What’s Going On?

What’s going on? This music video clip I came across shows how division, intolerance and hatred have impacted all of us in this world.  Young and old.  People of every race, tribe and creed.  Black, brown, yellow, red and white.  It also expresses hope for a brighter future for everyone.

Where does all this tension, strife and pain come from?? Well, believe it or not, I don’t believe it’s confined to big business, wars, prejudice and race wars. It’s just that this is where we more easily see/recognize it because of the obvious toll on a global scale. It’s just that this is where it’s big enough to attract enough attention and support (or simply fuel) from other like-minded people. But it appears to originate from a tiny widespread seed.  A seed whose effect has multiplied and reverberated across entire cultures, even across the world.

Is it possible that the only reason we are able to see fear, intolerance, greed, selfishness, disrespect and even cruelty on larger scales is because it already existed on much smaller scales? It’s hard to say this, but couldn’t it be that the only reason we see this like this is because it exists on a smaller scale to some degree within the family unit and within us?

Everyone has his or her own opinions and feelings about these tragically discordant situations between people. Clearly, those on each side feel they are right, or in some way justified. Both sides of every situation we come across in life (corporately and individually) have their own experiences, interpretations and feelings about what is happening and why. Yet neither has lived the other’s experience, so it can be difficult to relate. Each side has its own understanding. Right on down to religions, sects and denominations. Right on down to neighbors and friends. Right on down to trouble within families and between couples.

I would like to suggest that what we see in these video clips is merely the exponentially multiplicative result of our own collectively unconscious human natures.  If people didn’t have problems with each other at home, school or work, I doubt we’d have such division on a national and international scale either.

If we all were better at listening and resolving family, work and school matters with others, then to the same degree, wouldn’t we take that problem-solving skill and the character we’d developed with us into every part of our world?  If enough people did so, there would collectively be more harmony in this world, perhaps even solidarity.

Should it not also follow, then, that in order to become better at resolving matters with others (or simply not taking issue with others), we need to be conscious of and clear on the concerns from both sides?  Therefore, in order to be understanding and respectful of others, I’d think we’d need first to have a clear and open heart and mind ourselves to be willing to hear what may feel uncomfortable or seem inconvenient.

That can be a challenge.  In order to understand and be accepting of others, we need to first know, understand and be accepting of all the things we hide from ourselves.  In order to resolve matters with others or be at peace with others, we need to first be at peace and resolved within ourselves.

Until we become more self-aware – until we find ways to alleviate our own conscious and unconscious fears, guilt and shame – until we truly find peace with God/within ourselves – until we truly come to know, accept, love and develop ourselves, how much can we truly have the ability to love, honor and respect one another?

Many of us have self-esteem and shame issues from early childhood conditioning and from hard knocks in life. It is human nature to project problems onto each other that are too hard to face. These are defense mechanisms. To have defense mechanisms is to be human. It’s the way we unconsciously live.

Of course, some people’s minds are more unregenerated than others. But regeneration has to start somewhere. We can’t know exactly what that person has been through – what their experience of life has been.  Everyone needs to start somewhere. Some people are wiser and more conscious/self-aware than others. Often times, this has taken conscious effort.

Some had more secure head starts in life than others. Others have worked very hard to become conscious of and resolve some issues. Some have cleansed their minds and hearts and developed their character more than others. Yet sometimes even these well-meaning folk blindly fall prey to perpetrators of judgmentalism and intolerance. Everyone has issues until they are all resolved. No one is born and raised thinking perfectly. But the more mindful we can become of our part in becoming more harmonious in life, it would follow the more peace, harmony and happiness we should experience individually and collectively.

People want to be acknowledged, preserved, respected. They want to feel understood, or at least heard like they matter. But unless we’re willing to try to understand or at least treat others as we think we’d like to be treated, how will anything get better for the whole?

United we stand.  Divided we fall.

You are valued.

Thank you for being here,

SpiritFREE1^SM