Friday, April 18, 2008

Anti This, Anti That...

Anti -war.
Anti-vivesection.
Anti-racism.
Anti-globalisation.
Anti-sexism.
Anti-environmental destruction.
Anti-terrorism.
Anti-hunting.
Anti-this.
Anti-that.

Forward thinking people all over the world are anti-something-or-other it seems. Some are anti quite a lot of things and there is certainly plenty going on in the world to be anti-focused over. There are genocides going on in various parts of the world where whole communities are being butchered by totalitarian governments or armed militias. Unnecessary and cruel experiments are being conducted on animals for the sake of human vanity or suspect medical science. Individuals and organisations are being supressed with violence because of their religious or political views. Child murders and abductions, rape, environmental destruction, torture, executions, inhumane incarceration, hunting for 'sport', hunting for raw materials, persecutions of all kinds, slavery, terrorism by state and militia, war.

If an individual has just an ounce of intelligent understanding of the nature of suffering and a feeling of compassion for other beings, it would seem absurd in the extreme if that individual was not anti probably the whole list of things that I have given above, and maybe a few others that I haven't thought of.

Actually, being anti any of these things is not a sign of intelligence at all. It is a sign of misplaced compassion and a fundamental lack of understanding of the way that the Universe works. It is dangerous and complicit in that which it opposes. Anti-this and anti-that people are a part of the problem and are actively helping to create the circumstances through which the realisation of a peaceful, sustainable and loving world is pushed further and further away.

I am assuming that readers of this blog will accept as a given the principles that lie behind the multi-million dollar re-hashing of ancient and contemporary wisdoms in the movie and book of 'The Secret'. 'The Secret' states that one of the fundamental principles governing the universe is the 'law of attraction': that which we focus upon, or put our energetic intent behind, will manifest in the here-and-now world of physicality. This ancient piece of wisdom has been one of the ways through which mankind, albeit unknowingly for the most part, has made progress through the millennia. It is also the dynamic through which focused prayer and meditative practices bring into manifestation the blessings and compassionate energy of that which we might term 'the God-force'. That the universe responds to these requests; these powerful thought forms is not open to debate. The evidence is comprehensive and massive.

The critical key underlying this law is that the God-force is not discriminatory. It does not make judgements. It will simply take the focus - that which you put your energy behind and manifest it. If you put your energy behind that which you don't want; your 'anti-agenda' it will bring into realisation more of what you don't want. Your focus is on it, your energy is in it. Hating something or being strongly opposed to something is an incredibly powerful energetic projection out into the universe and the God-force is going to hear you and give you more of it.

Let's take for example; racism. Racism is one of the most insidious scourges within the complex dysfunctionality of the human condition. It is an emotive response to fear and a venting of deeply embedded ignorance. It is one of the ways through which the benediction of love constantly fails to bestow its blessings upon us all. The slothful, lazy response to racism is to be opposed to it and to give support to the anti-racist agenda. Next to being an active racist, this is about the very worst thing you can do. Anger begins to eat you up, hatred of racism and those that voice it may consume you (and this in itself makes you no better than those whom you oppose). You might go on anti-racism rallys, or read books on the subject or hang out with other people who have the same outlook on the issue. This approach and orientation to the elimination of racism has achieved absolutely nothing at all.

In the West, over the last generation or so, the anti-racist lobby has made powerful connections with anti-racist politicians who have pushed through anti-racist laws for the protection of racial minorities within their respective communities. The passing of a law however is utterly meaningless in the endeavour to eliminate a major inhibitor to human evolution. Racism is in the heart and mind. Cruelty is in the heart and mind. Dispassion is in the heart and mind. Laws cannnot stop what people wish to think and feel. In Britian for instance, black and Asian citizens have slowly become more and more accepted as a part of society, but this has not happened because of the anti-racist legislastion that is now in place. It has not happened because of the vocal and influential opposition of the anti-racism lobby. It has happened due to the process of osmosis. People have, over time, simply become used to their presence. The people of Britain are in fact, just as racist as they ever were. The evidence is in the tabloid newspapers on a daily basis. It is on the streets and in the cafes. The hundreds of thousands of people moving to the UK from Eastern Europe are villified daily. Racism is deep within the collective psyche of the British people - just as much now as it was fifty years ago, or a hundred years ago. I am certain that Britain is not alone in this.

Look at the faces of the people in the pictures here: filled with anger and hatred. Is this the world we want to create? No, it is the world we want to elimintate.

The answer to defeating and eliminating racism...or war...or animal abuse...is to place our focus on that which we want, either individually or collectively, and not at all on what we don't want. Instead of sending out the message 'racism' or 'abuse' or 'war' we should be sending out the message 'tolerance' or 'compassion' or 'peace'. These are the things we want. These are the things we need to take the place of those things that we don't want. After being asked why she did not attend anti-war demonstrations, Mother Teresa once commented that she would certainly attend if a pro-peace demonstration were to be held instead. Here is the wisdom that we all need to follow. Here is the critical point. Be passionate about peace. Be consumed by the desire for tolerance. Strive with enthusiasm for a fairer, more just and sustainable world.

Energy follows thought. Whatever we put our focus on, we create. We need to focus on the world that we do want and not on the one that we don't want. This is why you will never see Humanity Healing launching a campaign that is anti-anything. Humanity Healing is FOR a world filled with love and peace and compassion for all. This is the responsibility of all intelligent, committed people that see the injustices that exist in the world and want to bring about something else to take its place.

Anger and hate and anti-this and anti-that have no place in an equitable world. These are the tools of the self-righteous. Together, through using positively focused intent, we CAN collectively and individually make a difference. We need to begin now.

Many blessings and much metta,

Steve

7 comments:

Jo Berry said...

Hi Steve
I read your blog on my space and felt compelled to write to you as everything you say resonates deeply with my work.
I attended the big ante Iraq war demonstration 2003 and wrote this letter which was published in the Guardian, I will paste it here as I think you would be interested.
with all my love and blessings
Jo

WALKING FOR LOVE

As I prepare to travel to London for Saturday's anti-war
demonstration I pause in my busy life as a Mum with young
children and reflect on my journey and how I feel about the possible
war.

Today is my Dad's Birthday. He was blown up by IRA terrorists on
October 12th 1984. On the last anniversary of his death the Bali bomb
killed 180 people. Today the British victims are having their
memorial service. Only a coincidence of dates perhaps, but symbolic
of a much deeper connection.

My journey has been a long one and will continue until I die. In the
last three years I have met victims and perpetrators from all sides
of the Northen Ireland conflict. I have also met the man responsible
for planting the bomb that killed my Dad and now, after many
challenges, we work together for peace and have become friends.

It has been a tough emotional journey in which my heart has been
opening as I see the humanity in all people. Somehow now in my heart
I feel the pain and struggle of all the different positions. I can
empathise with everyone involved and I realise that I could have been
any of them - victim or perpetrator.

Sometimes living this reality has taken me to my edge and I have felt
very alone on this journey. My mind often tells me that I cannot
empathise with terrorists from different sides or with soldiers from
the British Army. My mind says I must take sides, that there must be
a right or wrong. But my heart tells me there are no 'goodies' and
'baddies', that there is only learning to accept the parts of me that
can hurt others, and that still wishes to blame and judge.

The truth is I am the British soldier, I am the IRA, and I am the UDA.

I know the depth of pain in me that can seek revenge. I have heard
the voice of the terrorist as he is about to kill, knowing it will
take away his humanity. I have felt the grief of the young men
desperate to protect their community, who have gone to enlist with a
paramilitary group. I have heard the fear of the soldier about to
shoot another human being.

We have all lost some of our humanity. The legacy of violence makes
everyone a victim, and makes everyone a victimiser.

September 11th changed my life. Emotionally I was full of what I'd
learnt from meeting with people involved in the N. Ireland conflict.
That day I felt my heart expand to embrace the wars and conflicts
around the world. And now my journey is to see the humanity in those
who, right now, are thinking of sending bombs to Iraq.

In my heart I hold the tears of the children of Iraq, and of their
Mums and the Dads. In my heart I hold all those suffering there right
now, and also the men and women who are capable of causing such huge
destruction and suffering. For if I sit in judgement and close my
heart down I become part of the problem. For me this is a daily
struggle as I grapple with my need to blame. The only way forward
that I can see is to take responsibility for my inner George Bush and
my inner Tony Blair.

I will be walking on Saturday with my heart as open as possible,
letting go of fear, letting go of anger, letting go of blame, feeling
all the feelings and transforming them though the heart into passion.
Passion that motivates me to take the next steps on my journey to do
all I can to help break the cycle of violence and revenge.

My commitment is not to divide people into 'us' and 'them', for I
know that the armed policeman is my brother and that he has his
humanity, just as the angry pro-war passer by has his humanity. I
will be walking for a world that sees everyone as brother and sister.
I will be walking for a world in which conflict is resolved without
violence. A world where we listen to those in pain before they choose
violence as a way to be heard. A world where there is peace and
justice for all. A world where our hearts embrace everyone and
everything.

I will be walking for love.

Humanity Healing said...

Hello Jo,

thank you so much for your comment and the copy of the letter that you had published in The Guardian newspaper.

Yes, absolutely it is about being able to see things from the perspective of the other. As Harper Lee's character, Atticus in 'To Kill a Mockingbird' said: "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view, untiil you climb into his skin and walk around in it." We could all do with walking around in other people's skins for a while I think!

The terrible violence that existed in Northern Ireland for so long has thankfully it seems, come to an end. It has been a hard road to travel for both sides I think, but the realisation finally came that violence was achieving nothing at all and so another approach had to be adopted. It was not easy for either side and bitter feuding and distrust marked every step of the way, but eventually, with eyes fixed firmly on the ultimate goal, peace and sense prevailed.

It is good to know that there are people such as yourself out there who do not oppose 'the enemy' filled with hate and anger, but with understanding and compassion.

Many blessings,

Steve

Chris said...

Well said, Steve! Spiritual Activism is all about making a positive change, not reacting with a negative response. We are "pro", not "anti". It is all about the mindset.

The key is learning to approach situations with compassion.

Thank you for your insight.

Much Metta,
Chris

Humanity Healing said...

Thanks Chris,

Yes, you are right it is just such a pity that so many who are trying so hard to make the world a better place are using confrontation to achieve it. This is so wrong-headed and yet again is an indication of just how bad humanity is in learning the lessons of the past.

Confrontation has been shown over and over again to be utterly ineffective in resolving the problems of the world and yet each successive generation resorts to this as a first choice and again achieves nothing.

I think a spiritually focused activism is the only way forward. If we can use the tools of mindfulness and compassion in our efforts to deal with the world's problems I think we stand a much better chance of actually making a positive contribution.

Thanks for your comment Chris!

Blessings and metta,

Steve

Stefanie said...

Beautifully written Steve. I agree completely.

Love,
Stef

Anonymous said...

Bravo! Steve this is one of those things I have always thought but never said.
Thank you for saying it and in such an eloquent inspiring manner.
Joy and Abundance!
Moon

Humanity Healing said...

THank you so much for your comment Moon!! It is very much appreciated as always.

I am intending to do a follow up piece to this one as the reaction that I got from some who read my reposting of this on MySpace was positively hostile in some places and just goes to show that as a species we really do have a very long way to go until we have all abandoned our anger and attachments to our egos...

Blessings and much love as always Moon!

Steve