Tagged: moral values
Betterment without practice
Mary told John: “You need to become compassionate.”
John looked up the word compassionate in the dictionary.
It said: “Feeling or showing sympathy and concern for others.” John wasn’t quite sure what compassionate meant through that definition for he always thought that he felt concerned for others, so he looked for another definition: “A feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.”
John understood the meaning of compassion better through the second definition. Then, he decided that from now on, he will “practice” that compassion.
Mary had a severe cold. John could see that Mary was suffering. John “practiced” feeling sympathy for Mary. He also followed up with a “desire to alleviate” her cold. “Can I hand you some tissue?” He asked.
Mary saw “improvement” in John. She said “Thank you for asking.”
That created the necessary rapport for John to practice that “compassion.”
He thought he was being compassionate now… He was “improving.” 🙂
Reality is that John wasn’t compassionate even after “practicing” for many months. For instance, he wasn’t able to feel empathy for suffering animals. That wasn’t part of his “practice” of “compassion.”
John was merely conditioned to practice his improved “good manners” in front of people.
This little example, shows how our “spirituality of practice” have been shaping individuals into fake ones.
There are things which need “practice” to become more proficient at, but values are not part of that.
So what do we DO to become “better”?
Nothing at all. The thing is not to BECOME something which we don’t even know what IS, what is the extent of it.
“Love your neighbor as yourself” sounds good to “practice,” but apparently that doesn’t work in a war… or even as close as the “office world.”
The thing is to OBSERVE to BE AWARE of what IS… what we ARE.
WHAT IS, is not necessarily the way we ACT: I can pet the neighbor’s dog and look “loving and concerned,” while inside me a thought could be saying: “Nasty mutt.”
If we are AWARE of that inner conflict, that is where “betterment” starts…. But we have been trained to suppress that thought with a “loving” one: “ You are such a precious dog.”
That is the greatest lie.
We have been trained to add words as “objective to achieve,” as in: “I need to be more caring with animals and people.” This mitigates our sense of guilt, whenever we see that our attempt to BECOME some moral value, does not work.
All we need is a little AWARENESS of the NOW.
Forget the nice words: Love, compassion, gentleness, peace, etc. and the opposite words as well. Those words don’t help at all. Those are only words.
Awareness of what we feel. Awareness of our own relaxed presence or lack of. Awareness of the stream of thoughts and words. That is all.
One day, we may even question ourselves after our observation: Is that ME?
That is a sign that betterment is on the way, without “practice.”
Oneness: The “new” consciousness
Every individual will have different experiences in Life.
Experiences are not meant to be “interpreted” they are meant to be “experienced.” Out of the internal assimilation of those experiences, a new consciousness will emerge. Not through understanding of words.
For example; we hear that “judgments” are “bad” or “good.”
The word “judgment” is interpreted in many ways according to the person’s experience.
“To judge is good, because it is to discern. By judging a person I can discern if the person is good or bad according to standard human moral values. Because I have judgment, I am liable for my actions.”
“To judge a person is “bad” because with that label we are defining his destiny in our minds.”
“You know, that Carl is a bad person…” That judgment does not give the opportunity for Carl to change in our minds.
“God is the ultimate judge. We shouldn’t judge anyone. We are brothers and sisters of the same Father.”
Every single “reason” above is merely an interpretation of the word “Judgment.” Lost in thinking we could be open for many useless intellectual debates. Why useless? Because we are only lost in words and meanings of those words. We are lost in thinking …and thinking means automatic separation.
Is separation “bad”?
NO. It will just give us a state of consciousness.
Thinking is not “bad.” It has its place. If we want to enjoy Life and the different scenes, we may not want to use our “thinking” for that. We need to feel. Become intuitive.
When we live in the moment for instance, I may not feel right being close to a dog nearby. I may go away. End of report. The issue is when I “think”: “That dog is bad. I better go away.”
That judgment is through thinking. That thinking conveys labeling and separation. Once a label is placed, it is a very sticky one 🙂
Let me put this in another way.
When we are lost in the consciousness of “I,” then the separation is already there. “I am different than anyone else.”
If already my consciousness perceives that separation as a “fact,” how is it possible to live together as One or to love each other as religions try to teach?
In the consciousness of “I,” a higher moral figure is needed. A God.
“God is the father and we are brothers and sisters.”
This set up works marvelously in the consciousness of “I.”
“I” am still an individual but at the same time, “I” can relate to the idea of brotherhood, because for most individuals that is part of their Life experience. “I” can interpret that experience in a Godly setting.
God being the “father” means to obey him. The world is a family. “We are the world, we are the children.” How can I judge my brother? How can I judge my sister? God is the only one who can do that accurately.
Nice talk.
From that point on, every experience will be interpreted under that paradigm.
In another consciousness, we could perceive that thinking has brought that separation. We could perceive that a single individual is a partial fact for that individual exists in relationship with everything else, just as a tree exists because there is sun and water and sky and air, etc. The thinking mind however, has made that separation of individuality.
If we continue on with our inquiry, we may perceive that this “I” is part of everything there is, just like a drop of water is in the Ocean. The perception and awareness of being just the drop brings further separation from everything else.
Perhaps at one point, we could perceive Oneness.
Then, all the other concepts and words that separate items could be perceived as an illusion of language for that “new” consciousness, but yet understood as a “reality” for those still dwelling in thoughts and separation. The “I” consciousness.
In Oneness, there is no need to add the word God, to make the “I” separated from “him.” It is not a matter of a concept or a belief. In oneness we perceive oneness.
The “movie of life” is one movie. We cannot separate from it.
It is in that consciousness how the word “judgment” is meaningless.
Am I judging myself in Oneness? Isn’t that schizophrenic?
ONE.
Therefore “moral values” such as “to judge is bad or good” are unnecessary.
Change through fear is unnecessary: “God will punish you if you judge your little brother.”
Comparisons are illusions of the “I.”
“I” am better. “We” are better.
– Everyone is as they are.
“We should be better.”
– Change is already built is this movie of Life.
“but we could change to become “worse”…”
– Suffering is a great teacher. You may learn not to reject it. It is a sure way to change consciousness without using the “training wheels” of beliefs.
“but this is the only time that we have to be better…”
– This is the only time we have to enjoy “what is.”
The thing is not to “become better” (that is to compare) but through enjoyment of “what is,” through appreciation of “what is,” through being thankful of “what is” …. what could happen?
Being “better?” 🙂
May you be “better” without looking to be “better.”
Until March 16th. Enjoy, appreciate and be thankful! That is to be ONE with the common good.
The duality of “Spiritual dog training.”
Puppy dog training is the type of “spiritual teaching” that most humans are used to.
“Bernie, don’t do that. Bad dog!”
Bernie likes to smell the neighbor’s garbage cans and to “indulge” in its contents.
“Garbage cans are bad, Bernie.”
Spiritual puppy training is on.
“This is good. That is bad. This is right, that is wrong. Move and sing along the funny tunes of this song.”
Human example?
As some “seekers” are observing how the values and teachings from our society have a weight on our beliefs, then one day; there is the realization that a television set is one of the biggest “seller” of that propaganda.
Along Spiritual “puppy dog training,” comes the voice of rigidity:
“Television is bad. Do not watch TV.”
Harry the “seeker” wanted to become “better” in life. Even though he enjoys watching some TV programs, he felt that his enjoyment was cut off when a new belief entered his path: “TVs are bad.”
Knowing that a “pure” God/ Guru/ Priest has given that commandment, Harry’s life became miserable. Harry fought with himself his usual desire to watch TV. Harry felt guilty, low and bad when he couldn’t resist the “temptation” of watching TV.
Harry became “bad” out of his desire to be “good.” 🙂
The above could be placed in different scenarios in our lives. There is “puppy dog training” at the office, in the family, at school, etc.
When consciousness changes out of a realization in life, there is no inner fight.
Television is neither good nor bad. Someone may watch a TV program, enjoy it without the fear of being “brainwashed” by the TV.
How is that possible?
When we do everything in a conscious way, with awareness. When consciousness changes and we allow for that to happen, the struggle to “change” is non-existent, for that change is a natural continuation of awareness in life.
If a religious head says: “Watch TV, but not too much for it may brainwash you. You need to be careful.”
There is fear infused in those words.
If someone realizes while watching TV that moral values and prejudices along with diverse beliefs are there in different ways and that person is able to recognize them, then that AWARENESS will bring change.
That is all it takes. Teachings are meant to create the environment to experience. Teachings are not meant to be a dogma of “do’s and do nots.”
However, all depends on the consciousness of the participant, obviously.
I cannot expect for “Bernie” the dog to come up with realizations of living life in joy; but I could make my life easier by telling him only what I consider to be “good and bad.”
When the consciousness of the seeker moves from “spiritual puppy dog training,” then life appears with different colors, besides “black or white.”
On Saints, Demons and Angels
In a nutshell, a society makes up a Saint. Once a saint appears, a sinner is born automatically and with that a demon.
A society has moral values, which will change in time. A Saint represents that person who embodies those values.
A Saint represents the duality of being “against” something and “for” something. A saint lives for the most part a repressed life style.
His “goodness” is artificial for it is based on moral standards.
A saint represents a religious doctrine and because of that, a saint cannot be universal. A saint is the standard to imitate, a “divine” life but his lifestyle is out of the reach of the common man.
For that reason a “saint” becomes a “saint” when he is no longer among us; for that saint cannot make human “mistakes” anymore.
When dead, followers will appear and with that a new belief system.
Not everyone could be a saint, that person needs to fit the standards of “sainthood.”
Have not heard of a happy saint yet. As a matter of fact, it will be hard to see one who is joyful, smiling and full of life.
Nevertheless, our society needs those examples to point out the “right way.” 🙂
A Demon is a reactionary movement against sainthood. It is “heavy metal” when all you hear is church music. That reaction has the same qualities of “sainthood” just with the opposite polarity.
A saint rejects evil. A demon rejects the common good.
Most monotheistic religions are based on rejection of something to embrace the opposite.
It is in the understanding of the opposite but complementary forces of the Universe how wisdom appears. Wisdom cannot appear out of rejection.
An Angel transforms. An angel does not reject or oppose.
An Angel accepts and transforms. An Angel embraces all and is able to live in the dichotomy of life.
Everything is as it should be, so why reject anything, then?
An Angel does not belong to a particular religion, but he belongs to the world and it is in the world how an angel is made. An angel does not appear out of a religious protected environment or an ideology, but as the lotus flower; he emerges out of the mud not a clean vacuumed carpet.
An angel lives life to the fullest; experiences to the fullest and transforms all experiences through the consciousness of his benevolent feelings. An angel is out of this world but still lives in this world…among us and with us. Although he cannot be recognized as easily, he could leave a positive lasting impression in someone’s life.
That is his trademark.
Exploring the Depth of Living 