My six year old daughter came to me the other day with a big apple and asked me to take a bite.
Those of you that have children know exactly what I’m talking about.
Small kids can’t eat an apple unless it is cut into smaller pieces or bitten first.
When people ask me how do I attain enlightenment or how do we solve the world’s problems, I have a similar feeling.
I feel like I have to bite into a watermelon.
It can’t be done unless you cut it into small pieces.
I understand the frustration of some of you that are looking for answers but you have to understand my frustration too.
It is hard to write a post on spirituality with a beginning and an end and try to make some sense at the same time.
Spirituality is like a thread that goes from deep inside our individual being into our relationships, our families, our communities, our countries, our planet, the universe and back into our subconscious mind.
It all connects together in a never ending looping and evolving web of causes and effects.
It affects everything and it determines everything; the quality and outcome of our whole life.
I know it is a corny image but it is “the circle of life”.
There is nothing more important in our lives than the beliefs we hold.
What we believe determines how we act.
Our beliefs determine who we are and in turn “we” the individuals are the foundation of the society.
If we want to change the world we have to challenge and change the current set of beliefs; to change how we think and act.
The problem I have with that is that I do not believe you can, or should, try to change another human being.
It is like the damn thing we are doing in Iraq.
You can’t impose democratic change at gun point.
It is like forcing a woman to have sex in the name of love.
If you have to use a gun it’s called rape – at least in the communist country I grew up in.
So by sharing my thoughts and beliefs with you I am going against my own philosophy, some how.
I do not like to preach and teach.
I’d rather have a dialog or a debate where I can learn and grow as well.
But I don’t know any other way to connect with you and that bothers me – in a way.
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12 comments:
Well, every little bit of democracy in Iraq is better than under the dictatorship of Saddam Hussien, who indeed was hanged by the democratic process of his own people. They hold fairer elections now too, right? In my opinion, democracy and freedom was always won by a fight against slavery, slavery of course being the default position throughout world history.
Well, in actuality technology is changing the way democracy and freedom is won. Nowadays it's impossible for injustice to be kept a secret, as China is clearly finding out that it can't quite censor the entire internet. Information inevitably gets out, and at ever more rapid rates too.
Mahatma Gandhi, Be the change you want to see in the world.
It doesn't matter if other people get your message or not. You are only responsible for yourself. If you live up to your beliefs and they truly make you happy others will see the message in themselfs.
As for Democracy,
Democracy is popular government.
Democracy is not imposing your beliefs on others.
If you have to force your government on other people it's not democracy it's dictatorship
Tell that to South Korea, Hong Kong, India, and Isreal.
Interesting that in a post about not imposing your beliefs on others both comments above me are doing just that. Well... at least it doesn't seem that either one is listening to the other... rather just a battle of egos.
But then again... by pointing it out I'm just bolstering my own ego and I'm certainly not be understanding. LOL. We are all quite invested in having our voice heard.
Sorry it's been so long since I've visited your blog. I just got my computer working again. Love you Buddha.
Speech is a complex endeavor. As is love, I suppose.
There will be plenty of egolessness when we're dead. Being alive is all about having an ego, and the bigger the better.
I think perhaps posting anything on an internet blog is difficult simply because the poster is frequently taking the biggest risk. There is always someone who dislikes, loves, obsesses, etc. with whatever is written, not to mention the trolls whose graffiti litter blogs like splattered mud or worse.
Writing about something as controversial as spiritual subjects brings out the oddest and the most thoughtful, sometimes in the same individual.
Not for the weak of stomach, no?
I see your posts as you spreading a feast before us and inviting us eat if we wish. That's not imposition. If we change because of something we read here then it's something we've chosen, not had forced upon us. There is no gun hidden in the mashed potato (sorry for stretching the feast analogy). I, for one, have found much to ponder and am edified by your posts.
Argent... really like that analogy
I see your posts as offerings ... not imposing an opinion on people. We can glean and take what we want and leave what we do not. I too, like the feast analogy ... but I also think it is a harvest analogy too.
It's amazing how fast a group of people could eat an elephant. The tricky bit about "changing the world" is having everyone agree on the changes.
Sometimes I'm quick to put on my black thinking hat.
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