A Spiritually Enlightening Online Magazine. September's Theme: "Inter-be"
Volume 8 Issue 6 ISSN# 1708-3265

Index Meet Our Staff Free Subscription Donations Come Shopping Advertise in TSM Archived Issues

Illuminations Aleesha Stephenson About the Cover Jérôme Prieur Tapestry of Oneness Dj Brown-Jewett Inter Actions Parzival Sattva Just What We're Bred To Do! David Reber All Phenomena Are Interdependent, Endlessly Interwoven Cheryl Jewett-Brown Ph.D. this change of name Alegria Albano-Imperial Cherry Picking David Suzuki, PhD Lifetalks Dawn Baumann Brunke Walk Your Talk Aleesha Stephenson Po and the Stones Phil Kotofskie Wiccan Voices Crystal Blanton, HPs Let's Talk Tarot Marcia McCord Meditate a Moment Parzival Sattva Cards & Curios Tarot Deck Reviews: with Dan Pelletier

"Self and society have no separate elements………. Society teaches us to worry about the relationship between individual and society as if the two were separate pieces of a puzzle that must go together, yet cannot fit together. Society perpetuates this false problem because it wants us to be asleep, so that we will not do anything to change the status quo." - Thich Nhat Hanh

How are your relationships these days? Because inter-being is exactly that. An inter-weaving of all things and people in your life; "an endless web of combinations", as Hanh, a Buddhist monk calls it.

Inter-being is inter-"is"-ness, an interdependency, merely a mirroring and reflecting of each other. Nothing in this world can exist in and of itself. Acknowledging this dependency upon the other, an acceptance of Divine Order, has the potential to bring us closer to the Holy God-Spirit and to each other in a celebration of that very concept of inter-being. Everything is a part of everything else. Hanh embraces the concept that, "The elements that make up the world are patterns of dependency and interweaving………. All relationships are patterns of interaction. So, they are, by definition, dynamic; they are patterns of change."

You cannot have a relationship if you do not know what or who the "other" is. And, how do you learn this basic information? As babies, people point at things and name them. Eventually, you begin to identify and recognize the difference between, for example, a bed and a non-bed. You're shown picture books with the name of the object under the picture; table, tree, cat, flower, and you learn how to relate to it. You learn boundaries. Where does the tree begin and you end, or vice versa. You learn the relationship between this tree and you so you know how to respond to it. Do you hug a tree? Desire to carve into it? Want to cut it down some day? Take a photo of it? Draw a picture of it? Learn all the ways the tree benefits you? "Just think," your parent says, "we can hang rope from the tree and make a swing for you to play on."

Speaking of parents, a primary relationship in life, this is where you learned separation because you were so totally dependent upon others. Hungry? You might have needed to cry when you're hungry. Messy diaper? Again, you might have needed to fuss or cry to get help. At the same time, you are aware of a oneness since you so recently arrived from the Other Side. With this subconscious apparent contradiction - separation versus oneness - you eventually become aware that you can assimilate it all over time as you learn, develop, grow, and discover all the world has to offer. Your parents also teach you not only how to address people but how to relate to everything and everyone around you. "Don't touch that stove honey, you'll get burned." "Stay away from the edge, you'll fall." "Feel the flower petals and see how soft they are, sweetie." "Give Grandma a kiss." Or, of course, because you have a free will, you can refuse to kiss anyone. A baby I know staunchly refused kisses to and from anyone for a very long time. Rebellion can begin early, to be sure.

In this manner, you learn to be mindful, be in the present moment. Hanh explains, "Everything inter-is with everything else. Since everything depends on the totality of all, everything is already inside of everything else." You begin to recognize the difference between self and non-self. As I mentioned earlier, you are merely a mirror and reflection of ALL. With complete awareness, we seek to bring into harmony all the elements within us.

This where compassion enters the picture. Hanh states, "Compassion encompasses the instinctive desire to end all suffering, wherever and to whomever it occurs." Compassion is the very essence of immediate inter-being. With compassion, we are more objective because we are more totally aware of all the circumstances. As Hanh reminds us, "To love is to understand." Although compassion makes no moral judgment, that only goes so far. It demands social change, not halting actions and thoughts on behalf of real justice. With clarity and understanding, compassion is not about good people looking to stop bad people. That's a pretense for selfishness, for self-righteousness.

How so? Hanh again enlightens us, "Self-righteous morality stems from a desire to control the world by creating fixed boundaries, like the boundary between good and evil. When these boundaries are used to control people, they lead to misunderstanding, narrow-mindedness, and even cruelty." Controlling people is the same as seeking security. However believing the world is permanent and unchanging is simply an illusion. Change IS life.

Mirrors and Reflections

Dear Sweet Spirit, I feel Your Sacred Presence everywhere,
       in, around, and through all things.
Thank You for this opportunity to further my spiritual growth
       through lessons learned in this earthly plane.
Expand my consciousness so that I see life is truly
       unfolding perfectly for everyone.
This acceptance of Divine Order brings me closer to You
       and to each other, in a celebration of our interdependency.
Remind me that what I have in my world is the result,
       not only of my efforts, but also of others' efforts - the
       food we eat; the bridges and roadways we traverse;
       the buildings we use; the transportation we depend on
       whether that is horse and buggy, car, bus, or subway;
       varied media through which we learn about our world;
       and the people we interact with.
Without these efforts, the world would surely be bland and empty.
Meaningless.
I am willing to open myself to the mirrors of my soul,
       showing me a reflection of the goodness of life.
For this, I give thanks, Sweet Spirit.
And, so it is.

Cheryl, from Michigan, says, "Having had Multiple Sclerosis for almost thirty years, I've learned much about adapting and squeezing joy out of life. Therefore, I am a metaphysical minister who believes God is in everything, everywhere. And, the Sweet God-Spirit surely lives in my little Maya-puppy, who kept me connected with life after my youngest son was killed in a freak automobile accident ten years ago."

Visit Cheryl's website at www.griefhealingthroughspiritfaith.com.

Copyright (c) 2011 by Timeless Spirit Magazine. All articles are the copyright of the particular writers and cannot be reprinted without their expressed permission. All rights reserved. International copyright laws prohibit reproduction or distribution of this page by any means whatsoever, electronic or otherwise, without first obtaining the written permission of the copyright holder. We retain legal counsel to protect our copyrights.

Any advice given is for informational purposes only.