Spiritual
Activism
by Neal Ryder
Are you looking for a way to participate in ending terrorism? Have
you considered how you could act on your desires to contribute? Have
you considered that the inner topography of your thoughts, words,
emotions, beliefs, and intentions all contribute to shaping events? Do you
want to make a difference?
Collectively, we make a difference with the commitment to maintain a
consistency of effort. Once a day is a consistency of effort. Practicing
more often is desirable, but this is a personal choice. All actions have
personal and global implications. Each moment, each event, every thought,
holds the potential to make a difference if utilized differently.
We can do this as we live our daily lives, and participate in ending
terrorism. This participation is dual natured, simultaneously containing
individual and global applications.
It is possible to stop terrorism and move beyond desires for revenge. One
approach is through understanding opposites. Harmlessness is the
antithesis of terrorism. Harmlessness is not soft, weak, nor ineffective.
Harmlessness does not allow harm, under any circumstance. It is strength;
dedication; a steadfastness of intention that contributes to the creation
of safety; ethical behavior; and healthy boundaries, with each successive
application. It potentially moves into a state of being without reference
to motives, anger, revenge, or justification. This goal is equally as
strong, rigorous, and challenging in its desire to be, as terrorists are
in their desire to torture, instill fear, inflict revenge, and hide.
We begin with personal responsibility and attempting consistent
application. We cannot control events or another’s choice. We are
responsible for our choices and their consequences. We are choosing to
take personal responsibility in our daily life, to lessen the effects of
personal and global terrorism by monitoring our thoughts, words, emotions,
actions and choices and aligning them with the opposite of terrorism:
harmlessness.
We can stop terrorizing ourselves with fears over what we cannot control;
feelings of powerlessness; fear; inevitability; torture or revenge, and
take personal responsibility for putting to an end the subtle ways we
unconsciously discount ourselves. Subtle everyday terrorism does far more
damage in people’s lives than any terrorist. Spoken or unspoken; thought
or imagined; wished for, or deserved; conscious or otherwise; a desire to
harm, or fear of harm are unconscious forms of terrorism we innocently
subject our self’s and others to, daily.
For those who are willing to consider this approach, we begin to lessen
terrorism by becoming aware of the acts of self-terrorism in which we
unconsciously, unwittingly, participate. With a few moments of practice
each day, we gradually become more aware of our inner landscape. We
unwillingly participate in terrorism whenever thoughts are intended to
harm us, or another; whenever words are used to harm us, or another;
whenever actions harm another or us. It is not compassionate to harm or to
threaten harm with thoughts, words or actions. It is not harmless to
discount yourself.
Before explaining what this looks like, and the how-to of application, it
helps to keep in mind the image of a child learning to walk. Once a child
begins to stand, momentary lapses do not discourage future efforts. The
efforts continue until the desired goal is achieved. This type of innocent
persistence supports success.
Individually
Consider the concept of the highest good. One way to define the highest
good is as a quality, in this instant case, the quality of harmlessness.
The highest good could additionally be defined as compassion, but a
foundational understanding is no harm. This intention carries great
strength. What you intend, happens. Practiced consistent intention
produces results.
Begin with whatever your concept of the highest good is, defined as a
quality, not an event, and begin the gradual process of aligning
individual thoughts, emotions, choices, and actions with the highest good.
At first, this may feel mechanical. It becomes second nature over
time, with applied diligence and practice. When you forget, just begin
again without self-recrimination. Judgment is neither harmless, nor is it
compassion.
In a way, terrorists live within areas where we hide from ourselves.
Individually, choose to not hide from awareness the reasons you have when
choosing not to align a thought, word, emotion, choice or action with the
highest good. Examine the motivation and intent of your choices. Remember,
you have to be as committed to your goals as the terrorists are to theirs.
Practice, practice, practice, is integral to this anti-terrorist training.
Individually, allow yourself to recognize the communication you offer
yourself about the beliefs you hold, via the emotions you associate with a
thought, word, choice, or event. You begin where you are and continue to
move into better and more through application and intention.
The simple practice of saying good-bye with the thought, energy, or words,
“Be Safe” creates a space of safety. This is extremely powerful with
children, adults, loved ones, and as an attitude held towards the warriors
on the front line of saying no to terrorism. For example, try the phrase
“be careful”. Notice the differences in energy between them. “Be
Safe” is also a starting point, able to stand on its own.
Globally
Globally, taking personal responsibility transfers into the practice of
aligning your thoughts, emotions, and words with the intention of the
highest good. As you consider the threat of terrorism, or the likelihood
of war, remembering this intention and aligning individual emotional,
mental and verbal responses with this concept, even when thoughts or
emotions do not want to go there, softens conflict. It does not remove it.
This is not about imposing anyone’s will on a situation or person, nor
is it about control or anticipation of an outcome. We are contributing a
quality, harmlessness, which softens; and allows for the least harm for
the most people on the planet, and the planet itself. This last intention
is powerful enough to use alone.
Globally, terrorists hide, do not passively allow them to hide because you
do not feel you can do anything. We can do something. When we think of
terrorism, or terrorists, see them being seen. See their intentions being
recognized. See them being discovered. See them being prevented from
harming anyone. Shine a brilliant spotlight on them. This approach is
beyond linear thinking. It is actually the intent of harm, that attracts
to would be terrorists this revealing light. Holding the intention of
harmlessness, as a quality, empowers this exercise. Intention, linked with
harmlessness empowers all these exercises.
Globally, the ways terrorists communicate with each other are hidden.
Intend that their communications be cut. See them within an impenetrable
sphere that renders them simultaneously isolated and easily seen. Intend
that their means of communication be discovered. It does not matter what
image or images you use. See them alone, unable to communicate,
vulnerable, and seen. What you intend happens. The intention of
harmlessness allows no harm.
Recognize and acknowledge that there is no less harm being done when a
Filipino, Israeli, Palestinian, or Arab, is killed, than when an American
is killed. We are all in this together. All life is sacred, no matter the
ethnic background of an individual. Soul is eternal, not ethnic.
Harmlessness is a quality of soul. Those who make a sustained effort
contribute to their own soul growth while supporting the soul growth of
all concerned. This effort can take many forms, it need only be
maintained. Once a day, a few times a day, a few minutes a day…make the
effort, each effort makes a difference. It is better than sitting on the
sidelines feeling like a victim.
By no means is this to suggest that bad things will not happen. We cannot
control outcomes; anticipate, or predict future events. Taking personal
responsibility is a choice. We can take responsibility for today, in the
moment, or not. We can direct the strength of the combined energies of
each of us towards a common goal, ending terrorism. Your participation
helps. We rise or fall together. It is a collaborative effort.
Neal Ryder is Founder and Director of The School of Radiant Healing.
____________________
Neal Ryder is the founder of The
School of Radiant Healing. The School offers modular programs in Hanover,
Cape Cod, San Francisco, and New York City. His website is a
comprehensive composite of truth, beauty and Love in all it's practical
applications. He is also available for personal sessions and workshops.
Please visit www.radianthealing.com.
For more information call 508-457-0792 or email: nryder@capecod.net |
