Principle 10 Solidarity – Week 5 – 2024

October 24, 2024 

Principle 10. Solidarity. Week 5 

When You Treat Others As You Would Have Them Treat You, You Liberate Yourself.

Last time: Others and Even Other Critters Too?

This time: As time goes by…

This Week:

In the last four weeks we focused on the general structure of the principle, and what the application of this principle meant or could have meant in our past and our present, as well as in the future.

We are using this week to once again reflect on how things have been going with me. How have I been this last month? This last three months? The last 6? Or more simply, how have things been going with me?

Personal Reflections

What follows are my reflections. I make no greater claim for them but offer them in the spirit of exchange and dialogue.  

When reflecting on questions like the one we are posing about our personal process there are certain problems that are hard to avoid. For example, at the end of the day I try to review what occurred and I can’t remember much at all. Or, I find it hard to say with precision if I am happier (or more energetic, or more attentive) today than yesterday. 

Of course, there are exceptions, today I met you (so obviously I’m filled with joy), or I suddenly fell ill (or you did). But in general, it shocks me to realize how little I understand about me or my unfolding life (not to mention you or yours!). That strikes me as a very important realization. It raises many difficult questions.

So as not to make this simple proposed reflection seem to onerous let’s say that this is a sufficient summary of the kinds of difficulties we encounter. However, if you want I bet I can come up with more (perhaps you can as well).

We have previously discussed Silo’s advice in trying to comprehend my changing situation. To avoid the above-mentioned kind of difficulties he suggests that we compare similar situations at different times. So, this month I got some bad news, and it made me very irritable. Last month I was in the same situation, and almost punched someone in the nose. Looks like I’m advancing!

Of course, advancing, evolving, and similar concepts reveal I have a goal or a scale of values. That’s also an important thing to dig into.

There are many ways to frame this kind of question. Here’s how Silo begins the first chapter of The Internal Landscape.

       Here is my question: As life goes by, is it happiness or suffering that grows within you? Do not ask that I define these words. Answer according to how you feel…

Worth Mentioning:

“Here the worldly is not opposed to the eternal”.

The Inner Look 1:4

Coming up:

Next week we start a new month of reflection an we will turn to Principle 11, the Negation of Opposites. 

Worth Repeating:

I. The Question

1.  Here is my question: As life goes by, is it happiness or suffering that grows within you? Do not ask that I define these words. Answer according to how you feel…

2.  Though you may be wise and powerful, if happiness and liberty do not grow in you and in those around you, I will reject your example.

3.  Accept, instead, my proposal: follow the model of that which is being born, not that which takes the road toward death. Leap over your suffering and then it will not be the abyss but the life within you that grows.

4.  There is no passion, no idea, no human act that is free of the abyss. Therefore, let us turn to the only thing worth addressing: the abyss and that which overcomes it.

The Internal Landscape_Silo

Note:

I will host our next meeting.

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