Living Ethics: Take the First Step for You

Over the past year, I've written a lot about looking within to get in touch with a reality that we are distracted from on a day-to-day basis. It's an onslaught, this life and times we're living now, and though the most important thing to do is look within, there is very little energy left over at the end of the day to do much more than collapse. Who can think when completely exhausted?

Exhaustion makes us vulnerable. We're drained of energy just securing our basic needs. We worry, we fret, we're saddened and horrified of all the news, and we're frightened. We're angry and frustrated. We long to withdraw, to curl up in a ball and hide, and that becomes our self-defense. It's a hopelessness that seeps through our defenses, and keeps us exhausted and vulnerable.

The hopelessness and despair sends us seeking for something, anything that brings relief. The hopelessness and despair also hides from us our true source of strength and relief. Instead, we look outside ourselves and in our vulnerability, look everywhere and anywhere but within for purpose and meaning. Exhausted, weakened, it's a relief not to have to think things through, and that another's interpretation and perspective seems to work, so it must be the truth. But, this is an illusion!

Do you remember that saying, "I traveled the world only to find what I was looking for in my own back yard?" Your answers, your truth and your strength comes from within, not from something or someone outside of yourself.

No one else can think this through for you. You must define your purpose and meaning yourself. Only when you think it through does it become truth.

Psychology calls this process 'self-actualization' or 'self-realization' or even 'existentialism.' I suppose science would call it 'evolving.' Whatever you want to call it, whatever rings true for you, it's worth it. Beyond what day-to-day life imposes on us is so much more. It's an amazing, beautiful journey that begins with taking that very first step.

All through time's lengthy history, mankind has looked everywhere but within for truth, meaning and purpose. It's not an easy feat to learn to learn, to use that brain we all have. We all learn from everyone we encounter every day of our lives. Every experience is perceived in a way that meshes with everything experienced before, filtering out the stuff not understood or in conflict with the past. Brick by brick, your self is formed.

But, are they your bricks - or someone else's?

That is the bumpy path. The process, the journey begins by looking at each brick, one by one, and either polishing it and putting it back down as foundation, or throwing it out.

Here's an example of the sort of bricks we have to take a close look at. Jim over at Caledonian Comment found this today. Look at it, react to it, feel it, pick it apart and let me know what you think. Omar Bakri Mohammed said:

We are obliged as Muslims to make the whole galaxy subservient to almighty Allah, who has created all living beings to obey him and worship him.

I've created another topic and called it "Living Ethics." You'll find it over in the sidebar. I'll be confronting many more bricks that could be in our way of becoming all that we can. I hope you'll join me.