To me, the all too common stress (in any less than perfectly hospitable society) of being forced to endure any relationship is or becomes devoid of ethical consensus is the greatest test of one's character. One only appreciates the benefit of ethical consensus with others when we lose it. Then is the strain whether or not to remain true to or subsume ourselves for the sake of tribal association and acceptance, even at the expense of the observance of deeper and more far reaching values and virtues, an expense which cannot fail to threaten our society as the the observance or not of these values and virtues lay at the very fountainhead of all peace or war, joy or disease on Earth.
There are social conventions (often with the status of law or code) that are helpful but often at times need take second place to deeper spiritual and natural laws (in a family or a society) whose defiance, even in the name of intellectual observance to social conventions, is dangerous to the health of that family or society.
As it has been said, truth over personal loyalties. Some of the oldest literature left to us, that of the Bhagavad Gita and its hero, the archer Arjuna, deals with this profound psychological test that measures the depth of one's connection to spiritual laws of cosmic being far beyond all human comprehension or formal observance in itself, these at the very horizon and fulfillment, ultimately, of all science, cultural convention, social law or custom, and religion. Such a task pushes all bounds of heart or mind and throws their vital relationship and corresponding fullness and desire into stark contrast.
I mention this because this has also been a very distinctive part of my personal experiences.
I forgot to mention that Native Shaman Jamie Sams has published descriptions of what is called Crow Medicine that speak to all the same exact themes with a good deal of clarity and far greater brevity than I could manage.
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To me, the all too common stress (in any less than perfectly hospitable society) of being forced to endure any relationship is or becomes devoid of ethical consensus is the greatest test of one's character. One only appreciates the benefit of ethical consensus with others when we lose it. Then is the strain whether or not to remain true to or subsume ourselves for the sake of tribal association and acceptance, even at the expense of the observance of deeper and more far reaching values and virtues, an expense which cannot fail to threaten our society as the the observance or not of these values and virtues lay at the very fountainhead of all peace or war, joy or disease on Earth.
There are social conventions (often with the status of law or code) that are helpful but often at times need take second place to deeper spiritual and natural laws (in a family or a society) whose defiance, even in the name of intellectual observance to social conventions, is dangerous to the health of that family or society.
As it has been said, truth over personal loyalties. Some of the oldest literature left to us, that of the Bhagavad Gita and its hero, the archer Arjuna, deals with this profound psychological test that measures the depth of one's connection to spiritual laws of cosmic being far beyond all human comprehension or formal observance in itself, these at the very horizon and fulfillment, ultimately, of all science, cultural convention, social law or custom, and religion. Such a task pushes all bounds of heart or mind and throws their vital relationship and corresponding fullness and desire into stark contrast.
I mention this because this has also been a very distinctive part of my personal experiences.
I forgot to mention that Native Shaman Jamie Sams has published descriptions of what is called Crow Medicine that speak to all the same exact themes with a good deal of clarity and far greater brevity than I could manage.
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