Common Ground: The Kinship of Metaphysicians
A syncretic approach to esoteric teachings - the golden threads that connect Pagans, Yogis, Rosicrucians and Masons.
THE UNBELIEVABLE POWER OF FEAR AND HATRED
June 27, 2018 – I just read a beautiful prayer by Francesca De Grandis on the Witches and Pagans website. In it, she references the fear of extending one's arm to help another human being – which means, I think, the fear that our intentions may be misinterpreted and that the arm which was extended in love might get viciously ripped off at the shoulder! Her prayer is for strength of faith, to remember that Mother-Father God supports us always, no matter what the outcome seems to be.
This concern is especially rampant in these times of political and religious division, exacerbated by an Internet gone out of control - with so many plausible versions of reality that nobody can tell, any more, what is true and what is false. To an old wannabe hippy like myself who used to live in hopeful dreams of a world united in love, it is unbelievable how the most benign expressions of goodwill and acceptance can be met with the most ferocious hatred and condemnation - by people who consider themselves just as reasonable and educated, and just as socially sensitive and spiritual, as I am myself!
For the past five years I have been caretaking my wife, whose medical issues made it necessary for me to retire from all outside activities and spend every day at home with her. As stressful as such duties can be, I have yet been very fortunate in not having to interact with as many people as I used to – no more Religious Right students, no more conservative fellow teachers, no more wedding clients (or their in-laws) who might be intolerant of my simplest beliefs. Neither do I spend my days unable to put down a cell phone; so although I am affected by the Information Age, I am subject to far less stress from it than most people in our society. By choice I have given up manic multi-tasking to concentrate on only a few daily issues which must always be attended to.
That is the positive outcome of my isolation.
The negative outcome is that I have gotten out of practice talking with people! I used to breathe diaphragmatically in order to project my voice to the back wall of a theatre whilst performing Shakespeare, but today I need to speak calmly and reasonably in order to maintain inner tranquility, so that no unguarded emotional outburst of mine might offend the people in front of me – with the result that I am told, over and over again, to speak up; they can't hear me!
It's really rather disorienting, to think that I am speaking perfectly clearly but nobody can understand what I'm saying. That must be how Women's Rights advocates feel when they try to debate Right-To-Lifers who would shut down Planned Parenthood. It must be how Universalists feel when they try to have a conversation with those who believe that God is as intolerant as they are, themselves.
I have always believed in the incredible power of Faith and Love. But today I can no longer deny the unbelievable power of Fear and Hatred. I have always subscribed to the spiritual teaching that Darkness is only the absence of Light, and that all we have to do to banish the Darkness is to Let The Sun Shine In. But I see now that we must do far more than that.
We must continually educate those younger than ourselves, who don't know history and are likely to repeat it.
Because the Darkness keeps coming back.
Comments
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Monday, 02 July 2018
Very good observations, Anthony. I like your story line which shows reality from the viewpoints of different ages. And it always nonplusses me, too, how people will assume crap about other faiths without ever trying to learn the truth. A few years ago a yoga student was spouting all sorts of misunderstandings about Masonry. When i suggested that he could learn the truth just by going to a Lodge and applying for membership, he was appalled at the very idea.
It has also been suggested to me that the Hindus are right - this really is a Kali Yuga! -
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Before sitting down at my computer this evening I was writing down a note on a story I hope to write. In the note a boy age 10 says prudence is a girl's name, what does that have to do with anything. A man in his fifties explains that prudence is a virtue and that it means to learn from the past in order to plan ahead for the future.
I'm sure I've mentioned it elsewhere in response to someone else's blog but on more than one occasion I have had to explain that " No, Unitarian Universalists do not worship Satan." It was baffling the first time I was asked and exasperating the second time.
Authors who write about spirits generally divide them into three categories: well meaning, hostile, and indifferent. I am not a sensitive person, I don't perceive spirits directly. If I look at the world through the alchemist lens: "As above so below, as within so without." however I must infer that this is not just a metaphor but a description of how the world actually works.