Now

It is as if all of the beliefs that you hold,
positive and negative,
affirming and limiting,
about yourself and everyone and everything,
were rolled up into one experience,
one moment.

That moment is now.

Driving Wrecklessly?

Your future lies out in front of you.

What is happening right now is to your left, outside your driver's side window.

And your hands are fixed firmly on the steering wheel.

You are indeed driving this vehicle that you call your life. Ah, but you have a delaying mechanism in place. You, in your infinite wisdom, knew quite well that you would be very forgetful during this life.

You knew that you would be far too anxious and hasty to be given full and immediate control over your vehicle. Your strong beliefs would cause you to crash into every obstacle, every distraction that appears outside your window.

And so you chose to slow the reaction of your steering wheel, to dampen the response of your vehicle to the energetic movement of your hands. You cannot immediately steer yourself off the road, though you have tried many times. Your vehicle won't let you. You would have to try consistently, over and over, before you finally succeeded in slamming into that tree or guardrail.

That delay has served you well. It has given you time to recover, to move your attention, to return your steering wheel to the forward position. That delay has served you well.

And now, what does this exciting new century have in store for our precious 'delayed steering system'?

What might it be like to gradually decrease that delay, to slowly remove the lag time between the movement of your hands on the steering wheel and the movement of your front tires?

Will you drive into a tree? Over a cliff? Will you manage to stay on the road?

Learning how to drive more carefully, more deliberately, should be your top priority.

Because you're driving, either way.

Always have been.

Always will be.

That's A Very Good Question

I have found that questions are far more valuable than answers.

Often, after having a significant conversation with someone, I review the conversation in my head. And inevitably, I have found that many of my comments fell short of what I would have hoped to express. However, that is not the case with the questions I asked.

I am far more effective in conversation when asking pertinent, insightful questions than I am when I'm running my mouth in a loud stream of exuberance (not that there is anything wrong with exuberance, but it can certainly sidetrack a conversation).

From this observation, I have drawn the conclusion that we are operating at a higher level when we are asking questions (meaningful ones) then when we are answering them.

Asking questions - ones that stimulate - is a higher expression, at least for me. It results in more fulfilling conversations with others, and it results in more valuable insights from within myself.

So perhaps if we are looking for all the right answers, we're on the wrong track. We ought to be looking for the right questions.

Ask the right questions, and the right answers may just fall into place. Often out of nowhere.

The Shift

How does one explain to others that each of us creates our own reality? It intrigues me to consider how many people have asked themselves that question through the ages.

Granted, there have been times when such a fact was common knowledge. Yet the further we have wandered from that knowledge in our exploration of objective reality, the more distorted (though quite creative!) we have become in explaining it.

Streams of esoteric wisdom have trickled down through history, quenching the thirst of seekers the world over. In more isolated communities, the natural world and the dream world have furnished many answers to the questions that have been asked. Whenever one has asked to be shown truth, their request has been granted. The universe has responded, every time.

So what happens when millions of people ask for answers, all at the same time?

That will be one of the many developments to watch and enjoy as this exciting new century unfolds.

VA Tech Mass Event

I was interested in, but not surprised by, how quickly the media began to question the action, or lack of action, taken by the police and other "authority figures" in Virgina yesterday.

It is quite telling that the blame game began almost before the final shots were fired.

Lord, help us to see what there is to see, learn what there is to learn, forgive what there is to forgive.

And for God's sake, shut those talking heads up, will ya?!

(no, no, let them speak - they are as instrumental as anyone in bringing these things to the surface...)

Not So Low

If we're striving for peace, we're aiming too low.

We should be striving for joy.

Imus In the Mourning

To me, the importance of the recent Don Imus incident lies in the exposure of individually held beliefs and insecurities.

Mr. Imus clearly expressed a great deal of ignorance, insensitivity, and bad judgment in his comments. But it seems fairly clear that he was trying, at least in part, to be funny, as misguided as his attempt at humor was.

But the reaction to his comments by individuals, the media, etc. has far exceeded the importance of the comments themselves.

In their reaction to his comments, people are bringing to the surface their own intolerance, their own judgment, their own beliefs regarding victimhood, prejudice, discrimination, etc.

The way people react to Don Imus' comments says nothing about Don Imus and everything about those individuals, the way they view themselves, the way they view others, etc.

An enlightened individual would have no emotional reaction to his comments whatsoever, regardless of their race or gender. An enlightened response may go something like this:

"That was an interesting comment that Don Imus made. It certainly betrays his limiting beliefs regarding black women. I don't agree with him, but I am not the least bit offended by him or his limiting beliefs. They do not pertain to me in any way."

But we are not seeing such a reaction. All we are hearing is how offensive his remarks were, and how he should be fired for his words. Ironically, those who are screaming the loudest about the insensitivity of Don Imus are far exceeding his own intolerance in their reaction to him. Don is guilty of ignorance and insensitivity, but he does not appear to be trying to ruin anyone's life or career the way many people are trying to do in response.

Those who are reacting strongly and pointing fingers and vilifying Don Imus would benefit greatly from the realization that their reactions to his words are not being cause by his words but by their own limiting beliefs about themselves. If they really knew and accepted themselves, then the words of a foolish radio personality could IN NO WAY threaten them, cause them to doubt themselves, or induce them to invest their time and energy in trying to prove that his words are wrong.

His words are not wrong: they are his words, they express his beliefs and opinions, and they apply to him and to his own perception. There is no need to feel offended by them, unless one is PREDISPOSED to such offense, which is coming from inside of themself, not from the words of some guy on the radio.

A little self-awareness would go a long way here, and perhaps this whole event is taking place in order to bring all of this to the surface so that individuals can examine themselves, their own beliefs, their own reactions to ignorance and insensitivity.

The anger that people feel in reaction to the words of Don Imus is coming from inside of themselves, and if some people are able to finally see that and take responsibility for their own reaction and their own feelings, then they have benefited greatly from this experience.

That is the value I see in this story. It is stimulating people to examine their reactions and their beliefs, and to learn more about themselves.

So it's not really about Don Imus, or his ignorance and insensitivity, though he played the role of the catalyst. It is about examining ourselves, our beliefs, and our own intolerance. For those who are wise enough to see that, there is much to gain from this story. Much indeed.

Thank You, Middle Easter Bunny!

It's interesting to ponder the statement made by the leader of Iran yesterday that the release of their British "visitors" was an Easter gift.

I'm not referring to the "Easter" aspect, but to the word "gift".

When one gives someone a gift, that gift is typically a thing, or a service of some sort. To refer to the release of these soldiers as a gift brings to light the fact that these 15 people were used as objects, pawns perhaps, in a high-stakes chess game played by the leaders of the two countries involved.

I find it telling that the word "gift" was used, because it epitomizes the way many leaders view their soldiers, and indeed their citizens. They are often seen as resources to be used in the execution of their plans, their policies.

An appropriate image for this week might be those 15 soldiers sitting in an Easter basket, surrounded by chocolate eggs and cruise missiles, in colorful aluminum wrapping.

Happy Easter!

Understandable

Every choice that a human being has made or will ever make is quite understandable, given the beliefs and perception of that person at that time. All choices are understandable. Not necessarily desirable or preferable, but understandable.

If what you are trying to do is maintain an image of some sort, either in your own eyes or in the eyes of others, then perhaps attacking someone - physically or verbally - makes perfect sense.

When self-preservation or ego-preservation is your priority, it is very difficult to choose love. Love is not, generally speaking, an enticing option in such cases. There is little obvious benefit in trying to love someone who is angry at you, in looking for love in a situation involving fear or anger or judgment. If, in such situations, the defense of the self is the first priority, then reacting defensively or even aggressively is quite understandable.

The questions worth asking in such situations include: What are you defending? What is it that is actually being threatened? Why do you feel the need to react to something someone else has done or said?

If you can take a step back and assess the situation, you can perhaps realize that there is nothing to defend, no need to battle a perceived foe. It is simply a game, and you don't have to play that game if you don't want to. It is simply a choice.

But if you, at that moment, are incapable of seeing things clearly, and are unable to extract your ego and your self-image from that situation, then perhaps you must become defensive, and maybe even lash out in anger and aggression.

Which is quite understandable.

Not necessarily desirable or preferable, but understandable.

Fundamentalism

Fundamentalist Islam is the same reaction to a perceived societal decay that we see from fundamentalist Christians in America.

When people view conflicts, contradictions, and uncomfortable changes in their society, it is human nature to search for reasons and to blame those who are responsible for such changes.

In many parts of the world, particularly in many Islamic communities, people see problems in their society and they blame their corrupt, Westernized government, their greedy business leaders, and the overall influence of the West. In such places, it is all too easy to blame the West, and America in particular, for the problems people see in their society. And so America, being the top dog of the West, represents, to such people, all that is bad in the modern world.

What is required for progress in this area is the realization that EVERY human being is capable of the most loving AND the most horrid gestures and choices. So while certain people are exhibiting extreme examples of beautiful or ugly behavior, it is all humanity. It is all us.

The people you are blaming and judging and vilifying are exhibiting HUMAN qualities. We are beautiful AND ugly. And we are capable of choosing either one.

That is what we are here to learn.

Who Do YOU Appreciate?

Would you rather appreciate someone, or have that someone appreciate you?

A self-sustaining personality is one which appreciates itself so much that it doesn't depend on others for appreciation, acceptance, etc.

For such personalities, being appreciated by others is not necessary, though it is enjoyable. It can be seen as a mirror image of the appreciation that a personality has for itself.

Which of us are stable personalities, then? Which of us appreciate ourselves so much that it is unnecessary for others to appreciate us?

Children come to mind.

They start out that way. They begin life appreciating themselves.

And then they learn, as they grow, that some of their expressions and attributes are NOT appreciated. They are told so repeatedly by their parents, siblings, friends, teachers, etc. And because they are new to life, they are susceptible to the beliefs and opinions of others. And before you know it, you have yourself an adult (or teenager, or adolescent) who has learned NOT to appreciate himself, and who has grown to rely on the acceptance and appreciation of others to feel good about himself (or herself).

To address this, we must dismantle those antiquated but entrenched self-judgments and self-criticisms. They are what keep us from accepting ourselves, and this lack of self-acceptance makes it impossible to appreciate ourselves.

We in our society have fooled ourselves into thinking that we need to DO things in order to be appreciated. We learn this at home growing up, we learn it at school, and we practice it at work.

Yet the truth is, you don't need to do ANYTHING in order to be acceptable. And in fact, the more you do in an effort to be accepted and appreciated, the more you are expressing the belief that you aren't acceptable just the way you are.

Wouldn't it be nice if you accepted and appreciated yourself so much that you weren't dependent upon anybody else's appreciation of you? No more fishing for compliments, no more unwanted commitments, no more fake smiles or false apologies or grudges or self-doubt or regret or any of the other unpleasant experiences that go along with protecting some sort of image of yourself.

Yes, that would be tremendous. And it was. Once upon a time, long ago. Back before you learned to do all of those things in order to be accepted.

And appreciated.

Q & A

Question: Why does life have to be such a puzzle?

Answer: Because we love puzzles!

Icing On Your Cake

When there are things or experiences that you feel are lacking in your life, it is not possible for you to fully appreciate the present moment.

As you perceive yourself to be lacking something, anything, you can not feel appreciation. You cannot feel abundance.

Abundance is not a result of acquiring the things you want. The experience of abundance is the result of PERCEIVING abundance. If you desire abundance and prosperity and good health and happiness,you must first strive to perceive those things, incorporate them into your perception. Then the experiences will follow.

The theory of Icing On Your Cake states that when you appreciate that which is already a part of your life, and experience joy because of it, then the universe yearns to give you more of it - yearns to give you icing on your cake.

When, instead, your attention is upon the LACK of what you desire, you have no cake upon which the universe can place your icing. There is no cake. You must first have the cake.

This theory implies that in order to experience happiness, you must first have a solid foundation of happiness upon which a new experience can take root. Otherwise, the few seeds of joy that you manage to draw into your experience will never take root but will instead blow away with the first gust of conflict, of UNhappiness. The foundation of happiness must first be in place before new and exciting joy can be drawn to you.

If you want icing, observe the cake of happiness around you. It's there, but you must CHOOSE to look for it, to focus upon it.

And then our loving universe will coat all of your days with a sugary sweet glaze of joy.

Dessert, anyone?

Life Secret # 5

Real power comes from understanding that you create your reality.

Any other form of power is an illusion, an exercise of the ego.

Money & Wealth

What makes money useful and powerful is the agreement we all make regarding its worth. To acquire or possess money and wealth is to take advantage of this agreement.

But more than that, it is a measure of the worth an individual places upon himself or herself.

For example, compare the way a CEO values himself to the way a waitress in a diner values herself. The different levels of worth and importance they place on themselves (as well as their perception of their own abilities) are reflected in their jobs and their paychecks.

Professional athletes reflect this issue quite clearly as well.

Pros grow up being told that they are special, and they arrive at the professional level with the belief that they DESERVE to earn a great deal of money. They place a high degree of importance and worth upon themselves.

Perhaps we should ask ourselves, honestly, how we value ourselves, how we see our own worth.

How much money and wealth are you worthy of?

You can only have as much as you feel you deserve.

Darwin Was Wrong

Consciousness Creates Form.

And thus Darwin hadn't a clue.

He was looking at shadows on the wall. And because he saw that the shadows changed their form, he concluded evolution.

But what was casting those shadows?

Consciousness.

It was consciousness that was changing. And because consciousness changes, the forms that consciousness takes change as well.

So a species may have an different shape or appearance than it did before - and this is because the consciousness that is expressing itself in that form has grown in awareness and therefore ability. And so it will alter its physical form to accommodate its increased abilities and awareness.

A species isn't necessarily changing in order to survive. Often, it changes in order to allow itself to express new or improved abilities or desires.

Now what do you think of that, Mr. Darwin?

Flexibility Of Attention

We must learn to use our thinking mechanism to better supervise our moods.

We tend to look at our current circumstances and allow them to dictate our mood. And yet we have the ability to CHOOSE what we pay attention to.

So while we are generally not able to decide what mood we will be in - what emotion we will feel right now - we CAN choose what to concentrate upon. And whatever we choose to concentrate upon will affect our mood because we inevitably hold beliefs with regard to the object of our concentration.

If our priority is to maintain a good mood, we must be flexible enough to move our attention away from any thought or outside circumstance that feels unpleasant. Without that flexibility of attention, one is stuck paying attention to whatever thought or event is currently taking place - regardless of how it feels.

The intention to focus only on pleasant thoughts and circumstances must be coupled with a flexibility of attention for that intention to manifest as experience.

I have found, through my experience, that having the flexibility to move my attention AWAY from unpleasant thoughts and TOWARD pleasant ones is my/our single most difficult challenge.

My analytical and egocentric mind has always, throughout my life, dwelled endlessly on my perceived shortcomings, failures, and lacks. I see now that because I was expressing and focusing upon such limiting beliefs about myself, I was encountering them in my experiences - those beliefs were translated into my actual experience (that Reality 101, folks!).

In some ways, it is quite amazing that I have gotten to where I am now given my propensity for feeling sorry for myself and for thinking myself to death.

And yet now, as I apprehend how all of this works, I can see clearly how I have consistently allowed my circumstances and my beliefs about myself to dictate where my attention is. And as I take the wheel of my attention and learn to steer it deliberately toward pleasant thoughts and ideas and circumstances, it is a pleasure beyond words to begin to see the new and affirming beliefs I am choosing to focus upon being translated into my current and future circumstances.

And, I might add, I am indebted to more than a few teachers for such progress...

Life Secret #4

Evil does not exist.

What we call evil is not the presence of something but the lack of something.

And that something is compassion.

Life Secret #3

You are the painter AND the painted,
The actor AND the playwright.

Wake up, forgetful thespian!

Life Secret #2

Decide who and what you are, and you will become that.

You've been doing so all along. You might as well do it on purpose.

Life Secret #1

There is no THEM.

They are all you.

Wisdom

You must be wise to know wisdom when you hear it. Otherwise, it sounds like drivel. Or nothing at all.

Who's Arguing?

I have internal conversations all the time, throughout the day, and I find that I argue less and less as I become more aware. Less to prove, I suspect, but also the knowing that any stand I take in an argument is temporary at best and most certainly foolish in any case.

Don't ask me today to defend something I said yesterday. I will have changed a thousand times in a million different ways since then.

So I have no need to argue with a critic or defend a particular statement of mine. It was simply an expression of my understanding at that time, nothing more. Nothing to prove or dispute or refute.

If you choose to criticize or judge me, I know you are doing so as a result of YOUR beliefs, not mine.

Therefore, I have no need to argue with you. Nor, for that matter, do I have a need for you to agree with me.

Of course, it took me many years to realize that. And it will take many more to live my life that way.

In Search Of The Enlightened Genius

Has there ever been an enlightened genius? One who woke up in mid-life, cleared out the debris, identified their passion, and hit it hard, firing on all cylinders?

Throughout my study of influential thinkers, artists, poets, etc., I have yet to come across many who appear to have been enlightened. Their genius, for the most part, seems to have been almost accidental.

I must compile a list of seemingly-enlightened geniuses, and go from there. I suppose the first thing to look for would be someone who didn't get all screwed up by success, fame, money or notoriety.

Virtually all the geniuses I've read about went through all sorts of chaos later in life. I see nothing of the joy-filled serenity or example-setting that I would expect from someone who had found and was able to sustain an aware perspective. They all seem to have ended up wallowing in misery of one kind or another.

So where is the enlightened genius?

There's got to be one around here somewhere...

The Great Ones

I recently read a book entitled Makers Of The Modern World, by Louis Untermeyer.

The book recounts the contributions of some of the most influential thinkers, writers, scientists and artists of the past two centuries.

One thing that struck me was that many of them came from broken families, endured early tragedies (which seemed to be the order of the day), and otherwise encountered emotional trauma while growing up. Not all of them did, but most.

Many of them didn't fit in well. Few were strong or attractive - most were neither.

And most were criticized or ridiculed for their expression.

A common thread is that they each had the courage, because of their passion, to express themselves boldly and to stand by their works and their ideas. The fact that almost all of them were harshly condemned for what they said or wrote or created attests to both the challenge each made to convention and their willingness to put their neck out there, to stand up and be heard.

It's easy to present visionary ideas in a covert or allegorical way. To do so is much less challenging to the status quo, and only the most intelligent people will understand it anyway.

But to come right out and state clearly and boldly what you have found to be truth is to charge the conservative lines, to light the torch that will chase a few more shadows from our understanding.

I find myself asking the following question:

Is it possible to present radically different ideas regarding who we are and why we are here in a way that does NOT cause large waves of controversy or offense? Can one create medium size waves instead, with perhaps lots of small ripples?

What good are the large waves, anyway? Do they do more harm than good?

And, perhaps more importantly, do those who put forth such volatile ideas knock themselves overboard with the large waves that they create?

Who Do You Love?

We live in a society in which love is not the status quo. It is not assumed.

When I pass a stranger, the assumption on both parts is that we do not know one another, are not connected to each other in any way, and most certainly do not love one another.

Loving others is something that we hold tightly to, sometimes secretly. We treat it as a rarity most of the time. We limit the intensity of the feelings we have or express.

Why? Why do we intentionally limit something that feels so good?

If we were to allow ourselves the full range of emotion in appreciating the people in our lives, our relationships would be quite different. As would life itself.

Attention!

If you make a conscious effort to guide/steer your attention toward thoughts and subjects that feel good, your default emotional setting rises.

We have an equilibrium that we consistently return to as our attention relaxes. This equilibrium is essentially an emotional state that constitutes our "average" mood.

One's average mood drifts up and down due to the accumulation of experience, as well as other factors. When our average mood is good, we might refer to ourselves as having a good stretch, and when our average mood is unpleasant, we would say that we are having a bad stretch, or a difficult or challenging time.

However, by monitoring one's emotional state, one can CHOOSE to entertain thoughts that feel good. You must take responsibility for your state of mind, and deliberately steer your thoughts and your attention in a direction that feels better.

I have noticed that by deliberately searching for better feeling thoughts, I am able to raise my equilibrium emotional setting - my average mood. When I do this, I can experience joy and happiness which is not being triggered by any particular event or circumstance or thought. It is a general peace and appreciation that comes through in waves.

One way of looking at this is that my average mood has gone up as a result of consciously and deliberately and consistently steering my attention toward good-feeling thoughts and ideas. And since my average mood is my default emotional setting (i.e. the one I return to when my attention is not on anything in particular), I am arriving at this peaceful state automatically, without trying.

And a little voice inside of me is saying, "Why have I never heard of this before???"

Why So Miserable?

Last fall, I read two books in succession: The Power Of Now(Tolle) and Ask And It Is Given(Hicks).

Upon finishing the second, I noted the following:

"The last two books I've read have left me in a different state. I am returning to the present consistently now, and I'm noticing my emotions all the time.

"I'm not allowing myself to remain in a bad mood or a low vibration. I find that in order to improve a bad mood I must return to the present moment, and let the present moment and surroundings flood my awareness.

"When I'm in a good mood, I can easily visualize things/events that I desire, enjoying the perspective that it brings.

"I acknowledge that my attention, my mood, has been more flexible. I am able to return to a peaceful state quickly most of the time. Perhaps I have steered myself up the emotional scale enough times to know the way.

"I noted recently that it is MUCH easier to slide down into a bad mood than it is to climb up to a good one. And I contemplated why that is, what that means, and how it relates to spiritual evolution and expanding awareness.

"Why are we so fascinated with negative emotions that we allow ourselves to dwell on thoughts which make us unhappy? Bad moods can go on for a LONG time. Good ones seem so short-lived.

"Maybe it's because so many of our choices are not what we want. Maybe we consistently put ourselves in places we don't really want to be.

"Since our circumstances often seem unavoidable (meaning we choose them because we think we have no other choice), we spend a lot of our time thinking about commitments and circumstances that we don't like or want."

In re-reading the above passage, I am reminded of the "one step forward, two steps back" aspect of widening our awareness. I periodically arrive at a stretch of time during which I am riding high, feeling like I have cleared a hurdle of some sort and can see things clearly. And then, inevitably, a day or a week later, I'm back in the thick of things and feeling sorry for myself because I lost that "loving feeling" and life seems more weeds than flowers.

So I have found it helpful to re-read thoughts such as these. It's reassuring to see, in retrospect, the up and down cycle that searching and examining entails. As I continue moving forward, I am attempting to integrate the ups and downs, to iron out some of the creases.

If so, perhaps I will succeed in tempering the "low" spots with the remembrance of the "high" spots just around the corner.

And oh, how I LOVE those high spots...

Words To Ponder

Once the feeling becomes more important than the thought,
you are free.

Vision

The human race needs a better method, a better strategy, a better WAY to give voice and attention to those with vision. If we understood and valued vision, then listening to those who express it would be of greatest importance to us.

So what is VISION?

I'll offer one possible definition, for the purpose of this discussion:

Vision is the ability to conceive of and convey a picture of reality that is more joyful, more peaceful, and more fulfilling than the one currently being experienced.

I realize that this is a very specific and narrow definition, but it serves my purpose here.

When one attempts to apply this definition of vision to our leaders today, one comes up empty. Most politicians are good at pointing out what is NOT working. But which of them are offering a joyful, peaceful, fulfilling vision of the future?

Visionaries are not often politically-minded. So to look to elected leaders for vision is almost fruitless. A politician with vision is extremely rare these days.

A casualty of democracy, perhaps?

I will return to this topic at a later time, but for now allow me to pose the following questions:

Did Democracy turn politics into a game of appearances and words and spin?

Did Democracy chase substance out of politics?

Is Democracy a SPORT?

(and if so, which team are YOU rooting for?)

Words To Ponder

What we experience and perceive are simply configurations of energy. What gives those configurations of energy meaning is belief.

There are no "bad" expressions. There are only configurations of energy that are deemed "bad" by certain beliefs.

The Secret

There is a secret.

And when you finally hear it, it brings a joy to your heart that exceeds all other joys. Indeed, it is joy itself.

One may occasionally catch a glimpse of this secret. It is fleeting and not understood. It seems haphazard. And it quickly disappears.

When one pursues this secret in earnest, and when one is determined in that seeking, the secret reveals itself, bit by bit. It is like a fruit that must be peeled, layer by layer. A fruit sweeter than any we've ever tasted.

It requires genuine effort and persistence to peel this fruit. And you will not do so with your intellect.

The intellect is curious, but it is not hungry.

Only the heart hungers. And only the heart knows the way. The heart can feel the longing before the intellect asks the question. When one elevates the role of the heart in one's life, the real seeking begins.

The more joy one feels inside, the easier it is for answers, and all the other things you desire, to find their way to you.

Is that part of the secret? Maybe.

Start peeling, and perhaps you'll find out...

Haiku For A February Morning

COLD WINTER MORNING
HIDING UNDER COVERS
SAFE AND WARM INSIDE

Words To Ponder

I spent years trying to prove that I was not an idiot.

Then I spent years feeling sorry for myself because I was an idiot.

And now, at last, I am filled with joy because I am an idiot.

-dc

Religious Authority

It is a priority of mine to present ideas that are practical and informative. Ideas that stimulate and widen. Ideas that encourage exploration and examination.

The world's religions, in my opinion, don't do that. They tend to dictate truth, rather than encourage the individual to find his or her own truth. Religions start with the assumption that there is some truth out there that is above all others and that clarifies the facts behind our existence, and then they go about telling you what that truth is. They do NOT encourage the individual to explore and develop and evaluate their own ideas and understanding. They are not truly empowering. They encourage reliance on doctrine, on holy works or holy messengers.

I think it's time that we as a race come to terms with what religion really is and what purpose it serves. I grew up as a church-going Christian, and I feel I am well qualified to speak about Christianity as it is often approached in modern times. I have studied Islam, read some of the Quran, learned the history of Islam, and heard and read enough quotes from Muslims past and present to have a solid understanding of many of the influences that Islam has on the majority of its adherents.

Buddhism is not so much a religion as it is a path, a strategy for reducing personal suffering and cultivating compassion. And as such, I will not include Buddhism in the current discussion. Nor will I include Taoism, for much the same reason.

I am driven to articulate the limitations that religions - particularly Judaism, Christianity, and Islam - foster and perpetuate.

First and foremost is the belief structure of Authority. Without crunching any numbers, I'm going to posit that 80% of the faithful members of these three religions consider the leaders within their faith to be spiritual authorities. In other words, the typical adherent to one of these religions believes that their pastor/priest/rabbi/cleric knows more about God and the Truth than they themselves do. These leaders are, more often than not, looked upon as experts.

Western society and most large societies around the world incorporate authority figures everywhere - family, school, work, politics, medicine, etc. We are surrounded by authority figures as well as laws and rules supporting such authority. And so we are very familiar with looking to sources of authority for approval and direction.

Such tendencies serve many useful purposes in our society. Having people respect the authority of police officers helps maintain peace, at least somewhat. It provides structure, order, etc. And other types of authority serve similar purposes.

But spiritual matters are different. Unlike human laws , which we acknowledge are man-made, religious laws and doctrine are touted as superceding human ones. And people, in general, do not engage in an objective examination of religious doctrine. Religion is seen by the faithful to be beyond discussion, beyond individual assessment. To look critically at the words or ideas expressed in the Bible or the Quran is blasphemous.

When the Christian Church had its stranglehold on Europe many centuries ago, man-made laws were weaved into religious doctrine, and vice-versa. Thus the rules regarding society were attributed to the same authority that purely religious rules were - God. This is still the case in some areas and sects of Christianity and Judaism, and it is quite prevelant in many Muslims societies as well.

Today in the West, laws regarding society have been, to varying degrees, wrestled from religion and are often freely debated without drawing charges of blesphemy, treason, etc. But, importantly, religious laws have not. The divinity and infallibility of our holy books and revered religious figures is still, for the most part, beyond debate. We have not begun, on any sizable scale, to critically assess our religious sources of authority - the Bible, the Torah, the Quran, and the words and acts of prophets, messengers, saints, and messiahs.

Those beliefs in our society which value authority figures and firm guidelines for thoughts, words, and behavior are, in most cases, strongly expressed in the context of religion. When people who value authority practice their religion, they do so from a conservative perspective. Authority figures provide structure and uniformity. They provide sources of beliefs regarding right and wrong, good and bad. The existence of religious authority figures - Imams, Rabbis, Priests - and sources - Torah, Bible, Quran - give those who value homogeneity of thought and action an anchor, a template with which to evaluate right/wrong and good/bad. For those who need to have others agree with them, a common source of authority is a must.

Only a source of authority can allow one to know he is "right" or "good". Being right and good is important to one who is trying to prove himself, to justify his existence, to look good in his own eyes or in the eyes of others. Religious authority, religious rules and doctrine allow such a person to prove he or she is good, right, acceptable, worthy of being loved. Islam provides that opportunity for Muslims, Judaism provides it for Jews, and Christianity provides it for Christians. At the heart of their faith is the desire to be good, to be right. To be on God's good side. And to appear good in the eyes of others.

The majority of these people are not going to the Church or the Synagogue or the Mosque to find or understand God or themselves. They are going to SHOW their faith, to prove that they are good Christians or Jews or Muslims. Because that is what faithful people do.

And being faithful is GOOD.

Ducks

The more of your ducks you have in a row, the more uptight you are about the ones that aren't in a row.




Why so many ducks?

Being Human

Being human is hard. The hardest thing in the world.

Harder than being a rock. Or a frog. Or a llama.

Being human is hard because we don't know what we are supposed to be. So we have to choose. And choosing is hard. The hardest thing in the world.

Mankind has been attempting, for many years, to figure out what we are - who we are. No other species on Earth, no other conscious manifestation in our world that we know of, wonders who or what it is, or why it exists. Only humans.

And only humans judge themselves and each other for not being what they are SUPPOSED to be. Whatever that is.

And here's the rub: we are not SUPPOSED to be anything. We can only be what we choose to be. This, unfortunately, is something we have yet to understand.

Ours is a world with limitless opportunities to choose. We are immersed in expressions of joy and sorrow, gain and loss, love and hate, victory and defeat. And from among these things, we choose. We choose which, of all these things, are us, are part of us, and which are not.

Here's something to consider: what if it is ALL part of us? What if everything we perceive - within us and around us - is, indeed, part of us? What then?

In a field of flowers and weeds, do the weeds ruin the field? If you focus only on the weeds, and you don't like weeds, then perhaps they do. But if you focus on the flowers, then the weeds fade from your awareness. But you must CHOOSE to focus on the flowers.

Our world is like a field of flowers and weeds. And we are here to choose which to focus upon. Nobody said it would be easy. And it's not easy. It's hard.

The hardest thing in the world.

Diversity

In the U.S., it is not a lack of divisions which keeps us “united”, it is a multitude of them. But we see many of them as part of our diversity and individuality. We are not trying to be the same all the time. We do not generally feel threatened by differences in the way some other cultures do (there are, of course, many exceptions to this, but hey – we need SOME challenges to work on, right?).

We have such a variety of experiences and people in our lives that we are much more comfortable living among differences, and we have learned to see past them when it comes to what’s most important.

So we in the U.S. have so much diversity that we are more tolerant, in general, of differences than many of the more troubled areas of the globe.

Large countries often allow for more diversity (at least non-communist ones!) than smaller countries because they are more complex and stable, less vulnerable to the silly whims of individual human beings (our current administration not withstanding).

Which brings us to organizations. Now, a family is an organization. So is a government. And a country.

As an organization reflects the individuals that comprise it, a diverse group of people working for a common cause will often be more stable, more flexible, than one composed of very similar people. That diversity of experience, perspectives, and preferences gives the organization a much more valuable set of resources to draw from. If it can harness the creativity and enthusiasm to a common cause and focus, the potential is tremendous.

And here’s another thing: a diverse, complex and stable organization can interact more efficiently and effectively with other individuals and organizations. So the diversity that goes into the organization makes that organization more suitable to interaction with others.

A case in point: The Gaza Strip.

Many of the violent, militant political organizations there tend to be made up of people trying to think and act the same way. They are formed as a reaction to a perceived enemy. They consist of people who’s common cause is that they are against someone or something (this is true of many “resistance” organizations all over the world, of course).

The glue that holds many of these groups together is infused with hatred. That hatred can dissipate if the organization moves in other directions and develops more constructive goals. But such flexibility often requires diversity of thought, something many of these organizations lack.

This is as much a reflection of the troubled and divisive societies in which they are formed as it is anything else.

If these groups, and the societies in which they are formed, could develop an appreciation for diversity of thought and perception, they could become far more flexible, far more dynamic. And they could interact more efficiently and effectively with other organizations, both within their society and around the world.

Diversity is therefore a necessary ingredient, and one that is unfortunately scorned and avoided in many of the places around the world in which it is needed most.

Two-Party System

The primary weakness of the two-party system:

When government grows ineffective or self-absorbed or out of touch, the parties are able to direct some of the public’s disapproval toward the other party.

Most people who are interested in politics tend to associate themselves with one party or the other (at least most of the time), so their dissatisfaction with government in general tends to get deflected to the ‘other’ party.

There, it finds its outlet.

What Is Best?

Put the needs of your ego aside for a moment and ask yourself, “What is best for ALL involved?”

How well you know yourself and the people in your life will determine how close you come to answering that question correctly. And while there are many correct answers, there are even more incorrect ones.

So, what is best for YOU? Chances are, what’s best for you is not that different from what’s best for others. So becoming aware of what’s best for you will serve to inform you of the needs of others as well.

I believe one of the many reasons for our being here is to immerse ourselves in an environment in which we are surrounded by the presence and the absence of love. As we explore ourselves and our abilities in this environment, we taste many flavors of love and feel many pains in fearing its absence.

Eventually, we each learn about the many colors and flavors of love by feeling the absence of each, and then experiencing its return. And as we remember once again each of the infinite forms that love can take and ways that it can flow, we grow fuller and more complete. We are able to express and incorporate more of who we are and to present a more balanced and complete picture of ourselves.

In a way, we break ourselves apart into numerous aspects of ourselves, which are really just different versions of ourselves, with different attributes emphasized or suppressed. These focuses of ourselves are intense explorations of those aspects, and the life you’re living right now is one of those explorations.

It does not matter that a certain version of ourselves fails to accomplish anything of a material nature. The lasting value of each experience lies in the feelings, the emotions felt during and since that experience. Therefore, it does not matter if one is building a skyscraper with steel beams or a little tower with children’s blocks. The feelings are similar, and the intensity of those feelings as well.

What matters most to an individual is indicative of the spiritual complexity of that individual. And, to some extent, of their intellectual complexity as well. Though not always.

Spiritual complexity eventually leads to intellectual simplicity.

Words to ponder.

Amen.

Patience

..

"Strive to be as patient with others as the universe is being with you."


-dc

Discontent

When people experience discontent in their lives, they can do one of two things: Look without, or look within.

To look without is to look at the symptoms of your discontent, rather than the cause.

So what is it that appears to be causing one’s discontent?

-Don’t like one’s job, or people at work
-Feels like finances are inadequate, scarcity
-Being held back, repressed, oppressed in some way(s)
-Being discriminated against
-Feeling unmotivated, unenthusiastic
-Simply don’t know what to do!

So, where do you place the blame? Whose fault is it that you are experiencing these things?

If life is an illusion, then that illusion is a trance. A trance in which we become spellbound by our outer circumstances and thus overlook the obvious: we create those circumstances, somehow.

There is no other plausible way to explain why each of our lives are SO different from one another. The realities we experience and the perspectives we have of ourselves and others are unique to each of us. But how can that be? The answer that seems to make the most sense, to me at least, is:

We are each causing our circumstances to occur.

That is why those circumstances are so consistent within one person’s life but far different from those of another.

In other words, the circumstances in which we find ourselves have been brought about somehow by our choices and our perspective. We have arrived at the present moment by choosing, as choices were presented, those that led us to NOW, to THIS place and THIS situation.

Therefore, it seems obvious to me that if we are experiencing discontent, it would be a waste of time to blame other people or outside factors for our current situation. The perspective that we have, and the choices we have made, occur on the inside, not the outside.

And thus, as all the wise ones have repeatedly told us: look within.

Look within.

Look within.

Evolving Leadership

Government is best approached as a reflection of the people, and not the other way around.

When authority figures accurately represent the current beliefs of the people, there is harmony and respect between them as well as a free flow of ideas upward. When authority figures instead represent the views of a particular party or religion or sect or demographic or ethnicity, there ultimately ensues a clash of beliefs between those of the “rulers” and those of the “ruled” (or not so ruled!).

The relationship in the latter case has become inefficient: the free flow of ideas has slowed to a trickle. And much of the attention is directed toward defending one’s own ideas and attacking those of the opposing side. This continues until all progress grinds to a halt, as the leaders have prioritized partisanship over progress.

Meanwhile, the populace continues to change as it always does, only it changes less smoothly. Progress comes in fits and starts, unguided by any remnant of visionary leadership. As a society turns its attention in on itself, it tends to exaggerate its own weaknesses and limitations (as does the individual). It begins to highlight its own negative and limiting beliefs.

If this period of inward examination is short-lived and uneventful (i.e. no wars or major upheavals occur), a society can work out its inefficiencies and eventually embark upon a new stage of growth and progress. This has happened a number of times in the history of the U.S. and many other countries. The people find a way to eliminate the inconsistencies between their leaders and themselves. This typically involves electing new leadership (in the case of a democracy) or removing the old system of authority and installing a new, more efficient system of government.

Over time, the new leaders or system of government introduce new ideas and institutions that address previous inefficiencies. Some of these new ideas and institutions work well and take their place alongside previously successful ideas and institutions that were kept.

Thus an evolution occurs in which new beliefs are blended with old ones to produce a new society, which in turn inevitably generates new and unforeseen inefficiencies. How that new society deals with these new inefficiencies (along with the old ones) will determine how long the new leadership can keep its attention on the future.

If too much energy is devoted to internal issues and disagreements, growth will once again grind to a halt and the leaders will once again grow out of touch with their citizens – and the outside world.

This is a cycle that has existed throughout much of our history. And the pertinent question today is:

Where are we in this cycle?

Has our current leadership grown out of touch with the beliefs and priorities of the populace?

And if so, what methods will we use to eliminate the inconsistencies between our leaders and ourselves?

Immigration

The current argument in America regarding immigration comes down to one issue, in my opinion:

Your definition of “we”.

How do you define “we”? Obviously, each individual defines that particular word in his or her own way. But it seems to me that the way you define “we” is the primary factor in determining (or dictating) where you stand on this issue.

If you define “we” as meaning Americans, then obviously someone who considers himself a Mexican or a Japanese would not fall within your “we”.

If you define “we” as human beings, however, then nationality becomes a less important distinction.

One may argue that the primary concern is for the stability of the American society and/or economy. Such an argument requires the distinction between Americans and non-Americans. In fact, it depends upon it. It requires that one extend one’s definition of “we” to the border of our country and no further. Everyone beyond is a non-American and must be dealt with accordingly.

The more emphasis that is placed upon the distinction between American and non-American, the more defined the word “we” becomes. It grows increasingly difficult to view the human race in terms of “we” when distinctions of nationality are so prevalent and emotionally emphasized.

What is this insistence on the part of so many Americans to look upon non-Americans as “them”?

I imagine it is partially a relic of a previous era when nationality was necessary to defend and maintain borders in the face of combative monarchs and dictators. But is such an emphasis on national differences still necessary? Is it possible that the vestiges of disharmony between the leaders of modern countries are what necessitate such well defined and vigorously controlled boundaries?

We as individuals have made great strides in learning to see each other as brethren, regardless of which part of the planet we’re from. But I don’t think we have seen as much progress on the part of our leaders and entrenched political parties in Washington or in other countries. Our leaders still have a hard time getting along with each other. They play a high stakes game of tit-for-tat, smiling and shaking hands for the cameras from time to time.

We are told by our leaders that our borders are important and must be regulated. We are told that we have enemies that must be kept out. We are told that the people who come into our country are responsible for this or that. The people they are referring to have the primary distinction of being non-Americans. That is how they are being defined.

If we didn’t hear our leaders regularly touting the superiority of America and the immorality or inferiority of America’s enemies, perhaps we wouldn’t dwell so much on the distinction between Americans and non-Americans. This distinction is at the heart of the immigration issue.

Some Americans are grateful for the opportunities afforded them by this country, and they love the idea of sharing America with anyone and everyone who wants to partake. Such is the pure essence of freedom and brotherhood.

Others feel that the opportunities available in America are limited and therefore must be protected. They feel that opportunity is a scarce commodity that would be depleted if anyone and everyone could come and partake of it. And so those who hold this view vigorously defend a well controlled border and limitations on immigration.

One can see that the former – those who want to share America – have a different perception of “we” : in their case, “we” is ultimately defined as human beings. In the case of the latter, “we” most definitely means Americans only.

Perhaps some Americans fear that if everyone who wanted to could come to America and become an American, the definition of “American” would be watered down, diluted in some way.

Perhaps some Americans consider themselves to be better than residents of certain other countries and want to bar as many outsiders as possible. If that is the case, then the definition of “we” is of utmost importance to them. For they have the most to lose.

I am not endorsing any position on this issue. No one has asked me to, nor do I feel an urgent need to do so.

I am, however, paying increasing attention to what exactly it means to be an American, as well as what our leaders have to say regarding who deserves to be one.

Perhaps that is what the battle over immigration is really about.

Moth

..

A moth within my home
Trapped for days
Cannot find the open door.

Do I chase him today
While he is still filled with vigor
Or do I wait until tomorrow
When he is tired and losing hope?

Am I this moth?
I was filled with vigor
Trying to find my way out of this cage
On my own
Flapping my wings
And beating my head against the window
For I can see what's on the other side.

Who is the master of this house?
Who is waiting for me to tire
Before plucking me from the window sill
And carrying me to the door
So that I may once again fly free?

-dc

Ashes Of Disaster

..

"Up from the ashes of disaster
Grow the roses of success."

-from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Some Days

..

Some days I am like the grandfather,
Proud and strong-willed
And sometimes foolish.

Other days I am like the camel,
Content to roam without direction
Or to be steered by a smart and persistent hand.

Some days I am like the rabbit,
Cautious and vigilant
And ready to run.

Other days I am like the sun,
Generous with my light
And brighter than ever before.

-dc

Aggression

There is nothing wrong with aggression. In fact, it is quite necessary for our existence. The outward thrust of creativity and desire is what creates and sustains this world. It is only when aggressive behavior is expressed without compassion that imbalance occurs.

In many of the more economically developed areas of our globe, there are a variety of socially acceptable and socially endorsed activities that provide outlets for aggression. The sports and business arenas are the most prevalent and successful examples of fields in which individuals – young and old – can compete with one another physically, intellectually, and emotionally. In fact, many occupations of otherwise non-aggressive people provide the occasional opportunity for aggression without an escalation to outright conflict.

So stable, economically developed societies give citizens ample opportunity to display and express aggression which is directed toward constructive (or at least non-destructive) activities: athletics, scholastics, outdoor adventure, hobbies, politics, business, and even kids playing in the neighborhood. There is an atmosphere, at least in peaceful regions of the world, in which there are more than enough outlets for creative, aggressive behavior.

This is not the case in all parts of the world, nor is it true throughout all parts of the most stable regions. There are countless communities in which there are few, if any, such outlets. Little or no organization of sports or clubs or scholastic activities exists, and the business climate in these areas is often dominated by powerful manipulators who lack respect for law and compassion for human life. Such an atmosphere pervades throughout many parts of the world. Much energy is expended toward competitive survival, and there is little room for compassion.

You may feel great compassion for family members, loved ones; but there is little room for it when you need to have something to show for your aggressive behavior – money or food for the table, clothes for the children. In these cases, individuals (particularly young people) must direct their quite natural aggressive energy toward activities related to their survival, rather than sports or hobbies or other creative and/or competitive pursuits.

One can find examples throughout history of civilizations or societies which, at least for a time, developed social structures and organizations which provided outlets for this creative or aggressive or competitive energy. The Greeks evolved a social environment in which young people (the free ones, at least) were encouraged to pursue a number of endeavors including athletic competition, artistic expression, and rhetoric. The atmosphere was one in which an individual could grow up focusing his attention and efforts upon developing athletic or artistic or intellectual or political skills and abilities. This atmosphere later blossomed into an age of heightened expression, and we’ve been enamored with their achievements ever since.

At the heart of the Greek explosion was a climate of beliefs about the individual – his potential, his opportunities. This was expressed collectively in the form of new social structures which strove to accommodate the importance and contribution of the individual. Such social structures are, of course, in place in some areas of the world today.

Societies which lack such social structures are often plagued by the challenges inherent in an atmosphere lacking constructive outlets for aggression. In general, it is helpful to remember that aggression will always exist. It is part of who and what we are. It is necessary.

And history has shown us that societies which are able to harness such aggressive tendencies and direct them toward constructive and rewarding endeavors experience the joy of watching, as the Greeks did, their society blossom with the fruits of appreciated and celebrated aggression.

We are now in a position to do this on a scale never seen before, and I am personally looking forward to observing and participating in it. Our ongoing challenge is to recognize aggression as an important part of who we are, and to aggressively seek creative and satisfying and rewarding outlets for it.

And for those areas of the world that lack such outlets, perhaps it is time to divert more of our attention and energy to the establishment of the structures and organizations that will provide such outlets. Perhaps it is time to make such endeavors a priority, rather than an afterthought.

Perhaps the key to a stable and peaceful and exciting society lies not in the availability of jobs or resources but in the availability of constructive and rewarding outlets for our natural aggression and creativity. Perhaps THAT is the engine than powers a dynamic and stable society.

The Greeks seemed to have figured that out, at least for a time.

Will we?

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The Church and America

There are parallels between the history of the Roman Catholic Church and that of America, or specifically the U.S. Government.

Christianity began with a set of values presented and explained by Jesus Christ. These values were subsequently molded into a set of beliefs by Paul, who was the primary instrument in establishing the Christian church. As the Church became more organized and stable, it developed a layer of leadership and administration. The letters that Paul wrote to various groups of Christians became, along with the gospels, sources of authority within the church. And, as in any organization, there were leaders – i.e. those with a natural disposition toward shouldering responsibility, making decisions, and following them through.

Over time, these source documents (Paul's letters, in particular) were used as the foundation for a set of rules concerning how to behave, what to believe, etc. And naturally, those that were in positions of authority came to believe that the enforcement of these rules was essential to the existence of the Church.

The values that Christ delivered, then, became a set of rules that one was expected to follow, and not question, in order to be called a Christian and to ensure that one was behaving in the good graces of God.

As the organization grew and acquired momentum and respect, admittance to the organization (i.e. the right to call oneself a Christian) became less an issue of what one actually believed and more an issue of proving through statements and actions that one was accepting the rules and regulations necessary to gain admittance to the church. The rules of the organization itself came to supercede the values upon which the Church had been built.


Now, America.

America was founded upon a set of principles, values. Those values were what separated the rebellious colonists from British loyalists, just as the values conveyed by Christ were what separated Christians from non-Christians. And just as was the case with Paul and Christianity, the founding fathers of America were responsible for molding the values which had brought about revolution into a Constitution. The constitution was and is a set of values and is reflective of the atmosphere in which those values were decided upon and fought for.

Just as the early Christians were called by their values to stand up and defend them in the face of Roman tyranny, so too the colonists of early America took to arms to defend their values against the yoke of British tyranny. In both cases, there were new ideals in the air, new respect for the rights of the individual and a belief in a higher cause, one that was worth fighting for. And in both cases, the values that were being defended were subsequently molded into a set of beliefs that reflected those values. The Christian church was organized around the values espoused by Christ, and America was organized around the values held by the rebellious colonists.

Now, what happened to these two organizations over time? Let us first consider the Church.

When Constantine converted to Christianity, the table was set for the organizing techniques of the Roman Empire to be applied to the Church. By that time, the Church was a stable entity with resources and the ability to influence large numbers of people. It was an organization to which its members were quite loyal, and as such it was a valuable political entity. The Church had become a powerful organization, and therefore the leaders of the Church were instrumental in the wielding of that power – specifically in the decisions that were made.

As the Church became infused with the organizing and exploiting tendencies of Roman government, it became far more efficient at collecting resources and placing power in the hands of its leaders. The fact that its leaders were also entrenched within the government of the Roman Empire made it inevitable that the bureaucracy operating in the government would be replicated in the Church. And so it was.

The Church had grown far beyond simply a collection of people who shared common values. It had grown into a large and complex organization with priorities that revolved around acquiring and wielding power. The actual values upon which the Church had been built were difficult if not impossible to discern beneath the layers of politics and wealth.

America, too, went through the process of building an organization upon a set of values. The values had been tested and implemented through the revolution and were organized into a constitution. This constitution was then used as the foundation for a government that was established for the people, by the people.

The government of early America was, of course, an organization. And as with any organization, there were those within it who were naturally disposed to leadership roles. And, as with any organization, the decision making that was required by those in leadership roles grew in importance and took on the attribute of power.

The organization of America, similar to the organization of the Christian Church, eventually grew from a collection of people sharing common values to an organization that collected and wielded resources. The Church leadership and the U.S. government each developed into a bureaucracy that made decisions which affected the rest of the organization – that is, common Christians and common Americans. And as these bureaucracies grew, they became less focused on their founding values and more focused on preserving the organization itself.

Now, let’s take a step back for a moment and look at what actually took place in both instances. In both cases, an organization was formed of individuals that shared common values. The individuals and the values existed BEFORE the organization. The organization was the RESULT of individuals pooling their energy and their resources in order to express their values. And yet, in both cases, the organization became an entity in and of itself with values of its own.

The first priority of any established organization is to preserve itself. Otherwise, it will cease to exist, and it’s members will lose whatever benefits that organization was providing for them (wealth, power, identity, etc.). So the American leadership and the Church leadership became the decision makers whose first priority was the preservation of the organization, rather than the expression of the values which had brought that organization into existence.

Just as an individual has a set of values, so too an organization has a set of values.

An efficient organization is one which constantly and consistently reflects the values of its members.

What happened in the case of the Roman Catholic Church, as well as the U.S. government, was that the organizations themselves grew to be the source of their own values. And these values were then adopted by the rest of the members of the organization – Christians and Americans looked to their organizations for their values. The Church and the American government began to dictate rather than reflect the values of the individuals. The tables were gradually turned, and the people themselves began to reflect the values held and expressed by the organizations, rather than the other way around.

The Roman Catholic Church, as well as America, grew to become far more important than the individuals themselves.

The Roman Catholic Church was eventually challenged and exposed. The people finally saw clearly the corruption, the manipulation, and the deception. The Church was exposed for what it had become: a business, a political machine.

And now, America. Has America run the same course? Or a similar one? Has America grown from a collection of people who share common values to a business, a political machine?

And if so, what will it’s reformation be like?

Terrorism

As a country, and slowly as a species, we are focusing more and more on the possible bad things that might happen. And we sometimes wonder when, not if, they will.

The obvious example is, of course, terrorism.

We have accepted it as an evil enemy of freedom. We have created complex organizations and operations to fight against it.

We have admitted that terrorism is a dangerous threat to the United States and much of the globe. Our leaders often stress how serious that threat is and how important it is to take steps to prevent acts of terrorism from happening and all of the many ways in which we must protect ourselves.

We, the citizens of the United States, consider it quite reasonable to spend a significant portion of our financial resources on the fight against terrorism. We have admitted that there are people out there who aim to do damage to this and other countries, particularly those in the west.

There is a tangible fear expressed by many U.S. leaders and authorities that there are people in this world that wish to do us harm.

And we, the good and trusting citizens of the United States, willingly agree that this is so. We have managed to accept the possibility that an individual whom we have never met and who lives very far away from us wishes to do us harm. And not just one, but many.

Just because I am an American, or because I live in a modern or western country. Somehow, I am hated for that. Or so I am frequently told by our leaders and politicians and everyone else who claims to know what’s best for me and my fellow citizens.

Now, am I being gullible here? Let’s consider.

First of all, is it possible to hate someone you have never met? I really don’t think so. It doesn’t seem possible to have any feelings whatsoever about someone you have never met. The closest thing you can do, then, may be to hate what you believe they stand for, or what qualities or history or beliefs they may hold.

As far as I know, the only people who can possible hate me as a person are those who know me or somehow know of me. And for a ridiculously large portion of the globe, that is simply not possible. There can be no more than several thousand people in this world who know me or have met me and formed some sort of opinion of me. And almost all of them live within 300 miles of where I currently reside.

So, using simple and sound logic, I can only conclude that there is VERY little possibility that someone living in the Middle East or Asia or anywhere else that is more than a day’s drive from my home could hate me. I really do think and feel that they would have to be aware of me first. Somehow.

So if the terrorists are not aware of me personally, then can they really want to do me harm? The answer appears to be no.

They must have a problem with whatever it is they feel that I, as an American or a Westerner, stand for.
So what DO I stand for? And even more pertinent to our current discussion, what does the terrorist who would kill me if he were given the chance THINK that I stand for?

Isn’t that what we really need to understand?

None of them know me. NONE of them. So it’s not me they’re after. I don’t actually have these enemies that I am told of so frequently on the television and in the newspaper.

There is a war being waged, but it’s not them against me or my fellow citizens.

It is a war of beliefs: those of terrorists against those of their perceived enemies. Not the people themselves, but their beliefs. For, the individuals in most cases do not know one another. They only know one another’s beliefs.

Or so they think.

I'm discussing terrorism because it is a frequently discussed fear, and one that is given importance in the media and in the policies and actions of our leadership. And I have stated that I don’t believe there are indivduals in this world who mean to harm me specifically. They would have to know me in order to want to harm me specifically. The most that a typical terrorist can do is harm certain people for what they think they stand for.

I don't actually believe that there are terrorists out there that want to harm or kill me. They don't hate me. They hate what they think people in my area of the world believe.

And there's nothing I can or need to do about that.

Unless I accept them as my enemy.

Which I don’t.

I don’t even know them.

Turning Inward

March 30th, 2006

It is only when we have given up trying to find happiness in our external lives that we begin to turn inward in earnest. Until then, there are only glances in that direction.

Our outside experience holds many avenues for pleasure and joy, satisfaction and pride. These things are actively pursued by the ego, and are indeed found and experienced. This is how the exploration of ego consciousness proceeds. The physically-focused attention looks outside of the self for sources of pleasure and happiness, as well as pain and unhappiness, anger, fear and envy.

So the exploration is one of focusing our attention on the world outside of ourselves. We observe it from afar, in other words, not realizing that we are viewing ourselves. We have simply placed it “out there” so that we can experience and explore and evaluate ourselves from a different perspective, in a different way. We experience ourselves symbolically, through our observance of - and interaction with - our environment and each other.

This game, if I may call it that, eventually wears thin. Like an aging child who grows bored with the trains he used to play with, or the dolls she used to dress, we eventually lose our fascination with the outside world: the work, the responsibilities, the conflicts, the dramas, the relationships, the tragedies, the risks, and eventually even the rewards.

At some point, the payoff for all of that effort begins to decline. One works harder and harder to find happiness, and finds it less and less. They have worn out, in a sense, what the physical world has to offer. Like the little girl who sneaks into the candy store and eats all the candy she wants, and on the way home someone offers her a piece of candy. And she finds that she does not want it. She no longer desires candy. Even though there was a time, not long before, when candy was all she thought about. Now she has had her fill. She has had quite enough.

So that time arrives when one realizes that the rewards of the outside world – money, security, admiration, pride, winning, accomplishing – no longer hold the allure that they once did. They offer nothing new, nothing fulfilling. There must be something else, another source of happiness that doesn’t come from the outside. Why do most of history’s well-known spiritual leaders and messengers and prophets live a simple, uncomplicated life? Why are they humble, and often without possessions? What do they know that the rest of us don’t?

It would appear that the common thread is the realization that lasting happiness springs from an internal source, not an external one. So while the populace is chasing its collective tail, working hard and paying bills and struggling to survive and acquire and accumulate, the option is always there to cease relying on the outside world as a source for anything whatsoever.

This turning inward is the definitive milestone on the spiritual path. It is as if we are ducks on a pond, and eventually each of us will stop plunging our head underwater in search of precious morsels of food and choose instead to flap our wings and learn to fly. Each of us will, at the appropriate time, realize that those precious morsels of food have ceased to provide us with what we truly seek. They were a distraction all along, though a purposeful one. But what have we learned?

What have we learned, holding our attention so firmly on the circumstances and events and people and objects in our lives? And is this learning related to our turning inward? Do we begin to look inside as a result of what we have learned by looking outside? It would appear so.

In this case, the difference between one who has found internal and stable peace and one who has not lies in whether one has had enough of what the outside world has to offer. As long as you view that there are things you can do and/or have that will make you happy, then you will focus your attention and your intent upon doing or acquiring those things. You are the duck who stays on the pond because that is where the morsels are. The morsels are still enticing, and so you float upon the water and you peer below, waiting for another precious find.

The happiness that one finds in the outside world can dissipate quickly and can sometimes be hard to find, and so it is cherished and pursued and bemoaned when it is lost. The duck can grow quite hungry as it floats on the pond, peering intently into the water. Where is that elusive morsel, that kernel of happiness that I have tasted before and love so much? I want to experience joy. Why am I not?!

Ah, the game of life. It is mesmerizing and addicting. We have all resided within the throes of that addiction for a very long time. Are we ready to look elsewhere for that elusive joy and peace that we have tasted from time to time but not nearly as often as we'd like?

Are you wondering whether your life will ever be the pleasurable, conflict-free existence you wish it could be?

Have you finished chasing your tail?

No hurry.

Take your time.

We’ve got eternity, you know!