Love---A
New Perspective?
As
the light dawns brightly on 2006 I would like to once again say to you
that my purpose in writing this newsletter is to be educational and
inspirational. It is so very important that we are well informed as
well as happy, healthy and proactive as we live our lives in our precious
world. I cherish the reality that so many cultures around the world
have a different time of year that is their marking of the new year!
This reality tells me the importance of being openhearted and openminded
about how I view my world. In viewing my world I am mindful of the necessity
of joy and forgiveness as life partners. In 2004 I participated in a
program called Radical Forgiveness as taught by Colin Tipping. In his
October 2005 newsletter he was highlighting the well-known medical literature
that speaks of the connection between the lack of forgiveness and cancer.
He speaks of the pioneering work of Louise Hay and Caroline Myss
that allows us to work backwards and discover who, or what, we need
to forgive by observing what symptoms our bodies are producing and in
what part of the body they are occurring. I find this kind of
work so exciting and so very telling. The other end of this connected
loop of experience in our shared world is the medical literature that
indicates that second hand smoke is even more dangerous than firsthand.
The literature speaks of the waitresses and bartenders working eight
hour shifts in restaurants inhaling the equivalent of smoking two packs
of cigarettes a day. This information speaks to me of how important
it is to care for ourselves and each other. We must be mindful of the
impact of our thoughts and actions! We clearly need to progressively
support no smoking environments!
As I move
into 2006 I will continue to track my overarching lesson from 2005,
Do that which brings you joy! In doing that which brings
me joy I am pointedly aware that I must understand and love those
who are in front of me as Christina Baldwin highlights in her
book, The Seven Whispers. I am also mindful of a book called
The Invitation by Oriah Mountain Dreamer in which she asks
us, What will get us up in the morning when we feel completely
despairing? What it is for me is my commitment to life, love and
joy, my honoring of more than one perspective from which to view the
world, my respect for life and others. From the psychological perspective
of the Myers-Briggs personality inventory I am understanding at a deeper
and deeper level that there are intuitives like myself and there are
sensates. I understand the world from the inside out. Sensates understand
the world from the outside in. There are flashpoints of difference where
these two worlds do not understand each other because their ways of
perceiving reality are different. What is natural for me is difficult
for them. What is natural for them is difficult for me. We can feel
deeply hurt and disenchanted when these differences painfully impact
our lives. I have experienced this clash recently. I have been shaken
to the core and yet I keep on keeping on!" I have released
taking the experience personally. I have asked treasured friends for
feedback and support. I have received wonderful help. I trust there
is no intention to hurt me. I simply have work to do to stay present,
to respect myself and others, and listen deeply. That is our constant
work as humans in this lifetime. That is what we must do to stay joyfully,
lovingly, peacefully connected with ourselves and others. We must stay
open to life. We must love deeply, passionately, joyfully. We must forgive
wholeheartedly. That is how we will live happy, healthy, joy-filled
lives.
Another
piece of the picture for 2006, and always, is we must be educated! We
must build a world culture based on empathy and care for all. An educated
populace is the best defense of freedom and liberty. We must be consciously,
actively engaged in building support systems for ourselves and others.
There can be no authoritarian bully if there is no culture of despair
for him to thrive in throughout our world. This idea is eloquently addressed
by George Lakoff in his book, dont think of an elephant!
Building a culture of empathy is the foundation of the progressive political
model. This model is the heart and soul of who I am as a person. In
simplest terms this book details the massive difference in social consciousness
between a worldview that truly values Love and connectedness vs a worldview
of fear and imposing our will on others! As we recognize and value our
intrinsic interdependence rather than dividing our world into friends
and enemies we recognize everyone is intrinsically good. No one is born
a terrorist! A terrorist develops in a culture of despair that is valued
in the context of the authoritarian Father God model of society. As
we frame our world differently and recognize the value and necessity
of empathy and nurturance in our shared human experience we build a
world where peace is valued and therefore possible! We must help relieve
the suffering of others. We must have people in government and authority
positions who value upholding the public trust. We must value being
a nurturant society. We must recognize that paying taxes is not a burden.
Paying taxes is our social responsibility. Our taxes pay for all the
services we have in a healthy, happy, functioning society. We must value
taking care of all the people! One of my values is to have discussions,
rather than debates, with people I disagree with no matter how different
our opinions may originally be. In order to have a discussion we both
must be willing to understand and respect ourselves and each other.
There must be a value above and beyond winning. If winning
is the objective then fear and the status quo is the motivator. If understanding
and respect are the objectives then Love is the motivator. Need I say
the outcome will be very different in these scenarios? We have a lot
of work to do to dismantle the ingrained patterns of dualistic fear-based
winning and losing. We must reframe the way we think and feel! Debate
implies winner and loser. Discussion implies listening and movement.
My side implies winner and loser. My personal agenda is
no one in need in our shared world! I see everyone bountifully fed,
clothed, employed, living the bountiful life of their hearts desire.
My agenda is peace in the world. No war. No one dying from easily preventable
illnesses that have been long eradicated in the entire rest of the world.
My agenda is compassionate, affordable health care for all! All of this
and more is easily doable as we expand our hearts, heads, and minds
toward this spiritually, socially responsible, compassionate worldview.
It is said, There is no way to peace. Peace is the way.
Another quote I cherish is, Do as Thou will and harm none.
Both of these views speak to me of our union with the Divine as Love.
I believe we are all the Divine in expression. The Divine is Love. We
are creations of this Divine Love. May our lives be reflections of our
recognition of our oneness with this amazing Love! May we grow together
caring about the impact of our actions on all people. May our intention
be to grow in generosity of Spirit, recognizing the value of this expansively
joyful fullheartedness. Namaste to you!
To Return to
the Website, Minimize or close this Window.