The War In The Middle East Through Regen Eyes — Part I: Sons of Abraham

A look at the mythical and spiritual roots of war in the Middle East... plus—a call to action for leaders of unity, love and peace 🕊️🪷📿

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Introduction

Over the last 24 hours the war in Israel and Palestine has escalated to a full-on regional war between Israel and Iran with significant consequences for global political stability. Rather than feed into the toxic doom and gloom cycle, I wanted to take some time to step back and reflect upon the bigger picture of what I believe is unfolding here and how it fits into the broader regenerative transition that humanity is undergoing right now.

After witnessing the ballistic missiles and terrorist attack in Tel Aviv, I carved out some time to pray and began sharing some of my prayers in English, Hebrew and Arabic on Instagram live…

My leading inquiry is inspired by the book Positive Intelligence from Stanford Professor Shirzad Chamine, adapted for this conflict today and inspired by the multi-generational indigenous worldview:

How might we look back at this moment at the end of our lives and tell our grandchildren that this was the turning point where we finally remembered that we are all apart of one great human family and began to dance together?

Where did this all begin?

Some would say the most recent war in Israel and Palestine began on October 7th, 2023 when hundreds of Israeli citizens were kidnapped and murdered by Hamas. While this seems like the right place to start within the narrow view of the escalation that immediately ensued, there is a much bigger story here beyond the political tensions that emerge from the spiritual and mythical dimensions of our current civilization.

There is obviously the thread of Iran’s deep involvement in the October 7th attack which is important to highlight, but many experts have covered this story and are more qualified to dive into the nuances of modern-day Israel and Iran conflict. The more important framing for me in the context of the regenerative movement is the larger lineage of trauma that can not only help us understand what is unfolding but also gain a perspective that will move away from the toxic us versus them mentality that is at the *root of all war* and hopefully emerge with a sense of compassion for *all sides* and *all peoples* involved in this tragic saga of seemingly endless violence.

I believe that out of this period of great conflict can emerge an era of great peace—that will be one day known as the *Symbiocene*: An age of planetary abundance defined by unity and balance amongst people and all living beings as a single planetary organism engaged in the conscious act of co-creating life here on Earth.

My intention is not to try and solve this problem of war in the Middle East nor to reduce it to a simplistic narrative. There are layers upon layers upon layers of complexity and nuance here that only those on the ground can fully understand. My aim is to look through the eyes of regeneration into the tragic unfolding in this beautiful land that I love and to begin to envision a time of peace. My intention is to begin to dream of a vision of radical reconciliation amongst brothers and sisters of the same human family—of which we are all a part.

Looking through the eyes of love

I urge you for the purpose of this article to drop the notion of ‘choosing sides’ and to abandon the sentiment of ‘right and wrong’, just for a moment. We will look through the ancient texts of the book of Genesis and Qur’an, so for all you ‘allergic-to-religion’ folks out there, bear with me.

Let’s look at this story through the eyes of love into the deep treasure trove of ancient wisdom and see what we can see about the challenges we face today as a species…

Author’s note

I’m not a theologian or a religious scholar in any way. I’m a father, an entrepreneur and a seeker on a mission to contribute towards a regenerative transition for the liberation of all living beings.

I was born in an evangelical Christian household in suburban America in the 1990s. I rejected the faith of my family from the age of 9 years old after a ‘dark night of the soul’, and have sense been on a long journey of making sense of the world of religion and mythology through my work as an impact entrepreneur and now, as a father. I spent a year in Israel in 2011 studying Biblical Hebrew, specifically the Book of Genesis, as well as the literature of the Shoah (Holocaust). I speak a little bit of Arabic, but I cannot read the Qur’an directly. The narratives below are my personal perspective and don’t represent any one faith or religious affiliation.

I have spent only 8-12 months in Israel, and only a handful of weeks in the rest of the Middle East. I have lived for a few weeks with my dear friends *The Druze*, an ancient people that I believe have a unique role to play in the radical peace movement.

While religion has been one of the greatest causes of suffering in human history, I do believe that a new system of beliefs and spiritual practices under the umbrella of unity, love and peace could be one of the key vehicles to overcome the failures of the nation state to create a world of prosperity and peace for all living beings.

The Sons of Abraham

Okay, digging into the story now, I’d like to go all the way back to the story of Abraham and his two sons. It doesn’t matter whether you believe Abraham was a real historical figure or not—the important thing is to understand the origin of the conflict in Israel, Palestine, and Iran, and to begin to untangle the illusion of separation that underpins it all. If you will, for a moment, let’s go ahead and put on the lens of myth and explore the story of Isaac and Ishmael purely from the basis of story—as this is the oldest and most universal form of sense-making we have as a species.

A man named Abram lived in the modern-day region of Iraq and Iran. Abram was called to take his wife Sarai and leave his home in pursuit of a promised land flowing with milk and honey in the land of Canaan (modern-day Israel and Palestine). In the ancient book of Genesis, as evidenced by the Dead Sea Scrolls, we understand that the “God of Israel” called Abram into this land and gave him this promise.

Abram and Sarai were getting old, and they had no children. This God promised Abram that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the heavens and that they would all inherit this beautiful promised land. But as time passed, and they remained childless, Sarai suggested Abram have a child through her maidservant, Hagar, since it seemed impossible for her to conceive. Out of impatience with God’s promise, Abram and Hagar conceived and bore a child named Ishmael, whose name means “God has heard” (referencing Hagar’s cry in the wilderness). Sarai became resentful after Hagar became pregnant, and tension arose in the household.

Eventually, due to growing conflict, Abram (now called Abraham) cast Hagar and Ishmael out into the desert. This is a key part of the story that has a significant impact on the narrative: Out of frustration and the complexity of human emotions, a man cast out a mother and her child into the wilderness—alone. But God, in both the Bible and the Qur’an, heard the cries of Hagar and Ishmael and intervened. In the Bible, God provided a well of water to save their lives (Genesis 21:17-19). In the Qur’an, this moment is also tied to the Zamzam well, which Muslims honor during the Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, symbolizing divine mercy (Qur’an 14:37).

This moment represents a deep wound of abandonment, yet it is also a moment where divine compassion is revealed. The very center of the Muslim pilgrimage—one of the holiest sites in Islam—is tied to this story of survival and divine care. In both religious traditions, God heard Hagar and took mercy on her and her child, ensuring that they would survive and thrive.

From this point, the Bible continues with Abraham and Sarah (formerly Sarai) receiving new names from God and ultimately bearing a son named Isaac, which means “God laughs”—a reference to Sarah’s laughter when she doubted she could bear a child at her age (Genesis 18:12). But before we rush to a happy ending, there’s another challenging part of the story: God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son as a test of faith. In the Bible, this son is Isaac (Genesis 22:1-19), while in the Islamic tradition, it is generally understood to be Ishmael (Qur’an 37:100-113). Abraham’s faith was tested to the extreme, and at the last moment, God provided a ram as a substitute, sparing his son’s life. This moment is remembered as an ultimate test of faith, but it’s also a deeply human story about fear, obedience, and trust.

This son—whoever it was, Isaac or Ishmael—had to witness his own father prepare to *take his life* in the name of devotion to God. Though this son’s life was spared, this act planted another wound—a wound of sacrifice, obedience, and a jealous God who tests His followers in such profound ways that can shatter allegiance to our family structures. For Isaac, this wound echoes through the generations of his descendants (and the nation of Israel), just as the abandonment of Ishmael echoes through his own (and the religion of Islam).

These two brothers—one cast out and the other spared at the last moment—form the foundation of the Abrahamic traditions. And here, in this ancient story, we can see the roots of the separation, the wound of division, and the complex dynamics of faith, trust, and family that continue to shape the Middle East today.

A reflection through regenerative eyes

This narrative may seem like a vast simplification. It is… We are working with ancient texts through the lens of mythology and symbolism for the purpose of drawing a broader frame through which to perceive the war we witness today between Israel, Palestine, Lebanon and Iran. This conflict is one of the key unprocessed wounds in our human species. In order for us to transition to a symbiotic future where we can all co-exist as one human family alongside the vast more-than-human family, we need to process this wound—in the body, through the heart, and release it into the soil, which will feed the trees, cleanse our air and begin to restore balance on our precious planet.

Conclusion

As we’ve explored the ancient story of Abraham’s sons, Isaac and Ishmael, we can see how this deep lineage of trauma has shaped not only the Middle East but the very fabric of human conflict between monotheistic religions throughout history. These foundational wounds of abandonment and sacrifice ripple through generations, influencing the collective psyche of entire nations.

But what if this exact conflict is also the greatest opportunity for healing we’ve ever witnessed?

We are standing at the crossroads of history. Out of this period of immense conflict, a regenerative future can emerge—one that remembers we are all part of the same human family. We all belong to this great mother, The Earth. The stories of Isaac and Ishmael invite us to reimagine a world where these ancient wounds can finally be healed, not just in the Middle East, but across this beautiful planet we call home.

Imagine this

The sons of Isaac and Ishmael coming together in their original tribes in sacred ceremony to heal with the power of ancient plant medicines under the careful provision of indigenous elders amidst the vast canopy of the rainforest, the mountains, the rivers, the ocean. I have had visions for years now of hosting sacred ceremonies between Israelis and Palestinians, Muslims, Christians and Jews. If you feel the calling to join me as a leader of this New Earth where we all become One, I would be honored if you would join me.

Stay tuned for Part II, where we’ll dive deeper into the trauma of the Holocaust and the establishment of modern-day Israel—key moments that have shaped the geopolitical landscape we see today. And don’t forget to subscribe so you can catch Part III, where we’ll unpack the Palestinian occupation and the ongoing conflicts in the region through the lens of regeneration and unity.

Also, keep an eye out for the drop of my new podcast Regenera — A Journey to The New Earth, where we’ll continue exploring these themes of reconciliation, healing, and a regenerative future through ancient wisdom, modern science and emerging technology.

Let’s move toward peace and prosperity for all living beings—together.

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Playlist used in the background audio