There’s a lot in the news – in the consciousness – these days about fairness – or rather about unfairness. New statistics are out about the growing income inequality in the US. Calls are heard from “both sides” – the 1% and the 99% – that the system is unfair – that the “other” side is taking more than they’re giving. In each case, there are efforts to “correct the problem” – with fixes that are largely aimed at fixing “them.” Over the last four weeks we’ve been reading and discussing the book, The Bond, by Lynne McTaggart. She states in her book that “…the essential impulse of all life is a will to connect. Our natural instinct is to merge with the other, to move away from the atomization of our individuality to the holism of the group…this impulse to seek connection has four signatures in any society: a need to belong, a need to agree, a need to give, and a need to take turns.” This need to take turns, the need for reciprocity ~~ a sense of fair play ~~ is an innate drive in nature. Do unto others as we would have them do unto us. McTaggart observes that in our western world we have historically chosen rather to see competition, the survival of the fittest, the rugged individual as the impulse that drives our evolution and growth. And this choice is a significant factor in the obscuring of the innate impulse to connect…and has reinforced our sense of lack, our need to protect ourselves in the ‘struggle to survive’.
Interestingly, as our society has become more diverse, our definition of “we” has narrowed. For so many, “we” has become the group that looks like “us.” Our umbrella of protection can extend to that limited “we” without much difficulty; however, the umbrella so often isn’t big enough to extend to those who look ‘different’, speak ‘differently’, believe ‘differently’, love ‘differently.’ And so with increased diversity, very often we find more gated communities, more ‘them’s’, more fear, more anger….
How can we shift this view of the world? What thoughts and actions might help reverse the tide of shrinking into our limited world ~ our smaller selves?
Here are some of Lynne’s ideas –
- See a new whole – a bigger neighborhood
- Recognize that I win when and only when you and I both win
- Scratch deep enough to find the common ground – the foundational issue – and explore that rather than the surface symptoms
- Remember that we are all in this together
There’s a song we sing during the Season for Nonviolence entitled Only Love Can Do That. The lyrics contain words from Dr. King and Mahatma Gandhi. Here are a few of them~~
Remember an eye for an eye leaves everyone blind and our children never see that darkness can not drive away darkness; only light can do that. Hatred can not drive away hatred; only love can do that.
There is a bond that binds us together – a bond stronger than hatred and fear – science may call it energy, magnetic force…I call it love
ConsciousCreation 