to step up to the plate and learn how to master your experience, to master your emotions, to create your world, to be all that you already are within? If your answer is yes, and you give us permission to work with you, we will guide you in your discovery of your own gifts. Each of you has what it takes to be a master, carefully stowed within your own heart and mind. Through the pineal gland you can make connection with your soul and I AM Presence. Through the secret chamber of the heart, you make connection with the Creator and his rays of Creation. In working with the angels and elementals, you can change the focus of your life. By connecting with nature and the earth, you become grounded.

It can be easy to lose yourself in the bliss of meditation, but grounding in the present moment is necessary if you are going to accomplish the work of changing your world. Each moment that you can be aware, even while you sleep, is another moment when you can accomplish great things and learn to bring the wisdom of your higher selves into manifestation. You are the anchors and bridges, bringing in the light of creation into manifestation.

You have been chosen for this role by your selves, the parts of your multi-dimensional being that works closely with the Archangels, ascended masters and ascended galactic and extra-galactic races. You are these beings, true, but you are also human and here to experience all there is to experience of the ongoing transition of this planetary body and all life upon her. See yourself as an integral part of the transition, as an agent of change. And what you manage to change in yourself will be reflected back to you in what you see around you in the course of daily life.

Be aware that every thought you have, every emotion you feel, every action that you take is a part of the rays of creation. While you go through your day, you are creating. Will you choose to be conscious of your creations so you can align yourself with the Will of the Creator or will you choose to remain unconscious and seemingly helpless in the face of adversity? It is your choice and we will honor whatever you do, but know that mastery is self-determined, not something that some guru can wrap in a pretty package and hand to you on a plate. It takes intention, attention, focus and action.

We understand that our expression through this message may overwhelm and confuse some who appear to be struggling. Let the emotions flow through you like water without latching onto them. Let your thoughts settle at the bottom of the lake, clearing the troubled waters. Be still. Be calm. Allow for the wisdom of the heart and the connection of your higher self speak to you in a non-verbal manner. It is through this unspoken, non-linear method that you will receive your guidance, from within, not through the avenue of another person. Although others might serve as a guide, it is through following this inner beacon that you will find your way through the maze of indecision and inaction and break through to the other side of the matrix. Once outside the matrix of the rigid third-dimensional structure of thought and emotion, you can discover new ways to create your own world, as you, the master, so will it to be.

DSCF2291

You are already free of the matrix, whose underlying structures have been withdrawn as of the 12/12/12; but you have to make the first move to go forward into the new dawn as a creator of all you see and experience. Go forth and discover for yourself, dear ones, what lies beyond the miasma of limitation, want and need. Many delights and wonders and beautiful worlds are there waiting for you, for you have already created some of what you will find during those moments when your linear thinking mind has been stilled, during sleep and dreams. And we await your coming, in robes of many colors as you again are clothed in the auric hues of mastery.

We stand in awe of what has already been accomplished. The transitional period from 12/12/12 to now, just now eight months in length, has advanced and heightened the frequency levels of this planet and her peoples so that even the sleepiest of its populace begin to stir and wonder what is going on. What is going on is simply the reconstruction of an entire world and its collective humanity into a star nation, a fully conscious planet of living physical ascended masters. It is something that has never happened before, but now you are well on the way.

Yes, there will be revolution, turmoil, death and destruction. What is old and broken must be destroyed and removed before a new world can come entirely into manifestation, on clean and cleared soil. Change brings challenge. Not all humans or life forms upon the planet today will survive physically the changes, but all are being given the opportunity to undergo the experiences contained within as they have so chosen before coming into embodiment. Judge not the actions of others; focus on your own choices and actions. Be focused on your inner development and see everything outside of your aura as theater being played out for your enjoyment and entertainment.

We understand that some of you will be appalled that our seemingly callous regard for human suffering and misery, but we remind you that each human being makes the choice to be here before they are born. Their experiences are their own, chosen for the growth of the soul. And the soul is eternal even if the body is not. Those who are meant to be physical ascended masters will survive the transition; many others have chosen another direction, other timelines, but all, will eventually come into alignment with the Will of Creator and so it is best not to judge.

Understand that much is being balanced by various souls. Some souls have chosen short lifetimes. Their lives, cut short by violence, in turn act as a catalyst in order to awaken others; to create the opportunity for large numbers of individuals to experience a spontaneous heart opening that otherwise would not present itself. Honor these braves ones for their seeming sacrifice for many times they are balancing acts of violence that they, themselves, have committed in other “lifetimes”.

What is termed an act of “evil” may be just the catalyst needed to break the locked in thinking of people, to move them to an opportunity to choose between anger and vengeance or into forgiveness and love. You have the opportunity to choose, every moment of your life how you will react or not to whatever “happens” around you. Become conscious of your choices; take responsibility for them and you will soon find yourself on the road to self-mastery. You are already on it, but have not thought to look down and see the yellow brick road beneath your feet, leading you on to the great Emerald City of Shamballa, with its gleaming crystal towers.

There is no good or evil, there is only You, the eternal dreamer of the one dream. You are the experience, the creator of the experience and the experiencer. You are the master of your world. Find delight and joy in creating the world that you want to be a part of, along with all your friends, the angels, the ascended masters, the galactics, the elementals and fairies, the wondrous creatures of “myth” and many others.

We stand at your side, ready to guide and mentor, ready to encourage and cajole, as brother and sister to you and one in the light of the Creator. Go now in peace and be consciously all that you already are.

Namaste.

Copyright © 2012-13 by Elizabeth Ayres Escher. All Rights Reserved. Permission is given to copy and distribute this material, provided the content is copied in its entirety and unaltered, is distributed freely, and this copyright notice and links are included.


"Choose a job you love and you will not have to work a day in your life" (Confucius)

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Luis Miguel Goitizolo

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8/11/2013 6:43:03 PM

Angelic Guides via Taryn Crimi: Q&A with the Angelic Realm



angel-wings-angelsAngelic Guides: Q&A with the Angelic Realm, channeled through Taryn Crimi, August 9, 2013 at http://angelicguides.wordpress.com

Note from Taryn: I decided that it would be fun to change things up this week. Instead of having the Angels discuss one topic, I thought it would be interesting to ask the Angels 10 questions about numerous different topics and ask them to give a short answer to each question. So that’s just what I did. Hope you enjoy it!

“What fun! We would love to share our perspective on these numerous topics you have chosen. Let us begin shall we?

1. What is at the edge of the universe? The edge you ask? This would imply that there truly is “space and time”; remember that those are just illusions that help you to better play the game in this physical reality. From our perspective there is no edge, no dividing line that ends at the “edge” of the universe. Your universe is one of infinite other universes, which make up “all that is”. There is nothing outside of “all that is” because the multiverse as some prefer to call it contains all that ever exists. You see, there cannot be anything else, otherwise it would be part of all that is.

2. How many dimensions are there? A wonderful question and in keeping with your request to keep each answer “short” we will give you the most basic and simple answer. Our answer is 1 or infinite, depending upon your perspective. This of course seems confusing to you, but let us briefly explain. From our perspective there is no separation. There is only one, however from your perspective there seems to be a separation between each dimension as if they are stacked one on top of each other. This is often times how humans visualize dimensions, but we do not perceive them in a vertical ascension or descending line. All that truly “separates” the experiences that can be had in each dimension is the vibration at which each being is choosing to resonate with. This of course directly impacts their perception of the creations which they manifest. This is why we say, from our perspective there is really only 1 dimension which contains all of existence.

3. Can animals incarnate as humans? Yes of course. It is simply the soul’s choice to determine what kind of experience they would like to participate in. With each “new” incarnation, the soul is afforded a new perspective that is gained as a result of the life they lived. Many souls have chosen to incarnate as both animals and humans. It allows for a different experience that would not have been perceived if the soul had not chosen to experience both.

4. Why does the sky look blue but outer space looks black? Shouldn’t it be brighter because you are closer to the sun? From our perspective the “light” that you perceive is part of the illusion. However we will give you a more “scientific” answer to help you to better understand this phenomenon. The Earth is encased in what you refer to as an Ozone layer. The ozone layer is made up of various gasses which reflects light differently than if you did not have one at all. The light that is emitted from the Sun is then trapped within this ozone layer and as a result your sky appears to be blue. When you see pictures of “outer space” it looks as if the sky is black because there is no Ozone layer for the light to reflect off of. When there is no ozone layer the light is more scattered, or no longer condensed into a relatively small area of “space” to reflect off of. Your night sky appears to be dark blue or black because the photons of light are greatly reduced due to the setting of the sun. This reduces the light which reflects off of the ozone layer and so the sky “appears” to be darker.

5. Are there really vampires that exist within our reality? Yes in a sense there are vampires that walk amongst you. Although they are portrayed in a very different “light” then what they truly are. These beings do not live off of the blood of others, rather they live off of the energy that others allow to be taken from them. This is why often times vampires are portrayed as being “allergic to the light” or will disintegrate if they come into contact with spirituality. This is simply a metaphor.

Essentially, those who could be considered vampires, have forgotten how to ignite their own inner power so instead, they rely on the energy and light of others who allow them to do so. Please know that you do not have to concern yourself with these beings “stealing” your energy. No being can “steal” what you do not willingly allow them to take. This is why it is often said that vampires cannot with-stand the sunlight. From our perspective it is simply a metaphor for those who rely on the energy and light of others, cannot withstand the higher vibrations of a being who intends to share their light rather than allow themselves to be consumed with fear. Remember that fear and faith cannot coexist.

6. Are there really mermaids that exist in our reality? Yes, there are many mermaids in your oceans and seas upon your world. They often go undetected as they are fearful of humans at this time. There are in fact many “species” that exist upon your world which your scientists have still not acknowledged or discovered. You will continue to learn of many new beings that coexist upon your world as you continue to elevate in consciousness.

Mermaids are quite social, and live in communities deep within your oceans. They do look a bit similar to your “mythical” depictions of them in that they resemble the torso and upper body of a human, and the bottom of a fish. The tale is similar to the tale of a dolphin in that it contains cartilage as well as muscle which is covered in a smooth thick layer of skin. They do not have the exact faces of a human, rather you would perceive their faces as strange as they do not have a nose as you do. It is significantly smaller than a human nose. They have gills instead of lungs and as a result they do not require a nose for breathing air. Their have been humans who have encountered populations of mermaids, however this is often discounted as being a myth. They will be discovered on a mass scale when the human collective consciousness is ready to peacefully coexist with these docile creatures.

7. What is the meaning of life? Ahhh, what a wonderful question, and a very common one at that. Humans tend to over complicate this however from our perspective the answer is quite simple; the meaning of life is what you make of it. You are all simply here to have an experience. To have an experience that will allow your soul to gain another perspective of all that exists.

8. Is Greek mythology a myth? To this we would reply, is anything really a “myth”? Greek mythology is based upon stories that were passed down through many generations of the earlier populations of Atlantis. Certainly Atlantis “did” exist. Upon the downfall of this once great civilization, many citizens of this land were forced to flee as it was crumbling into the sea. These citizens of the former Atlantian population scattered throughout the Mediterranean, parts of Egypt, and South America. They often recalled tales of their once great civilization that had been swallowed by the sea. Eventually as time passed and those who lived upon this land left the physical world, it became known as legends and myths rather than “history”. Imagine if you tried to explain what your internet works to someone in the 1500’s, most of your explanation would be misunderstood and often taken out of context because they would have no other technology to compare it to.

Many of the Gods, goddesses, and mythical creatures certainly existed although it was misunderstood by the subsequent generations that could no longer comprehend or obtain the abilities, technology and advancements that once were so very common upon Atlantis. This is of course because this time period was involved in the descending of consciousness. Just as all of you are now finding and regaining new abilities with each generation, those at this time were losing these abilities just as quickly.

So to answer your question directly, these Gods, and beings did exist, yet many of the stories have been embellished as they have been passed down from generation to generation. These “Gods”, were many of you, you were able to come and go in your physical bodies. You were not “stuck” in one form at that time. You were able to shape shift in the early period of the Atlantian civilization. The higher the vibration that you maintain the less dense your physical form will appear.

Take note, do you not find it a bit “coincidental” that there is now a resort named Atlantis which sits upon the remnants of a once advanced civilization called that very same name? It is held within the human collective’s memory. You are regaining your memory one step at a time.

9. How do you become an Angel? From our perspective, we have always been Angels. We did not become Angels. Humans often think in a linear fashion where there is a beginning and an ending because that is the illusion you are currently within, however from our perspective there is no beginning and there is no ending. All is eternal. However, from your perspective you could say that Angels are essentially you in a higher vibration. We are all one. We are you, and you are us.

10. If Earth is hollow, then why can’t we just walk into it? Earth along with many other planets could be considered Hollow. However from the 3rd or 4th dimensional perspective it would appear to be filled with mass. Only upon ascending to the higher vibrations of the 5th dimension does the Mass no longer seem to exist. This is because the faster the vibration the less dense the structure appears to be. If you were to increase your vibration enough to maintain the resonance of the 5th dimension you would certainly be able to walk into the center of your Earth. There are beings dwelling within your physical Earth, you just don’t perceive them yet. It would be similar to a being who is choosing to have a very negative outlook; this would of course prevent them from seeing the wonderful opportunities that are manifesting before them. They do not perceive them because their vibration is too low to perceive the opportunities.

We hope that you have enjoyed our answers to your questions and that we have in some way served you.

In love and light, we are your Angelic Guides

Copyright © 2012-2013 by Taryn Crimi. All Rights Reserved. Permission is given to copy and distribute this material, provided the content is copied in its entirety and unaltered, is distributed freely, and this copyright notice and links are included. http://AngelicGuides.wordpress.com


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Luis Miguel Goitizolo

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RE: IS THE NEW AGE REALLY COMING?
8/11/2013 6:44:43 PM

Xi Jinping Opens Door to Reform in China



Xi-Jinping-and-Chinese-flagStephen: Remember that China is a major player in the reformation of our world. As China moves on after a decade of highly conservative rule under former leader Hu Jintao, radical change is on its way.

By John Simpson, The Observer – August 10, 2013

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/10/china-xi-jinping-opens-door-reform

Under the new leadership of President Xi Jinping (pictured at left), a quiet process of reform is under way in China. If successful, it will transform the country’s politics and the way it approaches the world.

Every leadership in the past two decades has altered and developed China’s direction. Over the past 10 years Hu Jintao, the outgoing president, introduced a sterner, more conservative tone. The changes that had been the work of the witty, liberal-minded Zhu Rongji, premier from 1998 to 2003, were set aside. Hu clamped down on criticism and alternative approaches to government.

Now, Zhu’s ideas are back in fashion. One dissident figure I interviewed for my Radio 5 Live documentary, to be broadcast on Monday, believes the next five to seven years will change everything. “I would expect to see a popularly elected parliament in that time,” he said.

China is certainly changing. After three months when its relations with Britain were put into deep freeze because David Cameron had met the Dalai Lama, the Chinese government wanted to signal a return to normality. And it did so by giving a formal interview to the BBC: an organisation that it has also frozen out in the past.

The interview I recorded with the deputy director-general of the foreign ministry, Hong Lei, was the first political interview a senior figure had given to the BBC in Beijing for well over 20 years.

It was heavily wrapped in official-speak: this was China, after all. But later a senior official said in the clearest English: “We have a new start in our bilateral relationship.”

It is part of a wider pattern. The new bosses in China want a new start in various ways. Last November I sat in the Great Hall of the People listening to Hu address the party congress. His speech drew a line under his years in office and introduced the incoming leadership of Xi. Delegates sat bolt upright in their identical black suits, white shirts and red ties, outfits obtained from official suppliers in Beijing as soon as they arrived for the congress.

On stage, the leaders were ranged in order of seniority, looking like waxworks. Each had his (they were almost, though not quite exclusively, male) hair dyed a startling raven black – in the current semiotics of Chinese Marxism-Leninism, grey or white hair denotes feebleness.

There was one solitary exception as my eye swept along the ranks. Zhu Rongji, the elder statesman whose ideas had encouraged China’s epoch-making changes of the 1990s, sat in the front row, his hair an eye-catching grey, his tie a tasteful blue. It was a quiet defiance of Communist party norms; it also showed confidence. Zhu knew that, after 10 sombre years under Hu, things were swinging in his direction again.

I grew bored with Hu’s speech. He had an irritating way of raising his voice when he came to key passages, copies of which were in the hands of every delegate. At the end of these passages, everyone was expected to applaud. They did, of course, at interminable length.

So I wandered out to the lobby of the hall and sat on a step of the splendid marble staircase to jot down my impressions. It was a minute or two before I remembered when and where I had done this before: in the Kremlin, during the Soviet Communist party conference of June 1988. Similarly bored with the predictability of it all, I had wandered out and sat on the steps to write my report for that evening’s news.

The 1988 conference was the key moment in Mikhail Gorbachev’s effort to wrench Soviet communism away from the old conservative Brezhnevite norms and open it to new political and economic thinking.

The 2012 Beijing conference also represented an important change of direction. Xi understands the pitfalls of reforming an old-fashioned autocracy: after the fall of Soviet communism, there were intensive official studies in China of what had gone wrong in Russia from 1989 to 1993 and how such mistakes could be avoided. And yet, as in the old Soviet Union, reform doesn’t come exclusively from the massed ranks of the black-suited party delegates; it seeps into society through the tiny cracks that exist even in the strongest autocracy, and slowly begins to permeate society.

The day after Hu’s keynote speech, I went to Zone 798, an area of Beijing that was once a closed suburb of weapons factories and has now been handed over to, of all things, the arts. In the halls where heavy guns were once produced, artists are free to show their work.

My colleagues and I filmed there, then headed for a nearby cafe to get something to eat. On the television at the end of the room, speakers at the congress droned on at the lectern and identical black suits clapped them dutifully.

I looked around. Not one of the artists or their customers paid the slightest attention: two parallel yet unconnected universes were passing each other. Again, I had the feeling I had been here before. In the Soviet bloc in 1988, most intellectuals felt divorced from the processes of formal Marxist-Leninist politics. And very soon the old, brittle system had cracked because of its utter lack of relevance to the lives of real people.

Can Xi reform the system, without – like Gorbachev – destroying it? He has advantages that Gorbachev lacked, so it’s not absolutely impossible. But I suspect things have gone too far for traditional Marxism-Leninism to survive. The dissidents who talk enthusiastically about wholesale change during Xi’s tenure may yet turn out to be right.


"Choose a job you love and you will not have to work a day in your life" (Confucius)

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