Reflections on cultural vitality and renewal

In most general terms I am a proponent of accepting responsibility for the thoughts, beliefs and values that I operate out from. I teach by example and by invitation - because I do not value coercion as part of the way I live, or the world I live in. I am the primary learner of what I teach. Giving as I would receive.

Ideas that we live out from (and thus validate and propagate) are not always conscious - and so there is necessarily a process by which they rise to awareness.
This may be through a sense of dissonance where our beliefs are called to into question - and can be identified as beliefs instead or being experienced as real.
I feel that the attempt to manage or control 'others' by using guilt or fear is the old way of doing things - and not my living choice - so I look to my own guidance - in whatever way I can feel or find it - such that I can be free to "Share the Gift".

For through the willingness or even the grace of receiving - arises a desire to share on as I myself have received.
There are many levels and aspects to this - and also pitfalls - of 'making a self image' out of what is essentially a living relational culture. I value the opportunity to discover hidden aspects of my own distrust or selfishness - even though it might be a difficult process for me. But not as an exercise in guilt and atonement - but rather of truth, understanding and acceptance.

There is obviously a purpose and a place for obeying the laws of the land, but we are not machines - (or at least such is my assertion ;-) I feel that the heart and mind that freely chooses to align with an awakened perspective of a greater love than self alone is the living seed of cultural vitality and renewal. I feel that we are all in some sense in the learning of life - where we seem to be in a conflict between selfishness and some ideal of love.
This tends to play out as good and bad, right and wrong, worthy and unworthy.

I don't subscribe to this - or at least I dedicate my life to cancelling my subscription to this. Underneath any rational argument or appeal I feel that the truth of what is in our heart is the primary communication of what we live and not the human meaning attached to the form. Of course this can be misconstrued to mean anything to anyone on an intellectual level - but I am not speaking at an intellectual level. That we can fool ourselves should not be in doubt - but that we want to believe our deceptions is less easy to own.