Save the World? Why?

There is a tendency of modern mankind to think that the individual is here on earth to remove the need to struggle from the earth. He or she thinks that their mission is to “save” mankind, to get rid of all hunger, all conflict. This is an exhausting undertaking, and in the end, it fails.

If it was Jesus’ mission to remove all conflict and selfishness, then he failed. If it was his mission to remove all disease, he failed. If it was his mission to make everyone happy, he failed. No, his message was about individual transformation through transcending the self. It was not a model for governmental systems, nor extensive social structures.

Everyone came here to learn something. In order to learn the main lesson, there are more basic, prerequisite lessons, such as how to maintain a focus on one’s own conduct and attitude, and how to avoid the temptation of telling others how they should act or feel.

The key to fulfillment is to respond to all things within your sphere of influence by accepting and embracing what is, and seeing it correctly. You don’t owe anyone anything, except to pay for what you purchase. If it pleases you to help someone, then by all means, do so, but do not fall into the trap of feeling guilty because you are in health and eat well.

If done for genuine compassion, philanthropy and volunteerism can bring one a feeling of joy and fulfillment. If done because of shame or guilt, it becomes an unhealthy abuse of God’s gifts to you. It also leads to judging others who don’t share your enthusiasm for charity.

When you leave this earthly plane, there will still be poverty and suffering, conflict and warring. You will not have failed. This entire world is a learning lab for souls. If it had no opportunity for compassion or struggle, how would you learn? No, our purpose is not to make the world hold hands and sing “I’d like to teach the world to sing . . .”

Relax. You don't have to save anyone. Learn to feel joy, regardless of the circumstances around you. Learn to love, despite the hate all around you. Learn to live fully in each moment with gratitude. Once you can do this, then you are ready for the advanced lesson, whatever that is.

Namaste,
Bob Roushar

PUNISH THE VIOLATORS !

Dear Friends:

The longer you live, and if you're paying attention, the more you see recurring patterns in human behavior. It seems that we have a collective response to anyone who does something harmful that is just instinctive. Any time there is a crime spree or financial scandal, we seem intent on preventing it from happening again. Those of us who have seen these things happen repeatedly have learned that you can't prevent people from doing stupid or harmful things. You just can't.

So this is what we do: we oversimplify the situation, find someone to villify, declare those affected as victims, and pass more laws against the activity that stirred our anger. Then, self righteously, we ridicule or demonize the guilty constantly in our public discourse.

This does not help heal the world. I know "victims" of harmful actions that never heal because they constantly dwell on the unfairness of the situation. They constantly vilify those who harmed them. That's OK. It's their choice. There is, however, no freedom or healing in that choice.

Have you ever encountered a wounded animal? It will lash out because of the fear and pain. So it is with all creatures, even humans. Wounded people act in wounded ways. By realizing that people do harmful things because they themselves have been harmed, new possibilities are created. There is an opportunity to love.

I want to quote the Buddha here--one of my favorite passages:

“Look how he abused me and beat me,
How he threw me down and robbed me.”
Live with such thoughts and you live in hate.

“Look how he abused me and beat me,
How he threw me down and robbed me.”
Abandon such thoughts, and live in love.

In this world
Hate never dispelled hate.
Only love dispels hate.
This is the law,
Ancient and inexhaustible.

You too shall pass away.
Knowing this, how can you quarrel?

Dhammapada, translated by Thomas Byrom

Guilt-free success

Dear Friends:

In our popular culture there is always an ample measure of guilt because we are prosperous and healthy when there are so many who are not. This is not healthy for us or for those who suffer, as Catherine Ponder said once, "how does it help someone who is suffering for me to feel bad as well."

The answer, of course, is that it hellps no one. It doesn't even help me to help those who suffer. If you do something, do it out of love, not out of guilt, and please, please--do not try to shame others into helping. It doesn't 'work. Only love works. If you want further guidance, read about the example of Mother Teresa, who was against nothing, but for FOR many good things.

To this end, I want to share with you a poem from the Dhammapada:

Live in Joy,
In Love,
Even among those who hate.

Live in Joy,
In Health,
Even among the afflicted.

Live in Joy,
In Peace,
Even among the troubled.

Look Within,
Be Still,
Freee from fear and attachment,
Know the sweet joy of the way.

Dhammapada, translated by Thomas Byrom

Namaste,
Bob Roushar

The direct path

Dear friends:

In the New Thought movement, the statement is heard often, "there are many paths to God, but only one God." In a sense that is true, if you found union with God, then obviously the path you took is a valid one. Some paths, however, meander and go the very long way around. We in Unity favor the direct path.

Everyone has the ability to enter into a conscious connection with the Allness now, without ritual, without mantra, without outer action of any kind. This is hard to accept. Most of us have been taught that we must go through some other entity, do pennance of some kind, or earn the right of this connection. These are beliefs that are difficult to release, and they cause a wandering that seems to go on forever.

If you are looking for a better way, know this: you can connect with the divine by going inward in the silence. You can feel love and joy in this divine presence. The longer and the more often you spend time in that divine center, the more everything else will fall into place, the more of the mystical you will understand.

Namaste,
Bob Roushar

Emotional Attachment to Ancient Writings

It is amazing to me that for so long I believed that a book was the absolute authority for my thoughts and actions. This kind of blind belief in a sacred text, or the belief that it is the only source of guidance is the cause of a lot of frustration in the world. If you believe, because of something written in the sacred text, that a deity is displeased unless all of humanity must change their behavior, and will punish the whole of humanity for allowing the errant behavior, then you seek to be the savior of the world. You seek to force others to behave as you think your deity dictates.

This is a dangerous path to travel. By trying to force the world to conform to the template in your world view, you are setting off on a never ending journey that will never render joy or satisfaction, and will never come to completion. The world will never conform to your template, no matter how many people you intimidate, persuade, or even eliminate. Literal belief in a sacred book is a recipe for lifelong emptiness.

I was in this trap for many years, afraid to think for myself, afraid to disagree with what I thought the Bible was saying. Very gradually, I came to a place of reason and connection with all the positive things about spirituality. I came eventually to recognize universal principles instead of rules, great qualities instead of rigid behavior.

There is great joy in the freedom to seek a connection with the allness, without the tyranny of some rule book, written ostensibly by a deity given to anger. Ironically, now that I think for myself and am on a path of love and non-judgment, the Bible makes more sense to me than ever, and it is more valuable to me, but in a different way. I can see the stages in my own growth in the characters of the Bible, and there are many relational teachings within the stories. If you are struggling with this, know that a sacred text can be a special tool for guidance as long as we choose our values from our own spirit --as long as we are the masters and not the servants of the ideas written on its pages. We decide which ideas expressed in it will help us realize our values, and we can leave the rest.

Namaste,
Bob Roushar

Shame-based Religion is not Helpful

Dear Friends:

If you are one of the many people who are struggling to build your life with a belief system that incorporates shame and guilt into your psyche, just know that there are other ways of bringing harmony and order into your life. Shame and guilt may give you some kind of order, but it is also a heavy burden to bear. It wears down the soul, and keeps the world from seeing the splendor that is the real you.

If you are ready to take a step away from shame and guilt, consider this--we have all done things that perhaps were harmful to ourselves or others. There is no one who has not. These actions were based on fear, which was based on wrong or limited information. There is no need to think you are a bad person because you made mistakes. Just correct the mistake and go forward. If necessary, forgive yourself. If you damaged a relationship that you value, try to reconcile or make restitution, but there is no need to feel unworthy in the process.

Say to yourself in your meditations, "I am a wonderful creature of God, a divine being. I am learning and growing and I am worthy of divine joy and peace. I am all I need to be in this moment."

Namaste,
Bob Roushar

Rising above duality in 2011

All of our lives we are taught by various means and media that we should "fight evil." So we go around as adults looking for some conflict in which we can choose the side of good against evil. This keeps us in a judgment mode, always judging who is right and who is wrong. As you get older, it gets more difficult to tell who's right and wrong in their conflicts with each other, and it leaves us exhausted.

In 2011 it will be my earnest goal to see only good in each person and in each situation. Being stuck in the earthly duality only draws me into endless inner strife and keeps me from experiencing the heavenly oneness I desire.

I invite you to do this also. As you truly see only good in each person and situation, higher things are revealed to you, and deeper peace and wisdom become yours. When this happens, people and circumstances no longer have control over you-- you are free indeed.

Make this year the one in which you are truly freed from old ideas that are holding you back.

Namaste,
Bob Roushar