For the last three weeks I have been deep in the heart of right and wrong. A strange world of almost total fantasy created by the most amazing misconceptions and perpetuated by habits long since unnecessary but deeply persistent. Let us begin.
Firstly, to understand the strange world of right and wrong we must gaze at it from elsewhere. And that elsewhere is the land of everything is connected. Many see this as the imaginary land. but of course it isn't. This is the real thing - the true nature of reality. We are connected through all the sub-atomic waves/particles that morph and change and move and carry our energy round and round. We are connected through the water that makes up 55% of us and 65% of the planet. We are connected through the neurons in our brains, our genes, our species, our history, our shared experiences, the internet, telephones, communities, schools and ultimately the one planet on which we all live. Despite our apparent fascination with us and them its just plain wrong. We are all connected to each other and as with any closed system, each part contributes their views, beliefs, attitudes, opinions, time and effort to the whole and then experiences this whole as their version of life on earth. And that is basic systems theory and there is NO escape from that.
When the system needs to change we have to change ourselves, our lives and our world. And this is where going beyond duality really pays off.
WHY?
Comforting Habits
We are prepared to be good or bad, right or wrong, in or out, from birth. Starting from yes and no and the praise for good stair climbing created in early childhood all the way up to the graded papers and well argued persuasive essays of A-levels and beyond. Its no wonder our ability to be right, to be factually correct and to take a side is so well developed. Our entire early childhood is based on it and not much else. And from then on we use it - regardless of whether it is useful, conflict seeking, helpful or results driven. It often stands in the way of our connection to ourselves and blocks us from being who we are. HOW can we be who we are when we are busy conforming to what is "right", regardless of its intrinsic value to our journey?
In groups and out groups
Ahh. the pleasure of an in-group and the pain of the out-group. Observe it in your next social or community gathering. Free fuel for the church of one size fits all and so easy - to find the outlier, the odd one out. To brand them wrong, to exclude, to count them out, talk behind their back, treat them unjustly. Do we even have the skills or know how to deal with them and their "not us" ways. So much easier to brand them and send them on their way. Our societies, communities, groups, companies and governments all thrive on in-groups and yet this group think has devastating consequences not just for the people who aren't "in" but moreso for the people who lose the benefit of diversity in their midst surely more important now than ever before.
the blame game
We hone our ability to argue our side - some with years of training and practice. We find our group or groups (in or out!) in which to happily exist. And then we play the blame game with everyone else. Its our ultimate protection, our armour against vulnerability and our safety in numbers. The game has many variations - including sarcasm and condescension. Blame means not me - not my department - not my concern - I didn't do it, say it, mean it. Whether we say it out loud or just think it inside, the most powerful survival tactic kicks in from the moment the possibility that we are wrong, out or vulnerable emerges. Which keeps us safe, warm and "in" and free of conflict, the need to care and the possibility of transformation.
Who cares what happens in the real world so long as we are right, defend our turf, compete and triumph in our tiny worlds, no matter what? The result? an impasse of the highest order. which keeps the system working and only stops when the cogs in the wheel stop to question it and themselves.
Which is exactly what we need to do to get somewhere else. We need to stop. Because when we do we can start to see what we are doing. And then individually and together we can start to cultivate the humility to be wrong and the courage to be inclusive and with all of us, our ideas, our opinions and our plans - individually and together - in small groups - and bigger partnerships - we can go beyond right and wrong to a land where we are vulnerable, and flaw filled and different and all part of one interdependent, connected, global system called planet earth.
And the best news of all? Its been there waiting for us all along.
random observations. unavoidable synchronicities. serendipitous moments. and a little fun. as I float around in the artistic deep observing our evolution revolution: strange sensations, mind-blowing passion, alternative beauty, awesome energy and the new earth rising for everyone.
