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To try to understand why people react the way they do under certain circumstances I put forth this as food for thought. I am using the Dawkins scale of consciousness as a way to establish levels of perception.

Let’s imagine a “bum” standing on a street corner in a fashionable neighborhood. He stands alone leaning against the corner of an upscale establishment. Let’s look at him from various levels of consciousness and note the differences in how he appears.

At the bottom of the scale is the level of shame, from this perspective, the bum looks dirty, disgusting, disgraceful. From a level of guilt, he would be blamed for his condition, ie: he deserves what he gets, he is probably a lazy welfare cheat. At the level of hopelessness, his plight would appear to be desperate, damning evidence that society can’t do anything about homelessness. At the level of grief, the old man looks tragic, friendless and forlorn.

Next, we move to the level of fear. We might see him as threatening, a social menace. Perhaps we should call the police before he commits some crime. From the level of desire he might represent a frustrating problem, why doesn’t someone do something? From anger, the old man might look like he could be violent, or on the other hand, one could be furious that such conditions exist. When viewed from the level of pride he could be seen as an embarrassment or as lacking the self-respect to better himself. From the view of courage we might be motivated to wonder if there is a local homeless shelter, all he needs is a job and a place to live.

From the view of neutrality, the bum looks ok, maybe even interesting, “Live and Let Live” we might say; after all; he’s not hurting anyone. At the place of willingness, we might decide to go down and see what we can do to cheer up that fellow on the corner or volunteer some time at the local mission. From acceptance, the man on the corner appears intriguing. He probably has an interesting story to tell, he is where he is for reasons we may never understand. Looking from the place of reason, he is a symptom of the current economic and social malaise, or perhaps a good subject for in-depth physiological study.

At higher levels of consciousness, the old man begins to look not only interesting but friendly, then lovable. Perhaps we would then be able to see that he was, in fact, one who had transcended social limits and gone free, a joyful old guy with the wisdom of age in his face and the serenity that comes from indifference to material things. At the level of peace, he is revealed as one’s own self in a temporary expression.

When approached, the bum’s response to these different levels of consciousness would vary with them. With some, he would feel secure, with others frightened or dejected. Some would make him angry others delighted. Some he would therefore avoid, others greet with pleasure.

Thus it is said we meet what we mirror.

This little thought exercise doesn’t change the current state of social issues in America, however, I hope that it does give food for thought. How do you meet others? What level of consciousness are you perceiving life from? How would your life change with a shift in your consciousness level? This exercise works not only for meeting other people but for situations as well. How would your life change if you looked at that flat tire from a higher level of consciousness?

Rising above the more base levels of consciousness is difficult. It is a life’s work and we all could use a bump up in levels. Perhaps just being reminded by this post will help your next interaction be more pleasant and come from a higher plane of consciousness.

– Paraphrased from Power vs Force, Dr. David R Hawkins

To wrap up all these thoughts I have poured out I wanted to cover a few more topics. In our hectic daily lives it is easy to forget several very basic concepts. The first one that comes to mind is gratitude. The world and everyone in it isn’t required to give us anything, it would be beneficial for us to remember to express gratitude. Be grateful for the gifts large and small. Nothing should be taken for granted it is all a gift. Remember to say thank you. Be appreciative and acknowledge when someone goes out of their way for you. Stop for a moment and say your thanks for the beauty of the world around you and all the things in it. Slow down and actually mean it when you say thank you to someone. I guarantee if you say thank you from your heart the recipient will know the difference and will know that you truly mean it.

Reciprocity is another big thing we tend to forget about and/or just don’t know how to do. There is more to it than not taking more than you put back in the earth. The same concept applies to people. We learn from those around us everyday. Every once in a while someone takes extra time to share some knowledge or time with us that helps us along our path. That also needs to be reciprocated. You don’t have to be an expert in something to share what you know. Take the time and effort to share with those around you. Share your knowledge and more importantly your time. It is my experience that doing this is just as enriching to those that share as it is those that receive.

This next one is more a goal than anything. It is hard to quantify and is unique to each of us. Be the person you need in your life. In other words strive to be the mentor, friend or leader you want to see. Work toward being the person you wish you had around when you were young. Be that mentor you wished you had when you first started working. Be that friend that you wished was there when you really needed them. People like that don’t just appear they are created and you can be that person for someone else. This links into reciprocity and is one way to pay back for what you have been given.

The next item also relates to reciprocity, give back. We each have unique talents so teach that talent. I mean anything from knitting to corporate mentor-ship. Each of us has a gift, share it, teach it. If you are amazing at balancing 10 plates on your nose, teach someone, share it with the world. It takes the gifts we all have collectively to keep the world moving forward. Don’t horde it like there won’t ever be another. Share who you are, your unique self with others. There is great joy and fulfillment in sharing with someone else.

Here is the last item and the hardest one for everyone, tithing. This is typically seen as a religious concept but it isn’t. It is a spiritual concept. I don’t mean find a church and give them money. I mean give monetarily to a place where you are fed spiritually. Give where you feel called to give. If that is a local charity then give there. Where ever you are fed, give. My acceptance of this concept is fairly new to me and I struggled with it for a long time. Money is tight for all of us and it is really difficult to just hand over money you could really use elsewhere. What I have found is that when you give, you receive. I personally haven’t received a great deal of actual money back, although there has been some showing up out of the blue. What I have received is a great deal of spiritual enrichment. Probably more than I have tithed to be truthful. The typical tithe amount is ten percent. I say start somewhere, anywhere. If you can’t give ten percent then give what you can. As it was explained to me what you tithe shows the value you place on what you are receiving so keep that in mind. For me, ten percent to receive all the enrichment I have gotten is a small price. I won’t tell you how much you should give. I will tell you, you get what you pay for, think wisely.

It has occurred to me that some people might be wondering what prompted a normally silent person to make these posts. There are many things that prompted this but I can expand on a few. Our current political state has made it very apparent that we have forgotten our lessons about integrity and virtue. What is currently defined as integrity is far from the truth. It isn’t moral to stand behind someone who is doing immoral things no matter who that person is. I mean this, even when it is family, clergy or our leaders. It is not moral and it is not living in integrity to allow them to be immoral and not speak out. Immoral acts should be condemned loudly. They should not be tolerated, ever. Having said that there are some other things I need to mention. Condemning and vilifying are two separate things. I am not calling for people to threaten or harm anyone. That is not living in integrity either. The acts should be condemned and the people should be led to receive the help they need to see how their actions harm others. Failing that, they should be ignored and removed from places that can cause harm. Violence is not the answer, although it sometimes seems like it is. It won’t fix the problem and it teaches another set of people to use violence to solve issues instead of working on the root. The only way problems get solved long term is to get to the root and fix what is there causing it.

Another thing driving the need to make these posts is my own growth. In making these posts I was allowed to write out and clarify my own thoughts. It helped me work through some areas where I was less than clear in my thinking. It allowed me to give of myself to help others while receiving the gift of clarity. It is also a very public proclamation of my values and what I consider important in my own life. This will serve to hold me to my path. I have now shared with anyone who cared to know, my set of values, and in a way it gives them permission to hold me to them. I can’t hide anymore, I can’t claim ignorance anymore where these values are concerned. Being public about who I am and what I value is the next step on my path. Thanks for sticking with it and being part of my growth. I really value your participation and appreciate your standing witness.

This series of posts about integrity has to include some thoughts about acting in integrity with the world at large. By this, I mean with the actual earth, its plants, animals, soil, air… all of it. I feel I need to give some back story to give a frame of reference on my position.

Whether we are religious or not, we as Americans and many in Christian and Islamic nations around the world, are influenced greatly by religion, whether we ascribe to it ourselves or not. The Bible states in Genesis that mankind was given dominion over the earth. For reference, here is the quote from the King James version of the bible:

Genesis 1:26-28
26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

This quote – I personally believe and many scholars agree – gave mankind a sense that the earth and all its inhabitants were ours to do with as we pleased. In times past, man lived in close association with the earth and understood the value of living in integrity with the land. If he did not, he would go hungry. There was a very direct and real consequence. Our technologically advanced society has allowed us to move away from that close association. There are very few among us who directly work with the land, even those that do rely on resources brought from far away places to make the job easier. Our distant ancestors didn’t have this available. If they needed it they had to create it themselves. Because of this we have lost our connection. We no longer understand how to take care of the earth and its inhabitants. In times past, we were caretakers – not rulers – of the earth, because we understood deeply our relationship to it. We need to move back into a relationship of caretaker. Having integrity with the earth means we must become caretakers and treat the earth with respect. Show gratitude and appreciation for its abundance.

One ideology I have isn’t very popular, but it should be. The earth and all its inhabitants are sentient. We all know that animals feel. Most don’t realize that plants feel as well. There are now many scientific studies that show this. Very few know that the soil under our feet also feels. The soil is alive. It is filled with living things. Millions of organisms live in each square inch. The mycelial mat that lives in the soil communicates over vast distances… and it feels. The largest living organism in the world is a mycelial mat in the forest of the northwest United States. It covers 2,385 acres and studies have shown that it communicates over its entire area. When one area is damaged the entire mat knows in milliseconds and responds. That same mycelial mat communicates with all the plants living with it and the mycelial mats living near it. They communicate at a rate faster than we can duplicate. It is near instant. Think about that for a few minutes. To put it into something you can more closely understand and relate to. If you break your toe, your entire body knows almost instantly. If you damage the earth, the entire planet knows almost instantly. I know that is a little hard to grasp. The concept of something that vast is beyond our comprehension, but that doesn’t make it untrue. For me it gives an entirely new outlook on living in integrity with the earth. If the earth itself is sentient and we accept that along with the responsibility that knowledge has attached, well, … we have screwed up.

So if all this is true, what now? How do we live in integrity with the earth and its inhabitants? Humans require food, shelter, etc, so we have to consume things from the earth to survive. My take on it is reciprocity. If you take you must give back. Some of us are blessed to be able to live on large areas of land where this principle is easier to apply. For those living in cities it becomes much more difficult. I believe our society needs to make it a priority to leave natural green areas, large ones. We need to watch our waste so we consume only that which is needed. Our construction methods should be more in tune with the earth and less polluting. It needs to be taught to our children that the earth must be tended, maintained, and honored. We must rid our thinking of the idea that the earth and its inhabitants are here for us to use. We are not rulers over it, we are caretakers of it. We must think about generations to come and act with integrity toward it.

Acting outside of integrity with the earth and its inhabitants does have consequences. These come about over generations, so it is easy for us to forget they still happen. Ignore it and all of us suffer. This consequence is global; what you do today can affect your children, their children, and the children that live all over the planet. No you won’t suffer yourself most likely, at least not that is greatly apparant. That makes this part of integrity easy to let slide. That doesn’t mean it isn’t just as important. That also doesn’t mean that deep down, where that knowing of who you are lives, you don’t know. You do know and living out of integrity does have a price to pay.

My next post I will try to wrap up where this all leads us.

As I stated in my first post, knowing but not acting is what stands in our way of living with integrity. As I talk about living in integrity within ourselves this becomes even more important. Actually it is a key point. I can’t stress this enough – If you know but don’t act, you are not living in integrity. Our minds can overlook this but our core knows. It throws up roadblocks in the form of depression, procrastination and sometimes even physical illness. These are the tools our body and heart uses to show us we are not walking our path in integrity. If you suffer from any or all of these I suggest you take a good deep look inside yourself. In many cases it is because we are not living in integrity. There are exceptions to this of course. My own personal experience with medically diagnosed depression was actually my own refusal to live in integrity. As a former professional procrastinator I know, that is my clue to look deeper at what I am trying to avoid. I have found that anytime I begin to procrastinate it means I am avoiding something. Most of the time I find that it is something difficult that I am avoiding. Dealing with it as soon as I discover it helps keep me on my path and prevents the depression from setting in. This is the first part. You must act once you are aware. Not acting leads to procrastination, depression and eventually physical illness.

The second part is, knowing but not acting leads to the Universe throwing roadblocks in our way. Have you ever wondered why those people you work with, the ones that you think are not as smart as you, get ahead while you don’t? I think it is this principle. They don’t know any better so the Universe just serves up the good stuff. Those of us that do know better have to work harder. We have to live with more integrity. There really is something to the old statement, ignorance is bliss. I also think this is where a great deal of my instant karma comes from. When I act against my own principles the Universe stops me and says, “Nope, you know better than that”. When I head down a path that isn’t in line with my higher goals the Universe makes it as difficult as it can possibly be. Roadblocks pop up everywhere. I think it is the Universe’s way of letting me know, “Hey, this won’t go where you think it will. I am going to slow you down so you have time to think about it”. I have learned, slowly, but I have learned.

I am still trying to integrate the wisdom given to me regarding this, here is the gist of it. The Universe doesn’t punish those that are ignorant. It would be like punishing a toddler for not knowing how to drive a car. Each of us is at a different place along the path. Each of us is learning the same lessons at our own pace. We can’t fault those that aren’t at our same position on the path for being where they are. They are learning their lessons, in their time. The other side of this is, they may know things we do not. It is popular to think that just because someone doesn’t know about the things that we do they are backward, or stupid. Humans make sport of looking down upon those they determine are less than themselves. We have to look no further than our current racial issues to see this played out. It is part of our human condition to want to place ourselves above another. To think we are better than someone because of any number of things from skin color to economic status. It is ingrained in us from infancy by our families and societal programming. I won’t get on my soap box here, but I will say, ridding ourselves of this bias is part of our path to living in integrity. Realizing the gifts that each person has and brings to the table is important to our development. Allowing another to be in their place on their path is just as important. Remember, each of us is struggling to learn from our place, on our path, in our way. Learn to accept it and your steps will become lighter. Learn to respect others for their place. Who knows, you might even learn something from someone unexpected.

To wrap up my thoughts on knowing but not acting. Your own soul or heart, however you see it, will admonish you if you know but don’t act. This goes for everything in your life. Everything from tossing trash out your window, to speaking sharply to someone who doesn’t deserve it. If you know you should be dealing with something and you don’t, your heart will tell you. If you know you have acted without integrity there will be consequences. I am not trying to be overly biblical here but I honestly think this is the lesson the tree in the garden of Eden is about. Not having the knowledge of good and evil meant there were no consequences. There was no knowledge so actions were innocent. Once the knowledge was obtained the consequences set in. We are now born into a society that trains us about right and wrong from birth. Hence we are born with the original sin. We are born with the burden of living in integrity in all our deeds. You don’t have to be religious for this to affect you, it is the way we are wired. It is the human condition and we are all bound to its rules.

Next time I am going to attempt to put my thoughts about acting in integrity in the world at large into a post.

In the last post I ended with some pretty important questions. To address these questions I need to explain my theories on how our Universe works. I am not saying this is how it is, I am saying this is how I have reconciled these things within myself. This is where I am at this moment and I reserve the right to grow and as such my understanding could be different in a year or even a week.

The questions I left with where these:
How do I let these people go and not hold negative feelings and guilt once I see them for who they truly are? After all some of these people I love deeply. How do I let go of people I am so close to? How do I process the feelings when I am forced to deal with people who aren’t walking a moral path that aligns with my own? The biggest one I have seen is someone struggling with close family who doesn’t share the same morality.

In my current understanding, the Universe has a basic plan and path that it is on. We have free will for ourselves but the Universe is on a path of sorts. I do believe in an overall guiding spirit of some sort. It could be anything from scientific and mathematical principles to an omnipotent force that we do not understand yet. It could be a combination of both or something entirely different. In my cosmology I just call it the Universe with a capital U for ease of discussion. This post isn’t an attempt to get into a theological discussion about the Universe, God, Allah or any of the other deities available to us. If you get stuck on that you are missing the point of the article and it really isn’t meant for you. Now having put in my disclaimer I can continue with the discussion.

The greatest breakthrough in understanding, and coming to peace with the vastly different moral paths we as humans can take, came from a Hermetic discussion I listened in on. Then I followed up with some research into a Theosophical idea about the original religion and its God(s). I will do my best to give you a short version here.

In my cosmology, we all come here intentionally. In other words, we chose to come and incarnate on earth as humans. We chose our circumstances of birth and to a large degree we chose the basic path our life will take. In our choice to come here, we are attempting to help mankind and the earth stay on its path. All of us are here to do this. This is the key to this understanding. No matter what moral road we take, our goal is to help the earth and mankind stay on their paths. That understanding honestly kind of warped my mind for a while. I just couldn’t understand how someone morally corrupt could be assisting mankind and the earth toward its positive goal.

After a good long time of mulling this over, and more than a few meditations about it, something dawned on me. Mankind is actually lazy and slow. We don’t learn our lessons easily. In most cases what makes us learn is when it is painful not to, or when we are in a position where we feel we can only chose one path. The aha moment came when I realized that those with vastly different moral compasses function to point out our path. They are the contrast to our moral code. Without them we wouldn’t be able to see our path as clearly. We also wouldn’t need to move onto our path as quickly. They are the catalyst that makes us realize our path and the sign post that points us toward our own road. This revelation allowed me to see the Universe at work in them. For lack of a better way to say it, I could find the divine in what I once saw as anything but divine.

After this revelation, the answers to the questions became much easier for me to swallow. I don’t hold negative feelings for anyone anymore, they are just doing what they came here to do. How do I deal with these people when I have to? I realize they are doing their job to the best of their ability and they serve as my own guideposts, so I am grateful they are there to point the way. I am lucky that I do not have any of these people in my close family, but I know many who do. The only advice I can give is to try and realize by their actions, they helped form who you are. In essence, they helped form your moral compass. Be grateful for the gift they gave you. Try to understand in yourself that they are just fulfilling the purpose they have on earth, and allow them to be as they are. As for letting them go, I personally don’t see a need to let them go unless it is harming you to have them around. Once the realization of their purpose sunk in, it was much easier for me to not be angry and resentful. I found that I could look at them as serving a useful purpose on earth and begin to see a small glimmer of the Universe at work.

Do I still get upset? Of course I do. Some things are just hurtful. I now try to see that pain as a growing pain. We as a people and the earth in general are ethically and emotionally growing, and these things are part of that process. Without the loud and proud on both sides of the moral debate we would not have progressed, we would not have grown. The path for me is made clear by those on a different one and I can now honestly say that I appreciate the guidance they have given me.

I still don’t want to share a meal with them, or bring them into my home. Perhaps at some point I will be able to, but that day is not today.

Next up my thoughts on living in integrity within ourselves.