We are Family

Knowledge does not come, when one but listens or reads the printed word. Words receive meaning from experience and then comes knowledge. The sequence is through experience, knowledge, understanding, and action.

When we know; the word becomes explicit and alive for us. We know because we know. In this process; becoming the word. The person becomes the definition. Reality is marked, it just is. The Person, the Word, the Being is known for what it has proven to be so. It is that and nothing else; the enigmatic words out of the past is defined: "I am that I am".

The human language is limited by its' very nature, it's finite-ness. It is caught in the grasp of a particular time and space. We do not experience the "Wholeness". We see but partially. We become fragmented. We filter everything through our fragmentation. As we write or speak; the "word" is seldom if ever the description of what it is.

When we step into the different currents of; Meta-physics, Philosophy or Religion. The consensual languages of the human species fall short in communicating the invisible, the "Ineffable". Our words grow pale in the "Light". With all our skills and tools of rational, analytical and linear thinking; we find ourselves in a communication quandary as we try to delineate when we speak of the world, people and the things of the world via the medium of a singular consensual language, out of the many.

To this confusion of tongues, we add our self-imposed limitations brought on by our biases and cultural pre-dispositions (parental, societal and peer programming) which give the language in question its' different nuances, spin, and tuning, along with a variety of different connotations. All adds to our communication dilemma as the various languages try to coalesce.

In exploring our own language and its' entourage of complexities that muddy the flow of our speech and communicative skills. One can see the inherent reasons for our misunderstandings and our inability to assess and solve our communal deficiencies. The difficulties arise and are compounded by our various or differing developmental levels along with the skills and techniques of those involved in trying to communicate their particular brand of knowledge and understanding to a specific subject/object. As to its' reality and connective-ness to the "Whole" i.e.; the existence of " All and Everything".

Then we have the difficulty of assessing the representations of our senses, i.e.; touch, smell, taste, sound, and vision. This becomes ever increasing so, because of the way we catalog, classify and categorize each and everything we perceive, according to our reality structuring.

A reality, to suit our needs; to help us in our rationalizations, to justify our ways of thinking, speaking and doing. We walk, run and are driven by a self-made "relative reality". As we hurry and scurry to our "comfort zones, our enclaves that makes so many things invisible to our senses. Allowing us to separate ourselves from that which just is.

Let us select a single word from our vocabulary of words. The word being " Man " And here we are using the word "Man" in the sense, as a representative word denoting "Humanity". How would you describe a man or woman; this phenomenon of Nature? What traits, characteristics, etc., would you portray? Who and what is this rarity, this unique being? What is his or her nature, his or her place in the schema of things? In twenty-five words or less, tell me the essence, the spirit of this creature?

Let's enlarge our example by imagining a group of people (both genders) assembled. Some from the developed countries and the others from some of the lesser developed countries of the World. To speak about the "human species". And let's say that those assembled are out of various "Disciplines" and variant walks of life. People coming from different societal and educational structuring, cultures, traditions, religions and parental role-models, {good, bad or indifferent}. Some being; Educators, Physicians, Psychiatrists, Philosophers, Religionists, Scientists, Anthropologists, and Theologians. And while we are at it, throw in a panel of "Everyman/woman", the blue and white collar workers. How would each of these portray the " Modern Human Being? I am sure you get the point.

Agreeing on a specific definition, such as the definition of the "Human Species", or whatever the defining subject or object, might be. Can turn into a larger than life communications problem. Why?

Because there are many contingencies that affect and influence our ability to say what we mean and mean what we say. But one of the major factors; is the way, we structure our reality. Because everyone structures their own reality to some degree. Out of an endless list of inputs: certain options, alternatives, values, morals, ideologies. peer, societal and parental programming, preferences, likes and dislikes, taste, fads, fantasies and the list goes on and on.

As we see or do not see, think or do not think, or feel it to be; so is our reality. Our perception and awareness of the World in general, as well as of people and things set the stage for our alive-ness or deadness. Nor should we forget the importance of how we see ourselves. As to how we fit in the schema of " All and Everything".

If we are ever going to get to know and understand one another. It is vital that we become aware of the dynamics of how we see, feel, hear and act? Why we say and do what we say and do? Out of what frames of reference, do we take in and give out?

If we can begin to see, to know, to understand, the whys and wherefores that influence our perceptions. As to who we are, as to the World and the things of the World. While at the same time come to terms with the limitations of our consensual languages. Realizing that there is a need to explore and develop a diversity of paradigms in which the full potentialities and possibilities of our minds, bodies, and spirit might be realized, here and now. If this could come to pass, we, as well as the entire Universe would be the benefactors.

I would hasten to add; there is a need for us to ask ourselves at every point along the way. Is this what is or is it an imitation, a copy? Is what I am seeing, hearing and sensing; the real or the unreal, the truth or the false, the light or the darkness? Is my thinking whole or fragmentary? Am I seeing things as they are or as I wish them to be?

Can one know beyond thought? And here I do not speak of substituting faith for thought. Because faith is also out of the realm of our thoughts. As we have said prior; all thinking is fragmentary because it lacks the cohesiveness and consistency. It is flawed from out of our past and continues to be so. And because this is so, we are both the problem and the answer.

In many ways, we are still babes in the crib, stringing our filtering beads. Saying; " Is this all there is "? " What's so great about life "? It is evident that much of our communication, whether the areas be personal, societal, political or commercially oriented, (spoken or print) that all are affected by the predominance of the shadows blocking out the light. Gloom and doom ride across the spectrum of speech and print. Who would disagree; we are in need of more ">en-light-en-ment in so many things. More Light, more Light is the needed call.

Is it then, any wonder that we have a hard time saying what we mean or mean what we are saying. Or hearing what is being said; over the internal static that interferes with our reception and perception. How many times have we said; whenever or wherever problems arise. Usually, the human race can be found in the thick of it, milling around about; adding to the confusion and turmoil. We have become negligent in our husbandry. With too many sowing seeds of discontentment; disorder and strife, dissension and suspicion, mistrust and fear. It is a" puzzlement" that we can communicate at all.

Instead of sowing those seeds that nurture and enhance. Seeds that give a sense of value and meaning to life. Which gives each person a sense of inheritance and thanksgiving for all they have been given. We settle for "weed" seeds.

The most important seed of all. The seed of "free will", that free choice which can flourish into self-knowledge and self-understanding of who and what we are. There is no doubt that if we could or would perceive ourselves differently; our answers would be different, as would our questions. Eventually, there would come that time when there would be no further need to ask more questions. For we would know that we know.

Before someone cries out that I am being unrealistic about communication in general. I would defer and quickly add; that there is a type, a level of speaking, a "speak-speak" which deals with the trivial and the frivolous; the gossip and the gutter, the inane and the mundane. Along with only fleeting glimpses of the "real", now and then. More often, there are long voyages into the ridiculous. Too little of the sublime, I am afraid.

A "talk-talk" that deals with surface terminology borne out of our automatized and rubricized learning. Add to this the language that our professions and jobs nurture. A language anemia sets in. As creativity, imagination, spontaneity, and aliveness. Die on the vine. Bowing to the built-in rubrics and tailored language of the accepted "norms" of the specific groups, we belong too. A mimicry and a parroting of what is acceptable or expected, to protect the "status quo". Those "rites of passage" within the consensual groups with their "pecking order" and their "kangaroo court" mindset. Which can castrate without the sacrificial lamb; the knowledge that is trying to break through?

An in -the-house-memo:

The mindset, we have just painted; can be found and observed at cocktail and Corporate parties. In the Corporate boardrooms, the evening gatherings of pub-bonding where all those male things are discussed and rehashed. Those male myths that rise up out of the inane and the banal. As the locker room mentality rules and runs rampant. But let us not forget our female counterparts, with their coffee and tea chatters. The over the fence dialogues, along with the never-ending "chit chat" marathons via the cellphones. This is probably why someone quipped. "words are cheap". Has it not been said; "actions speak louder than words".

It seems as long as one sticks to the "meat and potato" subjects, we have less trouble with our communication. It is when we begin to delve into the life and speak about the problems of the human condition. Leaving the surface arena and reaching beyond the same -O, same-O dialogue about the kids, weather, the news, sports, the gripes and the complaints, the job, the boss, the Government, the in-laws and the neighbors' sex life.

When one starts to talk about the "inner-space", the interiors of life. There is a lull that settles over the conversation, a red light starts flashing, " danger, danger." A security breach is in progress. "Comfort zones" are being threatened, they are under attack. Our identity is being questioned."

When we step out of the humdrum, life as usual; the 'nine to five beat'. Into the paradigms or dimensions of the mind and the spirit, which are but the extension of our constitutionally. We are like fish out of water. Can you remember the last time you were in a conversation? When such words as; Truth, Beauty, Goodness, and Love surfaced, No? Yes? What was your reaction? Were you interested, fearful, anxious, bored, ambivalent, or just out of it?

One is lead to believe that part of our problem lies in the fact that are consensual language is inadequate to communicate our thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Of course, the language cannot bear the full brunt of the weakness. Our analytical-linear, sequential thought process, limits our self-knowledge and self-understanding of "who and what we are". Also of the World and the things of the World.

Who of us, if we were truthful would deny that we as humans have an inner weakness and a poverty of spirit that contributes to our communication dilemma. We can be if we choose to be; the definitive definition of Truth, Beauty, Goodness, and Love. We can define ourselves and know that we know; the "Reality" of these four Life-Giving words. We will cease to be fragmented in our thinking and doing.

This insight; this seeing into needs to become a personal search. As is said, one may lead one to the door but they cannot open it for that person. The opening of the door and entering in is one of personal choice and effort.

I hope that we have not gone too far astray from where we started. It is important that we become aware of the difficulty and the necessity of communicating; "who and what" we are and where we are going. How we feel, think and see this Human Enterprise. This; we call living with all its connotations. If we deny or run away from this responsibility of knowing and understanding ourselves. We become the worst for it and so does the World. Because we are the World. Without us there is no World. For if there are no perceivers, no experience-rs, of what value is "Creation?".

The conflict, confusion, disorder, dysfunction, misery, pain, sorrow, fear and guilt, violence, intolerance, prejudice, the isolation, loneliness, the tears, grief and despair. In all of these, we are the culprits. We also share in producing the greed, the selfishness, the pettiness, the deceit and deception, along with "I don"t give a damn and who cares" attitude! All these things we give to the World free of charge. And let's not forget the ignorance and stupidity that we add to the mix. As we stew and brew over the World's problems.

And since we are the World; we are at the very center of the problems. How often have we glossed over the words; "A better world begins with you and me". Do we sincerely, profoundly, seriously believe this to be the truth and nothing but the truth. Or are they just like so many other words, that we have turned a deaf ear. We listen but we do not hear nor do we act. If our World is fragmented; it is because we are fragmented in both our thinking and our doing. The World we inherited was and is none of the things that we have listed. We have impregnated the World with the above viruses (conflict confusion and disorder, etc., etc.). We are the plague that has sweep across the face of the earth, leaving in its' wake, chaos and destruction. Simply because we have yet to figure out who and what we are? And why we are here? And where we are going? Until we un-fragment ourselves and Be and become whole. We as the Human race will continue to raise havoc. Not only in our own lives but in the lives of others and the World- at- large.

A better World also depends upon how well we can communicate on all levels of human interaction. The teaching of Communication skills is paramount as we enter the 21st. century. The World is shrinking before our very eyes. Communication should be one of the primary concerns at all levels of education. With one of the major emphasis on teaching how to listen with both the eyes and the ears. Whether we are speaking about the pre-school level or on up through the post-graduate level. It is vital that the student is able upon Graduation to have the skills in listening, speaking and writing the consensual language, he or she is part of. Too many graduates at all levels are unable to read with a high level of comprehension. Or to speak and write with some semblance of clarity. It is rumored that only 14% percent of our Population is capable of comprehensive reading and writing.

A good part of this deficiency rest within the developmental and psychological areas. Within the upbringing of the child as to his or her progressive needs and wants, as they move through their early formative years. Those needs that reach beyond food, shelter, and clothing. To being loved and accepted, the need for identity and recognition, etc., etc.. a la Maslow. But we will leave this for another time.

Where were we? Oh, yes! Communicating. How often have we heard these words being uttered; "you just do not understand what I am trying to say to you". Or its' shorter version; "you don't understand me". I am not sure if we can ever know another person until we can know and understand ourselves (self-knowledge and self-understanding). Which seems to be a lifetime project. If it were possible in a one to one relationship for each to know and understand themselves. In that, they know who and what they are? Then the words;"you don't understand me" would not be spoken. Not only would we know our "is-ness", our oneness with " All and Everything" (our connective-ness). We would realize that we are family, capitalized. Our words would be;"One for all and all for one".

Because of this possibility, it is important for all to seek out "The Energy" that binds everything to everything else. That Power, that Force that connects, that hooks every structure, combination, schema, system, a paradigm known and unknown, above and below, together. Any and all manifestations; until we ourselves are connected out of our awareness, our aliveness, our very being. So that knowingly, we are fused, merged and united with the sum total of " All and Everything" in the "All of All". In Reality, we are many things, but we are in need of being awake and aware to the Ultimate Truth; that we are part of a Complete Unitive System. We need to start connecting the dots.

And until this connective-ness becomes our self- knowledge, our self-understanding, our very "Being". We will always be standing on the outside looking into the mirror of illusion. Like "Alice in Wonderland", we must step back through the mirror. So we can reflect Reality as it really is. We are separatists not by nature but by choice. We have and we still are separating ourselves from who and what we are. From that which just is the Original Intent i.e., the Will, the Power, the Force, the Creator, choose your word. We have polarized and dichotomized everything we have gotten our hands on. Leaving us in the either/or dimension, in no-mans' land. We are half-way people. Neither warm or lukewarm.

Until we can learn to do away with both our dichotomizing and polarizing. And know with a certainty that "connective-ness is the "name of the game". We will always think and believe that we are "outsiders". All things beneath and above are necessary. For if this is not so, we would not be. The brilliance of the days is lengthening, as the darkness recedes. And whether we accept or like it, is beside the point. It is in the "Original Intent".

This does not mean that all things will always be what they seem to be when they are not. Until that time comes when they will appear and be that which they have always been their true Reality. It is our lack of knowledge and fragmented thinking that causes the illusion of reality. True Reality is just behind the illusion. Waiting to be rediscovered.

These illusions are also in part caused by our stubbornness, our insistence that we are awake, aware and alive when we are not.

For the asleep say;"just look at what we have accomplished. All we have created. All the knowledge we have amassed. All the answers we have. All the technological advances in all the fields of human endeavor. We have outdone ourselves" (which may be truer than we think).

"And you have the audacity to say; "That we are asleep, that we are not awake!" How preposterous, what a damning accusation"!

But do we not see, that all the 'whistles, widgets and watcha-ma-call-its' do not complete the circle. The cure-all of the Scientific thrusts, the Industrial panaceas, the Techno-gratis solutions. All have fallen short of the mark, all the promises they have made are flawed. The consumer "manna" seemingly lacks the corrective and the restorative powers to feed mans' inner needs. The "poverty of spirit" is still prevalent. Even though in truth; we have everything we need if we were not so blinded by the superficial glow of affluence and success.

In many ways, we are still babes of the woods, suckling at the breast of Nature. And only now and then, do we come up for breath and ask: "why are we living our lives in such "quiet desperation"? Why are we so poor in spirit? Why is it so hard for us to see, to hear, to be? Why, the seemingly lack direction, commitment, and discipline? Why the meaninglessness, the norm-less-ness, the apathy and the indifference? Along with the lack-lusterless and deadness? Why the dysfunctional and fragmented families? Why do we still have food insecurity existing in a World of plenty? The high rate of illiteracy? The ever-accelerating gap between the "haves" and the "have-nots"? The destruction of our Earth home away from home? The staggering violations of Human rights throughout all the World today? And the list is never ending.

Instinctively, we know that knowledge for knowledge sake, as with technology, consumerism and materialism will not solve our dis-ease. nor will these things guarantee the needed growth and evolution for the Human species. Or answer the questions, we have created by default.

Our well-being, our human-ness is in danger. If our outward and inner growth is not synchronized and attended to, by a balance of conscious decisions and effort, we will just continue on making the same old mistakes time after time. Our body, mind and spirit needs to evolve in tandem, as a unit and as we have said elsewhere the different consciousness levels need to join in this unitive exercise. Everything is connected, we are family. Why is it so difficult for us to embrace this? In so many ways, we are still crawling and trying very hard to stand and walk in an 'upright' position. We are babes who have lost our innocence and the Power that just is. We have forfeited many things during our descent. Hopefully, we can regain them and cut our loss as we ascend and take on higher levels of consciousness.

To balance or rather counter-balance our technological thrusts and our acceleration in our consumer techno-world, along with our needed Space exploration to reach the outer limits of the Cosmos. We need a similar concentrated effort, in what some refer to as the "Inner Space Exploration". A going out beyond our Human nature; to new frontiers of the mind and spirit. To a connective-ness with " All and Everything". To the Origin and the "Intent" of our beginnings. An inner journey beyond the limits we have placed on our minds and spirit. Do we really know our possibilities, our potentialities? Why have we settled for less? We need to step outside the box.

How many of us realize that we do not use all we have been given? All the gifts and graces; the opulence that goes beyond description. There is no reason, why? The technological advancement and our inner evolution can do so, side by side. With each enhancing and empowering each other. While at the same time, affirming one another.

Allowing all the peoples of the Earth: the opportunity to reach their individual heights, their fullest potentialities and possibilities. And in doing so, learn that "All and Everything" is linked, is part of a unitary bond which is sustained as we breath in. "The Power, The Will, The Force, The Love, The Compassion" (pick your semantics) that gave us our first breath and everything else. We need to re-discover the "Wholeness". the UNITY. Which are ones' individual choice and effort? We cannot pray it into being, think it into being, wish it into being, or hope it into being. If there is to be a transformation, a revolution. We need to accept the Reality;" that the buck stops on our front steps." Or to use a sports' analogy; "the ball is in your court". "You can either choose to fish or cut bait". What is it going to be?