As things unfold in the Middle East, stories continue to emerge about how women are treated in Egypt and other countries.  We hear about female genital mutilation, harassment in public places, unequal pay scales; and many other things.  In essence just about every kind of   physical, social, emotional, mental, and spiritual abuse now play before our eyes in the news and online.   Too often, I think we look at these stories and try to say that we are better off here in the United States, or in other European countries.  Sure – I agree – battered women’s shelters, access to self-defense classes, the ability to divorce, and being able to make a living as a single person or parent all make a difference.

But I must continually ask, are we any freer or better off than women we define as existing in oppressive cultures?  Are we really any more respected than they are?  Unfortunately, I feel the answer is “NO – we are not any better off, nor are we truly respected”.   Today, a woman goes out to dinner with a man one, maybe two dates, and the pressure is on for physical intimacy.  A woman that does not wear makeup, weigh a certain amount, or “put out” like a trained monkey after a series of protocols is “weird”, a “prude”, or worse.

Who Really Benefits While Women Are Harassed and Humiliated?

And, what about that payscale thing?   And what on Earth is such a thing doing in a blog post about “violence” being caused by a lack of”respect”?  No matter how many laws are passed, companies always seem to find a way to pay women less for the same kind of work that men do.  Even though there is no excuse for feeling a woman up, or making her feel like little more than a life support system for a vagina and breasts, the fact remains that men can, and are pressured by the knowledge that women with equal or better qualifications can take their job away from them.   When resentment runs high, respect is difficult if not impossible.

But who really gains from this situation?  Do men really get anything out of hitting a woman or seeking to intimidate her for one reason or another?  No – I think not – simply because it is not human nature to take joy in suffering and inflicting pain.  Do women get anything out of working for lower wages?  No – because they must go home to hungry mouths that never have enough, and then deal with some idiot man that resents them for not making enough money.  Society?  Considering overall misery, global economic failure, and destruction running rampant in every corner – I think it is safe to say that none of us benefit when pay scales are not equal.

Ah – so – then – the only ones that benefit from pay scale inequality are the employers?  Remember that economy thing?  A business is a consumer of employees – and like any other consumer – they will look for the be$t deal. Yes?  It may look that way on the surface.  But underneath – again – the answer is no.  A woman that must work a full day after being harassed, or afraid of who knows what on the way home is going to have a harder time being productive.  Men looking out for their job security are always going to be trying to cover themselves instead of actually doing the job right the first time.  Needless to say, emotionally charged  work environments also lead to all kinds of problems and loss of productivity.

Back to Violence

To my thinking, no matter where you look in the world, the whole issue of violence – be it human to human, against animals, even against self – all boils down to a lack of something called “respect”, and this often manifests itself in social and financial inequality.   But when it comes down to it, we define a need or want – realize that some other living being has what we want – and before you know it – some kind of agenda is set in motion.  In some cases, that agenda involves killing or some other kind of violence.  At the very least, it involves manipulation, “barter”, or trade.

I could argue that all of these methods are a lack of respect, and they all come down to some lack of self-discipline  in order to avoid accepting the lack of some material or other object.  It is almost as if somewhere along the line – perhaps when we became hunters -  we humans lost self-discipline, and then created all kinds of rules by which we allow ourselves endlessly disturbing frenzies of violence.

What Will Really Make Us all Shiny and Happy?

Are we happy when we manipulate, and do we truly achieve what we want?   I think all the people with “heaven on their minds”, 2/3 of the US population on anti-anxiety drugs, millions unable to find jobs, billions starving to death, and rampant warfare – all are  a sad testament to the fact that most people are utterly miserable.

I could also say that the vast majority of  pursuits that are supposed to make us “happy”  boil down to the human desire to regain, or find that sense of discipline – to regain self respect, and also the innate capacity to respect others.  We  work at jobs in a horrendous rat race to “have a standing in society”, believe in all kinds of gods, demons and spirits so long as they give us “laws to live by”, and of course, we set up governments and armies to  create details about when and how we go about respecting each other, as well as when it is “permissible” to disrespect others.   No matter whether a society justifies eating meat, executions, letting others starve and go homeless for the sake of money, domestic violence – the underlying lack of respect is the same.  In that light, all of the “curative” institutions and systems simply address symptoms without ever hitting the core internal issue.

It makes me wonder if we even know or understand what true respect is outside of money, or “reasons” why we “respect” another person or being.   Do we even know what it feels like to look  at an animal or a plant as something other than dinner on the run,  or a living toy to pet and pamper?   Dare we set the animals and each other free from all the contracts and enslavements?  Is it possible to live a life like that – or will the loneliness be intolerable?  Do we know what it is to look at another human being as something other than a means for providing something we want or need?  When did we forget how to build and create for ourselves, to be the focus of our own world?

As soon as some other being has something that we want – invariably – true respect becomes impossible to achieve.  It does not matter whether we manipulate by “peaceable” means such as financial ones, or we resort to abusive or criminal tactics.   The bottom line is we are all easily deceived, and often believe that there is intrinsic respect in all of these social interactions simply because the “trade” seems fair  when transactions are legal and *apparently*  “non-violent”.

A woman’s right to be free from harassment in public serves as a perfect case in point when it comes to respect.   Consider that a woman that wears something “revealing” is “asking for it”.  No matter where you go, even in “unopressive” countries where there are laws against rape and harassment – men will still act like dogs – ie. they will root in the garbage simply because the odds are high they will get away with it.

What does that say about the internal landscape of people involved in these situations?  To me, it says the real problem is human to human – there is no respect – no internal guiding force that prevents these actions.  From there, we get caught up in a society that is disbalanced – where some choose to be victims (right down to accepting lower pay scales that mark them spiritually/energetically), while others choose to be perpetrators or guardians.  Inside – though – I feel none have true respect for themselves or anyone around them.

I can’t honestly say that even I know what respect looks like.  I only know that we must learn how to stand together and see through the rhetoric that one society is better than another, and that we must accept all living beings as equal. When it comes to one human to another – that starts with both men and women advocating for equal pay scales.  A man can see it as leveling the competition field, and a woman can see it as being set free of the glass ceiling.  Today there are endless opportunities to start new businesses – let us start those ventures with equal pay and a fundamental respect for ourselves, each other, and this world.  Let us stop relying on laws and others – when we must do the job of turning down unfair offers or demanding better.  Let us regain day by day that internal compass – that subtle motion of spirit – that which connects us to God – and from there, know respect for ourselves and for others.

Freedom Admin

Today’s Quote: Aesop – Any excuse will serve a tyrant.

Even though it may seem like ancient history, I can well remember being a freshman in college. Chances are, if you think back to those mindlessly wonderful years, you will also remember classes like Psych 101, and so on. Oddly enough, before I ever darkened the doorway on my way into university life, I also spent a lot of time reading Greek literature. Perhaps, then, it should come as no surprise that I never quite forgot about Sigmund Freud and his Psychoanalysis. In particular, all the notions about stuff like Oedipal complexes, and Electra complexes.

Over the years, I’ve watched as individuals and the media constantly seek to blame the government for every ailment of society. We don’t feel safe – so we blame “the government” for not catching criminals. We get all kinds of diseases because of poor lifestyle choices, and then blame “the government” for not regulating harmful industries, charlatans, and thieves.

Ok – so whose life is it anyway? Every person is born with a mind, and raised to know right from wrong. So why do we blame “the government” on and on ad nauseum for misuing the power we give them?

Would it not make more sense to simply use the brains, the higher soul, and the common sense we were born with to navigate through life? Isn’t there a better way to raise a family and make a living than contributing to the rat race of conglomerates and power players? I believe there is, and it has to do with returning to core values and self-responsibility.

Ah – but I forgot about POWER.

What is power?

It is a pattern of combined energy that creates the illusion of security, largely because we no longer feel alone. Nevertheless, the minute we sign our energy over to someone else, we become disconnected from the Jesus, the Buddha, the Creator walking within us. Irregardless of how much power we give to others – those people have no true ability to walk with us in the valley of death. Always – that is a road walked alone save for the Creator to whom we must return.

The submission to the illusion of security does not give us the companionship that we seek in the face of that final walk alone. In fact, it denies us the truth of the grace of God that was there all along. And so, as we progress into the illusion, some of our soul separates and burns up on the flames of energy misused. The other part remains incorruptible. It is that part we must expand in order to debunk and neutralize all the horrors that the quest for power and security have wrought in this world.

How does one obtain power over another person?

Well – unfortunately – that can only come with lies and deciet. If people knew the whole truth before giving away their energy – common sense dictates they would never do it. Therefore, any attempt to gain power, must, at some level , be based in a lie. That lie may be caused by a legitimate incompetence to deliver the goods, a willful attempt to deceive, or a change of direction that leads to willful omission. Either way, it is a lie, and it does cause damage to the human consciousness. And, ultimately, that lie will be exposed by the light of truth and vanish just as surely as potential unmanifest.

The bottom line is a “rugged individual”, one that is truly connected to source does not need to rely on others for security; and knows this to be the truth. In most, if not all cases, people seeking power see the fractures in our personality, and exploit them for their own purpose.

As we give away our connection and energy to an assorted bunch of cultural incompetents – our heart, mind, body, and soul suffers the ultimate consequence – disintegration and fracture. At the same time, it stands to reason that people who use our power cannot utilize the energies as efficiently as we do. It was not made for them, therefore it does not belong to them, and it never will! As a result, “they” create all kinds of things that wreak havoc on the environment and human health – or perhaps more bluntly said – the karmic backlash of our own decisions.

Consider that our planet naturally holds nuclear elements. God had more sense than to pile all those atoms up in one place! In fact, many nuclear elements are used to keep internal planetary cycles moving and humming along in a way that is useful. Before we started giving away our power in the name of “defense” and “security”, we humans also had more sense to gather up nuclear atoms. Sometimes I think nuclear missiles, rocket launchers, etc are little more than phallic symbols aimed at the sky in an attempt to show hatred of Creator. Why else would we take so many steps to annihalate others – all who are aspects of our disintegrated selves?

The Quest Power

A person that is integrated mentally, emotionally and spiriutally will not seek to try and “lead” others. In fact, the very act of trying to obtain power is built on making promises that cannot be kept. There is no such thing as a body that can cash every check written on the faith of a promise in exchange for energy. It’s a matter of common sense. God gave us each what we need to take care of ourselves. Why would He even waste time and energy feeding the ego of someone else that lied to gain power? The answer is simple. He doesn’t! And that is why “leaders” always fail.

The very act “leading” is, in and of itself, an attempt to project internal problems on the rest of the world. Since “leaders” cannot control themselves, they inevitably create mayhem out of the energies entrusted to them. Perhaps it can be said that leaders are the most dysfunctional people in our society. Irregardless of the type of group or its focus, it is representative of personal disintegration without the capacity to recognize self in its disjointed forms.

Today, we must all commit to taking responsibility for ourselves. It’s not as complex as making money, but it is as simple as refusing to give energy to anything that hinders our own ability to meet our own needs using the direct channel to Creator that we are all born with.

Freedom Admin

Today’s Quote: Abbey, Edward – Power is always dangerous. Power attracts the worst and corrupts the best.
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Over the years, I’ve come to understand that educators use a “tracking system” to classify students. Basically, classrooms and stereotypes of aptitude are used to fit students into basic learning tracks, or levels of information. From there, the teacher will seek to bring each indiviudal to the same level.

As an example, if a person is good in math, but not good in reading, the tracking system will allow a student to pursue some level of advanced math subjects while staying in a less challenging reading environment. At the same time, the entire class will be limited in terms of how far it can progress until the majority of students reach a specific overall level. While this may help students obtain a basic level of education, it also creates boundaries that may cause an enormous amount of trouble later on in life. In particular, a person may not explore their fullest abilities based on their initial aptitudes.

In many ways, our school system attempts to help students “catch up”, rather than help them move ahead in a way that would promote a greater sense of pride and achievement. As a result, millions of dollars are spent on “the basics”, without garnering sufficient value for this money. Typically, art, music, sports, and subjects that require good spatial perception and co-ordination get cut from curriculums because they appear “less important”. Perhaps it should come as no surprise that overall learning in science, reading, law, and math becomes increasingly difficult as one side of the brain is increasingly denied intellectual stimulation.

Unfortunately, by the time children get done with gradeschool, some of the most powerful and creative aspects of each individual are shut down completely, or seriously degraded. Aside from slowing down learning, perhaps this is also part of what drives teens to have all kinds of emotional problems, and a tendency towards experimenting with sex and mind altering drugs. Without a question, our thoughts can alter hormonal balances, as well as chemical pathways through the brain. One would hope that scientists will one day come to understand that the process can go both ways; as well as the social implications of that understanding.

Damage caused by an unbalanced education system cause all kinds of problems later in life. Even a scientist will tell you that blocked creativity hinders the ability to achieve breakthroughs that could alleviate all kinds of suffering and disease. Realizing the fact that we have a bifrucated brain, it never ceases to amaze me that some continue to believe that art, music, crafts, and sports should be eliminated or taken out of the school curriculums.

Perhaps we should look at their view of social order to see how they feel about topics like welfare, national defense, and the environment. It would not surprise me if these same people boast loudly of being taxpayers that help pay for “welfare cases”, “welfare mom’s”, and so on. In a sense, I feel it is a source of pride for them to be able to provide; and also indicates an ego driven need to paint themselves as better than others less fortunate. At the same time, they see no problem with robbing future “welfare cases”, criminals, and lower income citizens of an education system that would have helped them harness and rechannel their creativity in a way that would have led to all kinds of benefit to this society. Then again, perhaps these ego driven “providers ” were also robbed of their creative potential, and their actions are not much more than recorded behavior that goes on propagating the cycle.

Who really knows what a child that liked to draw could have achieved if encouraged during the appropriate learning windows? Perhaps, during the teen years, that same child would have become interested in drawing molecules or cells, and gone on to cure cancer, or find new fuel sources. Instead, as the saying goes, they wind up knocked up, drugged up, and used up. Perhaps even some of our greatest mathematicians have been systematically stamped out by degradation of creative impulses.

I feel the pain caused by this process most certainly reflects in the decline of a society, which then seeks security and empowerment from “social” drugs such as national defense, and welfare programs. In return, the “drug dealers” obtain the right to belittle and control the lives of people they are “protecting”. Unfortunately, once an indiviudal cannot take care of themselves, the entire society becomes weaker. Eventually those that appear stronger become crushed by the weight of their promises and efforts to support so many. Or, perhaps better said, the fatal flaw in communist and socialist systems.

As we embrace this new year, it is time to find answers to each of these problems at the individual level. It it is time to understand that the blankets of “security” are no better than living like an ostrich with its head in the sand. In short, it is time for each person to take back their birthright and live it as was meant to be lived.

Freedom Admin

Today’s Quote: Adams, Henry – A friend in power is a friend lost
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