"We Can't Fix, What's Not Broken"

Often the argument comes up around the practice of Being, that it is too passive a response to the "wrongs" in life. "How can you just sit and watch in the face of injustice, incivility and destruction? What if no one did anything but observe the commission of crimes, child abuse, destruction of the ecosystem, war, genocide and other such atrocities? To know about it and do nothing seems criminal in itself."

First of all, it is vital to understand the nature of patterned behavior and how human beings manage the repetition of it. As the author Willa Cather wrote, "There are only two or three human stories, and they go on repeating themselves as fiercely as if they had never happened before." The problems we have in the world have been a part of humanity as long as humans have existed. War, hunger, poverty, incivility, violence, greed, power-mongering are as old as thought. And in spite of our moral outrage and our efforts through laws, technology and education focused upon ending these behaviors, what really has changed? As write this, soldiers are raping women, HMOs are dumping penniless patients, innocents are abused and murdered and leaders in position to serve are serving their own interests.

The real issue is not how to stop doing the horrible things we're doing, but to clearly take notice of it. The mind-attached ego, i.e., who we think we are, tells us that by doing, educating, resisting, i.e. enlightenment or punishment, change for the better will occur. History has proven it doesn't. What effects change is intimacy with what iswhen the one who is "doing to" and the one who is being "done to," are no longer separate. Then the doing ceases.

I was recently in a moderately sized U.S. city where a crime had been committed. A young, high school student brutally beat to death a homeless man on a popular footbridge crossing a river. The town had a history of activism against perceived hate crimes. Articles of outrage flooded the local paper and an event was organized to "Take Back the Bridge" where citizens gathered, holding candles, local leaders spoke, and emotions were shared. A politician, passionately spoke about the rights of the murdered man and his deserved place within their society. He spoke of making the town safer for the homeless and less tolerable for those who would take away the rights and lives of others. It appeared to bring a sense of closure within the community.

Could something like this happen again? Yes. It already has many times since and may happen in that same town again. Why, because the root cause is not addressed? When we act out of selfishness (from war to gossip) we do so compulsively because we are not in touch with our Being and thus act separate from others.

"If only there were evil people somewhere
insidiously committing evil deeds,
and it were necessary only to separate them
from the rest of us and destroy them.
But the line dividing good and evil
cuts through the heart of every human being.
And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?"
. . . Alexander Solzhenitsyn

Resisting the problem, though it may help us feel morally elect, does not address the solution. Instead it feeds the drama through our falsely affirming that unconscious, uncivil behavior is an act of conscious volition. It never is. Even when the person is mindful of their choice to act insanely, they aren't aware of the insanity of their root, unconscious beliefs that make the choice even possible. So think about it. If someone is acting insane from insane beliefs that they aren't even aware of, how does the delivery of a seemingly sane threat or message of inspiration effect any change in behavior?

To allow change, we first have to be willing to accept what is, even if it's horrible. Not to accept reality is to get lost in illusion. Cats meow, dogs bark and people act selfishly. Protests, legislation, blame or physical removal of the offending does not change that. For a dog to meow, it has to be able to see how and why it serves it to do so. It's not in a dog's nature to meow nor has it the ability to reflect upon choice, but it is within all people's nature and ability to reflect upon the benefit of and cost without compassion. Not to naturally do so, one has to remain unconsciously insane.

This is a key point that those who cling to worldly power, vehemently reject. The argument is that some people are born evil, they are different from you and me and therefore we no other option than to defend ourselves against their nature. To believe this is to insure living in a world of fear and increasing suffering. Suffering being Reality's way of showing and forcing us to let go of what does not serve us.

Though my brothers and sisters at the "Take Back the Bridge" night were well meaning in their intention to affirm life and deplore the brutal and unconscionable taking away of ittheir efforts affirmed the drama. The politician who addressed the crowd spoke of creating more jobs and opportunities for the homeless and less tolerance for those who would murder, but as it often so, expressed this intention from the distance of "us and them". In responding as a member of society or as a concerned citizen or activist, often actions take place from the distance, like bombing targets from the air. We decide what is needed afar from intimate inquiry, press the appropriate buttons and judge the results from film taken overhead.

Without experiencing our shared existence with the murdered man, the murdering boy, the homeless, high school students, the diversity of our community, all those who are inspired, suffering or drawn into this insane dance, how can we know what actions if any need be taken? So many seeming problems dissolve in the presence of a listening ear and a present heart and by Being present we awaken into this Magnitude of Intimacy. Sharp edges, even seemingly chronic and deeply ingrained patterns even out revealing compassionate commonalities. Would anyone launch a missile at another if they could experience the devastation in receiving one? Who would beat to death another soul if they could feel the tenderness, sorrow and courage of spirit another suffers in receiving the pain that is projected?

Being present in the moment frees us from the insanity of repetitive behavior and conditions. We experience ourselves without separation, attune with the Reality of our Intimate Oneness, as a Collective Life Force that could never conceive of, let alone accept incivility towards and objectification of another. This Force is Real and has Dominion over all compulsive, unconscious rationalizationsthe insanity that cloaks human awareness, allowing Beings to falsely believe themselves to be and behave as the doers of deeds that can and must remain hidden.

The Light of our Being brings everything into focus where objectification, rationalization, justification have no place, the threshold where peace, freedom and order within all of humankind's expressions and relations is evident.

So if you want to make a difference, let go of stirring the pot, which by the way is really heating up. The ground for the insane belief that we need fix ourselves and the world by fixing "them" or "the other" is dissolving away rapidly. To make a difference, Be the difference. You needn't worry over appearance, but notice it clearly, accept it swiftly. The pain and suffering of the world is increasing because We, together are being born through our unconscious clinging into the freedom that has always been inside us. Just because we can use our minds to create the illusion of separation, doesn't make it Real. The Universe recognize our perfect place and pattern and shapes our awareness unto it. Being is allowing yourself and the Whole to get consciously online with the Truth that makes us free.

Editor's Note: This article is Part Five of a five-part series.
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The Reverend Warren Dale Blackford is an author, speaker, teacher and Spiritual guide. He lives in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada and can be reached at 907.746.6089 and at strong4man@gmail.com.