Friday, September 23, 2011

A Different "World Order"

Termite mounds.  They are the world's tallest and largest organic buildings for its termite scale.  It's one of the wonders of nature.  On close examination, there are no "foreman" termites, no "architect" termites, no "top-down" command structure among the termites building such enormous structures.  Yet the resulting mounds are graceful and sturdy.  How do they do it?

The termites build by "feel." They sense when to add more load bearing sturdiness to one of their walls and work with one another in an emergent field of collective mindset. Yet no individual termite has to oversee the whole thing.  As long as one termite's structures support what their neighboring termites are building on top and around them, that structure will do.  No pre-design needed.

Why not we humans build a peaceful world similar to the way termites build their mounds?  Why do we need top-down governmental or other authoritative structures to build some kind of "new world order"?  We every day individuals can build a peaceful world "self-order" that works for all, one relationship at a time.  It's better that top-down government be out of the way.

A stretch?  Sure it is.  But we can stretch together across boundaries and connect with everyday individuals from all different countries.  The more we do that, whether for friendship or trade purposes, the less inclined we will be to support going to war with those countries.  Besides, it's intellectually and spiritually rewarding to transform away from fearful prejudices by discovering and appreciating the realities of how we are connected yet diverse down to the individual level.

Here are some videos which I feel contribute to what I'm saying in this blog:

About a book that I fell in love with - "A Simpler Way":


Here's what Commonway Institute founder Sharif Abdullah says about building a consciousness of "inclusivity" - or the sense that we are all linked to one another:




Here's a video about a language that's good as a universal "third" language which can be used (with prior arrangements) while traveling to countries that speak other languages.  This bridge language creates a more even communication platform than when a non-native speaker is struggling to communicate to a native of a given language.  This bridge language is called Esperanto.  There are other bridge languages that can be used, but this has proven useful for well over a hundred years:


Thursday, September 22, 2011

The Golden Rules

As someone who loves to play with language and concepts, I found it fun and spiritually fulfilling to invert the wording of the traditional Christian Golden Rule. When a Jewish friend pointed out the Jewish Golden Rule and how it contrasts with the Christian Golden Rule, my mind "gears" started spinning, and I thought of a couple more. Relating mindfully with one another is very important to me.  So here they are:

Golden Rule 1:
"Do unto others as you would have done unto you."

Golden Rule 2:
"Do not do unto others as you would not have done unto you."

Golden Rule 3:
"Do unto others as they would have you do unto them."

Golden Rule 4:
"Do not do unto others what they would not have you done unto them."

Golden Rule 5:
"Be thankful for all people and things that support your life and well-being."

Golden Rule 6:
"Make allowances for human imperfections and forgive in ways that frees the heart."

Golden Rule 7:
"Find ways to do the things you most love in life."

Golden Rule 8:
"Apply these Golden Rules as well as other wise principles in balanced ways that respect and support one-another's well-being."

My non-elaboration on Golden Rules is on purpose.
Please feel free to share your interpretations and ideas on them.

(Golden Rule 7) Who's Barbara Sher?  She's an author and a life coach who's philosophy and ideas about "doing what you love" really appeals to me.  She's very down-to-earth and won't let you "excuse" your way out of your dreams: