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The way to mend the bad world is to create the right
world. -Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Let there be peace on earth and let it begin
with me" are the opening words to a famous
song. But what do the words really mean?
How can being filled with peace inside one's self
lead to peace on earth? The brilliant
philosopher Teilhard de Chardin refers to the
"unimpeachable wholeness of the
universe." What does this mean to
us? It means that we are part of the universe;
we are a part of the wholeness of creation. We
do not walk our path of life alone. The whole
universe walks with us, and we, as a human race, are
coming to a greater realization that we are all
"one" in spirit.
Maybe each one of us is somewhat like a pixel.
Just as a hologram is made up of numerous
pixels--each one containing all of the information
that can be found in the total image--so each person
may be a tiny particle of life, containing all the
data that is present in the sum total of existence.
Gautama Buddha, whose original name was Prince
Siddhartha, grappled with the problems of human
existence. Though his words had not been
written down, his disciples memorized many of his
teachings and passed them to succeeding generations
by word of mouth.
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In the
principal teachings of the Buddha called the "Four Noble
Truths," it is stated first that human life is
intrinsically unhappy; second, that the cause of the unhappiness
is human selfishness and desire; third, that individual
selfishness and desire can be brought to an end; and fourth,
that the method of escape from selfishness involves what is
called the "Eightfold Path": right views, right
thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right
effort, right mindfulness, and right meditation.
Certainly, this awareness of "rightness" and the
letting go of personal negativities can do a tremendous amount
to create a loving, caring, and more beautiful world.
A good way to create a better world is for each of us to be
better individuals. There are certain laws of life that,
when followed, can make life sweeter, more harmonious,
prosperous, healthy, and free. When we choose to abide by
these laws, we reap the benefits of living in harmony with the
universe. When we don't, we risk experiencing sickness,
war, economic insecurity, and unemployment. The problems
that create turmoil, pain, misery, and suffering in our world
can change when each person makes a conscious decision to
act and think for the good of all. Personal motive is
always a good guide. Ask yourself, "Why am I doing
the things I do?" and allow the inherent wisdom of spirit
to provide the true answer. If your motives are pure, then
good should come of them. The positive ideas we believe in
today can constantly expand and grow in our consciousness.
This could be termed as being "on beam" with
life. Pilots often fly using a radio beam as a
guide. As long as they remain "on beam," they
are safe. If they get off beam, they're in danger.
Each human person, too, has an inborn "beam"--a
conscience. While we are in tune with the way things were
designed to be, we are "safe." When we are out
of tune, we may show it in the form of greed, fear, sickness,
addiction, and jealousy. Some people experience a lifetime
of having the flu each winter, allergies in the fall, headaches,
indigestion, and all the so-called minor ailments that we accept
as part of life. Sometimes it isn't necessary for this to
be so. Each of us has the inner power to encourage health,
happiness and serenity. We are capable of re-educating our
bodies and our thinking.
By thinking and acting always with good in our hearts; by
becoming responsible for ourselves, and, as an old Irish saying
has it, "If you see a job that needs doing, that means it's
yours to do," we can begin to change our wrong world into a
right world. It's time to stop saying that
"they" need to be changing things around here.
When we start saying, "I need to be giving life a helping
hand," we then begin to benefit life. It has been
said that "a journey of a thousand miles begins with the
first step." Let each one of us take that step and
make it count!
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We usually look outside
ourselves for heroes and teachers. It has not
occurred to most people that they may already be the role
model they seek.
The wholeness they are looking for may be trapped within
themselves by
beliefs, attitudes, and self-doubt. But our wholeness
exists in us now.
Trapped though it may be, it can be called upon for
guidance, direction,
and most fundamentally, comfort. It can be remembered.
Eventually we may come to live by it.
Rachel
Naomi Remen
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When we become
expert at loving and caring for ourselves,
we feel healthy, centered, and strong. We don't need
to escape from
our reality through shopping, eating, drinking, drugging, or
losing ourselves
in abusive relationships. We feel warm and safe within
ourselves.
We learn to value everything about ourselves--our bodies and
minds, our feelings and needs, our potential, strengths and
weaknesses--
throughout all the seasons of our lives. We feel free
to acknowledge
the truth of who we are, realizing that God didn't send us
here perfect,
but to work toward perfection. When we trust
fully, accepting ourselves
not as we wish to be but as we are, we develop a sense of
wholeness
that brings us joy. We stop hiding and worrying about
whether anyone
else sees our flaws. We aren't defensive or
judgmental. We know
who we are, we know where we stand, and we accept that
we--like everyone else in the world--have some growing to
do.
Susan L. Taylor |
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