September 14, 2023
Principle 9. Liberty. Week 4
“When You Harm Others You Remain Enchained, But If You Do Not Harm Anyone You May Freely Do Whatever You Want”.
Last time: Free and Fearless Action
This time: The Future and What is it that I Want?
This Week:
In previous weeks we have looked at the structure of the principle, and how it was, or could have been applied in the past, and the present. This week we’ll focus on how we might apply this principle in the future.
But what does it mean to harm? And what does it mean to be enchained? And where’s the future anyway? And shouldn’t we all just live in the present?
Personal Reflections:
I say these are my reflections, and obviously that’s true as far as it goes. But in another sense, they are our reflections. That is, they are informed by our ongoing conversations and exchange of experiences.
I think this is not an easy principle to “get”. Looking back at my life so far I remember situations in the past where I’ve felt hurt, used, misunderstood, and mistreated. To my surprise I find it even more difficult to deal with those situations where (intentionally or not) I hurt others. Even when these events took place so long ago that I almost feel they happened to someone else, after all this time, I feel enchained to those situations.
In the present moment I can see tense and conflictive situations, and I can see how in anger, or in my inattention, I might indeed harm someone.
But what about the future? How can I know how I might treat someone in the future? How can know how, or even if I would become enchained. For that matter, enchained to what?
As I try to live more in my centre (neither lost in my head, nor in the world around me), to be more in the unfolding situation, I almost paradoxically discover, that a great deal of my internal life, is dedicated to what is a sort of “rehearsal for some possible future”. Whether you call them reveries, daydreams, divagations, or internal dialogue. I spend a lot of time anticipating what might lie ahead. But I go even further and play out scenarios: “…she’ll say that to me, and I’ll tell her…” If they blame me, I’ll…” And from this almost rational seeming planning I spin out into imagining situations and scenarios meant to amplify, or compensate climates of anxiety, fear, desire, hope, etc. And so, I find myself enchained to images and climates, far from “my centre”, and increasingly enchained to those climates, moods, and images.
But there’s much more involved. I know that images (reveries, and so on) lead me to act in a certain way, in a certain direction (remember the veggie burger we talked about a few weeks ago). If I add to that the idea of the aphorism about “images repeated with faith” having the greatest strength, I can see that all this internal noise is not just “blowing off steam” or thinking things through. I am also setting myself up to act in a certain way. For example, since the climates I need to deal with often have to do with anxieties, and insecurities (with fear) the responses they push toward are a kind of lashing out. So, many times where the situation might call for me to explain my concerns, my action (having anticipated resistance) is way too strong (too tense, too violent) for the context. Not surprisingly, the other persons involved may end up feeling hurt or upset.
Now, my head is full of what I should have said, or done, irritated that they insist on misunderstanding me, etc, etc. And I enchain myself further.
What can I do. First do no harm! Wake up. Understand that this daily life is your inner road.
See how, “On the Inner Road you can walk darkened or luminous. Attend to the two ways that unfold before you.”
In any case these are some of my thoughts on this principle. I look forward to seeing you at our meeting on Wednesday, or just hearing about your own reflections.
Worth Repeating:
The question remains; what is it that I truly want?
Remember:
Do not let your life pass by without asking yourself, “Who am I?”
Do not let your life pass by without asking yourself, “Where am I going?”
Do not let a day pass by without giving an answer to yourself about who you are.
Do not let a day pass by without giving an answer to yourself about where you are going.
Excerpt fromThe Path _ Silo
Coming up:
So here’s the problem: if I don’t harm anyone, and I’m free to do whatever I want the question remains; what is it that I truly want? What will I choose next?
This principle observes that you remain enchain when you harm others. It also sets a kind of lower limit to our actions — do whatever you want but don’t hurt anyone. But next week we start a new principle, and it takes us beyond that basic condition of “no harm” and clearly defines a direction for our actions.
Next week we’ll turn to principle 10 “The Principle of Solidarity” it says: “When You Treat Others As You Would Have Them Treat You, You Liberate Yourself.”
Note:
These notes have been posted on our Facebook page (Community of Silo’s Message Toronto Annex), sent to our email list, and are also on my webpage at www.dzuckerbrot.com
See you next time…
