thanks so much, thomas! this is wonderful!! I have had similar thoughts muddling through my head yet you have stated things so very clearly! I know the Earth is working on her own spiritual evolution, and I know that we humans are working on ours, but I wasn't really clear how very intertwined the two processes are-the microcosm and the macrocosm, as you state.

Have your ever read any Kryon channelings? Kryon is a feminine group energy that is channeled by Lee Carroll--She talks about the very issues that we as humans find to be so painful and hard to comprehend--humans who have chosen to leave the planet through their dying (as in the tsunami and most recently Katrina hurricane) in order to assist with the spiritual evolution of both humans and the planet:

excerpt from: http://www.kryon.com/k_chanelDC05.html "Mass Human Death"

"The final one, dear Human, is the hardest one for my partner and the one we wish to leave you with in this channeling tonight. This is the one that my partner doesn't want to even have me talk about. It's the appropriateness of mass death. For you, built in to your very essence is the honor for life, and the sorrow when it passes. It's correct and appropriate that this is there, and never let it be tempered. But the wisdom of understanding is also needed to help you get past some challenges of the Human heart.

'Dear Kryon, was the tsunami really necessary?' Yes it was. Almost 200,000 Human Beings passed over. It's an event that for you is filled with horror, sorrow, emotion, and challenge. Back in 1989, we told you of those that might have to leave the earth en masse, and here it is. Yet even my partner [Lee] asks the questions, 'Why the children? Why the poorest parts of the earth? Why the seeming inappropriateness of all this death?'

And I say to you the same thing I said with respect to Terri (Shiavo): Do you understand yet that death is often as precious as life on this planet of many energies and lessons? They are not gone! They're all here [speaking from Kryon's perspective]. They're having a great time! They're joyful! It seems like a moment ago they leaned into the wind of birth with us beside them. We said, 'How would you like to participate in an event that will change the compassion factor of the planet so that energies can move forward and provide faster acceleration of vibratory shift? How would you like to help create peace on earth through a consciousness shift within Gaia itself?' And they said, 'Show us the way!'

Do you understand why we are in love with humanity... that you would love the earth and the Universe so much that you would go through these things? So much of what you see is horrible tragedy, yet you're looking at the heroes of humanity as they deliver a gift that will change the very fabric of Gaia through the compassion created as a wave of humanity responds to their plight.

They knew the potentials and they went through with it. Even the children knew, for they're old souls within their divinity. There was so much compassion created at that time, in that one week, the earth has never seen anything like it in your lifetime. Billions of Humans were involved with a compassion that instantly went to the core of the planet. It went into the earth and it's still there. It changed the actual energy of where you walk and it planted a seed that will grow that will indeed emerge later in Israel, and those surrounding Israel.

And that's what it's about. Yet some of you didn't want to hear that, did you? But they're here, with me now... and with you as well. How could you fit them all in this room, you might ask? They can fit on the head of a pin! That's interdimensional talk. They can go home in your purse or your pocket! That's interdimensional talk, too. And they've got a message for you that we've given before, but you can't hear it enough: 'We did our part - now you do yours, Lighthouse! For the ones who remain are the only ones who can manipulate the tools we have helped create.'"

...and a recent post on Hurricane Katrina: http://www.kryon.com/inspiritmag/articles/index.html (click on "Hurricane Katrina" to the left in the article index).