09-12-2009, 01:54 PM
Thanks for posting this, ayadew! I agree that this is perhaps the single most important passage in the Law of One. Firstly, it encompasses the key points of the various religions: Christianity with its emphasis on loving others, Buddhism with its emphasis on contemplation, Paganism with its emphasis on loving/harmonizing with Nature, etc. I think this passage validates those key elements that the religions find important, while unifying those seemingly diverse paths into a cohesive whole.
Secondly, its value is incalculable in terms of application. I think it's the closest to a tenet given by Ra...a philosophy to live by that encompasses the essence of the Law of One while, at the same time, giving us clear principles and guidelines to aspire to in our daily lives.
I agree with the previous comments about those times that are easier than others to choose to find the love in the present moment. I would add that, for me, the most difficult is when other-selves mistreat us or misunderstand us, or when those other-selves we had considered STO engage in what might be considered STS behavior towards us or others. This is even more difficult than seeing the Creator in those who are obviously pursuing the STS path! With those 'evil' people we can write them off as having chosen the STS polarity, and, even though their atrocities enrage us and hopefully spur us into humanitarian action, usually the perpetrators aren't those we know personally, so we can just think "That criminal/politician/rapist/whatever is an STS entity," wish them love from a distance, engage in some humanitarian work for our chosen causes, and go on our merry way.
But, when it's upfront and personal, with a friend or family member, whom we deal with in our everyday lives, it's a lot more difficult. And, imo, a lot more crucial. Why? Because these are the people who are mirroring to us the most. These are the people whom we're emotionally involved with, and who have the capability of pushing our own buttons. These are the people we've chosen to work with on some level, not only for their sakes but for ours. If they push our buttons, we can be sure that there is something in us that is being mirrored back by them; else our buttons wouldn't be getting pushed.
My personal belief is that, in times of conflict, even if we think the other person gets 99% of the blame, we must take responsibility for 100% of the resolution. We must start with ourselves, rather than continuing to blame the other person. This is the most difficult when the other person seems so clearly in the wrong, or at least we thik that from our perspective.
Ra never used the word 'teach' by itself but always together with 'learn.' It's so easy to just judge the other person, rather than taking a look at ourselves, and then forgiving both self and other-self and seeing the Creator in both self and other-self. It's so easy to think "S/he needs to do this, learn that, apologize, change, etc." but as long as we're dictating what the other-self must do...as long as we are expecting the change to come from the other-self instead of starting with ourselves, we are not seeing the Creator in them, we are not forgiving them, and we are not finding the love in the present moment.
We might think the person is totally to blame, but that's never the case. There is always a part of us that is contributing to the conflict. Even if the problem is 99% the other-self, the solution is always 100% our own. It is our choice, and ours alone, in that moment of conflict, to see the Creator in the other-self, as well as in ourselves...and to find the love in the very nature of the conflict.
Then, compounding the matter, is our knowledge that the Harvest is nigh. How much weight does that knowledge carry, when dealing with loved ones? Especially for parents, whose nature it is to feel responsible for their children. It's the nature of parents to fret about the mistakes they made raising their kids...but those who are ignorant of the Law of One have only the present lifetime to be concerned about. At worst, they might worry that their child might not live up to their perceived potential, or, worse, actually be a 'bad' person. But it's still just the present lifetime that's at stake. With our knowledge of the Harvest, there is so much more at stake. This is akin to what the religious people deal with, when their children choose to leave the religion that they think is necessary for 'salvation of the soul.'
These are the situations I find the most challenging...to see the love in the present moment, despite our human worries and instinctual sense of responsibility in the case of loved ones, or instinctual tendencies to blame others in the case of those who've harmed us in some way. But I think it is those very situations that offer the most opportunity for polarizing.
I am very grateful to Ra for offering us these tenets. I have this passage framed and on the wall in our bathroom, as a constant reminder! I think it's by far the most valuable piece of info in the entire Law of One. But its value is only as great as our choice to apply it in our lives.
Secondly, its value is incalculable in terms of application. I think it's the closest to a tenet given by Ra...a philosophy to live by that encompasses the essence of the Law of One while, at the same time, giving us clear principles and guidelines to aspire to in our daily lives.
I agree with the previous comments about those times that are easier than others to choose to find the love in the present moment. I would add that, for me, the most difficult is when other-selves mistreat us or misunderstand us, or when those other-selves we had considered STO engage in what might be considered STS behavior towards us or others. This is even more difficult than seeing the Creator in those who are obviously pursuing the STS path! With those 'evil' people we can write them off as having chosen the STS polarity, and, even though their atrocities enrage us and hopefully spur us into humanitarian action, usually the perpetrators aren't those we know personally, so we can just think "That criminal/politician/rapist/whatever is an STS entity," wish them love from a distance, engage in some humanitarian work for our chosen causes, and go on our merry way.
But, when it's upfront and personal, with a friend or family member, whom we deal with in our everyday lives, it's a lot more difficult. And, imo, a lot more crucial. Why? Because these are the people who are mirroring to us the most. These are the people whom we're emotionally involved with, and who have the capability of pushing our own buttons. These are the people we've chosen to work with on some level, not only for their sakes but for ours. If they push our buttons, we can be sure that there is something in us that is being mirrored back by them; else our buttons wouldn't be getting pushed.
My personal belief is that, in times of conflict, even if we think the other person gets 99% of the blame, we must take responsibility for 100% of the resolution. We must start with ourselves, rather than continuing to blame the other person. This is the most difficult when the other person seems so clearly in the wrong, or at least we thik that from our perspective.
Ra never used the word 'teach' by itself but always together with 'learn.' It's so easy to just judge the other person, rather than taking a look at ourselves, and then forgiving both self and other-self and seeing the Creator in both self and other-self. It's so easy to think "S/he needs to do this, learn that, apologize, change, etc." but as long as we're dictating what the other-self must do...as long as we are expecting the change to come from the other-self instead of starting with ourselves, we are not seeing the Creator in them, we are not forgiving them, and we are not finding the love in the present moment.
We might think the person is totally to blame, but that's never the case. There is always a part of us that is contributing to the conflict. Even if the problem is 99% the other-self, the solution is always 100% our own. It is our choice, and ours alone, in that moment of conflict, to see the Creator in the other-self, as well as in ourselves...and to find the love in the very nature of the conflict.
Then, compounding the matter, is our knowledge that the Harvest is nigh. How much weight does that knowledge carry, when dealing with loved ones? Especially for parents, whose nature it is to feel responsible for their children. It's the nature of parents to fret about the mistakes they made raising their kids...but those who are ignorant of the Law of One have only the present lifetime to be concerned about. At worst, they might worry that their child might not live up to their perceived potential, or, worse, actually be a 'bad' person. But it's still just the present lifetime that's at stake. With our knowledge of the Harvest, there is so much more at stake. This is akin to what the religious people deal with, when their children choose to leave the religion that they think is necessary for 'salvation of the soul.'
These are the situations I find the most challenging...to see the love in the present moment, despite our human worries and instinctual sense of responsibility in the case of loved ones, or instinctual tendencies to blame others in the case of those who've harmed us in some way. But I think it is those very situations that offer the most opportunity for polarizing.
I am very grateful to Ra for offering us these tenets. I have this passage framed and on the wall in our bathroom, as a constant reminder! I think it's by far the most valuable piece of info in the entire Law of One. But its value is only as great as our choice to apply it in our lives.